“Is it always like this?” Cadia asked after a moment of silence. Realizing what he meant, I shook my head.
“No, this is a first for me too.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” Cadia said, sounding genuinely relieved. I couldn’t help but chuckle quietly at his sincerity.
Honestly, I had no idea why Ains was acting this way all of a sudden.
“It seems like the Duke has feelings for you, Cecilia,” Cadia observed.
“That’s impossible,” I denied his words immediately.
Ains couldn’t possibly have feelings for me. This was just him venting his frustration over a situation he couldn’t control. Maybe Ains had always seen me as his possession over the past ten years. That’s why he couldn’t stand seeing me with someone else after our divorce.
“And if his recent behavior is because he likes me, then I’d rather pass,” I added.
“True, he is quite aggressive,” Cadia agreed, making me laugh softly.
We walked for a while and finally arrived at the fountain. Cadia seemed like he wanted to escort me all the way back to my estate, but I already had a carriage waiting.
“See you next time,” I said.
“Yeah. Thanks for being my friend, Cecilia.”
With that brief farewell, I parted ways with Cadia and began my journey back home. It had been an unusually exhausting day.
* * *
Ains Graham stood rooted to the spot, watching Cecilia and Viscount Moldovan walk away.
“Friends?” he muttered, still in disbelief over the word ‘friends’ that Moldovan had used.
Ains had a clear reason for being wary of Viscount Cadia Moldovan and wanting to keep him away from Cecilia. According to what he knew, Cadia and his group were notorious for being lowlifes. They were known for seducing wealthy noblewomen and then swindling their money.
Ains had known about their existence for a while but hadn’t interfered since they posed no direct threat to him. But at the Emperor’s birthday ball, he witnessed something unexpected: Cecilia and Cadia chatting amiably on the terrace.
Seeing that, Ains immediately sensed that Cecilia was Cadia’s next target. Cadia was undoubtedly after Cecilia’s wealth, trying to seduce her.
The million gold he had given Cecilia as divorce alimony—it was a substantial amount even for him to pay in one go. For someone like Cadia, who leeched off women, it was an unimaginable fortune.
Worried that Cecilia would be swindled by Cadia, Ains had intervened, something he usually wouldn’t do. He had even warned Cadia at the ball, returning his coat and telling him to stay away from Cecilia. But just a few days later, he saw them together in town.
They were laughing together, completely unaware of Cadia’s true intentions. The sight of Cecilia, smiling so naively, made Ains feel a surge of anger he couldn’t quite define.
Well, he could define it, sort of. It was the thought of the wealth he had given Cecilia ending up in the hands of a notorious scoundrel that infuriated him.
Moreover, Cecilia was once his wife. If rumors spread that she had been swindled by a lowlife, it would inevitably tarnish his reputation as well.
He wanted to tell Cecilia the truth and separate her from Cadia, but when he stood before them, rational words failed him. His mind felt frozen.
Maybe it was the fact that Cecilia called Cadia by his name and he did the same. In just a few days, they had become close enough to use first names.
The Cecilia Marves he remembered was not someone who easily opened up to people. Even as a child, she had taken a long time to show him a smile, despite meeting him several times.
Yet here she was, calling Cadia by his name after just a week since the Emperor’s birthday. They claimed to be friends.
Cecilia Marves and Cadia Moldovan. The once noble Duchess of Graham and a notorious scoundrel, friends? It was unthinkable, unacceptable. Even if Cadia had a change of heart and genuinely wanted to be friends with her—which was highly unlikely.
Ains let out a bitter laugh as he watched the now distant figures of Cecilia and Cadia.
“Jackson,” he suddenly called out to his aide.
Jackson, who had been waiting nearby, approached and bowed.
“Investigate Cadia Moldovan in detail and report back to me.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“And look into his associates as well.”
“Understood, Your Grace.”
Satisfied with Jackson’s prompt response, Ains slowly turned away.
