Chapter 19
Pamela mumbled something, and Isabella reached out again. As Miller and Emily stepped back, Isabella grabbed Pamela’s hair once more. Everyone turned their heads as Isabella slammed Pamela’s head to the floor. Isabella had inherited her father’s cruel streak.
“Pamela, Father would never tolerate his daughters getting hurt. Can’t you think straight?”
Isabella spoke as if Pamela were a filthy insect, throwing her head down. Blood trickled from Pamela’s forehead. Isabella spat out her next words.
“Clean this up.”
The maids hurried to obey. Isabella returned to Eliano’s bed. Seeing her sister’s body covered in whip marks, Isabella’s lips trembled. Emily quickly pulled the blanket over Eliano. Isabella let out a deep sigh and began searching the nightstand.
“Where is the ointment?!”
She stormed out of the room in frustration and returned shortly after.
“Emma, use this.”
Emma, the family doctor, took the ointment Isabella handed her. Upon opening it and seeing what was inside, Emma’s eyes widened.
“This is ‘Elasem’, isn’t it? Such a rare ointment…”
“That’s Elasem?”
Elasem was a precious ointment known for relieving pain and preventing scars. It was produced in very small quantities. Emma carefully applied it to Eliano’s wounds. Isabella stared at the ointment, lost in thought.
When Eliano opened her eyes, her whole body ached. She remembered being whipped nearly to death the day before and sat up, surprised that the pain had lessened.
A wet towel slipped off her body. But she had no strength and collapsed back down. A maid nearby quickly supported her.
“Miss, are you okay? You should still be lying down.”
The strong smell of ointment filled the air. This scent… it was Elasem. When her father used to beat her, her nanny would apply it to help her recover. As rare as it was, it worked quickly.
They said they wouldn’t treat me, but they did in the end? Looking at the bandages wrapped around her body, Eliano realized it wasn’t Pamela’s doing. Pamela wasn’t good at wrapping bandages. Eliano looked at the maid who had gently helped her lie down.
“Did you treat me?”
“No! It was Miss Emma…”
“Emma?”
“The lady doctor.”
“Oh…”
The Duke of Rosana’s household had both a female and a male doctor. Eliano, who had only been cared for by her nanny, rarely interacted with them. As a child, she had frequent minor illnesses, so the doctor visited often, but that doctor no longer resided in the mansion. One day, she was told he had left the Duke’s estate.
The maid asked Eliano,
“Shall I bring you some food?”
“I don’t have an appetite.”
“But you need to eat something to take your medicine.”
Her nanny used to just apply ointment and leave, but now that the doctor had examined her, she even had medicine. Pamela would never call the doctor. She was obsessive and had to handle everything herself. Did she think she was my real mother?
Eliano asked the maid,
“Who brought the doctor?”
“Miss Isabella…”
“Who called Isabella?”
The brown-haired maid blinked.
“Was it you?”
“Yes…”
The maid lowered her head, thinking she had done something wrong.
“Lift your head. I don’t like it when people avoid eye contact during conversations.”
The young-faced maid looked up. Seeing her innocent brown eyes, Eliano spoke weakly.
“Why did you call Isabella? There’s the head maid… and Damian too.”
“Another maid went to get the head maid… and since the young master is a man, I thought Miss Isabella would be more appropriate…”
“But there’s the nanny?”
“You don’t like the nanny, Miss…”
Eliano chuckled softly at the honest answer.
“Do you think the nanny would harm me?”
“But… the nanny didn’t treat you even though you were hurt…”
Eliano felt she understood what had happened.
“I see. Please help me up.”
The maid gently helped Eliano sit up. Despite her clumsy appearance, she had surprisingly skilled hands.
“Thank you for calling Isabella.”
“I-It was just what I had to do…”
“What’s your name?”
“Lavender.”
From her past life experience, Eliano knew that quick-witted and skilled people were worth keeping close.
As an empress from an enemy nation without children, even a small mistake could be used against her. She had to bear the consequences of every decision. Living such a tiring life made Eliano more sensitive, and she learned how to exploit others’ mistakes.
