Chapter 37
Adults are strange.
If you like someone, you like them, and if you fight, you just make up. But they seem to live such complicated lives.
“Did you make up with Father?”
“Huh? I didn’t fight with His Grace the Duke.”
“Liar. You fought last time.”
“It wasn’t a fight.”
Helena faintly smiled as she patted Jeremy’s head.
“Actually, I’ve never really fought with His Grace.”
“Then why are things so complicated between you two?”
“Complicated? Jeremy, do you think things between us seem complicated?”
“Yeah. I can’t tell if you two like each other or not.”
To Jeremy, it seemed like Father liked Helena quite a bit.
His father wasn’t the type to keep someone he didn’t like around. If he really disliked her, he would’ve quietly warned him and Joshua to stay away from her.
And Helena seemed to like his father quite a bit, too.
Then why did things seem so awkward between them? If they liked each other, shouldn’t they hold hands and go on outings together?
“If you fought, just make up. I’ll help you.”
“No, Jeremy. You don’t have to do that.”
If they fought, they could just apologize with something tasty. Why did adults have to make things so complicated?
Jeremy couldn’t understand adults at all.
To his eyes, Caligo and Helena seemed like they were teetering on a precarious tightrope.
“Don’t worry. We really didn’t fight…”
“Is it possible to feel awkward with someone even if you didn’t fight?”
“That’s true…”
Helena smiled sadly.
“And there’s something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Why do you have so many cuts on your hands?”
“I got hurt sewing.”
She instinctively hid her hands behind her back.
“If it hurt, you should’ve stopped.”
“I didn’t even realize it hurt.”
“How are you planning to live like this?”
Jeremy asked with genuine concern in his eyes.
“You sleep a lot, you’re clumsy, you don’t know how to run a business…”
This won’t do. The boy made up his mind and declared firmly.
“From now on, stick by my side. At least I’ll make sure you don’t starve to death.”
“Pfft, you’re going to take care of me?”
“You think I’m joking? I’m serious!”
“Alright, alright.”
“Anyway, let’s go put some medicine on those cuts.”
Jeremy tried to pull Helena along toward the mansion.
“No, we should save the medicine for the knights going out to battle. It’d be wasteful for me to use it.”
“Do you think Frantor is a beggar’s den? If the medicine runs out, we’ll just buy more!”
“There are plenty of herbs around here.”
“Where?”
Joshua, who had been reading a book, glanced at her and Jeremy with curiosity.
“See those bushes over there?”
“What about them? They’re just common bushes you see everywhere.”
“Erque likes to grow hidden away.”
“Erque?”
“Look here, between the bushes. Do you see it?”
“That’s a weed.”
“Yeah, a weed. But it’s also used as medicine.”
Helena began to pick and clean the erque. It was a kind herb. While grinding it into powder made it more effective, simply crushing it and applying it to wounds could also work wonders.
“This weed has incredible properties.”
“Like what?”
“It’s great for most wounds. It’s good for disinfecting and especially for puncture wounds.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so remember to use it whenever you get hurt or if someone precious to you gets hurt.”
Precious person. Jeremy was rolling the word around in his mind the moment he heard her say it.
Without them noticing, Joshua had come closer and asked,
“That medicine you gave to the servant in the kitchen. You’re making it with this, right?”
“Yep.”
“I never knew a weed like this could be used as medicine.”
He muttered in surprise, his expression genuinely astonished.
“Now you know. It’d be good if others knew this information too.”
She glanced around at the various herbs nearby.
“Actually, there are many herbs that can be found nearby. Even if a supply of medicine is provided, information like this is what’s most useful during emergencies.”
Helena looked down at the Erque.
“So, I was thinking of writing down information about the herbs used in making medicine. If there’s a nearby herb, it should be used. I originally wanted to create medicine just for that reason.”
“Helena.”
Joshua’s expression was both astonished and skeptical as he marveled.
“You’re surprisingly good at business.”
“‘Surprisingly’?”
“I thought you were completely clueless about business, just some outsider who wanted to meddle.”
“…Hey, that really hurts.”
Joshua paused for a moment, then asked another question.
“So, if you know how to run a business, why are you intentionally making losses and slowly giving away your authority?”
