~Chapter 15~
The next day, Leah got the herbs and other ingredients she needed for the toothache potion from the head maid.
Carolina showed up less than an hour later, demanding that Leah make the potion by tomorrow because the pain had gotten worse.
Her voice, already sharp by nature, was now even more cutting thanks to the toothache.
Leah, unable to handle her screeching, gave in and agreed just to get rid of her.
“That high-pitched voice is torture to listen to for long.”
So, Leah stayed up all night in the side room making Carolina’s potion.
“If I’m going this far for her, maybe— just maybe —she’ll be nicer to Rafi if it works.”
Leah knew Carolina was difficult, but she still hoped the potion might improve things between them.
With dark circles under her eyes, she slouched in her chair.
She had fallen asleep for a short while when she was suddenly woken by Rafi’s voice calling for her.
“Sorry, Rafi.
Mommy dozed off in the side room.”
She comforted her daughter, who had gotten scared when she couldn’t find her.
Then, when a maid came by with breakfast, Leah handed her the potion for Carolina along with instructions on how to take it.
“I’m exhausted.
I really hope I don’t have to deal with the duke’s aunt this early in the morning.”
If Carolina took the potion right away, it would probably start working by lunchtime.
For the rest of the morning, Leah taught Rafi her studies.
“Mom, can we go outside?”
After lunch, Rafi opened the terrace door.
Though the breeze was still chilly, there was a hint of spring in the air.
Leah walked over to her.
From the terrace, she could see the whole mansion estate.
The scenery wasn’t colorful yet, but it felt refreshing to look at.
“Sure.
Let’s go out.”
Leah really just wanted to nap, but she couldn’t say no to her daughter’s sparkling eyes.
Plus, after being stuck indoors all winter, she wanted to go out too.
Since it was still cold, she dressed Rafi warmly and they headed down to the front entrance.
“We’re outside now, but… where should we go? I heard there’s a garden.”
While she was thinking about it, Rafi grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a big fountain nearby.
“You wanted to see the fountain?”
“Yup!”
In the center of the fountain was a statue of a young warrior, probably the first Duke of Blumhardt, holding a sword up with pride.
Leah and Rafi walked all the way around the fountain.
Rafi laughed joyfully as she got splashed by the water drops.
“Oh, there you are.
I’ve been looking everywhere.”
Suddenly, Carolina’s voice rang out.
Leah turned around.
“…You were looking for me?”
When she saw Carolina, Rafi quickly hid behind Leah’s skirt.
“You’re surprisingly good at what you do,”
Carolina said, for once not commenting on Rafi ignoring her greeting.
Still, her words weren’t exactly kind.
“…Did the potion work?”
“Did it ever! I haven’t been able to eat properly lately because of the pain, but today at lunch, I felt great.
Ahem.”
Realizing she’d gotten too excited, Carolina cleared her throat and tried to compose herself.
“I’m glad it worked.”
If the potion helped, Leah hoped Carolina might be a little kinder to Rafi too.
That was the only thing Ria really wanted in return.
“…So, I came to repay the favor.
But you were nowhere to be found.”
“…Repay?”
Carolina gave a look to the head maid beside her.
The maid pulled a small pouch from her coat and handed Leah a gemstone.
It was a clear blue jewel, about the size of a thumbnail.
“This is one of my favorite gems.
I’m giving it to you specially.”
Carolina started going on and on about the gem, but Leah didn’t really understand much of it — she wasn’t familiar with gemstones.
The way Carolina gave it to her felt more like charity than gratitude, but Leah still felt good.
With that gem, she could easily afford several new outfits.
“I’ll go to the jeweler, sell it for cash, and buy clothes during the big ‘Day of Rest’ sale.”
She planned to save whatever was left over.
Looking at the gem in her hand, she thought:
“Well, at least staying up all night paid off.”
“You really just take things without shame, don’t you? This is why commoners…” Carolina muttered as she glanced at Leah with disdain, then walked away without saying goodbye.
Maybe the potion wasn’t enough to change her heart, after all.
