Chapter 38
“Why are you just standing there?”
Lady Hilton, who had been absentmindedly touching the moonstone necklace, came back to her senses.
“Forgive me, Your Highness.”
She placed the report on the desk and turned it so Armian could read it comfortably.
“As stated here, I stopped the Count from secretly using the family’s fortune to buy land in another territory.”
“He’s lost his mind.”
“He was probably trying to prepare for the worst. The Count knows that Your Highness can confiscate his fortune at any moment. That’s why he’s nervous. Naming the dead Rohiltern lady as the heir was part of—”
Bang!
“Who said she’s dead?”
Lady Hilton flinched at the loud voice.
“…Your Highness.”
“Bella is not dead.”
“……”
“She’s just… not showing herself because she hates me.”
He just couldn’t see her.
She was alive somewhere.
She had to be.
Because if not…
“Ugh… ha, hkk…”
“Your Highness! Oh my, what do I do? Hurry, the medicine…”
Startled by Armian suddenly gasping for breath, Lady Hilton grabbed the box that had fallen to the floor.
But as she opened it to take out the medicine, her hand froze.
Because inside… there was no medicine.
“Move.”
“Your Highness!”
Armian closed the lid and buried his face in the box, taking deep breaths.
He quickly calmed down, looking as though he had actually taken a sedative. But Lady Hilton had seen what was inside.
“This isn’t medicine!”
“It is medicine.”
“……”
“…For me, it is.”
Inside the box were burned pieces of clothing and a pouch of gold coins.
They were Bella’s last traces.
Now that her body hadn’t been found, they were his only comfort—the proof that she had once existed.
“…Your Highness.”
Lady Hilton couldn’t say any more.
At first, Armian had said he owed his life to Bella and wanted to find her to repay the favor.
But as time passed, his mental state grew more unstable.
Now, he was barely holding himself together. He was only breathing because of Bella’s name.
How big a shadow had Bella left on him?
Lady Hilton didn’t dare to guess.
Whatever the case, she also wished for Bella’s return.
“I misspoke earlier. Please forgive me.”
She decided to step back.
“If the young lady is alive, she’ll survive anywhere. She’s strong.”
“…I’ll let it go this time only.”
“Thank you for Your Highness’s mercy.”
Their meeting was ending. It was time to leave.
Lady Hilton bowed.
“The longer the young lady is absent, the more people are trying to target the Rohiltern family. And the rumors have grown as well.”
Since Bella had become the heir without showing herself, many people had started whispering.
Saying she was dead was the mildest rumor.
Some said she had been sold as a slave. Others said she had committed crimes and fled.
There were even worse, unspeakable rumors, but Lady Hilton silenced those responsible.
“I will do my best to protect the young lady’s honor.”
She was desperately blocking the strange rumors.
If Bella was truly dead, then someone had to protect her name.
But if Armian believed so firmly in her survival…
“Then please guard Bella’s place, Your Highness.”
So that when she returned, she could find stability again.
“Of course I will.”
That was his duty as he waited for her.
“……”
After Lady Hilton left, Armian prepared to leave as well.
The new Emperor had not simply gifted him his land. All the assets he had gained were the result of his own efforts.
The Grand Duke obsessed with war.
That was his new nickname.
If it was for Bella’s comfort, he was willing to risk everything.
“The knights are waiting, Your Highness.”
Before long, his aide came to escort him.
“Yes, let’s go down.”
Once again,
it was time for battle.
“He’s going down to the battlefield again?”
“That’s what they say. He really is obsessed with blood. How can a man go straight to war without resting a single day?”
“Guess that’s why they call him a war fanatic. Hey, miss! Where should we put this?”
The two men speaking turned to ask the young woman.
They were deliverymen from Cox Trading Company, each carrying a large box of herbs.
“Leave them by the entrance, I’ll organize them.”
“Then we’re leaving them here, okay? I’m definitely putting them down now.”
“Yes.”
“Then please sign here to confirm.”
“Here you go.”
“I like how straightforward you are, miss. Well, good luck with work today.”
“Thank you. If you come as customers next time, I’ll make sure to treat you well.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t have a reason to come?”
“Haha…”
“Hey, don’t be so harsh when she’s just being polite. Thanks, miss. If I ever get sick, I’ll definitely come find you.”
“Yes, and I’ll take good care of you when you do.”
“Thanks. Now, where were we?”
“The crazy Grand Duke went to war again?”
“Oh, right. But I heard there’s a story behind it…”
The two chatty men walked away.
I wanted to hear more about him after such a long time, but I held back.
If I showed curiosity too openly, it could make people suspicious.
It’s fine, Bella. You’ve managed to stay hidden for two years.
If I kept living this way, I would survive.
I just had to endure a little longer.
I pressed down on my pounding heart and took a deep breath.
After leaving Rohiltern, I had found a coachman near retirement in Bluehole and bought his carriage.
I had staged a carriage accident to fake my death.
Leaving burned clothes and money inside the carriage was to make the act believable.
I had pretended to be injured and jumped off the cliff because I had heard the story of the young lady who survived that way in my previous life.
The cliff was steep, so the water below was deep. There were no dangerous predators. If I rode the current, I could quickly reach a shallow stream.
I believed it was the only way to escape the Count’s pursuit.
Since he had framed me for tax evasion, the Count would have been desperate to capture me and hand me over to the ducal family.
Later, when I heard rumors that Ahfwyn had regained his status, I realized I had made the right choice.
He said he would kill anyone who mentioned the missing year.
He must have felt humiliated by his time as a slave.
I was smart to run away to Ermel.
Ermel was a city connecting the eastern region and the capital.
A place where goods moved constantly and people came and went quickly.
It was the perfect place to disappear.
The last jewels I had kept became my lifeline.
I opened a small shop in an alley and started working as an apothecary.
The only knowledge I had learned well was herbal medicine.
The truly sick patients went to doctors. The people who came to me only wanted sleeping aids or painkillers, so the work wasn’t hard.
It was just enough to scrape by.
The people here were kind as well.
After staying in the same alley for two years, I naturally made acquaintances.
The most unique of them was—
“You’re here?”
“Of course. I told you I’m unemployed and have nothing else to do.”
Aisha, the magician.
About a year ago, I had treated her after finding her collapsed in front of my shop.
My reason for helping was simple: to earn money.
[Hey, thanks for saving me, but I don’t have any money right now. Later—]
But when Aisha woke up, she had no money.
[Rather than saying ‘later,’ I’d prefer you pay with something you have now. For example…]
I pointed at the translucent orb she was playing with.
It reflected light at different angles, and it didn’t look ordinary.
[That orb, for instance. If I sold it, it would probably be worth at least one gold coin.]
The orb disappeared.
[Wait, you can see the mana orb?]
I later learned it was a magical item called a “mana orb,” which only magicians could see.
[You don’t even realize it, so it must be pure talent… Want to learn magic? Think of it as paying off your debt if you feel pressured.]
[Ma’am, if you’re offering to pay for medicine with your body, I’ll have to refuse.]
[You’re so picky!]
Aisha groaned and messed up her hair.
[Fine, I admit it. I’m broke and I lost my wallet. But it’s not a bad deal for you either. Do you know how rare the chance to learn magic is?]
She grabbed me and started lecturing me about how big of an opportunity this was.
To survive with a tiny shop, I had to stay practical.
Since leaving the Count’s mansion, I had learned how dangerous it was to weigh money against trust.
Usually, money was the right choice. Gratitude was fickle, and morality was thin.
But even knowing that… I was tempted by Aisha’s words.
“If I become a magician, I could make much more money than an apothecary.”
