21
“…”
There was a moment of silence in the room.
“Wow!”
The one who broke the silence was Joshua.
“Sister, it’s really amazing! How did you do this, Nanny?”
The wide-eyed child rolled around on the bed, shouting cheerfully.
“W-what is this…!”
Emma carefully examined the knee where the wounds seemed to have miraculously disappeared.
It seemed like she firmly believed that I wouldn’t be able to heal Joshua’s injuries just like yesterday.
‘Ugh, my tailbone!’
Enduring a sharp pain, I bit my lip and got up, overcoming the fallen body.
“…Swindler?”
At my question, Emma shivered, shaking her shoulders.
I placed both hands on my waist and gave the most angry expression I could muster.
“Apologize, Aunty!”
“W-what?”
“Calling Bellze a swindler? Bellze is just a kid, why would you say such nasty things to a child?”
Although a bit cringe-worthy, I intentionally emphasized “child” a lot to make it sound more irritating.
“A swindler! Saying that to a five-year-old? Really?”
At that moment, Joshua intervened with a serious expression.
“Wait! Emma, apologize! Sister Bellze didn’t lie, did she?”
“Ugh… M-Master!”
“In such situations, you should express your gratitude. Even an adult like nanny, don’t you know that?”
Joshua’s words, meant to give a subtle jab, made Emma’s face turn pale.
‘Well, he’s good at this.’
I looked at Joshua with approving eyes.
In the end, Emma reluctantly opened her mouth.
“I… I’m sorry. B-but, you can understand why I would doubt, right?”
“What?”
“The child who came from Marquise of Varelote Couldnt heal injuries, but you…!”
“Enough of that, Lady Casten!”
Gordon intervened abruptly.
Then, with a stern tone, he warned her.
“As you can see, both Bellze and I have never played around with Master Joshua’s illness. If you interfere with the medical procedure once more, I’ll report it to the Duke.”
“Ugh… F-fine! I’m sorry!”
Emma offered an apology with a face that showed no remorse.
I naturally ignored it.
What was more interesting was Gordon’s attitude.
‘Wasn’t he suspicious of me until now?’
To think he would stand by my side.
In my past life, he was always trying to take advantage of me whenever he had the chance.
Not only did he distrust my healing abilities, but he always looked down on me.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, that attitude was equally applied to Diana as well.
‘Come to think of it… He was one of the few who disliked Diana.’
Putting aside the fact that I disliked her too, Gordon’s figure stood out again.
He gruffly asked, “Why are you staring like that?”
“Ung… Sir, you told me to let you know if there’s any pain.”
“Is it hurting?”
“Yes. The tailbone is a bit… um…”
“…Come to the treatment room later.”
Although he seemed a bit awkward, he still gave his permission.
“Yes! Then, please include black buffalo rib bones!”
“Ugh, this ghost-like thing! How do you even know about that…!”
Gordon turned to me with a surprised expression.
By the way, black buffalo rib bones were an excellent premium medicinal ingredient for bone health.
After a while, he brought up the topic with a somewhat resigned face.
“…I replaced the medicine, focusing more on the heart, as you suggested. How is it this time?”
‘So that’s how!’
Thanks to that, I had an epiphany.
No wonder my healing abilities suddenly worked so well after two days.
It was a synergy effect of the medicine Gordon had given me in advance and my healing abilities!
With this, there was a good chance to aim for a full recovery.
I tossed a card of praise generously while raising my thumb.
“It was wonderful! Sir Gordon is amazing! Well done!”
“Cough! Of course! If I may say so myself, I graduated at the top of the Medical Academy with this body…”
“But! Sir, since young master is in pain, please include something to make it painless!”
“Are you talking about painkillers? Hm! I hastily changed the prescription, so I didn’t think about that… Jeez. Painkillers, painkillers…”
“…”
“Extract of Blue Firefly Jelly!”
Throwing a mild ingredient that wouldn’t conflict with other medicines, Gordon found a solution on his own.
“We should test if it’s okay!”
He muttered to himself like a madman, then left the room without even saying goodbye.
The room became silent in an instant.
“You…!”
As Gordon disappeared, Emma, as if she had been waiting, fiercely got up.
“Just come here…”
“Sister! Quick, let’s check on Josh!”
Although she tried to call me out, Joshua was faster.
In response to the child’s cry, Emma urgently turned her gaze towards him.
“What’s the matter, my lord? Is there any pain again…!”
“Ah! Not you, Emma!”
However, Joshua pushed Emma aside, blocking both of us.
While she hesitated, I casually approached the bed.
“Look! Not a single tear anymore?”
“Ung?”
“Now quickly tell me the secret!”
Joshua covered his eyes with his hands.
Despite my efforts to hold back tears, my eyes showed signs of welled-up tears.
‘He must have been in a lot of pain.’
What was this ridiculous secret talk for?
Joshua, who desperately held back his tears, looked pitiful and admirable.
I gently spoke to the child waiting for my answer.
“Of course I’m going to take my medicine, ….I cried yesterday because I didn’t want to eat.”
“What! Then did Gordon lie again? Ugh…”
Joshua, who was clenching his fists with an angry expression, suddenly chuckled.
“Then am I more dignified and mature?”
“Yes, my lord, you look like an adult now.”
“Hehe, then you can call me brother now.”
Joshua said with a smug look on his face.
“Heh, you’re like a big brother, Young master.”
“Prince Josh is still… It’s okay to be alone.”
“Huh.”
‘This little one…’
I was amazed, opening my mouth in disbelief.
‘Since when did he start calling himself a prince…’
I added information about the Duke’s family with a shaking head.
– Brothers have similar pride.
“Is the treatment finished?”
That was the moment. They say the tiger would come if I called his name.
“Brother!”
“Ed…!”
I hesitated to casually call him affectionately. Even if he had allowed me to use his name, I wondered if it was appropriate to call him so recklessly in front of others, especially in front of Emma, who was wide-eyed with an axe to catch my tail.
While I was pondering, Edwin approached in an instant.
He was perfect today as well. Dressed in the attire befitting the successor to the Duke, neat hair, a radiant appearance despite his youth…
“Hello, nice to see you again.”
He greeted me.
‘You’ll see me again soon, why are you saying goodbye as if we won’t meet again?’
‘…Can I?’
At that moment, the conversation we had two days ago flashed through my mind.
‘I thought it would be difficult to meet again back then…’
In the end, the current situation, as he predicted, felt a bit embarrassing for some reason.
I gathered my fingers and hesitated, then whispered softly.
“Hello, Edwin.”
“Edwin?”
Joshua, who heard my voice, smirked.
“Are Older Brother and Belze going to be friends?”
“We’re not friends because I’m older.”
“I want to be friends too! I want to be friends! From now on, call me Josh!”
Whether Edwin heard my voice in his ear or not, Joshua suddenly pouted cutely.
Now, it would have been better not to call him with a strange nickname.
“Ung, Josh.”
“I didn’t mean to use informal language…”
“Heh.”
Edwin laughed at his younger brother’s reaction.
– Brothers are equally unfortunate.
While updating the new information, Joshua excitedly chattered.
“Brother! Today, you know, how did sister Belze do?”
“How did she do?”
“She shot a bright white light, like, like pew-pew! Did she treat Josh’s knee like magic?”
“Your knee? Where?”
Edwin widened his eyes and reached out toward Joshua’s knee.
It seemed like he had an intention to examine the wound.
However, before reaching Josh’s body.
Snap!
With a sharp sound, Edwin’s hand was knocked away.
“Don’t touch Lord!”
22
Such a crazy thing could only be done by Emma.
“Gasp.”
I stood frozen, more astonished than Edwin, the person in question.
Edwin was the sole heir of the Duke.
It was unthinkable for a mere servant to implore the Duke so rudely, even leaving aside the issue of noble etiquette.
No, putting all that aside.
‘How dare she…!’
A spark flashed before my eyes.
As anger surged even more than when I was pushed and fell.
At the moment, I wanted to rush out and scratch and pinch the woman.
“What are you doing?”
Edwin, who was staring at his rejected hand, tilted his head and asked.
Emma grumbled with a torn voice.
“What exactly are you doing, Young master?”
“What did I do?”
“Do you already forget who’s responsible for Young master Joshua’s injury?!”
“Stop it, Emma!”
Joshua, looking helpless, tried to restrain Emma.
However, neither of them paid any attention.
“Are you blaming me for Joshua stumbling and falling alone in the woods?”
“Yes! He’s your brother! If you really had to take your sick brother out, you should have paid more attention!”
“…Ha.”
“Since then, you haven’t even apologized, and you shamelessly come here as if nothing happened…!”
“Ah―!”
At that moment,
Amidst the fierce exchange of words between the two, the sound of a child’s crying echoed.
“D-Don’t fight with my b-brother! I h-hate Emma! Waaaah!”
“Enough, young master! Please don’t cry, our little master. It’s all this maid’s fault.”
“Go away! I don’t want to see the maid’s face! Waaaah, I hate you!”
In response to Joshua’s outburst, Emma seemed at a loss.
“I’ll, I’ll leave! I’ll go out, young master! So please, don’t cry. Cheer up, okay?”
Unlike when dealing with Edwin, Emma hurriedly stepped away.
But even so, she did not leave Edwin alone.
“Please leave as well, Young Master.”
“Why should I?”
“Isn’t it almost time for your swordsmanship lesson?”
“There’s still 10 minutes left.”
“You should prepare for the lesson in advance. If you keep doing this, I’ll have to report it to Sir Sven!”
In a threatening tone, Edwin furrowed his brows.
“Ha.”
Then, with a short sigh, he turned away.
“Br-brother…”
Though Joshua called him pitifully, Edwin did not look back.
Thud—
Finally, the two left, and the door closed.
And all that remained was me.
“This is annoying.”
The only one with a dry expression asking when I cried was Joshua.
I was dumbfounded for a moment at Joshua’s changed expression.
‘Was it a fake cry?’
As expected, it was unusual.
‘I shouldn’t find it funny.’
While making such a resolution, Joshua sighed deeply.
“Why is Emma constantly pleading with my brother in such a miserable manner? Joshua doesn’t seem to mind at all…”
“Does Emma behave that way to Young Master even when there isn’t a special occasion?”
“No. It wasn’t like that before, but it started after Joshua hurt his knee…”
Joshua added with a melancholy expression.
“Brother went along with me because I begged him uncontrollably.”
‘I had no idea.’
When I was adopted into the Duke’s estate, Emma had already taken control of all the servants. Moreover, Edwin was so busy juggling his succession lessons and academy studies that there was no chance to encounter Emma.
The original work, narrated from Diana’s perspective, was no exception.
‘If I were Edwin, I would have immediately expelled the nanny taking care of my sick brother.’
Edwin, kind and gentle, seemed reluctant to drive away the nanny for his ailing brother.
‘Indeed, rescuing someone like me led to such an outcome.’
As I recalled Edwin’s last moments in my past life, my mood sank deeply.
I clenched my fists and made a vow.
‘No one will lay a hand on Edwin recklessly.’
I needed to quickly devise a plan for what to do next.
I turned to hurry back to my room.
“Hmm?”
However, for some reason, my body wouldn’t move forward.
Glancing back, I saw the hem of my dress tightly held.
Joshua opened his eyes and mumbled, “Where are you going?”
“Hmm? To my room.”
“It’s all over. Are you saying you’ve finished chatting now?”
‘Since when did he learn to talk like that?’
I was taken aback for a moment, then answered, “Well, yes. Anyway…”
“Hmph! I haven’t finished.”
Joshua cheekily added, “Chase me around.”
“Playing tag?”
“Is that not the same as that and that?!”
Joshua got irritated with my response.
Despite that, his grip on the hem of my dress didn’t loosen.
Seeing him like this, I couldn’t help but let out a stifled laugh.
“Umm…”
“I hesitated for a moment. While I wanted to come up with a plan to revenge Emma Casten immediately, it seemed okay to investigate Joshua, who didn’t even appear in the original.
