~Chapter 43~
Shipon was there.
She dipped a cloth into a basin full of cold water and placed it on Esther’s forehead.
“I received grace from her, so I decided to stay by her side until the end.”
Laxa leaned casually against the doorframe and let out a small laugh.
“I like your loyalty and determination toward your master. If you were a dog, that level of loyalty would be expected.”
“I don’t want to hear that from someone who didn’t even notice she was sick,” Shipon replied, clenching her fists and trying hard to hide her fear.
“…The noble one… no, is Lady Esther sick?”
“Why do you think I’m doing this?” Shipon shot back.
“…Humans do so many strange things, I thought this was just one of them,” Laxa said, a faint hint of surprise on his face.
Shipon wrung out the towel again and placed it back on Esther’s forehead.
“No matter how great you think she is, she’s still a child, and children are naturally weak.”
“…True. She did overexert herself,” Laxa admitted. Two days should’ve been enough for her to recover, but maybe not this time.
The girl, face flushed and breathing heavily, really did look powerless and fragile.
“…You’re not human, are you?” Shipon asked.
Laxa froze, not expecting her to ask so directly.
“What if we’re not?”
“…Are you demons?”
Instead of answering, Laxa smiled calmly.
“…I heard you were all destroyed.”
“Humans always distort history and hide the truth. Strictly speaking, we weren’t destroyed completely. The gates that connected the worlds were closed, so we just can’t travel back and forth anymore.”
Shipon fell silent. Her guesses had been right.
If so… what exactly was this small child before her?
Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the towel to rewet it.
“Why is everyone here?” a voice asked.
Shipon’s eyes widened. Esther had opened her eyes.
“Lady Esther… are you alright? I heard you weren’t well and was worried.”
“Not well?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“You, Lady Esther.”
“…Me?”
Her body felt heavy, but she hadn’t thought she was actually sick.
‘What a fragile body…’ she thought. In her past life, she had never experienced anything like this.
“…Feels cool,” Esther murmured as Shipon’s hand touched her forehead, leaning her cheek into the touch.
“I think it would be good to get some medicine. I’ll go fetch it,” Shipon said.
“Mm… I’m glad you’re here, Shipon.”
Shipon froze mid-step.
“…Am I?”
Esther nodded faintly with half-closed eyes.
“You’re the only one who’s actually helpful…”
“…Hearing that hurts my heart, noble one,” Laxa said, pretending to wipe away tears.
Shipon continued, “I’m only doing what’s natural since you saved my brother’s life. I truly thank you for that. I’ll get the medicine, so please rest.”
“…Alright…”
No one else responded, but Esther mumbled only to Shipon before falling back asleep.
When Shipon turned, she met Laxa’s red eyes directly.
“…What is it?”
“Her condition is partly from overexertion, but also because she drained her magic completely. If you go to the temple for a healing potion, it should help,” he said.
“We have potions at the duke’s house. Since she’s now the confirmed successor, getting one shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Ah, it’s different. Temple-made healing potions work better.”
Shipon hesitated—weren’t demons naturally opposite to the temple’s power? Laxa sighed.
“Sacred power is like a purified variation of magic. Because it’s pure, it’s also easy to corrupt.”
“…I see.”
“High-ranking priests can suppress and harm low-ranking demons. The reverse is also true. Even if the potion is made with sacred power, I can corrupt it so it’s better for Lady Esther.”
Now understanding, Shipon nodded.
“In that case, I’ll buy several.”
“Oh? They sell them now?” Laxa asked, sounding amused.
“Yes, lower- and mid-grade ones are the temple’s main income source, though they’re too expensive for normal citizens.”
“The best grade will be most effective,” Laxa advised.
Shipon nodded, took plenty of gold coins from Esther’s treasure box, and headed out—feeling Laxa’s gaze on her back.
“…Why do you keep staring?” she asked.
“It’s been a long time since I saw a living human raise her head before me.”
“…What about Lord Denver?”
“Denver… ah, the owner of this body? I just took over the body, so he’s probably not dead. But until Lady Esther summons my real body, he’ll be asleep somewhere.”
Shipon was relieved he wasn’t dead. Even in the short time they’d served Esther together, she’d formed a small bond with him.
“You don’t look happy,” Laxa teased, walking up silently and circling her.
He leaned close to her ear.
“Was he perhaps your promised lover?”
Shipon thought the idea ridiculous. Judging by his speech and demeanor, Denver was at least in his late forties, if not early fifties—proof of how differently demons and humans aged.
“…That’s none of your concern,” she replied curtly. “I’ll be going now.”
“Oh, and if anyone tries to sell you a regular potion instead, tell them this…” Laxa explained with a smile.
Shipon listened, nodded, and left the mansion.
Shipon hurried from the Egbert estate, caught a cheap public carriage, and finally reached the temple—only to find it overflowing with people.
‘Is today prayer week?’
Once every two months, offerings and prayers brought huge crowds.
“…This is bad. This will take longer than I thought.”
She saw the long line for potions and sighed.
“…Huh? Aren’t you the young lady’s maid?” a voice said from behind her.
Shipon turned, eyes wide.
“…Cardem Egbert?”
Cardem, dressed in full splendor as if on his way somewhere important, looked equally surprised.
“Oh, I’m Shipon Agos, serving Lady Esther. It’s an honor to meet you, Lord Cardem Egbert.”
She quickly bowed—after all, he was both a high-ranking priest and one of the masters of the family that employed her.
“Ah, no need for such formality. I know my position, and this is the temple after all.”
“Yes…”
“But what I’m curious about is why you’re here. Oh—did my niece come too?”
His eyes lit up, and Shipon flinched, shaking her head. Something about him reminded her of a large, eager dog.
‘…Come to think of it, he’s also like my lady…’
Someone not welcomed by the family.
“My lady didn’t come today.”
“Ah, that’s a shame. Then is someone in the family sick?”
Shipon shook her head again.
“My lady has a fever. I came to buy a potion to help, but I didn’t expect it to coincide with prayer week.”
“My niece is sick?” Cardem asked, eyes widening in surprise.
