Chapter 39
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Sid ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
***
Thud.
The door closed, and Daphne’s figure disappeared completely.
Quickly throwing off his robe, Gael collapsed onto the sofa.
He exercised for more than two hours every day before going to work. He was confident in his stamina, but now his entire body felt powerless.
Despite being tall and having good physical strength, his temperament was more fragile than a swaying reed.
He pretended to be someone else and deceived others. The conscience that had been roaring inside him all along couldn’t bear it.
‘In the end, it ended safely, but…’
The face of Daphne, who had been looking at him with worried eyes, kept flashing in his mind.
‘And she even gave me the medicine for free…’
Every time he glanced at the medicine, memories of his master, who smiled kindly and said, “Want it, Gael? I’ll give it to you if you give me half of your life,” resurfaced.
‘Was that lady really a kind person?’
Gael took out a crumpled handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead. It was time to finally let out a sigh.
“How was it, Gael?”
“Ugh!”
However, Gael, who was relaxing, was startled by the voice coming from right next to him.
“M-Master, please give me a warning…! You know I have a weak heart!”
“Sorry. I was too curious.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
Luciel extended both palms to the side as if surrendering, raising his eyebrows apologetically.
Gael, still trying to calm his racing heart, spoke.
“Weren’t you listening to everything from behind?”
To this, Luciel responded with a pitiful tone.
“Oh, Gael. How could I eavesdrop on a conversation with a lady?”
“…”
“That would be rude. You know these basics, don’t you?”
Luciel asked cautiously.
‘It seems like not the right thing to say for someone who feeds truth serums to guests…’
Though the words almost slipped out, Gael managed to hold back.
Looking at Luciel’s oddly tense face, it seemed genuine when he said he hadn’t eavesdropped.
“First of all, I secured the medicine.”
Gael took out a medicine bottle from his pocket and continued reporting.
“There are a total of six bottles, and one of them, with a different cap, is presumed to be the first medicine she made. It’s identical to what master consumed.”
“…”
“First, you mentioned wanting to monopolize the sale of the medicine, and then release it to the market based on future performance. You suggested that, for now, it’s crucial to promote the efficacy.”
“…Aside from that.”
“Yes?”
“Other than that, did she say anything else?”
In response to Luciel’s question, Gael tilted his head.
The most important thing to Luciel was the medicine made by Daphne. However, he wasn’t even looking at the medicine.
‘Moreover…’
His owner was making an unusual expression.
A face that seemed strangely disappointed yet unable to completely abandon hope.
‘Why is he acting like this?’
Perplexed, Gael suddenly realized something and opened his mouth.
“Uh, the contract. She wants to make a contract. Specifically, with the Grand Duke.”
“Is that so?”
Upon hearing this, Luciel’s face brightened as if something had dawned on him.
His blushing cheeks made him look like an innocent boy who had just received acceptance for a date from his first love.
Gael, finding it hard to believe, blinked his eyes rapidly.
“Thank goodness.”
At that moment, Luciel let out a relieved sigh.
“No matter how competitive I am, it’s a bit awkward to get blood on my hands before meeting the Lady.”
Smiling wryly, Luciel tilted his head with a mischievous look.
It seemed like if Daphne made a contract with someone else, Luciel had plans to handle that person somehow.
Right. Gael drew a line over the word ‘innocence’ that had come to his mind.
“Well then, I should go now.”
At that moment, Luciel stood up from his seat.
“Where are you going?”
“Where else? I need to go see the Lady.”
Luciel smiled brightly.
“I told you clearly, Gael. I will arrange a meeting with the Grand Duke, so please wait a little longer.”
“Oh, um…”
Gael spoke cautiously, trying to gauge the situation.
“Lady said she would meet in person…”
“In person?”
“Yes. She said it wouldn’t look good if she met the Grand Duke through me, or rather, through your name, especially since the suspicions have recently been cleared.”
“…”
“I couldn’t force her to agree when she spoke like that.”
“And so?”
“Well, she said she would disguise it as a coincidence, like before…”
“…”
“She has already left the store…”
Gael’s voice trembled weakly like autumn leaves fluttering in the wind.