After contemplating, I set one condition.
“If you don’t call me ‘sister’ again, you’ll get a scolding!”
“Okay! Bellche nuna!”
Joshua agreed and started calling me ‘nuna’ again.
I looked at Josh with a bit of guilt.
‘When he grows up, this will be his embarrassing past.’
* * *
“Look! This is the Elgion Mountain Diamond!”
“Wow, it’s beautiful.”
“This is the emerald I got from our deep mine!”
“Wow, amazing.”
“And this is…”
“Wow. It’s the best, Master Wanja.”
“Hey!”
Suddenly, Joshua, who was showing a ring with a topaz, shouted.
“Are you a girl or what?!”
“Ugh! That’s right!”
“What’s wrong with the string?”
Jingling!
Accessories hanging on Joshua’s body made a clear sound and sparkled as they moved.
I couldn’t help but wonder.
‘Who exactly is the girl here….’
Starting from a tiara, necklace, bracelet, to a ring…
Joshua, adorned with various jewels, looked like a short-haired princess of a wealthy country.
And here I was, playing the role of a maid clapping hands for an hour, admiring the princess’s beauty.
‘How did it come to this….’
“Let’s play prince!”
When Joshua shouted like that, I thought it was just playing house.
But then, he unexpectedly crawled under the bed and pulled out a quite large box.
Taking out various splendid accessories from the box and proudly putting them on his body was the so-called ‘prince play.’
‘Indeed, out of the ordinary.’
The glamorous box with a mirror on the lid turned out to be a genuine jewelry box.
‘Who on earth gave this to a 5-year-old boy?’
Perhaps my reaction was a bit disappointing.
“Do you hate jewelry?”
Joshua asked awkwardly. I shrugged my shoulders in response.
“Well… to be honest, I don’t know much about jewelry.”
“Diamonds, don’t you know?”
“Yeah, I don’t know.”
“Not knowing diamonds….”
In response to my answer, Joshua grumbled with a shocked expression.
“Ignore it.”
‘This guy.’
I was annoyed but held back.
After all, I’m just a commoner orphan, so not knowing something doesn’t go against the setting.
Of course, I knew what a diamond was!
Emeralds, topazes…
But when it came to jewelry, I only had unpleasant memories.
‘Ta-da! Look at this, Belze! The Duke went to an auction and bought it because he thought of me!’
‘Did the lady steal it? How can she be so vulgar in everything she does, even as a commoner!’
Voices from the past that I overheard one day echoed in my ears.
“Huh…?”
At that moment, something caught my eye inside the jewelry box.
Among many rings, one sparkled particularly.
A large ring with a sapphire embedded in it.
“This is…”
“Sapphire! Is this Arha?”
Joshua, who easily recognized what I was looking at, pulled it out.
There was no way he wouldn’t know.
“It was found in Miss Belze’s room, my lord!”
“The heirloom of the late Duchess that Master Joshua used to have…!”
Because it was a ring known to have been stolen by me in a past life.
Joshua, having put it on my most plump thumb, showed it to me.
Even though it was worn on the sturdiest thumb, the ring still spun loosely.
“Isn’t it pretty?”
“……Yeah.”
I obediently nodded, and then Joshua asked abruptly.
“Do you want it? Should I give it to you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Perhaps not expecting a refusal, Joshua widened his eyes in surprise.
“When the maid sisters see my treasure box, they always ask for just one….”
“So you give it to them?”
“Yeah!”
“How are those maid sisters doing?”
“They all have to hurry back home because their fathers are waiting!”
At Joshua’s cheerful proclamation, a cold sweat broke out on my spine.
If I hadn’t regressed, I might have received a scolding and returned to the temple as well.
Knowing what I knew now, Joshua’s treasure box felt a bit ominous.
“That… is it from the Duchess?”
“Yeah! It’s Josh’s mom’s! How did you know?”
“I saw the painting on the second floor.”
“Oh! Mom’s painting?”
The portrait of the Duchess hanging in the second-floor lobby also depicted a sapphire ring.
I only learned about it after being accused of being a ring thief.
To commemorate their first wedding anniversary, the Marquis had gone to a distant country to fetch a very expensive ring.
The marchioness had cherished the ring so much that she wore it instead of her wedding ring while she was alive.
“Be careful with that.”
I cautiously advised Joshua, who was genuinely innocent.
“Don’t give something like this casually to others.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re going to have to take it out later when you’re upset with your mom.”
“Oh, uh….”
Joshua’s eyes widened at my words.
It seemed like there was no one else who had given him such advice.
“Oh, I see….”
Joshua, who seemed to be deeply pondering, soon mumbled with a disappointed expression.
“Since everything is Josh’s, do as you please. If you really want to give it to someone, you can… when you have someone you want to give it to.”
“That’s right.”
Because that way, he could claim ownership of the ring.
I responded with a cold sneer.
After Joshua’s death, Emma Casten openly claimed that the Duke had given her this ring.
The servants, naturally, murmured their dissatisfaction to Emma.
Having gained control inside the mansion, she constantly harassed me.
When I, fed up with the situation, threatened to expose the truth to the Duke, she had a maid bring me into my room and framed me as a thief.
‘Damn it.’
Even thinking about it now made my teeth chatter.
“But hey, Sister.”
As I shivered, Joshua suddenly called me.
“Does brother not want to see Mom?”
“…Edwin? Why is Edwin suddenly brought up?”
“Uh, well… actually, all of this belongs to Mom.”
Joshua shyly confessed.
‘This all belongs to the Duchess.’
Now I understood why a seemingly normal boy had so many accessories.
‘…Sorry, Josh.’
Feeling guilty for judging him strangely for a moment, I apologized silently.
“But brother, while Josh is pestering Dad for these, he never asks for anything else and always gives in! Our brother is really nice!”
That was obvious.
A healthy boy wouldn’t play with adult women’s accessories.
‘Sorry, Josh.’
I apologized once again.
“Brother probably wants to see Mom too, right?”
“…Yeah, probably.”
“Then, will brother take this?”
Joshua, with the sapphire ring on his thumb, flashed a smile and said.
At that moment, a good idea flashed through my mind.
23
* * *
As I returned to my room, Tara greeted me.
“Miss, you’re back? Is the treatment going well?”
“Yeah!”
I must have heard Emma’s arrogant tone for sure.
But Tara’s face showed no sign of disappointment.
Looking at her face, a forgotten memory suddenly came back.
“I stole it!”
“Miss, Miss Belze, you don’t know anything! I… I was tempted by the ring and secretly stole it, hiding it in your room!”
In my past life, why Tara left the mansion.
She had not been treated well by me, and after giving me some credit, things turned out that way.
I still couldn’t understand why Tara, who had done nothing but good for me, took the blame and was driven away.
What was clear was that I vividly remembered all of it.
‘Sorry, Tara. I underestimated you too much.’
I gritted my teeth.
‘Instead of just scolding her, I should have completely gotten rid of her.’
Perhaps my gaze, staring in a daze, seemed strange, and Tara grinned.
“Was the healing process tough, Miss? Your complexion doesn’t look good.”
“No? I’m not tired at all!”
“That’s fortunate.”
I wondered how much Emma had cursed me.
Tara, who used to call me ‘Princess’ whenever she found the opportunity, had returned to normal.
Although I knew she would return soon according to the memories of my past life, it still left a bitter taste.
“By the way, Tara! Get me some paper and a pencil.”
“Oh my, are you going to practice writing? I’ll bring them right away!”
Tara, who left the room, quickly returned with a bunch of paper and a pencil.
I sat at the desk in one corner, which was a decorative desk I had never used in my past life, and it felt nostalgic.
“Miss, would you like some refreshments?”
“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it, Tara. Just do your usual tasks!”
I waved my hand generously to Tara, who kindly suggested.
She smiled and took the handkerchief and left.
I immediately grabbed the pencil firmly and organized the situation.
In other words, planning for my second life!
1. Live a good life without deviating too much from the original work, especially not treating Diana badly.
2. Seek revenge against those who have wronged people around me.
It was somewhat amusing to plan revenge right after deciding to live a good life. But there was no choice. I couldn’t let someone like Emma roam freely!
I clenched my fist and wrote the next plan.
3. Earn a lot of money.
This was quite important. Whether in peace or war, everything requires money. Of course, I would be receiving support from the Duke’s mansion, so there would be a budget set for my future. However, more money was always better.
Fortunately, thanks to my knowledge of the original work, I felt that I could easily resolve this matter.
‘Got it!’
4. Find my heart.
‘My heart!’
I had a lot of work to do to get to the ducal residence, so I barely had time to think about it.
Finding the heart.
I know it sounds crazy, but I could feel it.
That my left chest was empty.
“In short, I cannot hear the sound of a beating heart from this child.”
I might have just been making vague guesses, but I don’t know how surprised Gordon was when he figured it out.
Even if I could use the excuse of having a weak pulse when I was young, challenges would come as I grew older.
‘I have to be careful not to get caught in the future.’
I can’t afford to be dragged back to the royal prison for dreadful experiments again.
“Sigh….”
I’m not some kind of zombie. To be alive even after regressing without a heart…
My feelings were terribly strange.
I still couldn’t figure out what had happened to my body. Moreover, what was crucial was,
‘Is Edwin really without it?’
However, I couldn’t be sure of that yet.
Even if it wasn’t in the form of a heart, it could be hidden somewhere in Edwin’s body.
There wasn’t absolutely no way.
In the original work, there was a description of an orphan blessed by the goddess with the ability of clairvoyance. Unfortunately, the name was not mentioned.
‘Before having my abilities taken away by those crappy guys, I need to find it first.’
Until then, this was still on hold.
And finally, the eagerly awaited last one!
5. Do not die miserably in this life.
Even as I wrote it, I honestly lacked confidence.
Because, that was how it went in the original story.
It was unfair, but that was my role.
I was the villain who envied and tormented the protagonist Diana, only to meet a miserable end.
‘Of course, it would be great if I didn’t die and everyone had a happy ending.’
However, during the time I was imprisoned in the royal prison, I vividly remember the conversation between the Second Prince and Marquis Barelote.
They conspired with the internal staff of the temple to steal abilities from orphans.
I’m not exactly sure, but it seemed like they were using it to undermine the Crown Prince and seize power.
Of course, in the original work, conflicts between the Second Prince and the Crown Prince were occasionally mentioned.
However, the novel focused mainly on Diana’s ‘romance’ and ‘becoming a saint,’ so it wasn’t detailed.
‘…Moreover, the main character was never revealed until the end!’
That’s right.
<Fated to Become a Saint> was not just a failure but also a irresponsibly unfinished web novel!
After my villainous character died, the protagonist, now a saint, continued to have ambiguous relationships with various male leads.
Continuously. Over and over…
Therefore, the assumption that Edwin might be the male lead could be just my guess.
‘But if not, there’s no reason for my regression.’
Anyway, the downfall of the Marquis and Edwin’s death are significant variables in the original storyline.
And Kalios belonged to the Crown Prince faction.
And using the foolish me, the Second Prince brought down the Marquis.
‘Villains aren’t just me.’
While contemplating, I added one more thing below number 5.
+Even if I die, minimize the damage to the Marquis and die.
‘Yeah! Let’s do it like this!’
That was when I had just finished organizing everything.
*Clatter*
“Miss, have you finished practicing writing?”
Right on cue, Tara returned.
“Uh-huh. Did you finish the laundry?”
“Yes! But this, is it yours, Miss?”
Approaching me, Tara suddenly handed me something.
“Th-this is…”
A neatly folded light-yellow handkerchief. It was the one Edwin had given me while healing Joshua.
“I found it with the clothes you wore. There were bloodstains, so I washed it first.”
I had completely forgotten about it.
Seeing the handkerchief, completely clean without a single trace of blood, tears welled up in my eyes.
I carefully accepted it and said, “Th-thank you, Tara. So much.”
