Episode 26
***
She stared at him for a long moment, then quietly exhaled.
“Follow me, Lord.”
Herdian tried to insist that he was fine until the very end, but under the pressure of the elders, he had no choice but to follow Ranie.
The place Ranie took him to was a small break room attached to the side of the farm. She rummaged through a drawer, took out a medicine box, and motioned to him.
“Sit down.”
Herdian, looking awkward, sat on an old chair. Ranie sat across from him.
“I’m really fine—”
“Right hand.”
The words came out short and sharp. Faced with her stubbornness, Herdian finally extended the right hand he had been hiding.
His right wrist was swollen. When Ranie frowned at the sight, Herdian awkwardly turned his head away.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
‘…So this didn’t happen today.’
A sigh escaped through her lips. One glance at his wrist told Ranie everything. When someone’s hurt, they shouldn’t act tough—they should get treated right away.
“Stay still. I’ll bring the medicine.”
As she turned her back, Herdian caught it—the faint trace of worry that flickered in her eyes.
And he realized something. Despite pushing him away, she was still weak toward those who were hurt.
Ranie silently treated his swollen wrist. She first applied a cold, wet cloth to reduce the swelling, then skillfully wrapped it with a bandage. Even compared to two years ago, her skill hadn’t dulled a bit.
That was when it suddenly felt like she had gone back in time. Back then, too, the storage room would fall completely silent whenever she treated him.
“Even if it’s a bit inconvenient, don’t use your right hand until it’s fully healed.”
Throughout the treatment, Ranie never looked directly at Herdian. The concern that had flashed earlier was gone; she behaved like a tired medic dealing with a patient.
Even so, when she applied the ointment and he purposely winced to test her, her hands softened their grip. Eventually, her touch grew careful, almost as if she were tending to a child.
“Just in case, go see a physician as well.”
She was only treating him out of gratitude for saving Mrs. Lawson—nothing more.
She told herself that after today, she wouldn’t speak to him again. But just as she was about to pull her hands away—
Plop. Drip. Drops of water fell on the bandage.
‘…Water?’
At first, she thought there might be a leak in the ceiling. But when she looked up, she realized it wasn’t that.
Tears were rolling down Herdian’s fair face. He kept his gaze lowered, silently letting the tears fall. Ranie, at a loss for words, merely parted her lips.
‘…Why is he crying?’
Ranie had no resistance to people crying. Especially not men—handsome ones at that. For a moment, she was speechless.
“…Why, why are you crying? Does it hurt that much? …Did I wrap the bandage too tight? Should I take it off? Do you want more medicine?”
Even when he had been seriously injured before, he’d never so much as groaned—so why cry over a sprained wrist?
Ranie’s mind went completely blank. Flustered, she threw out question after question, but Herdian remained silent, tears still falling.
“No, don’t just cry—talk to me. Then I can do something for you.”
“…What should I do?”
“Huh?”
“How can I… become your friend again?”
Friend? Ranie blinked, unable to react to the unexpected word.
“…You weren’t crying because you were hurt?”
“I am hurt.”
“Then why bring up friendship?”
“…”
Herdian clamped his mouth shut again.
So, he wasn’t crying from pain… Ranie sighed and rubbed her forehead.
“You really didn’t understand what I said back then, did you?”
“…I thought about it. About how I could become your friend again…”
“…”
“Two years ago, Ranie was the one who approached me first. So this time, I tried to approach you—but you keep avoiding me, and I don’t know what to do.”
So, in short, he was crying because he wanted to be friends again but didn’t know how.
…What kind of person does that? Ranie was dumbfounded.
“Why are you so obsessed with being friends with me? You can make other friends.”
His tearful eyes turned toward her.
“Ah.”
Recalling Herdian’s past, Ranie let out a short sigh.
A young nobleman cast out from his household, embroiled in family strife—there probably hadn’t been anyone who’d tried to be his friend.
Even she wouldn’t have approached him in that situation; anyone close to him could’ve been dragged into danger. Realizing this, she wanted to take back what she’d just said.
“…I’m sorry.”
“…For what?”
“For telling you to make other friends…”
“It’s fine. I’m not planning to befriend anyone else anyway.”
‘Then what am I supposed to be?’
Ranie swallowed the words.
“…If you tell me why you’re avoiding me, I’ll fix it. If you prefer when I don’t talk, I’ll write things down like before. If you liked it when I was weak, I’ll come back injured like then. Just tell me.”
“Do you think I’m some kind of pervert?!”
Ranie jumped to her feet, face flushed red. What kind of man said things like that?
“If that’s not it, then why are you avoiding me?”
“…”
“I don’t know. I can’t tell what you’re thinking, Ranie.”
She couldn’t understand him either. Aside from losing the family feud, he was still living comfortably as a noble—what did he lack that made him so desperate to be friends with her?
Even if she told him her real reason for avoiding him, would he accept it? At best, he’d think she was insane.
‘…I know. Avoiding Herdian might not even help Lilia.’
But she still hadn’t decided whether to reveal Lilia’s true identity, and she didn’t want to get entangled with the Rochester family.
Besides, she was afraid of how Herdian might react once he found out who the child really was.
After thinking for a while, she offered the most natural excuse she could find.
“…You’re a lord. If someone sees you getting close to someone like me, it’ll only cause you trouble.”
“What do you mean, ‘someone like you’?”
“…”
“Why would that cause me trouble? Do you think I’m the kind of person who discriminates based on social class?”
The atmosphere in the room darkened in an instant. The gentle look in Herdian’s eyes was gone, replaced by a flash of anger.
“That’s not what I—”
“I’m sorry. For making you misunderstand.”
He spoke those words, then walked out of the break room. Left alone, Ranie stared at the closed door before collapsing into the chair.
“…Ugh, seriously…”
It was that same expression again. Trying to hide his emotions, yet unable to conceal the hurt.
It was late to realize it now, but she hadn’t meant to hurt him. After all, who feels good about wounding someone else?
He didn’t know it, but she owed him a lot. Back then, whenever her thoughts of Celine gave her a headache, spending time with him in the storage room always made her feel better.
That was why she felt far more grateful than he probably realized—and equally guilty.
‘…I’ll have to decide soon.’
Only then could she settle things between herself and Herdian cleanly.
A time came when she had to think seriously about her child’s education.
Until now, home tutoring had been enough, but next year, she would have to send Lilia to school. The only problem was that there wasn’t a single school in Leclere Village or the nearby area.
Maybe because she was still young, Lilia had no real interest in studying yet. She’d half-heartedly read picture books, then go running outside, coming back with dirt all over her clothes. Seeing her like that only deepened Ranie’s worries.
If Lilia grew up in the Rochester household, she could study all she wanted—but she wouldn’t be able to run free like this.
On the other hand, if she continued to live under a hidden identity, she wouldn’t receive a high-level education, but she’d be able to live freely.
…Freedom. The very word made Ranie’s chest tighten. In ’s true ending, freedom was what Celine had longed for most.
Which choice would truly be best for Lilia? She desperately wished someone could tell her the answer.
Then, the little body in her arms stirred, and Lilia looked up at her.
“…Mom, you’re not sleeping?”
“I will. Why aren’t you asleep?”
In the darkness, Lilia’s jewel-like purple eyes glimmered. Normally, she fell asleep early, but tonight she was unusually restless.
“I can’t sleep.”
“Mom will help you sleep.”
Ranie gently patted her daughter’s belly. Even so, Lilia’s eyes stayed wide open.
Eventually, Ranie gave up on putting her to bed early and decided to chat for a bit instead.
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Lilia?”
“Someone like Mom.”
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