Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 29

After parting with Cardinal Lenon, I left the sanctuary and headed toward the free clinic. Since the sanctuary was behind the free clinic, I always had to pass through the free clinic to go out. Still, it’s not as grueling as it was when I first came here. Maybe it was thanks to Pasa Blanche, but there were no longer people groaning from minor injuries or illnesses. Those kinds of people get prescribed medicine and leave quickly.

 

The ones who remained were truly those with serious illnesses. Could I help people like that too? But it was impossible. I had already tried several times to make medicine for that kind of situation.

 

I couldn’t make medicine with such strong effects. The best I could manage was something like Pasa Blanche or Royal Blue. Is it because my healing ability is weak? Or because I acquired it by chance?

 

It was laughable that, while I was busy pursuing my own revenge, I was pretending to care about others. Yet I couldn’t help but notice the suffering of the sick.

 

For now, instead of obsessing over what I can’t do, let’s do what I can. If I could gain access to the Blanche family, perhaps through their resources and information network, I could develop more effective medicine. So, what I could do for them right now was to ‘move toward my original goal.’ That was it.

 

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

 

That was when someone intruded into my thoughts. A dazzlingly handsome blond man was standing before me—I had no idea when he’d approached. His lively black eyes and gentle smile made him look even more striking. But I couldn’t return his smile.

 

This man is none other than Duke Claude Clementi, Violet’s son.

 

I know the true nature hidden behind that kind face. When Violet and the Gale family trampled over me, I remembered all too well the cold expression he had as he walked by. He looked at me as if he were watching an ant squirm after being stepped on. He was a cruel bystander.

 

I quickly bowed my head, hiding my face before my expression could twist. “And who you might be, Lord?” I deliberately pretended not to know him.

 

He simply laughed softly. “Don’t you remember me? I remember Lady, who was so active at Gale’s salon.”

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t recall.” I replied firmly.

 

I wondered why, in this life, someone who was so indifferent to me in my past life was pretending to know me first. Was he interested because of the salon incident? But I had no intention of being used by him.

 

“More than that, I’m uncomfortable speaking with a man who is a stranger to me like this.”

 

“If you’re uncomfortable talking with a stranger, then how did you converse with my brother?”

 

I looked up in surprise. He saw me talking with Crown Prince Ludwig?

 

I had spoken with Ludwig at the free clinic once before. At that time, Claude had been tending to patients from afar. I thought he hadn’t noticed. But perhaps he had seen everything. So, Crown Prince Ludwig wasn’t joking when he said Claude came to watch over him.

 

“Your face has turned red. I didn’t mean to make things awkward. I apologize.” Claude spoke with a remorseful face. If I hadn’t remembered my previous life, I probably would have fallen for the warmth radiating from those black eyes.

 

“How could I dare refuse the crown prince?”

 

I meant that as a commoner, I could not defy royalty. And at the same time—But you’re just an illegitimate child of the emperor, not a true imperial family member, are you? That was my meaning.

 

Claude seemed to sense my intention, and his face instantly grew cold. But soon he smiled warmly again, changing his expression. “I see. So if one isn’t an imperial family member, one can’t talk with a beautiful young lady. That’s disappointing.”

 

His smile, tinged with deep sadness, was enough to make anyone’s heart flutter. But I wasn’t moved at all by his affectionate eyes.

 

This time, I could sense Claude’s confusion. It seemed he was seeing a woman not swayed by his charms for the first time.

 

“…I understand your situation, Lady. Please forgive my rudeness.”

 

“If you understand, I’ll take my leave first.” I gave Claude a polite bow and quickly left the spot.

 

“I’ll see you next time!” His voice called out from behind me.

 

I snorted and quickened my pace.

 

* * *

Ludwig was leaning against a leafy tree, listening to the voices below.

 

“How could I dare refuse the crown prince?”

 

It was a voice as pleasant as a chirping bluebird. But there was a faint hostility laced in that crystal-clear voice.