“Oh, no. It’s just something I should naturally do. If you’re that grateful, could you let me touch your cheek as a reward, Miss?”
“Uh… okay. Just once.”
“Kyaaah!”
Tara cheered and grabbed my cheek with both hands.
Squish, squish, squish.
“S-stop!”
I distinctly told her just once!
After squishing three times in a row, she let go, looking slightly disappointed.
“OH, Tara! I’m going out for a moment, could you take care of this?”
“Is it the paper you were practicing writing on? You’ve worked hard, why would you want to burn it?”
“Yeah. It’s just a bit embarrassing…”
“I understand. I’ll handle it perfectly!”
At my request to burn just a piece of paper, Tara nodded confidently, as if she had taken on a secret mission.
Trusting her, I quickly jumped out of the chair.
I didn’t worry too much about Tara reading the contents.
“I’ll be back soon!”
“Yes! Please be careful! You must come back before dinner to eat your porridge!”
* * *
*Clatter.*
The little princess who had just become my new charge ran out of the room.
Tara, humming to herself, picked up the paper that Belze had scribbled on.
“Let’s see…”
Why was she practicing writing so diligently, to the point of wrinkling her forehead?
Thinking about the adorable figure she had just displayed, Tara’s lips formed a subtle smile.
But only for a moment.
“…?!”
Tara’s eyes trembled as she peered into the paper.
“What on earth… What did you write?!”
There was only one thing that she could vaguely recognize.
“Our Miss wants to become rich…”
To think she wrote this with such a serious expression…
“What should I do? It’s too admirable and cute!”
Tara, holding the paper, bounced around the room for a while, unsure of what to do.
Finally, she put on a determined face.
“I like that aspiration. I will do my best to help you until you regain the name of a princess when you become rich, Miss!”
Clutching her fist with determination, Tara, who had been jumping around with her own spirit, approached the fireplace.
“For the sake of justice, strict adherence to secrecy is essential!”
Following Belze’s request, Tara quickly threw the paper into the flames.
*Swish—*
And with that, the writing of Belze’s life plan disappeared into the fire, consumed discreetly.
24
“Hmph, hmph…”
Behind the manor, in the woods that connected to the backyard.
I scrambled over the bushes, breathing harshly.
“Pink leaves. Pink. Pink…’
The original had said it was found near an old, hollow tree.
No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find it.
“Ah, seriously! Where on earth is it?!”
It’s not like plants with pink leaves are common!
I washed my eyes and looked for it, but I couldn’t see it.
“Haah, this is tough…”
Why am I going through this trouble?
It was part of life plan #3, make a lot of money.
“I need to take a short break for now.”
I’d been looking so hard that I was getting dizzy.
I picked myself up off the ground and made my way back to the gnarled old tree.
I flopped down in front of it.
“Diana found it so easily during a walk! Why is it so difficult for me?”
What a villainous penalty.
I sulked.
“Ugh, it’s glaring!”
Even the sun wasn’t helping me.
I looked around for a place to get out of the sun.
I soon found a decent shelter.
A hole in the base of a dead tree.
I crawled straight into it and laid down to sleep.
“Phew, I’m alive….”
It was quite cozy in the sunless tree.
And sweet as it was, it smelled pretty good.
“I’ll rest for a while, then I’ll try to find it again.
I thought to myself, closing my eyes.
“Boom.”
I opened my eyes again.
“What’s the scent…?”
[An unusual plant with pink, heart-shaped leaves had a sweet, cozy scent like sugar.]
Recalling the content of the original work, I quickly raised my upper body. And there, on my chubby legs, I discovered a cluster of pink plants.
“This, this is…”
The appearance and fragrance resembled exactly as described in the novel. I raised both hands in joy and shouted:
“Look at this!”
And what is this?
It’s none other than Fairy Herb.
The efficacy of this herb is:
“Acne and blemish treatment!”
In this world, there are medicines, doctors, and even a saint who can heal people on the brink of death.
“But there’s no dermatology!”
“At the age of 14, Diana visited the mansion to meet Edwin and coincidentally discovered this herb. Due to its pleasant scent, she plucked the herb and made a sachet with it. Later, she gifted it to the ladies of the mansion who visited for healing. To her surprise, these ladies had a tremendous reaction, claiming their skin became as smooth as peeled eggs! As it turns out, the herb is the legendary ‘Fairy Herb’ with various miraculous properties.”
Anyway, Diana gained the trust of these ladies and steadily built her reputation with this herb.
Recalling the original content, my cheeks swelled with excitement.
“Ha… Seriously, did she just take something from someone else’s house?”
The Duke and Edwin often allowed Diana to visit the mansion and pick Fairy Herb, as she didn’t use it to make money or harm the mansion.
At that moment, a fleeting sense of resentment towards Diana crossed my mind.
I snapped back to my senses as if I had been splashed with cold water.
“You’re jealous! Are you crazy?! You act badly, end up horribly, and then harbor such wicked thoughts again!”
I raised both hands and hit my head.
“Foolish.”
Despite having met a terrible fate due to jealousy towards Diana and regressing, I found myself sitting with such negative thoughts.
“Behave yourself! Diana did nothing wrong! She’s the protagonist. It’s natural for the protagonist to do good things!”
I mumbled to myself as if brainwashing.
And then, I apologized.
Just a day after deciding to treat her well, I found myself succumbing to acts that would overshadow her achievements.
“Ugh… Sorry, Diana.”
Also, an apology to the Duke.
“I apologize, Your Excellency.”
I delicately plucked the Fairy Herb with fern-like hands.
After all, I had plans to start taking things from others’ houses.
Moreover,
“With this, I’ll earn a lot of money.”
Still, I wouldn’t use it solely to satisfy my personal desires.
I had a reason for seizing this early using the original content.
It was for Plan 2!
To retaliate against Emma!
But as I tried to start something immediately, I found myself clueless.
“Revenge requires money!”
Realizing the importance of capitalism, I immediately utilized the original content.
“Hehe!”
Having plucked the leaves, I carefully placed them in a pouch and exited the hole.
The sun seemed to be setting, and the sky was tinted with red.
“I need to quickly go to Grandpa Gordon before sunset!”
I hurriedly crossed the forest.
Grandpa Gordon’s herb field was on the opposite side of the forest.
As I walked along the path, there was a sudden noise—chirp, clang, chwang!
Somewhere, a sharp metallic sound echoed.
I paused.
“Oh, right, there’s a training ground nearby.”
Within the vast estate of the Duke, there were a total of three training grounds. They were used for various purposes, and the one in this forest was relatively small, primarily used for individual training or practicing swordsmanship.
“I heard Edwin went for swordsmanship lessons.”
So, if I went to the training ground now, could I see Edwin?
I gazed across the forest where the metallic sound continued, my eyes sparkling.
In my mind, I knew I should quickly go to Grandpa Gordon.
“Still… what if I just take a quick look before going?”
As that thought crossed my mind, my feet were already heading towards the entrance to the training ground.
During the journey, I imagined Edwin skillfully wielding his sword.
In my previous life, I heard that Edwin was exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship as befitting a scion of a renowned swordsmanship family.
But I had never seen him wield a sword before.
“Belze, did you see that? Edwin is said to be the winner of this tournament!”
“While everyone was panicking due to a sudden tiger attack during the hunting contest, there he was! Edwin swiftly jumped out…”
“Ah… sorry, you probably didn’t see it?”
It wasn’t my concern.
Thinking of the shy Diana who was modestly boasting, I found myself at the entrance to the training ground.
Just in case I might be a disturbance, I suppressed my presence and hid behind a tree.
Peeking only my face, I observed the training ground, and indeed, there was Edwin.
Clang! Chwang! Clang!
In the empty air, blades clashed incessantly.
Edwin was in the midst of sparring with a real sword.
I knew who his opponent was.
It was Sir Sven, known as Edwin’s childhood swordsmanship master.
“Wow…”
Even at his young age, Edwin’s performance against an adult opponent was breathtaking.
Clang, chwaang!
Several exchanges occurred.
Unfortunately, Edwin lost his grip on the sword.
However, it wasn’t due to his lack of skill; it was a pure difference in strength.
Naturally, a 9-year-old couldn’t defeat an adult in strength.
Even as someone unfamiliar with swords, Edwin’s skills impressed me.
Swoosh!
Sir Sven, sheathing his sword, approached Edwin.
His footsteps were so subtly abnormal that an ordinary person might not notice.
I closely observed his right foot, which seemed a bit off.
“Red.”
Red indicated an incurable permanent disability.
Sir Sven retired sadly due to injuries sustained in the war.
However, he was once said to be one of the knights who swept through the battlefield alongside the Duke.
Even after retirement, being employed as Edwin’s master showed how remarkable he was.
So, I thought he would naturally praise Edwin.
But…
“If you can’t block something at this level, can you really be called the successor of the Duke?”
A chilly voice echoed through the training ground.
“How many times do I have to say your posture is strange, young master?”
At the mention of “young master,” Edwin clenched his fist.
It was a tone mocking a young noble who seemed clueless to anyone who heard it.
Edwin explained the reason for his defeat in the sparring session with a subdued voice.
“…If I release the strength from my feet and move, I might gain speed, but when facing someone stronger than me, it’s about enduring…”
“Don’t retort. Are you being taught to do that by your master in the Duke’s residence?”
But what came back was a cold sarcastic remark.
“Anyway, a promise is a promise.”
Sir Sven, shrugging his shoulders, soon unsheathed his sword.
‘What is he doing?’
As I watched the two with a puzzled gaze.
“Sigh…”
Edwin, who had been standing still, lifted his right leg with a deep sigh.
“Ugh!”
I widened my eyes as I looked at the exposed leg.
Edwin’s calf was covered in deep, purplish bruises.
For some reason, I felt like I knew why those bruises had formed.
My heart sank suddenly.
And probably the person who created those bruises raised the hand holding the sword, which was inserted into the scabbard.
“Release the strength from the right foot, how many times do I have to say…”
Swoosh!
And as it was about to swing down.
“This troublemaker―!”
Before my brain could comprehend, my body moved first.
Thud!
I rushed forward like an arrow, attaching myself to the guy’s leg.
And with both fists, I pounded the guy mercilessly.
“You little scoundrel! Why did you hit! Why did you hit! What did he do to you!”
“Belze…?”
“What, what is this kid…!”
The man was momentarily bewildered by the sudden appearance of a child.
“Waah!”
“Aaaaah!”
Soon, a dreadful scream echoed within the training ground.
25
Of course, even if I tried hitting with a child’s cotton fist, there was no impact at all.
I widened my mouth as much as I could and bit the area just above the scumbag’s ankle.
“AAAAHH!”
Thud.
He screamed a horrifying scream, dropping the sword he was holding.
It was clear that he knew it was a vulnerability.
Ironically, because of the shoes, I couldn’t bite the lower part, the crimson Achilles tendon.
“You XX! Someone like you should experience it! How dare you hit someone!”
“Oooh! You crazy kid! Let go! Don’t!”
“Agook…!”
He tried to shake me off by swinging his right leg wildly.
However, I clung desperately while dangling.
Every time my body swayed, the pain of the teeth biting into his ankle felt like they would be pulled out.
Nevertheless, I held on tenaciously.
‘I’dwin, run away quickly!’
But a mere 5-year-old couldn’t withstand the strength of an adult man.
Thwack! Whish—
“Aaah!”
I soon fell like a limp ragdoll.
Ching!
“Ack!”
I almost fell flat on the ground.
A strong impact struck my entire body.
‘Oh, I’m going to die…!’
I groaned in pain as the world in front of me blurred.
My smooth skin scraped ruthlessly against the coarse earth.
Sure enough, as I fell, droplets of blood formed on the palms of both hands I had instinctively put out to break the fall.
“Ow… Ah, blood…!”
I whimpered at the rising, stinging pain.
A huge shadow then covered me.
“What are you doing! Who are you to suddenly appear and bite people! Huh?!”
