Episode 18

‘Until we meet again.’

That phrase particularly stood out to me. Imagining Chris sitting in his study, holding a quill to write this, made my chest swell with emotion.

‘A gift, huh.’

The first gift I received in this world was from him.

It wasn’t bad. In fact, it was really good.

Marie’s face turned redder than mine. Soon, my other maids quietly came in to see what was happening.

“Open it quickly, miss.”

“…Okay.”

I quietly opened the box. Marie watched me with kind eyes.

“Lemons.”

Inside were lemons and other herbs known for detoxifying the poison of watercress. They were all expensive and highly effective.

‘He was concerned.’

That I had ingested poison in his place.

Whether he liked me or not, he might have sent this gift to avoid feeling indebted.

Even if that were the case, it was fine. It was proof that Chris was thinking about me. It also meant he was considering my proposal seriously.

Then one of the maids spoke to me.

“Miss, look at the bottom.”

“Oh.”

At the very bottom was a necklace with a bright yellow gem. It was citrine. Marie admired it.

“A yellow gemstone with lemons. The Grand Duke must have put a lot of thought into this.”

“……?”

I looked at Marie with genuine confusion.

‘How is this thoughtful?’

Another maid answered.

“That’s right. It matches the color of your eyes, miss.”

Hearing that, I stopped breathing. Yes, my eye color was like that.

‘I hadn’t really thought about it.’

It was because I hated that the color represented something Aria liked and I despised.

So, I rarely paid attention to my hair or eye color. It became a habit to deliberately ignore it.

Marie looked at me with warm eyes. The other maids also watched me with curiosity and delight, not malice.

‘These girls have come to think of me as someone they should serve.’

Although they disliked me and used me as a punching bag, they realized their situation wasn’t much different from mine.

“It will suit you well.”

“Yes.”

Following Marie’s words, I took the necklace out and held it against my chest. The maids nodded in admiration.

After fiddling with the necklace for a while, I whispered to the maids.

“Shouldn’t you all be somewhere else? You didn’t come near my room during your break because you didn’t get along with me.”

It was a reminder to avoid suspicion.

“Just go along with others for now.”

“Yes, miss.”

The maids quickly got up and left the room. During this, I lightly held onto Marie’s hand, keeping her back.

Once the room was quiet, I placed the necklace back in its case and tapped the floor. One of the floor tiles lifted. I hid the herbs and necklace inside.

Marie, watching my actions, widened her eyes.

“Aren’t you going to keep it out?”

“…It might wear out.”

I wasn’t just saying it. For some reason, I felt like it would wear out if I kept holding it.

As I answered, I made sure Marie saw where I hid the items.

If I found any crucial information later and couldn’t deliver it to Chris directly, I would leave it here.

‘I can trust her with this.’

So, it’s better to let her know in advance so that she can take the items or information from here without me. I calmly covered the tile and continued speaking.

“I’ll wear it when I meet the Grand Duke next time.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Once everything was settled, I looked back at the box of lemons. The box was filled with beautifully shaped and fresh-looking lemons.

As I stroked the card, I thought of Chris. Even though I had never liked fruit, for some reason, I felt attached to it.

‘Not bad.’

This was sent by him, thinking of my eye color. With that thought, the lemon scent felt refreshing.

“Thank you so much, Marie. You can go now.”

“You’re welcome.”

Marie smiled softly as she left the room. I placed the box of lemons on my desk, closed the lid again, and then left the room.

I wanted to give Chris a gift as well.

‘This time, if I find something, it will be helpful.’

I hurried to the library and was about to open the door.

Creak.

“…….”

I met eyes with Servi, who was coming out of the library. He immediately smirked upon seeing me.

“I’ve heard you’ve been visiting the library often these days. It seems it was true.”

“Sir Servi.”

“Do you remember when Aria had just arrived?”

I looked into Servi’s eyes.

“Back then, I prepared special lessons.”

Aria had wandered the streets for a long time when she was young, and even after being adopted by the Baron’s family, they were too poor to provide proper education.

Servi had prepared lessons for such Aria. And surprisingly, he included me in those lessons.

‘At first, I thought he had affection for me too.’

In reality, it was just to compare me with Aria and highlight my stupidity.

 

‘Aria, you’re so smart. Knowing even that.’

‘Thank you, brother!’

‘And Mindia, how can you not know that? You’ve been in the Duke’s household longer than Aria, yet you don’t know something so simple.’