 

It’s rare for a woman to show such open hostility to my half-brother. What could her story be? No, the two of them were almost strangers to each other. Could it be that my handsome little brother simply isn’t to Lady Epirosa’s taste?

 

Ludwig barely managed to suppress a laugh. He had to, or the two people talking below might notice him.

 

“I’ll see you next time!”

 

He saw Claude, who had just been rejected by Epirosa, waving his hand weakly. That must have been his first time getting turned down by a woman. But instead of cursing, Claude showed an unexpected reaction.

 

“She’s not easy. This is interesting.” Ludwig’s relaxed eyes suddenly sparkled.

 

“It’s even more enjoyable to use a tool that won’t be used so easily.” Claude muttered as he disappeared.

 

Claude seemed even more intrigued by Epirosa. For some reason, it made Ludwig feel annoyed. Maybe I need to help that innocent lady so she doesn’t get used by my dangerous brother. He hated meddling in other people’s business, but for some reason, he couldn’t just ignore this one.

 

* * *

“You learn quickly. I’ll finish today’s lesson early,” said my tutor. He was the one Hubert had assigned to me. Because I’d grown up in the slums, I’d started with basic education.

 

I was deliberately pretending to learn slowly, but the lessons still seemed to progress quickly. Perhaps it was impossible to feign ignorance, given that I had already learned all this in my past life. He’ll probably report this to Hubert, so I wanted to be seen as a hardworking and admirable granddaughter.

 

Once again, the lesson ended with nothing but praise, and we finished early. After class, I returned to my room and started writing a letter. It was a letter for Marchioness Cadence Gent. The person Mom remembered and wanted to see again.

 

Honestly, I wanted to go find her and directly ask her to meet my mother. But I couldn’t. It’s because she’s been in seclusion for years now.

 

Marchioness Cadence Ghent was the younger sister of the deceased empress, Tabasha Leopold. She withdrew from society after becoming deeply disheartened when the emperor fathered a son with his concubine just a year after the empress’s death. It’s only because the marchioness has been in seclusion that Violet could have such sway in high society.

 

With her family and the Marquisate Gent both being powerful, Cadence had always been a flower of society since she was young. Even the emperor, in fact, cherished Cadence as his sister-in-law. So even if she ignored the emperor’s requests for her to come out of seclusion, he didn’t force her.

 

Whether or not the marchioness will reply to my letter is uncertain. But for my mother’s sake and my own plans, I had to do whatever I could. If she didn’t respond to my letter, I was prepared to try other methods.

 

After finishing the letter, I went to see Benjamin. Today was the day I was to receive reports about Pasa Blanche and Royal Blue. I would always go to him directly instead of summoning him. Partly so as not to appear arrogant, but also because I wanted to observe Benjamin more closely.

 

He’s cursed too. But by whom, and how? I could guess the answer to ‘why’: It was to frame Hubert for treason by using Benjamin. As for the one at the very top— I had a good idea of who it was.

 

The one who took control of the family the moment Hubert collapsed. Gale, most likely. But Gale wouldn’t have cursed Benjamin directly. Benjamin disliked Kobel, so he probably hadn’t even come into direct contact with him. There must be a henchman who cursed Benjamin.

 

Arriving in front of Benjamin’s room, I paused at the sound of conversation from inside. Someone’s in there. I carefully opened the door and peeked inside.

 

“There’s a mountain of things to report to the Grand Duke today. You must have even more than I do—how do you get through it all?”

 

“Just quietly work through it.”

 

It was Paterson, another aide of Hubert, talking with Benjamin. He was the diligent type, and if not for the genius Benjamin, he could have easily been the chief aide. But instead of competing with Benjamin, Paterson chose to stay close to him. After all, he couldn’t really compete, and there was much to learn from Benjamin.

 

Naturally, after Benjamin’s downfall, he became chief aide—Not Hubert’s, but Gale’s chief aide.

 

Looking back, what I’d thought was only natural now seemed oddly tangled. Most of all—

 

“Benjamin? Benjamin? Damn it, he’s frozen up again. What an idiot.”

 

Seeing this scene only made my suspicions more certain.