The man who walked unsteadily towards me shouted angrily with bloodshot eyes.
Honestly, it was frightening.
The hand the size of a pot lid seemed like it could come flying at any moment.
However, I steeled my resolve.
“You hit Edwin first!”
“What nonsense is this! Do you even know who I am?!”
“I don’t know! Why did you hit him! Why would an adult hit a child!”
“You reckless fool…! Where are your parents! Huh? What are your parents’ names!”
“Uh, they’re not here!”
“Speak properly! Will you only open your mouth if you get scolded loudly?!”
He glared at me with narrowed eyes.
But, having no parents, I had no answer to give.
As I kept my mouth shut, he raised one hand threateningly.
“Speak quickly! Do you even know where you are biting an adult recklessly?!”
“Enough.”
That was when a calm voice came from behind the scumbag.
“Do you know who this child is? What if she’s a young lady from a noble family.”
“Ugh…!”
Upon hearing the term ‘young lady from a noble family,’ the guy hesitated for a moment but quickly suppressed his excitement.
In the meantime, Edwin gestured to me.
“Come here, Belze.”
“Heeey, Edwiiin―!”
Without realizing the pain in my palms, I jumped up and rushed toward Edwin.
Edwin nudged me behind him.
He was just a 9-year-old kid, but for some reason, his back seemed as imposing and secure as a mountain.
“Huh!”
Seeing Edwin shield me, the scumbag burst into a mocking laugh.
“Do you know this kid, young master?”
“You’d better watch your language, even if you’re my teacher, and you should be polite in front of others.”
Edwin replied coldly, implying that the two of them weren’t alone.
Whether the man understood the meaning or not, his face twisted into a sinister expression.
“Ha! Then let’s hear it. Who the hell is that young lady behind you, and why are you acting like you’ve lost your nerve?”
“…”
“Ah, forget it. Regardless of the family, even if I make a scene with that girl inside, no one will know here.”
“…”
“You probably know, young master, but I know dozens of ways to discipline unruly kids…”
“Mouth….”
At that moment, Edwin abruptly interrupted the guy’s words.
“Be careful with that mouth of yours.”
“…Yes?”
The guy was momentarily taken aback.
I felt the same way.
‘Edwin saying something like that.’
Whether in my past life or in novels, Edwin was always an exemplary and perfect aristocrat, a person of influence for others. Naturally, he never used vulgar words like ‘Mouth.’
I stared at his back with a completely unfamiliar look.
But for some reason, I didn’t dislike it.
On the contrary.
‘…So commanding!’
As my heart raced and held my breath.
The guy, who had lost his composure, regained his senses.
“Young master. Did you just tell me… to be careful with my words?”
“No. I said to be careful with your mouth.”
“Ha. Hahaha!”
The guy chuckled as if he found it absurd.
However, it was only for a moment.
“This is… What’s gotten into you today?”
“…”
“The rudeness you showed me today, can you handle the consequences from now on?”
The guy’s expression suddenly changed, and he muttered in a subdued voice.
“Apologize now, and maybe I’ll forgive you.”
“…”
“Well, Sir Joliac Sven.”
Suddenly, Edwin coldly called out the guy’s full name.
‘As expected, a rotten scoundrel with a lousy name.’
Regrettably, it automatically replaced in my ears.
“Do you think I’ve been keeping my mouth shut because I was afraid of you all this time?”
Unexpectedly, the scumbag was taken aback.
“What…?”
“Do you not think I’ve been waiting?”
“What… are you talking about?”
“The day I kill you with my own hands.”
The cold silence settled inside the training ground.
Despite the monotone voice that seemed devoid of any emotion, there was an unsettling energy emanating from Edwin.
‘He’s been enduring that guy with such thoughts…’
As I learned his true feelings, worry suddenly surged.
‘What if I’ve interfered and ruined Edwin’s revenge?’
But I couldn’t just stand by.
Edwin’s calves were already in serious condition.
If we delayed any longer…
After a moment of silence passed.
“Haha… this is really something. I’ve got myself a truly frightening disciple.”
Whether to dismiss it as a child’s playful words, the scumbag burst into unexpected laughter.
But I clearly saw it.
The trembling corners of his mouth.
“Stop it. I don’t need a disciple who goes against his master with a knife.”
“…”
“As for the sorry sight Young Master has shown, I’ll report it separately to the Duke. Goodbye.”
As if stung by numerous jabs, the guy, after saying that, started to leave.
But I couldn’t endure his words.
“Who’s sorry-looking? It’s Edwin who’s got a useless teacher, beating a helpless disciple!”
“Shut up!”
“Damn!”
“That cursed girl, until the end…!”
The guy, who was about to leave, turned back and started approaching again.
Unlike before, he seemed to be limping severely now.
What I had bitten seemed to have left quite an impact.
“…”
Edwin turned to me with a piercing gaze.
It seemed like he was reproaching me for deliberately provoking the guy and making him angry.
I knew I had done something foolish.
‘But…’
If I were to send the guy off to the Duke as it is,
Edwin would end up being the sorry student, just as the guy claimed, and that would be the end of it.
‘I’d rather cleanly take a few hits.’
Then, I could use that as an excuse to tell the Duke the truth.
I glared at the approaching guy, giving myself encouragement.
‘Don’t back down. You won’t die from something like this.’
After boosting my morale in that way, I discreetly stepped forward towards Edwin.
However, swish!
Edwin grabbed my shoulder and forcefully pushed me back.
“Step back.”
“But…”
“Belze.”
“Excuse me, Young Master!”
In the meantime, the scumbag approached Edwin and me, swaggering roughly.
“Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I have to finish things today.”
“Do you not find it amusing or childish to do this against a child?”
“Ha! Is it okay to attack someone’s legs just because they’re a child?!”
“Someone who can’t endure that level of pain while calling themselves a knight is quite impressive, though.”
Edwin faced the imposing figure of a man much larger than himself without giving an inch, but that was because Edwin didn’t know any better.
I relentlessly attacked the guy’s weakness with all my might. Even though Edwin might not have known, the guy must have felt the blinding pain right before his eyes.
“This guy…!”
“Ugh!”
As expected, the guy, who had been barely holding back, finally exploded.
“Edwin!”
Seeing Edwin with his throat grabbed made my heart sink. I immediately rushed over and fiercely kicked the guy’s right leg.
“Let go! Let go! Don’t touch Edwin!”
“…Did these guys take some kind of drug today? Why are they going on a rampage together like this?!”
“Uuaaah!”
The guy shook me off nervously.
Once again, I tumbled to the ground, weakly trying to get up.
However, my feeble body didn’t respond as quickly as I wanted.
“Ugh, uug. Ed, Edwin…”
While I lay pitifully sprawled on the dirt, the guy verbally lashed out at Edwin.
“What? Find it amusing or childish? A guy whose blood hasn’t even dried on his head!”
“Ugh, Joliac Sven… It would be better to let go of this…”
“Where does this guy get the nerve to speak even after being humiliated by that foolish girl?!”
The guy seemed to have completely lost his sanity.
“Don’t hit! S-stop! Don’t touch Edwin…!”
With trembling hands, I tried to stand up, but at that moment…
“What on earth are you doing?”
26
“What on earth are you doing?”
A chilly voice descended beside me.
I slowly raised my head, and the radiant sunset glow revealed a pitch-black hair that resembled Edwin’s.
“Hmm, Milord…”
The composed voice, tinged with coldness, reached me.
In that moment, something warm welled up within me, breaking through the resistance of my hardened heart.
I didn’t want to show this side of me.
Why does it seem that only these unpleasant scenes keep appearing?
“Gasp, Y-Your Grace…!”
Similarly, the scumbag who had noticed the Duke fumbled and hastily released Edwin’s throat.
Thud!
“Cough!”
Edwin, who had fallen to the ground, grasped his throat and coughed violently.
“Are you alright, Young Mas…”
The guy, glancing at the Duke, belatedly pretended to check Edwin’s condition.
However…
Thunk!
“Ugh.”
Edwin forcefully struck away the guy’s hand that was about to touch his shoulder.
“Haha, even Young Master…!”
The guy retreated with a reddish-blue face.
He seemed lacking the courage to be as brazen as before in front of the Duke.
“Gasp, huk…”
Just as Edwin’s breath, which had been agitated, seemed to calm down.
“Joliac Sven.”
The Duke called the scumbag with a cold tone.
“In my eyes, it looks like you were strangling my son just now. Is that correct?”
“Y-Yes?! N-No, Your Grace! How could that be possible!”
The guy shook his head frantically, denying vehemently.
“Then what were you doing?”
“W-Well…”
As if searching for an excuse, the guy rolled his shifty eyes continuously.
“That was… Ah!”
“…”
“I was teaching Young Master self-defense, as Your Grace commanded!”
“Self-defense?”
“Yes! self-defense! It’s a method to escape when caught by an opponent with a significant strength difference…”
“Nonsense!”
I interrupted the guy’s explanation with a scream, looking directly at the Duke.
“Milord, it’s not self-defense! That wicked man hit Edwin!”
“You, watch your mouth!”
Sven, the scumbag, snapped at my accusation.
However, as the Duke’s cold gaze turned towards him, he immediately stopped speaking and forced a forced smile.
“Kid, you’re the one who’ll get into trouble if you lie. Suddenly jumping in and disrupting the class wasn’t enough, and now you’re making the situation weird?”
“W-When did I? I didn’t lie!”
“Milord, this child is talking nonsense.”
Ignoring my words, the guy quickly approached the Duke and said, “I’m not sure whose house she’s from, but why exaggerate such trivial matters at her age?”
“…”
“I’m sure Your Grace knows that I would never lie to Young Master. This is all part of the training…”
“Why is your leg like that?”
The Duke suddenly tapped Sven’s right leg.
The guy, who was approaching with a limp, looked awkward.
“Oh. Th-This is…”
“Belze did it!”
I replied promptly.
“Belze?”
“Yes! That wicked man was trying to hit Edwin, Your Grace! I swear.”
“T-That’s not true!”
“Edwin’s calves are bruised! That man hit him with a stick!”
“Hey! When did I ever… Your Grace, let me explain first…”
The guy hurriedly approached to silence me.
However, the Duke raised his hand, stopping him.
“Continue speaking, Belze.”
He urged me.
Unlike before, the air felt heavier.
A creepy aura emanated from the Duke’s entire being.
Despite having done nothing wrong, I mumbled softly with a sense of discomfort.
“When… when you hit, it’s not okay. It’s not okay to hit a child.”
At that moment, tears welled up as memories surfaced.
“Huhu… Why did you tell me that, Milord? Like that, like that…”
“…”
“Like that, you saved me… Huhu.”
I couldn’t hold back and cried like a fool.
I had no idea what I was saying.
Just.
Perhaps I wanted to say that I, too, wanted to save Edwin from danger like the Duke.
Although I was not as strong, reckless, or brave as the Duke.
Still…
“Huhuh, huk.”
As the tears once shed didn’t easily subside.
Sob.
Suddenly, the Duke started walking.
“Y-Your Grace.”
He seemed to be heading towards the pale and shaken Sven, but quickly passed by him.
Standing in front of the still prostrate Edwin, the Duke bent down without saying a word and lifted his son to his feet.
Then, he began examining the child’s pants.
Edwin bit his lip.
“…Father.”
“Hush.”
After inspecting the intact left leg, moving on to the right leg, the distinct bruise finally revealed itself.
Silence befell the Duke as he witnessed the pitiful condition of the calf.
Soon, he lowered the lifted pants back down.
Not only that, but he also neatly arranged the disheveled clothes messed up by Sven.
Then, he turned around.
Quickly returning, the Duke stood in front of Sven.
“Y-Your Grace! Please calm down and listen to me. That, that’s, let me explain.”
Sven desperately justified himself with lively eyes.
“That kid suddenly jumped out and bit my foot, and somehow, with the sword, I hit Your Grace’s son’s calf…”
“That kid?”
“Yes? Oh, no. I mean, that, the child…”
Thud!