“Hmm, I guess so.”
“Are you really an idiot?”
“Maybe.”
Apart from that, Helena also taught them about various practical herbs. Digestion aids for urgent situations, pain relief for stomach aches, and herbs that could neutralize poison or act as painkillers. Her knowledge was surprisingly specialized for someone teaching children.
Joshua attentively listened to her explanations, but Jeremy had been lost in thought, doing something quietly in the corner.
“Jeremy, what are you doing?”
“Come here.”
“Huh?”
Jeremy began applying the previously prepared Erque to Helena’s wounds. With his small hands, he carefully applied the herb, focusing intently.
Helena and Joshua were both surprised by his actions.
Jeremy, who neatly finished applying the herb, clumsily replaced the bandages. When all was done, Jeremy’s ears were bright red.
“Jeremy.”
“What!”
Embarrassed, Jeremy reacted forcefully.
“You told me to apply medicine to someone precious.”
“…”
“Am I the precious person you’re talking about?”
“No! I’m just checking if your knowledge is really useful! Don’t get the wrong idea.”
Jeremy exclaimed.
“I’ll come back tomorrow to check if it works, so don’t take off the bandages and stay still.”
“Jeremy.”
“What, why again!”
“Thank you.”
“Tch.”
Jeremy carefully cradled the remaining Erque as he entered the mansion.
*
Upon arriving in Frantor, Aiden vowed to help Helena with anything she desired. However, making medicine was no ordinary task. With the need for specialized expertise and numerous steps involved, it often required Caligo’s cooperation. Today, Helena was scheduled to hold a meeting with apothecaries and merchants from the northern regions alongside Caligo.
Aiden wasn’t particularly pleased about seeking help from that despicable man, but there was a greater concern: Helena had been tailed. Initially, he thought it was just hostile attention, but it was more than that. The more she ventured out, the more the eyes followed her.
Lately, she had been spending more time indoors at the mansion, not taking the children out, fearing their safety.
“There’s something I need to tell you, Your Grace.”
Considering Caligo should be informed, he decided to issue a quiet warning.
“What is it?”
“There’s been someone following Helena. If you’re going to accompany her outside, you should know.”
Seeing that detached expression every time gnawed at Aiden’s insides. What was this man who always seemed indifferent? Or was he just disinterested in Helena alone?
Better to leave her alone altogether, if that were the case. But what if, as the rumors suggested, he planned to seek revenge?
Caligo seemed the kind of man who would go to any lengths to hurt her, forgetting the years they had spent together. A man void of empathy or emotion—a man driven only by war and revenge.
If he ever tried to harm Helena, Aiden swore he would step down from his position as a physician and ensure he never left unscathed.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“Yes! I told you, someone is following Helena.”
“Got it.”
“Are you not concerned at all?”
Even though Helena insisted she was fine, she appeared terrified whenever someone tailed her. Her expression darkened with every outing, her energy drained.
Yet Caligo remained nonchalant, as if it were just another trivial matter.
“Have the guards increase security immediately. We don’t know when danger might strike. How can you treat this like it’s none of your business?”
“…”
“And you call yourself a husband?”
As Aiden spoke, his frustration began to rise. Caligo remained still, but his sudden movement was swift and unexpected. Before Aiden could react, Caligo grabbed him by the collar with incredible speed.
Aiden barely managed to process the sudden assault, staring into Caligo’s piercing gaze.
“I’m warning you.”
The intensity in his voice and expression was unlike anything Aiden had ever seen from him. It wasn’t cold or dismissive, but deeply emotional and enraged.
“Don’t interfere in my affairs.”
“What did you say?”
“I already know. You don’t need to pretend you understand. Stop acting like you do.”
Caligo’s hostility was evident.
But something was different.
It wasn’t the usual aloof, detached attitude. It was more personal—more heated. A side of Caligo Aiden hadn’t seen before.
He recognized it instantly because it mirrored the way Helena would secretly glance at Caligo, stealing fleeting glances when they thought no one was watching.
Could it be?
Aiden roughly pushed Caligo’s hand away and stood there, watching him walk away with a puzzled and contemplative look.
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