* * *
“Madam, a pamphlet has arrived from the auction house,” Rivet said as she handed me the documents she had received from another maid. It was a pamphlet from the Reflen Auction House, which I had visited recently.
Rivet must have brought this to my attention because mana stones were listed in the auction. Currently, I was using one high-grade mana stone per week. I had seven high-grade mana stones and four top-grade mana stones left.
I didn’t know how many more I would need or when they would be available again, so I had to stock up as much as possible. With that in mind, I slowly started to go through the pamphlet.
“…What is this?” I muttered in surprise at one of the items listed.
“Master, the Reflen Auction House is putting a Tieria flower up for auction,” Rivet confirmed with a bright smile, seeing my disbelief.
Even as she spoke, it felt like a dream. I stared intently at the illustration in the pamphlet. A Tieria flower, up for auction?
“When is the auction?” I quickly checked the pamphlet’s cover. The date was May 23rd.
“It’s this Friday,” Rivet informed me.
Indeed, the auction for the Tieria flower was scheduled for this Friday, just a week away. I stood up, filled with hope. I couldn’t just sit around. Even though there were a few days left until the auction, I needed to prepare to ensure I won the Tieria flower.
The average auction price for a Tieria flower was 300,000 gold, and I had about 1,130,000 gold. Since my divorce, I hadn’t had any major expenses, so my funds remained largely intact. Even if the flower set a new record at the auction, it had never gone for more than 400,000 gold, so I was confident I could afford it.
“I need to see Dr. Watt,” I decided.
Dr. Watt was the most renowned physician in the capital and had been our family doctor when I was with the Graham Duchy. It was a bit early, but I needed to ask him to prepare for making a treatment for Trintz’s disease.
* * *
With Rivet’s help, I quickly got ready and left the estate. I called for the usual carriage and headed to Dr. Watt’s clinic. Even the bumpy ride felt pleasant today.
“Viscountess, we’ve arrived,” the coachman announced after a short while.
I stepped out of the carriage and saw Dr. Watt’s clinic in front of me. I went straight inside. The doorbell rang melodiously as I entered.
“Oh, my lady!” Dr. Watt exclaimed, standing up quickly upon recognizing me.
“Why didn’t you call for me? You shouldn’t have come in person, my lady.”
“How have you been?” I asked.
“Thanks to your concern, I’ve been well. Please, come in. I’ll prepare some tea that’s good for your health.”
“Thank you,” I said, following him inside.
I sat on the sofa as Dr. Watt put a kettle on the stove.
“Is there something urgent? Are you feeling unwell?” he asked, adjusting his glasses with a concerned look.
I shook my head. “No, quite the opposite. I have good news.”
“Good news?” he echoed.
“I think I can get a Tieria flower this week.”
“A Tieria flower?” Dr. Watt looked at me in shock.
“That’s wonderful! I was so worried we wouldn’t be able to find one,” he said, visibly relieved.
“Thank you. That’s why I came to ask you to prepare the treatment for Trintz’s disease.”
“Then I’ll need to gather the necessary ingredients right away,” he said, chuckling as the kettle began to whistle. He poured the tea and set it on the table.
“As soon as the auction ends on Friday, I’ll send the flower over. How long will it take to make the medicine?” I asked.
“If I start gathering the other ingredients now, I should have the medicine ready by the middle of next week,” he replied.
“That’s a relief.”
“It truly is. But you know, my lady, while the Tieria flower can cure Trintz’s disease, the aftereffects can be severe,” he reminded me.
“I know,” I said.
The treatment would forcibly activate the mana in the body, which could cause significant strain. Common side effects included headaches, nausea, coughing up blood, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. There was also a risk of mana overload, causing the body to go into overdrive.
Despite the risks, it was better than letting the disease progress until it paralyzed the body and led to death.
“I’ll contact you as soon as the medicine is ready,” Dr. Watt assured me.
“Please do.”
I took a sip of the tea, feeling the warmth spread through me. The tension began to ease from my body as I looked at Dr. Watt’s kind, reassuring smile.