In that moment, the Duke swiftly delivered a backhand slap to the man’s cheek without giving him a chance to react.
“Ugh!”
With a smack, the man’s head turned swiftly.
Looking at the swaying man as if about to collapse, I opened my eyes wide.
‘…I-It was the back of his hand.’
Not the palm of the hand, but the back of the hand.
Moreover, it wasn’t swung with full force; rather, it was more like a gentle reminder…
“Thud!”
The crying involuntarily stopped.
And a hiccup took its place.
“Y-Your Grace.”
Sven, who barely regained his composure, straightened himself.
The slap from the Duke had already started swelling into a deep red.
Realizing belatedly that he was hit with a gloved backhand, the man’s face contorted with shame.
The Duke silently observed the man’s change for a while before finally speaking.
“Sven Joliac.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Did I not instruct you to teach the basics of swordsmanship and simple self-defense techniques to protect your own body?”
“Yes, you instructed me to teach basic swordsmanship and simple self-defense techniques, Your Grace.”
“That’s right. But why did you go ahead and do something I didn’t ask you to do?”
Thud!
“Ouch!”
Once again, the Duke delivered a backhand to the man, this time on the opposite cheek.
The man, now more visibly shaken than before, struggled to stand upright with his swollen face.
“Give me your explanation.”
The Duke spoke in a menacing tone that seemed to allow room for an explanation, but in reality, it was quite different.
“W-What happened is something all apprentice knights go through!”
Realizing that further lies wouldn’t work, the man hastily responded.
“Even when I was an apprentice, I learned by taking hits from my mentor. That way, when I become a full-fledged knight, I’ll was able accustomed to the weight of armor, and I also learn how to handle myself in difficult situations when dealing with superiors…”
“…”
“Your Grace, you, too, were raised strictly by the former Duke, were you not…?”
“That’s right.”
The Duke nodded calmly.
“I, too, learned by being beaten like a beast under a strict father.”
“Y-Yes!”
A glimmer of hope flickered on Sven’s face.
“That’s why! With the heart of a strict father, a strict mentor! Never harboring ill intentions…”
“So, I wanted my son to learn only the basics.”
“Uh… Yes?”
“If I wanted to make a knight, why would I take someone like you as a mentor? I would have taught him myself.”
“Y-Your Grace!”
Upon the Duke’s cutting words, the man’s pupils shook in bewilderment.
However, it didn’t end there.
“Discipline? Social skills when dealing with superiors? Why does the heir of a duke need such things?”
“…”
“With just a flick of a finger, those who will unsheathe their swords and strike the enemy are plenty.”
“…”
“Do you need only a sword? Of course, you would need a shield as well. Jumping in, wielding a sword in place of me, Joliac Sven, facing a sword on behalf of the Duke.”
“Ugh…!”
In that moment of confusion, Sven suddenly raised his head.
Perhaps because his shortcomings were exposed.
The man, who until recently had a particularly abject expression, suddenly glared fiercely at the Duke.
“…So, that’s how it is.”
Even though I couldn’t understand why such a despicable person became Edwin’s mentor.
There was a hidden story like this.
“Your achievements, among what you’ve accomplished, that was the only thing worthwhile. It’s a pity.”
“Y-Your Grace!”
“A man who can’t teach even the basic swordsmanship doesn’t deserve a place in the Duke’s manor.”
The Duke concluded the discussion.
“I won’t put you in prison out of my last bit of mercy, so pack your things and leave.”
“I-It cannot be like this, Your Grace!”
With bloodshot eyes, the man shouted vehemently.
“Do you not know how loyal I have been to you! I lost my foot to save you and retired!”
“That’s why I must have given you an opportunity.”
“Kicking me out just for practicing a little swordplay during class…!”
“Then would you prefer being sent to the court as an accused child abuser and aristocrat assailant?”
“…”
The man, who had been shouting until now, finally shut his mouth.
Leaving the man who stared defiantly at them, the Duke turned around without hesitation.
“Edwin.”
At the low call, Edwin immediately followed behind his father.
They walked towards me, who was still lying in an unfortunate state.
“Belze.”
Without hesitation, the Duke bowed and carefully lifted me in his arms.
“Seeing such a sight as soon as I bring you home, it’s unbearable.”
I retorted to those words.
“Oh, no. I’m okay. Really…”
“Thank you.”
At the next words, I held my breath.
“Even though you recently went through a big ordeal and must have been terrified…”
“…”
“Still, I’m thankful for saving Edwin.”
“…”
“It’s strange. There always seems to be something to be thankful for to you. Like with Joshua’s matter.”
“Your Grace…”
“Maybe you’re the blessing that the goddess granted our family.”
With a faint smile, the Duke murmured like a joke.
But to me, those words were something I couldn’t easily accept.
“Ugh…”
The suppressed sob resurfaced at his words.
‘Is that so? Do you really think that way?’
In this life, am I really able to be of help to these people, even a little?
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
The Duke looked at me with a puzzled expression at my sobbing.
At that moment,
“Liam Kalios! I became a cripple because of you!”
Someone rushed quickly behind the Duke.
Flash.
A sharp blade gleamed like a flash.
“Die—!”
27
“Die—!”
Somehow, scumbag, wielding a sword, was limping towards me, closing in.
Honestly, scumbag, swaying due to the pain in his right foot, didn’t seem very threatening.
However, the Duke was currently holding me.
It wasn’t easy to face a man charging with a sword, putting all his strength into it.
Meanwhile, he approached at close range.
“Liam Kalios! Die—!”
“Kwak! Your Grace…!”
A flashing blade.
Instinctively, I tightly closed my eyes.
I thought the Duke would put me down and respond to the man.
“…?”
However, no matter how long I waited, the feeling of both feet touching the ground never came.
Moreover.
“What the… Aaaaah!”
A horrifying scream echoed inside the training ground.
I opened my eyes wide.
“What…?”
What I saw immediately was scumbag being roughed up, surrounded by people wearing black clothes and masks.
‘Although I didn’t hear anything, when… When did this happen?’
At the moment of surprise by the men in dark clothes who seemed to emerge from the ground.
“Who are you guys! Let go! This, no…!”
The man pinned to the ground struggled wildly to break free.
However, it had the opposite effect.
Thud!
“Aaaaaah!”
Suddenly, with a creepy sound, the man’s arm, which had been bent backward, twisted in an unnatural direction.
Snap!
The sword the man was holding plummeted helplessly to the ground.
One of the masked men kicked the fallen sword away.
It was only then that I realized I had stopped breathing.
“Uugh! My arm! M-my arm!”
Scumbag screamed in agony, thrashing in pain.
However, the masked men still didn’t budge and continued to press him down.
To make matters worse, the short swords were aimed at the man’s eyes, neck, and other vulnerable areas, making him look even more pitiful.
“Enough.”
It was at that moment.
Silently observing the scene, the Duke finally spoke.
Holding me with one arm and grasping Edwin’s hand with the other, he walked toward that direction.
“Master.”
The men, who had ignored the man when he was defiant, hastily stepped back at the Duke’s gesture.
“Krr, Uugh….”
Between the black-clad figures bowing to the Duke, scumbag writhed on the ground like a bug.
It was a pitiful sight, entirely different from when he posed a threat to Edwin and me.
Thud.
In response to the man’s desperate struggle on the ground, the Duke quietly murmured.
“I told you so earlier.”
“Krrr…!”
“The sword and shield of a duke who can replace you are always at hand.”
At that moment, the Duke stepped on the man’s twisted arm in an odd direction.
“Aaaaaah!”
“With even the somewhat intact hand injured, you’ve become completely useless now.”
The man, in excruciating pain that surpassed his limits, turned his eyes upside down and foamed at the mouth.
Finally, the Duke, observing the pitiful man, clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“Take him away.”
“As you wish!”
Two masked men grabbed one leg each and dragged the limp man away.
I didn’t know where they were taking him, but it was a fitting end for a villain.
‘It feels like I’ve just watched a revenge movie.’
My heart raced with excitement.
Ziiing.
As I absentmindedly watched the man being dragged like a sack of potatoes.
“Tsk.”
Suddenly, I heard a clicking sound near my head.
Raising my head, the Duke looked down at me with an indifferent expression.
“Your Excellency…”
I murmured timidly.
Then he released Edwin’s hand and lightly tapped my left cheek.
“Ouch!”
The tingling sensation brought me back to my senses.
Apparently, it was a mark from when I was slapped on the ground earlier.
“Ugh.”
“It’s a complete mess.”
As I made a crying face, the Duke sighed.
“Every time I see you, it seems like you’re injured. It doesn’t bode well for me as your sponsor.”
“No, really! Not even a bit painful!”
I jerked my head in surprise. ‘Not serving as a sponsor!’ The Duke had already performed an act of charity by rescuing me from the thugs and extracting me from the temple!
“Get the court physician immediately.”
However, he ignored my words and commanded the masked men.
“As you wish!”
With a resounding reply, they quickly dispersed into the forest and vanished.
“Let’s go as well.”
The Duke attempted to take his son’s hand back.
“I’m fine.”
However, for some reason, Edwin didn’t take the offered hand.
Naturally, the Duke didn’t retract his hand.
He just stared intently at Edwin.
‘Grab it, grab his hand. Don’t hesitate; grab it quickly!’
As I joined in staring, Edwin sighed.
“Ha….”
Reluctantly, he finally took the Duke’s hand, a strange silence lingering.
In this manner, the three of us returned (amicably?) to the Duke’s residence.
* * *
We all waited for the court physician in the Duke’s study. Unfortunately, Sir Gordon did not arrive.
“Mr. Gordon hastily went out.”
This information was delivered by the butler, not the masked man.
“Then, shouldn’t you have brought someone else?”
“Due to the sudden departure, I couldn’t find the opportunity to report. I apologize.”
The Duke furrowed his brow.
“What on earth were you doing to abandon your duties like this? Did you all hold hands and go on an outing together?”
“He said he was going to gather rare medicinal herbs for his new medicine.”
“Ah!”
Upon hearing that, something flashed in my mind.
“Did you go to get the Blue Firefly Root Extract!”
“Blue… root extract?”
“It’s the essence of the blue firefly.”
To the perplexed Duke, Edwin calmly interpreted my words.
‘By the way… I almost took a false step.’
We had discussed adding painkillers to Joshua’s medicine earlier in the morning.
I briefly admired Sir Gordon’s incredible energy.
Then suddenly, I met eyes with Edwin sitting across from me.
Perhaps due to various events, he seemed somewhat tired.
However, his gaze was as sharp as ever, fixed on me.
‘Why, why is he staring at me like that? Did I do something wrong…?’
My chest twinged.
Honestly, I had made quite a few mistakes.
Like interfering in his revenge earlier.
And provoking Sven, almost getting punched.
I quietly lowered my eyes to avoid his piercing gaze.
‘Still, I have no regrets.’
I thought as I fidgeted my finger on the hem of my stained dress.
‘Even if I go back, I’ll do the same thing!’
Regaining my confidence and lifting my head.
“Then, let’s quickly bring a suitable doctor before Sir Joshua returns.”
“Yes, I’ll bring one right away.”
The conversation between the Duke and the butler concluded.
The Duke looked at me with a slightly apologetic expression.
“Wound treatment should be done after dinner.”
“I’m fine! Edwin is more injured than I am…”
“I am fine as well.”
However, Edwin coldly brushed off my concerns.
The Duke nodded.
“Alright. Your bones seem intact. A man should know how to endure a little pain.”
“He’s not a man!”
I exclaimed in surprise to the Duke.
“Oh, he’s still young… Even a little injury can be painful for a child.”
“Huh?”
I quickly got up from my seat.
Then, I dashed around the table to the opposite side.
Edwin, who was sitting quietly, looked at me with surprised eyes as I rushed towards him.
I immediately crouched in front of his legs.
“What are you doing…!”
“…”
“Hey!”