Luciel’s lips, which had been drawing a gentle curve, slowly dropped down.
‘Again, she disappeared?’
If that’s the case…
‘…Does this mean I won’t be able to see Lady Peregrine today?’
The joyful expression that was on Luciel’s face, which had been soft and happy, quickly disappeared. The happy news that Daphne wanted to contract with him was quickly forgotten as she had already left.
Gael tried to lighten the mood and said, “Moreover, Lady mentioned that one of the medicines can be used as needed.”
“…”
“Considering your abilities, Master, you could probably determine the ingredients of the medicine without her assistance. It’s a less troublesome situation now, isn’t it?”
Gael’s words were indeed true. Initially, what Luciel desired was Daphne’s medicine. The small sample he had tasted before was insufficient to discern the full composition of the medicine.
So, he had used the excuse of needing a sample. Now that he had the desired medicine in his hands, Daphne was no longer necessary.
Knowing this, however…
Luciel gazed at the offered medicine bottle from Gael with an odd chilliness in his eyes. The medicine he had been desperately searching for, the one that could instantly suppress the explosive magic power, was right in front of him.
However, Luciel’s eyes, looking at the medicine, seemed strangely indifferent. He didn’t appear like someone who had obtained what he had been longing for.
Soon, Luciel accepted the medicine bottle. Then, just as before, he opened the cap without hesitation and swallowed the medicine.
But…
“Ha.”
Luciel let out a small bitter laugh. Gael quickly inquired, “What’s the problem, master?”
“The taste is different.”
“Yes?”
“The taste itself is similar, but it’s strangely different from the first one I tried.”
Luciel said firmly, “She must have changed the composition of the medicine. Or perhaps she diluted the concentration to reduce its effectiveness.”
“That, that can’t be…”
Gael sighed softly.
No matter what, resorting to such actions against his master was not acceptable. Despite clearing her name, it seemed Lady Peregrine’s life was only worth this much.
‘She seemed like a good person, but it seems not.’
It was at this moment that Gael silently wished Lady Peregrine to rest in peace.
“She’s really a clever person.”
However, in Luciel’s murmuring voice filled with admiration, there was a subtle sense of delight. Perplexed, Gael asked, “What do you mean by clever?”
“Think about it, Gael. Why do you think she gave a different medicine and rejected the proposal to meet the Grand Duke?”
“That’s… I…”
Gael couldn’t answer. Luciel grinned and said, “She wanted to give the medicine to the Grand Duke and the Master of the Tower, Luciel, rather than the owner of ans underworld store. Without any risk.”
Luciel laughed, his lips lifting.
In her confident demeanor, she felt proud that his looks didn’t disappoint, as expected.
‘Is that… really the case?’
Gael rolled his eyes silently.
It seemed like it wasn’t entirely untrue, but at the same time, it didn’t feel entirely accurate.
‘Interpretation…’
The phrase lingered in his mind, but he quickly erased it, thinking that Luciel might read it.
Regardless, Luciel appeared extremely pleased.
“So the lady wanted to meet me, Luciel? Through coincindence.”
“Well, um…”
“Calling it a coincidence. How romantic. Don’t you think so, Gael?”
Luciel asked with an angelic face.
‘Romantic? Love isn’t something you believe in.’
Gael mumbled silently in his mind.
Even though he could sense Gael’s inner thoughts, Luciel decided to overlook it since he was in a good mood.
“Well then, I’ll be off, Gael.”
Before Lady Peregrine could return disappointed, he had to quickly appear before her, like a grand entrance.
“Take care of the store. Don’t shed tears reading romance novels again.”
Leaving those words behind, Luciel wore his robe again.
“Don’t you usually teleport using magic?”
“Well, but if I reveal myself too quickly, it reduces the time for them to be awed from that side.”
“…”
“Timing is important, isn’t it?”
Luciel smiled softly and left the room.
‘…So he deliberately plans to appear late.’
When Gael heard that his Master had left first, his expression noticeably hardened.
‘What on earth is my master thinking?’
Regardless, fortunately, everything went smoothly…?
Gael breathed a sigh of relief.
He had no idea what unexpected repercussions his words would have.