‘B-but you never taught me…’

‘Making excuses, are we? Such a bad habit.’

 

Even if we gave the same answer, Aria would be patted on the head while I would be hit on the palm. More difficult questions were intentionally given to me.

 

‘You don’t even know the basics. Which scholar is currently researching the use of ancient magic that is no longer in use?’

‘I-I don’t know…’

‘How foolish. Go fetch the rod.’

‘Sir Servi!’

‘Mindia… Next time, you’ll get it right. Brother is doing this for your sake.’

‘The basics, my foot.’

 

He would bombard me with questions that only graduate students specializing in the field would know and ask Aria only simple questions.

‘To boost her confidence.’

There were similar incidents afterward.

Trying to learn magic from a visiting scholar, I discovered that I had a tiny amount of magical power while Aria had none, which ruined the lesson. Embroidering together, only to be humiliated for my poor work compared to Aria’s. Being laughed at for my etiquette being trash compared to Aria’s…

Aria could be inferior to me, but I could never be better than her.

Servi reminisced about those times, smiling rather cruelly.

“You were a student with no merit in teaching. What difference do you think visiting the library will make?”

“Nothing will change.”

Ignoring his mocking words, I calmly replied.

“I’m doing this because there’s something I need to find.”

“Something you need to find?”

Servi’s eyebrows raised in interest.

“Yes.”

I said, meeting his eyes directly.

“I need to find the truth.”

“……”

“Indeed. You are only engrossed in magazines and newsletters.”

Servi said this and walked away down the corridor. Watching his retreating figure, I slowly smiled.

“Thank you, Servi.”

I began to walk through the stacks, still catching the lingering scent of Servi’s cologne in the air.

 

‘Which scholar is currently researching the use of ancient magic that is no longer in use?’

 

Recalling that memory, I had a realization.

Servi had a weakness for difficult books. He didn’t seem to fully understand the content himself, but he enjoyed looking knowledgeable to others.

‘That scholar fits the criteria.’

I searched for the section where the scholar’s books might be. It was some distance away from where I had been looking.

If Servi hadn’t mentioned that, it would have taken me a long time to find it.

“I hope you continue to help me like this.”

As I spoke, I pulled out a few books and a piece of paper slipped out. It was a contract.

I couldn’t help but smile.

‘Though it’s written in roundabout terms.’

On closer inspection, it was clear that it was a cover contract handed over by an information guild. I carefully examined the seal at the end of the contract.

[Oracle Information Guild]

Oracle was a well-known guild that dealt exclusively with high-ranking nobles. Although the contract was written in code, deciphering it could prove useful.

I copied the contents of the contract onto a separate piece of paper and placed it back in the original book. It was almost time for the servants to come in and clean the library.

‘I’ll look for the rest next time.’

I left the library and returned to my room.

“……”

The box of lemons on my desk had disappeared.

* * *

Chris stood still, gazing out the window.

It was too late to question whether his actions were right or wrong; he had already sent the box away with a servant. It was an impulsive act, not like him at all.

If Jade, who was currently conversing with the imperial messenger at the main gate, had heard about this, he would have been astonished.

‘It’s ridiculous.’

A few days ago, while visiting a jeweler, he happened to see a bright yellow gemstone. It was the same color as Mindia’s eyes.

Seeing it reminded him of the moment he gave her the brooch.

Mindia’s yellow eyes growing wide at the sight of the brooch.

Suddenly, a voice from a dream whispered. Despite the smell of blood and the musty odor of mold, the voice was paradoxically warm.

‘Wow, have you ever received a birthday gift like that? I’ve never received a gift…’

The realization that the voice resembled Mindia’s came to him belatedly. Eventually, the brooch he had given ended up with the Duke.

Despite her abusive circumstances, it was hard to believe she had never received a gift while living as a noble. The voice was likely just a hallucination.

Even so…

‘…We might form an alliance in the future.’

He wasn’t entirely oblivious to the situation. He thought that sending a gift in advance might help in building their relationship later.

“……”

He sighed again, thinking of her emaciated body and the scars on her skin. It bothered him more than it should have.

As if he had seen a similarly thin wrist somewhere before.

“…You need to take care of your health first if we’re to form a proper alliance.”

With that self-deprecating remark, a strange longing flickered and passed through the depths of his chest. The next moment, Jade hurriedly entered, having finished with the messenger.

“What is it?”

“Your Grace.”

Jade approached Chris and whispered to him, causing Chris’s expression to turn curious.