As I tried to lift the right pant leg, Edwin was startled and tried to pull his leg back.
“Let me see!”
I scolded him sternly.
As he hesitated, I quickly gathered strength in my palm.
Ah!
A bright light covered the calf, which was filled with dark red bruises.
A moment later.
The light faded, and the bruise marks disappeared as if they were never there.
Seeing Edwin’s clean calf, my heart unexpectedly felt at ease.
‘Hmm. I wanted to do this since earlier; my hands were itching.’
Suddenly, a question arose.
If healing to this extent could be done so easily,
Why didn’t the Duke, Edwin, or anyone else command me to do it?
“Ta-da! Do you need a doctor now?”
I smiled brightly as I tried to pull down the pants that I had lifted for Edwin.
Smack!
At that moment,
The hand that touched his clothes was forcefully pushed away.
“Uh, um…”
I stared blankly at my stinging hand.
It was unexpected, and I felt a bit flustered.
Then, a cold voice echoed above my forehead like a dagger.
“When did I tell you to heal me?”
I lifted my head in surprise.
Edwin’s face, stiffened with fear, came into view.
Reflexively, an apology escaped my lips.
“S-Sorry.”
“…”
“I-I just… wanted to do it for Edwin, so he doesn’t hurt…”
It wasn’t a big deal.
My voice grew smaller as I felt the chilling gaze, and I apologized involuntarily.
In response, Edwin exploded in anger.
“Why do you make things so complicated?”
“…”
“Why do you keep doing things I didn’t ask you to, meddling with your body so recklessly…!”
I felt no chance to defend myself.
Edwin’s gaze suddenly landed on my cheek,
Distorted with desperation.
28
“Enough.”
At that moment, the Duke stepped in between Edwin and me.
“Get up and go back to your seat, Velze.”
“Yes? Oh, yes…”
“Pull down the pants with your own hands.”
Thanks to the Duke neatly settling the situation, I ended up returning to my original place without being able to pull down Edwin’s pants.
The Duke added, “Say thank you to Velze.”
“…”
“Edwin.”
However, Edwin kept his mouth shut and refused to say anything.
It didn’t bother me.
‘As Edwin said, I did act on my own.’
Revenge on that scoundrel, healing as well.
Considering he was someone with a high sense of pride even in the previous life, he might view revealing any weakness as a flaw.
‘But still…’
While it didn’t make me upset, I couldn’t help feeling a pang of emotion, and tears welled up, sinking my mood.
“Edwin is right, Velze.”
The Duke, who had been scrutinizing the unapologetic Edwin, turned to me with a short sigh.
“I understand your intentions, but don’t be so ignorant as to heal even the injured child.”
“I told you, it really hurts…”
“Enough with that talk.”
The Duke said sternly.
“As you said, even a little injury can cause a lot of pain to a child.”
“…”
“While it’s true that I support you to heal my son, that doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to act okay or pretend to be an adult in front of me.”
“…”
“Behave like a child, throw tantrums, act childish. Even if you act the same way as Joshua, no one here will say anything to you.”
I opened my eyes wide.
I didn’t expect to hear such words.
I thought the Duke would demand more usefulness and value from me.
That way, he wouldn’t regret bringing me here.
‘So that’s why he just let me go in the past.’
A sudden, bitter realization filled my mind.
The Duke must have been well aware.
Of my frequent fights with people, my rebellious behavior.
Of course, there were many unjust things, but I couldn’t say my conduct was blameless.
“Is there another complaint this time?”
“You haven’t brought any trouble since you came here.”
“Next time, it won’t end with just a warning. Do you understand?”
Every time I caused trouble, the Duke called me and quietly scolded me.
Sometimes he just said a word or two and sent me away.
“Well done.”
“I’ll tell the butler. Tomorrow, go out and do some shopping or something.”
I thought all those words were because I was annoying and bothersome. A troublesome child who couldn’t be sent away due to public scrutiny, constantly causing problems over useless topics. Even getting angry felt like a waste of time.
But despite warning that my behavior wouldn’t always end with a warning, the Duke never went beyond that. It was his way of tolerating my childish behavior and tantrums.
He took responsibility for me, a naive and mischievous girl, in his own way. He brought me here and played the role of a guardian.
Now, only now, did I realize the gravity of my past actions that had suddenly overwhelmed me.
“And lastly, the most important thing.”
The Duke, who seemed oblivious to my current state, admonished me with a serious tone.
“In the future, if something like today happens again, don’t rashly intervene.”
“What? B-But…”
“But is not allowed.”
To my surprise, when I raised my head, the Duke firmly shook his head.
“That’s right. Belze, as you say, Edwin is not yet an adult. However, that doesn’t mean he should act out with injuries like that.”
“…Edwin is the successor of the Duke. He has been consistently training physically since childhood, and he has had more severe injuries than now. It will happen again in the future.”
“But, Belze, you’re still four years younger than Edwin, and…”
Suddenly, the Duke furrowed his brow.
Then he reached out and flicked my cheek with his finger, leaving a little indentation.
With a serious expression, he looked down at me and pressed various parts of my cheeks with a series of gentle pokes.
“…With this soft and plump body, don’t rashly get involved in something.”
“Ouch.!”
“Tsk.”
Near the wound, a stinging pain was felt as if he grazed it.
The Duke finally withdrew his hand, chuckling.
‘Soft and plump…? Is he saying I’ve gained weight?!’
I looked seriously at my sturdy arms.
The Duke often described me as a soft and plump steamed bun that would crumple if touched, but I wasn’t as delicate as he imagined. Despite appearances, I had already lived two lifetimes and returned as an adult!
“But I’m not a baby…”
“If you’re not a baby, then what are you?”
His direct question startled me.
‘Oops! What if I can only think about it and not say it out loud?!’
I chewed my lower lip, unsure of what to do, and eventually blurted out some random words.
“Uh, a child!”
“A child?”
“Yes, yes…”
“Ha.”
Suddenly, I heard the sound of a snort from the opposite side.
Glancing over, Edwin spoke with a sneer.
“Does that mean I look like a diaper-wearing baby in your eyes?”
“….”
“That’s right.”
Although it didn’t seem that way….
Caught off guard and unable to respond, Edwin clenched his fist and glared at me.
“Enough. It’s getting late.”
Fortunately, the Duke intervened once again.
“Consider it understood, Belze. Go back to your room and change your clothes.”
“Yep!”
Relieved to be saved once more, I quickly stood up.
The Duke called out to Edwin, who was also standing.
“Edwin, stay for a moment. I need to talk to you.”
Luckily!
“Oh, thank you for saving me again today, Your Grace! Well, then, I’ll just go!”
Ignoring the puzzled glances, I hastily exited the Duke’s office.
* * *
“Ugh, here too! you got injured here too! What’s the use of having delicate skin, Miss? Hweehee.”
“Stop crying, Tara.”
Back in my room, I wiped sweat off my forehead while trying to comfort Tara, who was wailing.
“If I knew it would be like this, I would have abandoned the cleaning and followed you, Miss!”
“Oh, no! I said I would go alone…”
“This foolish thing! This stupid thing!”
Suddenly, Tara hit my head hard with both hands.
“A useless servant like me should be whipped severely, Miss! Without realizing that the mistress would end up like this…!”
“H-Hold on, Tara! Don’t hit yourself! If you keep doing that, I’ll get angry now!”
“Okay, Miss. I won’t do it anymore…”
At my words, Tara finally stopped hitting my head.
Seeing Tara like that, I felt a strange discomfort.
Self-flagellation while bowing my head was something I often did too, even regretting past actions.
However, seeing it through the eyes of a third person made me feel quite uneasy.
‘Why do you keep doing things without being asked and risking your body so recklessly…!’
But why was it?
At that moment, Edwin’s angry face came to mind.
“Ah, it’s sad. How much did it hurt, Miss…?”
During the pause, Tara choked up as she looked at the bruises on my arms.
I didn’t notice them earlier, but there were more injuries than I thought.
Perhaps because the dress was thin, or maybe my skin was naturally soft and vulnerable.
‘…Indeed, a child’s body is too uncomfortable.’
Puffing up my cheeks with dissatisfaction, Tara spoke sternly like the Duke.
“Don’t interfere like that if such a situation arises in the future!”
“Ung…”
“You should have at least thought of calling the adults. You know what that person is capable of!”
“Sorry…”
Nodding in agreement, I felt disheartened. Seeing the wounds on my body, I realized how reckless I had been earlier.
Back then, I couldn’t even think of calling someone else. Seeing the injury on his right leg, I believed I could handle it.
‘It must be because I recently returned. I still haven’t fully grasped the reality of being a child.’
I sighed heavily, reflecting on my actions.
‘I need to pull myself together and be more careful from now on.’
Suddenly, Tara asked, “But what happened to that bastard… no, to that man?”
“He left with the Duke.”
“Just fine? I should have just broken his limbs!”
“Giggle…”
I didn’t explicitly confirm that it happened that way.
With Tara’s help, I cleaned my small body and had a late dinner.
Warm clam chowder soup.
A pie wrapped in soft pastry with finely chopped meat.
A cream gratin with crab spread over my vegetables and baked.
A sherbet made by grinding fruit into juice and setting it.
Whether the Duke arranged separately or not, the dinner menu consisted entirely of comforting food.
It seemed like a consideration for me, who was shocked by today’s events.
My empty stomach quickly warmed up.
“Thank you! I’m full now! I can’t eat anymore!”
“Alright. Just take one more bite, and we’ll finish.”
“Ah, my stomach is going to burst! Uwaaah…”
Once again, the meal continued until my stomach was on the verge of exploding. I looked at my bloated belly and frowned.
‘I need to lose weight… If I keep eating like this, I’ll only get more chubby!’
I was worried about turning into a pig at this rate.
“Hello, miss. I’m Professor James Han, a general surgeon at the Royal University Hospital.”
As Tara took the tray to clean up the table, a doctor arrived. Since it was just a minor abrasion, there wasn’t much treatment needed. However, perhaps because he rushed over, the bandage was unnecessarily large.
“Oh my! A cute bandage fairy is sitting here!”
After the doctor left, Tara looked at me with an affectionate gaze as various large bandages were attached to me.
“Do, don’t tease me…”
When I looked in the mirror she brought, I indeed looked like there was no one but a bandage person. Especially the large bandage covering my left cheek was impressive.
Despite being just a small scratch, it looked like I had received a harsh slap from someone.
‘I didn’t really get slapped; it was that scoundrel Sven.’
I puffed up my cheek, making an uncomfortable expression.
Suddenly, Tara, who was collecting the clothes I wore today, handed me some items from her apron pocket.
“Here you go, miss.”
It was a pocket containing Fairy Herbs and the hairband I had been wearing.
“Here! My money!”
“Money?”
29
I eagerly embraced the pouch and held it close to my chest.
‘Phew. I almost got into big trouble because of that scoundrel Svenl!’
In the novel, it took three months for Fairy Herbs to grow back. Losing them or damaging the leaves would be a significant problem.
Observing my perplexed expression, Tara, who initially looked curious, playfully smiled.
“Did you dig this up somewhere?”
“Huh? Oh, no?!”
“Well, when you think about it, it’s somewhat similar to gold, right?”
I blushed and lowered my head.
“N-no, it’s not like that.”
“If you become rich later, don’t forget about me, miss. Promise!”
Tara warned me with a mischievous smile.
“Hmm? Uhm, hehe…”
I shrugged, unable to figure out why she said that.
Tara then revealed another item she was holding.
“I’ll try to fix the dress somehow, but this one is beyond repair.”
“Oh, my hairband…”
The hairband made of the same material as the sky-blue dress was stained with mud and torn lace.
It seemed to have suffered damage during my time rolling around in the practice grounds.
I felt disheartened.
“Aww…”
“I’ll just throw this away, miss.”
“No, no! Leave it!”
“Why? I have many other hairbands… Should I get you another one?”
“No. It’s fine.”
I reached out to Tara and ruffled her hair playfully.