“I want to keep the nanny, whom Father favors, by my side, but I’m too scared. I nearly died last night because she didn’t treat me. But Father listens more to her than to me…”
Eliano trailed off with a sorrowful expression, and Isabella shouted,
“Even after all this, you want to let that horrible old woman back into your room?”
“But it’s Father’s order, so I must let the nanny care for me.”
“That’s ridiculous! Brother! Can you believe this?”
Isabella screamed. Damian, who had come with Isabella to check on Eliano, frowned briefly and said,
“Speak quietly. We can all hear you, Isabella.”
Eliano coughed lightly and said,
“Sorry, Damian. I didn’t mean to trouble you while I’m unwell.”
Seeing Eliano’s pale face, Damian spoke coldly to the maid,
“Lay Eliano down immediately. She looks like she might die any second.”
“I can’t do that when the young duke is here.”
As Eliano tried to dismiss the maids, Damian ordered again,
“Lay her down. That’s an order.”
At the young duke’s command, the maids hesitated and approached Eliano. As she stood up from the chair, Lavender quickly supported her. Watching her limp, Damian spoke disdainfully.
“Don’t cause a scene in the mansion, Eliano. I’m really fed up.”
Isabella shouted, asking how he could say such things, but Damian didn’t flinch.
“Isabella, if you defy me one more time, I’ll discipline you myself.”
“Brother!”
“Both of you, stop.”
At Eliano’s calm voice, Isabella fell silent. But Damian continued.
“You can’t order me around.”
“It’s not an order, it’s a request.”
Eliano’s gaze was calm. The sorrowful expression from earlier was gone.
Damian sneered.
“Such a polite tone for a request.”
“Do you want me to kneel before you, young duke?”
“What benefit would I get from making your light knees kneel?”
At the mention of her “light knees,” Eliano’s face stiffened briefly.
Damian Rosana was the kind of brother who didn’t even blink when his sister was whipped in front of him. Instead, he pleased their father by saying that punishment was deserved for wrongdoing.
— How lacking must you be for Father to make you kneel? If you do well, Father will offer you a position. He doesn’t do that for me. Is your brain just for show?
Damian looked just like their father and spoke only cruel words. Though he didn’t use physical violence, he was a miniature version of Duke Rosana. That’s why Eliano could let go of any affection for him relatively easily.
— I made a deal with Damian Rosana. He wants to take his sister away.
— He’s as cunning and cruel as his father. Why does the Grand Duke trust someone like him? …I don’t want to be used by the family anymore. You want me to bear the Rosana name again and become a tool for the young duke? …Here’s my advice. It would be more efficient for you to erase someone like Damian along with the family. Does someone aiming for the emperor’s crown need to fear such disgrace?
In her past life, she had immediately rejected Flint Howard’s proposal because of the name Damian. Though later, she had no choice.
Hiding her fierce thoughts behind a smile, she said,
“Damian, please speak to Father on my behalf. He trusts you more than the nanny, at least.”
“Then what will you do for me?”
“What can a powerless sister offer you?”
Damian twisted his lips and said,
“You’ll never marry the man you want. Keep that in mind.”
“I already live with that in mind.”
“No, you seem to have forgotten. Rumors are spreading among the young nobles that you’re looking for a husband. That’s what provoked Father, you fool.”
Eliano blinked her green eyes.
“I’m looking for a husband?”
“Yes. Not just Viscount Albiche, but several young nobles say you’re getting close to them.”
“I just danced with them once or had a brief conversation. I’m not close to any of them.”
Eliano spoke sharply, as if it were absurd.
“Young Duke Rosana, you shouldn’t pay attention to such rumors. Next time, ask me directly.”
“What’s with that tone? Don’t talk to me like that. It’s disgusting.”
Her tone from her past life as an empress still lingered. Perhaps it sounded too condescending. Eliano felt a bit awkward.
“Does it bother you that I call myself your sister? Do you want to hear me call you ‘brother’ that badly?”
At her puzzling words, Eliano blinked. Damian spoke sharply to her.
“I’ll never treat you like a sister, so stop your pathetic tricks.”
