Yuliana slammed the book down on the shelf right next to Garno. Her expression was even tinged with madness. “In that case, I’ll get divorced as well. Looks like you’ll be losing both your in-laws. Congratulations.”
Neslan and Garno both went pale at the same time.
* * *
It was the next morning. Giyet, who had been urgently summoned to the Kalinos mansion while volunteering as a medic, was feeling a deep sense of futility.
“My cheek hurts!”
“Ah, you’ve got a cut there.” His hands moved with professional skill as he treated the patient, but his brow was slightly furrowed.
They dragged me all the way here just to heal a scratch like this? He’d been helping countless people through volunteer work, following Wot’s teachings…
Giyet let out a sigh, voicing the thought that had been dominating his mind lately. “Wot must be worried, being so far away.”
Garno, standing nearby, looked at him curiously. “Hmm? Wot?”
“The assistant who saved Lord Neslan. Quite eccentric, really.”
“Now that you mention it, didn’t you help save Neslan too, Giyet?”
Giyet shook his head vigorously, practically jumping in protest. “No way. I honestly didn’t do anything. Wot handled everything on her own.”
“…Really?” Garno, who treated Giyet with great respect, responded with an intrigued look. “What kind of achievements does she have for you to praise her so highly, Giyet?”
Giyet had sung Wot’s praises endlessly, and he still had plenty more to say. Every time he recounted the tale of how Neslan sprang up the moment Wot placed her hand over his heart, or described how she always seemed to appear out of nowhere, Garno’s eyes would light up with interest.
“I’d like to meet Wot myself. Where should I go to find her?”
“I’m sorry, but she’s disappeared without a trace. She’s probably out there somewhere, spreading hope while hiding her identity.”
“T-Then, is there any way I could at least know what she looks like?”
“Well, for starters, she has honey-blonde hair, cut short…”
“Well, for starters, she has honey-blonde hair, cut short…”
“Oh, I see. Please, go on.”
As Giyet spoke, former Duke Garno took out a sheet of paper and started sketching Wot’s likeness, but his hand suddenly stopped. This face feels strangely familiar… Garno, who had been drawing the sketch, absentmindedly stroked the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, lost in thought.
“Hmm, she resembles Countess Sehera.”
“What?”
“There’s something oddly similar about them. Ah, you wouldn’t know, would you? She was always in poor health, so she almost never appeared in public. Now that she’s gone, only us old folks will remember her face.”
Giyet struggled to hide his surprise. That’s odd. Isn’t the current madam of the Kalinos family is Count Sehera’s daughter? For Wot, who looks like that, to be the one who saved Neslan… It felt strangely like both coincidence and fate.
Giyet tilted his head, caught in that strange feeling, then smiled. “Is that so? Well, in any case, I hope you get to meet Wot, just as you wish, Lord Garno.”
“I’d love to meet Wot, the one with legendary healing powers. I’d treat her extraordinarily well…”
“If I hear any news, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Oh! I just had a great idea.” As soon as Garno heard Wot’s story, he broke into a cheerful smile and sprang to his feet.
And there was someone who had been completely forgotten by the two of them. Completely ignored, Hwairi bit her lip in silence.
* * *
“We’ll even put up a huge notice at the front gate saying we’re looking for Wot.”
“But do you think Wot would like that?”
“…You mean erecting a statue in her honor within the family grounds?”
“Lord Garno seems to think that if Wot found out about the statue, she’d show up right away.”
While out on a walk, I happened to stumble across the ‘Wot Statue’ and my expression soured. Huh, seriously? Just like that? Isn’t that a bit excessive? I could hear the servants whispering among themselves.
“He’s all just eager to meet Wot. She’s exactly the kind of ideal person Lord Garno dreams of.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, they say that woman Hwairi was brought here just because she’s a healer.”
“…Ah, so that’s why Lady Giselle gets the cold shoulder. Because she doesn’t have healing power. Unbelievable…”
“Still, I’m curious about Wot too. She’s like a master hiding her true strength, living quietly in the shadows.”
At this point, I couldn’t help but wonder. What is wrong with the people in this family? Do you need to be missing a screw or two to belong here? Do they really think ‘Wot’ would like a statue like that? I rubbed my eyes, lost in thought. Just then, a thunderous scolding crashed down on me.
“As the lady of the house, you must not fall short in any way when it comes to honoring Wot’s statue.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Don’t you dare look up at Wot’s statue with that jealous expression.”
“Grandfather, your way of thinking is really old-fashioned. Who even uses the word ‘jealous’ these days?”
At that, Garno’s complexion turned red, then blue.
I pretended to clean my ear as I replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Wot’s bust is nice and clean every single day.”
I’ll clean my own bust myself. Of course, I’ll only do it half-heartedly. Wot and I have reached a heartfelt agreement about this, so it’s fine, Grandfather.
With a satisfied smile, I looked up at the sky. The clouds above looked especially beautiful. Anyway… If they keep treating Wot this extravagantly, self-centered Hwairi would be pretty uncomfortable, wouldn’t she?
* * *
“You.”
“Du-Duke!”
Contrary to what someone might have expected, Hwairi wore a blissfully elated smile. That was because Duke Kalinos was sitting before her like a painting. It was their first-ever private meeting since she entered this household, like a dream. After all, Duke Kalinos had been deliberately avoiding her.
Duke Kalinos, who had summoned her to the parlor, crossed his legs and made no effort to hide his irritation. “Drink.”
The tea shimmered with a black sapphire glow. For a moment, Hwairi was elated that the duke himself had handed her the tea. Still, you should test even a stone bridge before crossing. It was a highly suspicious situation.
“I don’t mean to doubt you, Your Grace, but let me use my divine power for a moment.”
“Go ahead.”
When Duke Kalinos gave a slight nod, a pure white light flowed from Hwairi’s hand. What radiated from her palm was unmistakably powerful divine power.
All right. It really is just ordinary tea. As she sipped the black tea, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her gaze. “Is there a reason you called me here alone?”
“No particular reason.”
No particular reason, he says.
“Since I heard you were joining my household, I thought I should at least become familiar with your face.”
“Ah…”
His tone was harsh and brittle, like shattered glass. But Hwairi’s heart was pounding with excitement. My first meeting with the man who will be my husband. He might be acting like he’s married to that strange woman right now, but she was definitely first. After all, Garno chose her before anyone else.
Hwairi took a few sips of tea, trying to calm her racing heart, then asked, “That, Your Grace, what do you usually do with your days?”
“Work.”
“Yo-Your Grace! Then maybe we could go on an outing together, like a date…”
“A date?”
A faint smile played at the corners of his lips. His beautiful smile, illuminated by the moonlight, was enough to take her breath away. But the words that came out of his mouth were…
“Why do I have to go on a date with you?” Duke Kalinos fixed her with a look of clear discomfort.
Still, Hwairi didn’t give up. She looked at the duke with a cute, endearing gaze and smiled brightly. “Because Hwairi loves you, Your Grace!”
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