“Just give it to me. I’ll keep it.”
“Sure thing.”
She handed me the hairband without saying anything more.
“Thanks, Tara! Hehe.”
I received the torn hairband and chuckled.
Whether it was torn or whatever, it didn’t matter.
Everything here was prepared just for me.
In my previous life, I didn’t appreciate how grateful and precious these things were.
“It’s all mine. I won’t throw away a single thing.”
As I made a promise while playing with the hairband, Tara suddenly lifted the blanket.
“It’s bedtime now, miss. Lie down.”
“Ung.”
I placed the hairband I was holding on the bedside table and obediently lay down.
“Good night. Have sweet dreams, miss.”
“Ung, you too, Tara.”
After carefully covering me with the blanket, she left a goodnight kiss on my forehead and departed.
As the light went out, fatigue hit me belatedly.
I had a premonition that I would sleep without any nightmares tonight.
I closed my eyes.
However, for some reason, sleep didn’t come as easily as my premonition.
As I tossed and turned under the blanket, the door suddenly opened with a ‘creak.’
“Oh!”
I quickly covered myself from head to toe with the blanket.
Even though it wasn’t scolding or anything, I felt uneasy at the thought of being caught not yet asleep.
But after a while, I didn’t hear Tara’s footsteps.
“What’s this? Did I mishear…?”
I cautiously lowered the blanket.
And to my surprise, I discovered a black shadow standing silently beside the bed.
“Ack! Wh-who… Eung!”
Someone immediately covered my mouth as I involuntarily screamed.
“Hush. It’s me, Belze.”
Upon hearing the voice that followed, I stopped my struggling body.
Then, the hand covering my mouth was released.
Only then did I see the radiant golden eyes right in front of me.
“E-Edwin?!”
I stared at the pitch-black figure with eyes wide open, like a rabbit.
As my eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, familiar features came into view.
Jet-black hair.
Golden eyes sparkling in the faint moonlight.
A handsome boy staring at me with an expressionless face.
‘Could it be… am I dreaming?’
I pinched the soft cheek without bandages as I stammered.
“Ouch!”
Even though I felt a sharp pain, Edwin’s figure did not disappear.
Instead, he grabbed my hand, which was pinching the unbandaged side.
“I asked you last time if you wanted me to pinch myself instead.”
“Uh, um…”
“Do you want the other side bandaged too?”
“N-no!”
I shook my head vigorously and exclaimed, “It’s red.”
Edwin, with narrowed eyes, poked the spot I had pinched.
“Why are you doing this? Every time.”
“W-well, that’s…”
You shouldn’t be in my room at this hour…
However, thanks to this, I was certain it wasn’t a dream.
I hesitated for a moment before asking, “W-why is Edwin here…?”
“Where you’re hurt.”
“Hmm?”
“Is the injured part okay?”
I nodded stupidly at the unexpected question.
“Eung… it’s fine. The doctor said it’s nothing special.”
Only then did Edwin’s expression relax a bit.
“…There’s no bandage here.”
At his muttering that sounded like talking to himself, my face widened.
‘Is my appearance really that pitiful?’
Tara said the same thing.
For some reason, I felt embarrassed under Edwin’s gaze fixed on my left cheek.
It wasn’t that severely injured.
Although it wasn’t a serious injury, the sight of bandages stuck all over, making it look like I was seriously hurt, seemed to give that impression.
“Look at me, look at me, it doesn’t hurt at all!”
“….”
“Edwin…?”
I hastily added the words to avoid any misunderstanding. Then, I cautiously asked, “Does it hurt anywhere…?”
Edwin responded quite hopelessly, according to the prepared information.
“You healed it yourself. Why are you asking?”
“But still…”
“Would you want to heal it with your own body again if it hurts?”
“W-where does it hurt?”
I quickly sat up at his words.
‘Is there still another wound?’
My heart skipped a beat.
I clearly healed his calf cleanly.
‘Come to think of it, he got caught in the neck by that scumbag earlier.’
The tender flesh around his neck might have been strained.
Whoa!
I immediately summoned my magical power and created a small ball of light in my palm.
“Come here!”
As I reached out my hand and spoke, he furrowed his brow and hastily stepped back.
“Stop it. It’s not necessary.”
“No. Healing should be done regularly!”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“But still, you never know. There might be a place that even Edwin doesn’t know is hurting!”
It didn’t matter if he acted helpless or not. I was determined not to back down when it came to his body.
Dragging my skirt, I walked on tiptoes to the edge of the bed. Then, I reached out my hands recklessly.
Just as the radiant light was about to touch Edwin’s arm.
Smack!
“I said it’s not needed?”
“Ouch!”
Edwin forcefully brushed my hand away just like before.
Thud.
Perhaps due to my awkward posture with my knees on the floor, I tumbled forward onto the bed.
“Ahh…”
“Are you okay?!”
Although he didn’t intend to knock me over, Edwin rushed over looking surprised.
“Look, Belze. Did you fall hard?”
He held my shoulders and hastily lifted me up.
His face looked worried.
Seeing that expression, my slightly uneasy feelings melted away.
The golden pupils shone brightly, close enough to seem like they were glittering with maturity right in front of my nose.
“Now’s the time!”
Thinking so, I quickly reached out for his neck.
“What…?”
Just as Edwin started to look puzzled, the situation was already over.
Whoaah!
The healing light covered his neck in an instant.
It seemed to seep into his skin and disappeared.
Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any major injuries besides the calf.
“I’ve healed everything!”
“You…!”
I said with a cheerful voice to him, who was standing there in bewilderment.
“Eung! I don’t have any pain either! So, don’t worry, Edwin.”
“Worries? Who cares…!”
He initially yelled in response to my words but soon shut his mouth.
Edwin bit his lower lip, hesitated, and then, with a resigned expression, asked, “Aren’t you… angry?”
“Why would I be angry?”
“I received healing, and then I nagged you.”
‘What am I supposed to say?’
It suddenly dawned on me that Edwin was just a nine-year-old child.
Acting all mature and then belatedly caring about others – wasn’t that very characteristic of his age?
‘Too kind and cute.’
Unfortunately, if he thought I’d be deeply hurt by such things, he was making a big mistake.
I felt nothing.
Not about the back of my hand that he brushed away.
Nor about my heart.
In my past life, I went through much worse, but it wasn’t Edwin; it was others.
Being ostracized, insulted, bickering, and fighting were part of my daily life.
So, this irritation and annoyance were just at an annoying level.
‘Feel free to get annoyed and angry with me, Edwin.’
Because you have the right.
Honestly, if I were him, I wouldn’t be too happy about a sponsored kid and an orphan who just walked in on me.
“I’m not mad at all.”
Edwin’s eyes widened slightly at my response.
“Why?”
“I told you I’m not mad because I’m not.”
Then his face twisted slightly.
“I brought this kid…”
Edwin, who was mumbling something quietly, suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Then, in a subdued voice, he muttered, “Sorry.”
“…Huh?”
“Sorry for getting mad and yelling, Belze.”
I eagerly embraced the pouch and held it close to my chest.
‘Phew. I almost got into big trouble because of that scoundrel Svenl!’
In the novel, it took three months for Fairy Herbs to grow back. Losing them or damaging the leaves would be a significant problem.
Observing my perplexed expression, Tara, who initially looked curious, playfully smiled.
“Did you dig this up somewhere?”
“Huh? Oh, no?!”
“Well, when you think about it, it’s somewhat similar to gold, right?”
I blushed and lowered my head.
“N-no, it’s not like that.”
“If you become rich later, don’t forget about me, miss. Promise!”
Tara warned me with a mischievous smile.
“Hmm? Uhm, hehe…”
I shrugged, unable to figure out why she said that.
Tara then revealed another item she was holding.
“I’ll try to fix the dress somehow, but this one is beyond repair.”
“Oh, my hairband…”
The hairband made of the same material as the sky-blue dress was stained with mud and torn lace.
It seemed to have suffered damage during my time rolling around in the practice grounds.
I felt disheartened.
“Aww…”
“I’ll just throw this away, miss.”
“No, no! Leave it!”
“Why? I have many other hairbands… Should I get you another one?”
“No. It’s fine.”
I reached out to Tara and ruffled her hair playfully.
“Just give it to me. I’ll keep it.”
“Sure thing.”
She handed me the hairband without saying anything more.
“Thanks, Tara! Hehe.”
I received the torn hairband and chuckled.
Whether it was torn or whatever, it didn’t matter.
Everything here was prepared just for me.
In my previous life, I didn’t appreciate how grateful and precious these things were.
“It’s all mine. I won’t throw away a single thing.”
As I made a promise while playing with the hairband, Tara suddenly lifted the blanket.
“It’s bedtime now, miss. Lie down.”
“Ung.”
I placed the hairband I was holding on the bedside table and obediently lay down.
“Good night. Have sweet dreams, miss.”
“Ung, you too, Tara.”
After carefully covering me with the blanket, she left a goodnight kiss on my forehead and departed.
As the light went out, fatigue hit me belatedly.
I had a premonition that I would sleep without any nightmares tonight.
I closed my eyes.
However, for some reason, sleep didn’t come as easily as my premonition.
As I tossed and turned under the blanket, the door suddenly opened with a ‘creak.’
“Oh!”
I quickly covered myself from head to toe with the blanket.
Even though it wasn’t scolding or anything, I felt uneasy at the thought of being caught not yet asleep.
But after a while, I didn’t hear Tara’s footsteps.
“What’s this? Did I mishear…?”
I cautiously lowered the blanket.
And to my surprise, I discovered a black shadow standing silently beside the bed.
“Ack! Wh-who… Eung!”
Someone immediately covered my mouth as I involuntarily screamed.
“Hush. It’s me, Belze.”
Upon hearing the voice that followed, I stopped my struggling body.
Then, the hand covering my mouth was released.
Only then did I see the radiant golden eyes right in front of me.
“E-Edwin?!”
I stared at the pitch-black figure with eyes wide open, like a rabbit.
As my eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, familiar features came into view.
Jet-black hair.
Golden eyes sparkling in the faint moonlight.
A handsome boy staring at me with an expressionless face.
‘Could it be… am I dreaming?’
I pinched the soft cheek without bandages as I stammered.
“Ouch!”
Even though I felt a sharp pain, Edwin’s figure did not disappear.
Instead, he grabbed my hand, which was pinching the unbandaged side.
“I asked you last time if you wanted me to pinch myself instead.”
“Uh, um…”
“Do you want the other side bandaged too?”
“N-no!”
I shook my head vigorously and exclaimed, “It’s red.”
Edwin, with narrowed eyes, poked the spot I had pinched.
“Why are you doing this? Every time.”
“W-well, that’s…”
You shouldn’t be in my room at this hour…
However, thanks to this, I was certain it wasn’t a dream.
I hesitated for a moment before asking, “W-why is Edwin here…?”
“Where you’re hurt.”
“Hmm?”
“Is the injured part okay?”
I nodded stupidly at the unexpected question.
“Eung… it’s fine. The doctor said it’s nothing special.”
Only then did Edwin’s expression relax a bit.
“…There’s no bandage here.”
At his muttering that sounded like talking to himself, my face widened.
‘Is my appearance really that pitiful?’
Tara said the same thing.
For some reason, I felt embarrassed under Edwin’s gaze fixed on my left cheek.
It wasn’t that severely injured.
Although it wasn’t a serious injury, the sight of bandages stuck all over, making it look like I was seriously hurt, seemed to give that impression.
“Look at me, look at me, it doesn’t hurt at all!”
“….”
“Edwin…?”
I hastily added the words to avoid any misunderstanding. Then, I cautiously asked, “Does it hurt anywhere…?”
Edwin responded quite hopelessly, according to the prepared information.
“You healed it yourself. Why are you asking?”
“But still…”
“Would you want to heal it with your own body again if it hurts?”
“W-where does it hurt?”
I quickly sat up at his words.
‘Is there still another wound?’
My heart skipped a beat.
