“You’re awake. I heard shouting as I was walking down the hall!”
“I-I see.”
“Just in case, I called for Giyet. It didn’t seem like something that needed healing with divine power.”
“How thoughtful of you.”
Worried about Garno’s condition, Hwairi had summoned Giyet. A few minutes later, Giyet, who had been fast asleep in his room at the mansion, rushed over. After examining Garno and checking him over repeatedly, Giyet muttered quietly to himself.
“Hmm, is this trauma…? If only Wot were here, we’d know the cause right away.”
“Is Wot really that capable?”
“Ah, absolutely. She’s truly remarkable… Wot can solve anything I can’t.”
At that, Garno nodded vigorously. “I see… I must find her. Doctor Giyet, please do your best to track her down as well.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
* * *
Giyet had tried searching here and there several times, but finding Wot was proving impossible. The last trace anyone had of Wot was when Lady Cordelia Inferna saw her working as a dealer at the auction house.
As expected of Wot. I bet she’s off somewhere remote doing volunteer work or something.
In the midst of all this, Garno’s urgent summons brought Giyet back to the Kalinos mansion. Invited to the Kalinos mansion, he was left speechless at the sight of a chocolate fountain as tall as a person, with his own name engraved on it.
“S-So, you’re treating me like this just because I’m Wot’s mentor…?”
“Of course, that’s exactly it!” Garno let out an awkward chuckle, letting his words trail off subtly. “Have you found any clues as to where Wot might be right now?”
“Hmm, it seems the last person to see them was Lady Cordelia Inferna… I’m not entirely sure, but Wot is probably off somewhere remote doing volunteer work. She’s just that dedicated to helping others.” Giyet trailed off, then quietly asked, “She really is a wonderful person. But, um, who is that over there?”
“Pay her no mind.”
Standing there was a beauty with a wistful air, in a lavish dress, her silver hair and violet eyes giving her an air of elegance that made everyone tense. But despite her appearance, she was busy climbing a tree and pruning its branches.
“Hohoho, but Doctor Giyet, I really want to meet Wot in person. I’d like to thank her properly. I heard your grandmother is acquainted with Wot. Is that true?”
“Cough!”
Just then, the beautiful woman let out a delicate cough. Everyone’s attention turned her way.
Garno, looking uncomfortable, said, “You just keep quiet and focus on cleaning those leaves.”
“Okaaay~ I will~!”
“Um, if it’s not too much trouble, who is she…? Or perhaps she could join us for tea…”
It was hard not to be distracted by the elegantly dressed lady tending to the tree with a pair of gardening shears. But even as he spoke, she just kept peeling off bits of loose bark, smiling to herself.
“Just leave it be! Giselle absolutely lo~ves working with trees!”
The servants nearby were whispering among themselves. Garno, having sharply scolded them and chased them off, turned to the others with an aggrieved look.
“I didn’t tell her to do it. Sure, I’m not exactly fond of that kid, but… I’m not the type to order someone to trim trees.”
“That’s right~! Giselle’s just doing it because she wants to!” Humming to herself, Giselle was pruning the tree under the blazing sun.
Could it be because public opinion has gotten so bad? No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Garno was bullying Giselle.
Giyet narrowed his eyes and studied Giselle. Who is she? Her face looks strangely familiar.
“Well, now that lunch is over, shall we go look for Wot again?”
“Cough! Cough, cough!”
Giselle, who had been focused on the tree, started coughing repeatedly, making Garno look at her in dismay.
“Ah, yes. I’ll go search for Wot. She must be somewhere…”
“I’m looking forward to it. I should get ready to welcome Wot myself.”
After being treated with such hospitality, Giyet left the Kalinos mansion once more to search for Wot. He decided to stop by the coffeehouse for a cup of coffee, and there, by chance, he ran into Count Florette, who was practically a regular at the place. He’d only just bumped into Count Florette as the man stepped down from his carriage, but the Count spoke to him first.