—
Meanwhile, Johann was doing his best to spend time with Rafi that day.
Sure, his approach was a bit stiff and formal, but at least he wasn’t clueless like last time.
“…And so, the goddess Hecate gave her magical blessing to six heroes.”
He was surprised to see Rafi reading fairy tales so easily despite not being at the mansion that long.
“She could read already?”
“No, I taught her after we came here.”
Right after telling Johann she’d teach their daughter herself, Leah got the basic learning materials from the steward and started lessons.
“She can already read, and even write a bit?”
Most noble kids started learning at age five, so by seven, they could read and write decently.
Smart ones could handle even difficult words or begin studying foreign languages.
But Rafi had only been learning from Leah for about four months.
Johann hadn’t expected much, but now he was clearly impressed.
“Rafi’s been a quick learner — and it helps that she has a talented mom as her teacher.”
“…I can’t argue with that.”
She was right.
Rafi picked things up very quickly.
What Johann didn’t know was that Leah had been well educated herself.
Back in the village, her grandmother had taught her everything — from basic schooling to subjects taught at the Imperial Academy.
So Rafi doing well wasn’t surprising at all.
“Did you say your grandmother taught you?”
“Yes.
I’m not sure, but I think she graduated from the Royal Academy.”
Everyone in the village called her grandmother “Teacher,” probably because she was the only educated person there.
Johann then encouraged Rafi to try reading other books too.
He even gave her a spelling test himself.
“…Some of those words were tricky, but she got them all right.”
“Rafi’s pretty smart, huh?”
Leah smiled proudly.
“She’s not just smart — she’s very smart.
I think early tutoring would be a good idea.”
“Sorry?”
“If she’s this clever, we should hire a professional tutor…”
“Right now, what Rafi needs more than a good tutor is time with her father.”
She cut him off firmly.
They could bring in a tutor later, once Rafi felt more comfortable with Johann.
There were many great tutors out there, but just as many who abused kids behind their employer’s back.
“…I want Rafi to start with a tutor only after she feels safe enough to tell you anything, even hard stuff.”
“…”
Johann thought she was overreacting a bit, but when he saw the sadness in her eyes, he couldn’t say anything.
“…Alright.
Let’s talk about this again later.”
“She’s clearly against it for now, so I’ll drop it.”
Besides, he had something else to bring up.
“Have you heard about the ‘Day of Rest’ Festival?”
“Yes, someone told me about it recently.”
“Well… I was thinking…”
He paused for a second — not like him.
“…Maybe I’ll take Rafi to the festival.”
“…Really?”
Leah was so surprised her eyes widened.
She thought he’d only follow instructions, not take initiative like this.
“It’s not like I’m doing it out of some deep emotion or anything.”
Truth was, he still didn’t feel confident.
“I only suggested it because if I’m going to follow the contract, I might as well do it properly.”
Before visiting Rafi’s room during playtime, he had debated the idea of the festival over and over again.
He wasn’t sure if he could handle going with her — it still felt awkward and uncomfortable.
“It’s not just awkward.
I’ve never really been close with my own father either, so I don’t even know what being close to your child is supposed to feel like.”
Back when he’d lost his memory and lived in the countryside, he’d apparently been a very doting father.
“Maybe I hit my head too hard back then…”
How could he, a noble raised to be reserved and proper, have acted so over-the-top as a parent?
But Leah smiled brightly and said, “Just the fact that you want to go with her makes me happy.”
“…I’m only doing it because feeling awkward around her is uncomfortable for me.”
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
Leah seemed more pleased than he expected.
“Still, Rafi’s going to be really happy.”
“…You think so?”
—
And so, the morning of the “Day of Rest” Festival finally arrived.
The servants had been up since dawn, rushing to finish their work before noon so they could enjoy the festivities later.
Leah woke up earlier than usual and gently woke Rafi.
“Rafi, wake up.
You’re going to the festival with Daddy today.”
She kissed both of Rafi’s cheeks, a warm smile on her face.