I clearly healed his calf cleanly.
‘Come to think of it, he got caught in the neck by that scumbag earlier.’
The tender flesh around his neck might have been strained.
Whoa!
I immediately summoned my magical power and created a small ball of light in my palm.
“Come here!”
As I reached out my hand and spoke, he furrowed his brow and hastily stepped back.
“Stop it. It’s not necessary.”
“No. Healing should be done regularly!”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“But still, you never know. There might be a place that even Edwin doesn’t know is hurting!”
It didn’t matter if he acted helpless or not. I was determined not to back down when it came to his body.
Dragging my skirt, I walked on tiptoes to the edge of the bed. Then, I reached out my hands recklessly.
Just as the radiant light was about to touch Edwin’s arm.
Smack!
“I said it’s not needed?”
“Ouch!”
Edwin forcefully brushed my hand away just like before.
Thud.
Perhaps due to my awkward posture with my knees on the floor, I tumbled forward onto the bed.
“Ahh…”
“Are you okay?!”
Although he didn’t intend to knock me over, Edwin rushed over looking surprised.
“Look, Belze. Did you fall hard?”
He held my shoulders and hastily lifted me up.
His face looked worried.
Seeing that expression, my slightly uneasy feelings melted away.
The golden pupils shone brightly, close enough to seem like they were glittering with maturity right in front of my nose.
“Now’s the time!”
Thinking so, I quickly reached out for his neck.
“What…?”
Just as Edwin started to look puzzled, the situation was already over.
Whoaah!
The healing light covered his neck in an instant.
It seemed to seep into his skin and disappeared.
Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any major injuries besides the calf.
“I’ve healed everything!”
“You…!”
I said with a cheerful voice to him, who was standing there in bewilderment.
“Eung! I don’t have any pain either! So, don’t worry, Edwin.”
“Worries? Who cares…!”
He initially yelled in response to my words but soon shut his mouth.
Edwin bit his lower lip, hesitated, and then, with a resigned expression, asked, “Aren’t you… angry?”
“Why would I be angry?”
“I received healing, and then I nagged you.”
‘What am I supposed to say?’
It suddenly dawned on me that Edwin was just a nine-year-old child.
Acting all mature and then belatedly caring about others – wasn’t that very characteristic of his age?
‘Too kind and cute.’
Unfortunately, if he thought I’d be deeply hurt by such things, he was making a big mistake.
I felt nothing.
Not about the back of my hand that he brushed away.
Nor about my heart.
In my past life, I went through much worse, but it wasn’t Edwin; it was others.
Being ostracized, insulted, bickering, and fighting were part of my daily life.
So, this irritation and annoyance were just at an annoying level.
‘Feel free to get annoyed and angry with me, Edwin.’
Because you have the right.
Honestly, if I were him, I wouldn’t be too happy about a sponsored kid and an orphan who just walked in on me.
“I’m not mad at all.”
Edwin’s eyes widened slightly at my response.
“Why?”
“I told you I’m not mad because I’m not.”
Then his face twisted slightly.
“I brought this kid…”
Edwin, who was mumbling something quietly, suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Then, in a subdued voice, he muttered, “Sorry.”
“…Huh?”
“Sorry for getting mad and yelling, Belze.”
30
I paused for a moment at his unexpected words. When I looked at him with questioning eyes, he quietly spoke.
“You haven’t done anything wrong. I came here because I wanted to say these things.”
“…”
“I’m not mad at you, so…”
“Is there anywhere else that hurts?”
I interrupted his words and reached out my hand. My rough palm covered Edwin’s smooth forehead.
“No fever…”
Just as I was about to feel relieved at the lukewarm temperature, Edwin raised an eyebrow and asked awkwardly, “What are you doing?”
Fortunately, this time he didn’t coldly reject my hand like before. I lowered my hand from his forehead, my face looking a bit embarrassed.
“Uh, just checking if you had a fever…”
“Why would I have a fever? It’s not even winter.”
“Maybe you caught a cold?”
“What?”
He looked at me as if I said something absurd.
‘Well, maybe.’
The person who just scolded me for healing without permission suddenly apologizing… It was understandable if he couldn’t grasp the situation.
“…It’s some weird nonsense about ghosts and forgetting things.”
“Uh… I don’t know!”
“You’re thinking weird things right now.”
“Oh, no?!”
Embarrassed, my voice unintentionally became louder. Edwin’s expression became subtly unreadable.
“Ah, well…”
Suddenly, he let out a disheartened laugh.
“Just, if something like this happens again, don’t ask if I heard ghosts or if I’ve gone crazy, just get angry instead.”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t say things like you’re not mad like an idiot. I healed you, so at least be grateful without making an issue out of it.”
I hesitated at his words and cautiously asked, “Huh?”
“It’s obvious what you’re thinking.”
Edwin responded, mocking me.
I was greatly shocked by his words.
‘To hear such things from a 9-year-old…!’
Stumbling for words, Edwin lowered his eyes and quietly continued, “I know. I must seem strange to your eyes.”
“…”
“Earlier, I was jumping around, demanding who told you to heal, and then suddenly changed my attitude to apologize and sit down.”
“…”
“From your perspective, it must be weird. You might wonder if this kid ate something strange or if he looks a bit crazy.”
He accurately guessed my feelings.
Flustered, I hurriedly reassured him, “Crazy… I don’t think of you that way!”
“I’d rather look crazy than seem possessed by ghosts.”
“…”
I was rendered speechless.
As I kept my mouth shut, thankfully, Edwin chuckled softly.
“Like I said, I wasn’t mad at you.”
“Really…?”
“I couldn’t properly handle that guy, and it made me feel pathetic.”
“…”
“While I couldn’t even deal with that guy, you, who became a mess worse than me, were healing me.”
“…”
“I felt stupid and helpless, so I got frustrated.”
Edwin explained the events in the Duke’s office with a nonchalant expression.
I was hit with a new shock compared to earlier.
‘Stupid and helpless human.’
Edwin never thought of the situation that way.
It was because child abuse was by no means an issue that a child could easily solve alone.
“Why… why do you feel stupid and helpless? You’re not! You’re not helpless!”
I vehemently shook my head, denying Edwin’s words.
Then he responded as if in self-deprecation.
“Well, what about it? You, who are four years younger than me, challenged him to a fight. If it wasn’t stupid to just take it without doing anything, then what is?”
“Edwin, you were fighting even before I came!”
“And I lost.”
Edwin spoke with a nonchalant expression.
“I didn’t even think of trying to stop the guy who was about to hit you.”
“…”
“And I seized the opportunity, kept waiting for the next match. The next, the next, and the one after that.”
I slowly closed my mouth this time.
I couldn’t easily offer words of comfort now.
It seemed like he was feeling self-disgust and regret.
‘…His pride is hurt.’
Born as the heir of a prestigious noble family, he had received adoration throughout his life. So his pride and self-esteem must have been immense. However, the first defeat he experienced likely rendered him powerless. It was a matter separate from the fear of sven or the vast difference in strength between an adult and a child.
My heart felt heavy.
This incident seemed to have left various scars on him, which he shouldn’t have experienced at such a young age.
‘Kill him.’
Without realizing it, I muttered a curse while clenching my fist.
Suddenly, Edwin tilted his head.
“But now, it seems like we’ve decided to fight on equal terms.”
“Uh…?”
“You?”
“What… Oh!”
Belatedly understanding his remark, I fell into contemplation.
“You, why are you calling me ‘You’? I’m not a ‘you’!”
Damn it!
In my haste, an old habit from my previous life surfaced. In my past life, I didn’t show any respect to anyone except for the duke. I didn’t use honorifics with anyone, including Edwin. On the contrary, I made sure to match him more aggressively.
“Now that I think about it, Edwin was really patient with me….”
I belatedly glanced at his reaction and asked.
“…Should I call you ‘Young master’ again?”
Edwin turned to me with a look that seemed to say, ‘Are you kidding me now?’
I quietly lowered my eyes.
“Bro, B, B… Brother.”
But his expression became strange.
As if he heard something unpleasant….
He suddenly turned his head.
“Enough. It’s gross, just do it the way you used to.”
“Uh! Edwin! Hehe.”
I responded as if I had been waiting for this, smirking.
“But why is Edwin’s ear so red?”
His reaction was a bit strange, but in any case, it worked out well.
I didn’t have the confidence to call him ‘Brother’ directly with my own mouth….
“Ugh! Gives me the chills!”
Feeling a bit strange about calling him earlier, I shivered and opened my mouth.
“But seriously.”
In response to my subdued call, Edwin’s head turned back to me.
With a subdued call, Edwin’s head turned back to me.
“Why didn’t you tell Duke?”
“What?”
“That thing, about Scumbag.”
“Scumbag? Ah, Sven.”
Edwin, who understood my reference, closed his lips with a subtle expression.
I had been curious the whole time.
Why didn’t he inform the Duke of the villainous actions of that scum beforehand? Based on the Duke’s attitude from earlier, which was akin to a hurricane, the situation could have changed quickly with just a hint.
However, Edwin’s firmly sealed lips showed no sign of opening easily.
I quickly added, “If you want to talk about it, you don’t have to hold back!”
“It’s not that I don’t want to…”
Edwin hesitated for a moment, then spoke as if resigning himself.
“He didn’t hit me from the beginning.”
“What, really…?”
“At first, he tried to act as my mentor diligently. But, I didn’t follow his instructions well.”
“…”
“What he taught didn’t suit me.”
Without asking separately, Edwin willingly explained the reason.
At that moment, the conversation between Edwin and Scumbag after their match came to mind.
‘Your posture is strange. How many times do I have to say it? Master, if you release the tension from your feet and move, you might be able to increase your speed, but when facing someone stronger than me, enduring…’
Then another question arose.
‘Why didn’t he demand to change his master?’
However, Edwin’s words that followed immediately resolved that question easily.
“My father has his own debts to him.”
“Uh, well…”
“So I thought it would be better for me to handle it personally. I also didn’t want to bother my busy father.”
“…”
“And, with Joshua, my father hasn’t been able to sleep well lately.”
Only then did it make sense why Edwin couldn’t easily bring up the matter with the Duke. He might have initially dismissed it as nothing significant, but later on, various circumstances got entangled.
My heart sank.
He, who should have matured early because of his ailing younger brother, appeared too pitiful. And I, in the past, who didn’t notice any of it, seemed so…
Pathetic.
Surely, in my past life, Edwin must have experienced similar events. As he said, he must have struggled alone to deal with it.
Come to think of it, when I first came to the Duke’s residence in my past life, there was no Scumbag.
‘In the end, he succeeded.’
Realizing that, a belated regret surged.
‘…If only I had been more mature and acted more like an adult.’
Would I have recognized Edwin’s pain earlier and been able to comfort him? Despite saying “I like you” so often.
In reality, I knew nothing about Edwin.
My eyes welled up.
“…There’s nothing to see like that.”
Whether he saw my miserable face with teary eyes or not, Edwin muttered without much enthusiasm.
“I know how nonsensical my words were.”
“…”
“Saying I’ll handle it alone. What can a brat like me do?”
“No, no!”
I hastily shook my head.
‘No, Edwin. In the end, you will handle it as you said.’
Even if the Duke hadn’t discovered it today, Edwin would have soon found a way to deal with that scoundrel.
But saying it outright like that was not an option.
In the end, with my pitiful linguistic ability, I muttered.
“H-Haha, there’s nothing absurd. You’re not a brat!”
“Just now, you called me a baby, didn’t you?”
“Th-that, th-that’s…”
For a moment, I stumbled, and Edwin chuckled briefly.
He slowly bent forward and lowered his gaze to meet mine.
As if the warm heat touched my eyes, the blurred vision became clear.
Edwin, wiping away the tears from my eyes, whispered as if consoling.
“Still, thanks to you, everything is okay now. So, don’t cry.”
“Thanks to me…?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded and gently closed my eyes with his hands.
“Because you saved me.”