“Hmm? That cravat around your neck, it’s stamped with Kalinos’s family crest. Are you one of them?”
“I’m not a member of the family, but I did just come from there.”
“This really is quite the coincidence. I’m actually on my way to that mansion myself.”
“Ah…”
Count Florette’s affection for Giselle was rather well-known in high society. Especially after the incident on ‘Feast of Saint Gladius,’ when he’d caused a scene by pelting Marquis Berto with stones. His affection for Giselle became even more famous.
But right now, at Duke Kalinos’s mansion, Giselle was…
Am I just meddling, or what? I’m not even sure anymore. As he debated whether or not to mention that Giselle was being mistreated by this unexpected newcomer, he calmly pulled a small pill from his pocket. “Here, this is for your blood pressure.”
“Huh? Out of nowhere?”
Seeing Count Florette’s bewildered expression, he whispered softly, “Yes. I thought you might need it. Well then, I’ll be off.”
Was this little act of handing out free blood pressure medicine also a kind of community service, something he’d picked up from Wot? With a sense of pity, Giyet headed inside the coffeehouse.
Only Count Florette, looking utterly confused, was left standing there.
* * *
Even after Giyet left, I kept diligently pruning the trees in the garden.
“Why do you keep clinging to that tree? Everyone blames me for that.”
“It’s just how you feel, though?”
Garno grabbed the back of his neck, as if his blood pressure was spiking.
“Just so you know, Giselle only wants to get closer to you, Lord Garno!”
“I don’t really have any desire to get that close to you.”
Me neither. But this old man Garno, he was the type who’d go off like a firecracker if you poked him just right, which made him incredibly entertaining. And sure, getting kicked out would be easy. But if I wanted to make even this stubborn old man swear off the marriage, I had to keep up the act for as long as possible. If I run away now, this old man will just make Hwairi the duchess in a heartbeat, and then my whole plan goes down the drain.
Humming to myself, I deliberately spoke in the most annoying way I could. “Aah, I see! Actually, I don’t have any either! Mine just disappeared a second ago!”
“W-What…! I swear, as long as I’m alive, I will never accept a rude lady like you as my granddaughter-in-law!”
His fierce glare sent a thrill through me. This is the true in-law world. Ever since he arrived at this house, it really felt like I was experiencing the true in-law world and all the trials that come with it.
I scrubbed at a leaf beside him, grinning with satisfaction. Ah, getting properly picked on like this is actually kind of fun. And that Garno, he really had a way with words.
But just then, from a distance, basking in the sunlight, Riwes glanced over. He then quietly tiptoed toward me.
“Hing, don’t be hurt!”
“Huh?”
“Tree bark, it hurts a lot…”
I must have hurt myself earlier while trimming the tree without realizing it.
Riwes, fiddling with my scratched fingertip, suddenly let out a shrill cry at Garno. “Old Grandpa bad!”
“Huh?”
“Riwes doesn’t like Grandpa anymore. Yu’re always picking on Sister!” Riwes clung tightly to my sleeve, glaring daggers at his great-grandfather.
Garno, flustered, narrowed his eyes at Riwes and asked, “H-Huh? You don’t like this grandpa? I’ve never picked on her!”
“Granpa brought that weird person here. That’s why Sister’s heart hurts.”
“No, Riwes, that’s not—”
I ruffled Riwes’s hair and flashed a mischievous grin. The more I did this, the more Garno’d hate me!
Sure enough, Garno glared at me, his face twisted in outrage. “You, get out of this house right now.”
“Okaaay~ Grandpa~ Whatever you say~!”
“You really have no manne—”
But just then, before Garno could finish, a man well over 190 centimeters tall with broad shoulders strode over.
“Who’s harassing Giselle?” His voice rang out, bold and sharp, right in my ear.
Come to think of it, isn’t today Count Florette’s regular visit? I froze when I saw his face. It was because Count Florette was marching over, looking like a demon.
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