Chapter 18
The back garden, where spring and summer met, was filled with blossoms and greenery.
Rahel and I were sitting at a table in the garden, waiting, when a maid approached, pushing a trolley.
The sweet smell wafting toward us already made my mouth water, and I swallowed hard as I asked,
“Wow, that smells delicious! What’s today’s snack, sis?”
“Chocolate fondue and orange juice. Since chocolate is sweet, it was thought fresh juice would go well with it.”
The maid, who had become friendly with me while coming and going through the mansion, explained kindly with a smile.
After setting the snacks on the table, she met Rahel’s eyes and quickly bowed her head.
“Th-then, I’ll take my leave, my lady.”
When I silently mouthed “thank you,” she gave me a small smile and walked away.
‘So Rahel isn’t even close with the maids, huh.’
Watching the retreating figure of the maid and glancing back at Rahel, I studied her expression carefully.
Rahel had never been the type to show much emotion, but since earlier, she looked even more subdued than usual.
To be precise…
‘It started right after she ran into the Duke.’
What I’d learned over the past fortnight of living with Rahel was this:
First, she didn’t talk about herself much.
Second, the only people she somewhat interacted with were her nanny and Sally.
But rather than being unable to, it seemed she simply didn’t want to interact with others.
And that “others” included her one and only family, the Duke.
‘Still, he’s her only family. Getting along would surely help Rahel emotionally.’
Sipping the fresh orange juice, I mulled it over, then cautiously broke the silence.
“My lady, don’t you have anything that upsets you, or worries you?”
Since Rahel clearly had no intention of speaking first, I’d have to probe a little.
She gave me a puzzled look.
“Friends are supposed to share their feelings, you know. If something’s upsetting, we comfort each other; if something makes us angry, we take each other’s side; even secrets we can’t tell anyone else—we share them. That’s how you become closer friends.”
“There’s nothing like that for me.”
Rahel answered flatly.
‘Hmm… maybe she’s never shared such things before, so she doesn’t even realize it.’
I decided to give a more concrete example.
“Well, I have one. A worry.”
“A worry?”
“Yes. The thing is…”
I trailed off deliberately, watching as Rahel’s attention sharpened a little more than before.
With a triumphant smile, I went on.
“My dad cut ties with his family when he married my mom. Because they strongly opposed it.”
“…Family?”
“Yes, my dad’s family. Whenever I ask about my grandparents, he won’t answer. And when I say we should reach out, he just laughs it off.”
“……”
“I just think it’d be nice if we could reconnect and get along. I’m sure Mom, up in heaven, would want Dad to be happy with his family again too.”
It really was my own worry, but also one I brought up in hopes Rahel might relate it to her own situation with the Duke.
Rahel listened with a serious expression and finally replied,
“Maybe your father’s afraid his family won’t accept him.”
“Afraid?”
“There’s no guarantee family will forgive you just because they’re family. If they don’t, he’ll… be hurt.”
“Hm…”
“And he might also feel resentment toward them for how they treated him.”
Her eyes, as she spoke, looked strangely lonely.
Almost as if she were talking about herself.
“Oh, I never thought about it from Dad’s perspective. That could be true.”
Seizing the opening, I pressed one step further.
“Then, my lady, do you have anything upsetting, or any worries—about the Duke, maybe?”
“…No. Nothing like that.”
The moment I mentioned the Duke directly, Rahel flinched slightly, but that was all.
As if caught off guard, she immediately retreated back into her shell.
‘Tch, I guess it’s still too soon.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly in regret, but smiled brightly.
“Then that’s a relief. But if you ever do have worries, please tell me.”
“To you?”
“Mm-hm! Because friends share joy and sorrow alike!”
“……”
“Of course, you don’t have to force yourself. But don’t keep everything bottled up, either.”
Saying this, I lightly patted her hand.
Rahel stared at my hand and my eyes silently. Just then, the nanny appeared.
“My lady, it’s time for your next lesson.”
Rahel and I usually attended all lessons together, except one: the heir’s lessons, which Rahel alone attended.
‘Well, it’s really magic training more than an heir’s lesson.’
Though I wasn’t told exactly what the lessons were, I could guess from the original story.
It said Rahel had secretly trained in magic from childhood, hidden from the Emperor.
‘I want to learn magic too…’
After all, my illness could easily be solved if only I could use magic.
If I could just burn off my overflowing mana, I wouldn’t have to suffer from mana overload.
But even though everyone in this world possessed some mana, not everyone could become a mage.
One needed a naturally large “vessel” to contain and wield it.
And mine was just the same size as any ordinary person’s.
Which meant becoming a mage was hopeless.
Sighing regretfully, I said goodbye.
“See you tomorrow, my lady.”
Rahel gave a small nod instead of answering and walked toward the mansion.
I expected the nanny to follow, as usual, but strangely, today she stayed behind with me.
“I’ll see you out today.”
“Oh, but you must be busy—are you sure, nanny?”
Something about it felt ominous, so I tried to decline, but she only smiled gently and took the lead.
I had no choice but to follow.
Instead of leading me through the mansion, she took a path along the outer edge.
Once we were on a quiet, deserted path, she finally spoke.
“Vivian, do you know what crime treason is?”
“I learned it’s insulting or threatening His Majesty the Emperor and the Imperial Family.”
“Correct. And do you know what happens to traitors?”
“I heard His Majesty gives them a severe punishment.”
“More specifically, their families are annihilated for three generations. The parents who raised a traitor are hanged, the traitor is executed by beheading, and the children are sold off as slaves to foreign lands.”
“……”
“For your reference, hanging means being strangled by a rope, and beheading means having your head chopped off by a massive blade.”
Her chilling voice made me flinch.
Of course, with my past-life memories, I already knew. But for a nine-year-old child, the words were horrifyingly graphic.
“And anyone who helps a traitor becomes a traitor too, and suffers the same punishment.”
“…Why are you telling me this?”
I frowned as I asked, and she smiled faintly as she answered.
“Because Lady Rahel has committed treason against His Majesty the Emperor. Which means…”
“……”
“If you stay by her side, not only you, but even your beloved father could be put at risk.”
“……”
“I’m telling you this because you don’t seem to know. I hope you’ll leave her side before you’re in danger.”
It seemed she didn’t realize that I already knew.
At that moment, Rahel’s cold face as she pushed me away came to mind.
[You’re scared of me too, aren’t you? That if you stick with the traitor’s daughter, you and your family will be ruined.]
And then I understood.
‘So it was this woman. She’s been scaring away all of Rahel’s friends like this.’
At the same time, my body, frozen with fury, began to tremble.
