Chapter 63

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 63

Chapter Title: The Priest's Medicine and Secret Letters

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'I need to find out if they've sold it to anyone besides the Empress Dowager.'

I followed behind the Empress Dowager as she left the hall to take her medicine.

The moment I caught up to her just outside the door, she turned and asked what was wrong, as if sensing something.

"Why aren't you staying in the hall?"

"I want to be with Your Majesty. There are too many people in the hall, and it scares me."

No one really dislikes a child chasing after them out of affection.

The Empress Dowager chuckled at the sight of me desperately following her like a chick trailing its mother hen.

"Even His Majesty didn't cling to me this much when he was little, but it seems you truly like me, Little One."

That was when it happened.

"Your Majesty."

A familiar voice drifted into my ear. I flinched and turned around.

Priest Adolph.

The man who had pressured Spinelro Duvered five years ago—and in my first life, relentlessly tormented me.

[Even after it's been revealed you're a fake, how can you not hang yourself? Do you even grasp how much the temple's reputation has suffered because of you, Little One?]

The Empress Dowager's face lit up with pleasure, but she glanced at me and said,

"What brings you here? Duke Duvered would be furious if he saw you."

"I've brought more medicine. I worried it might run out."

"Perfect timing. I've been taking it diligently every day, and it was nearly gone—I was quite disappointed."

She let out a soft chuckle, then signaled with her eyes. Her lady-in-waiting took a box full of vials from the priest.

The Empress Dowager gave my back a gentle push.

"This is the Child of Destiny. She's grown quite a bit, hasn't she?"

Just moments ago, she'd said she wouldn't call a temple priest to the palace when I arrived. But the second she got the medicine, she eagerly introduced me to him.

This was the Empress Dowager. The type to turn instantly to whoever offered her something greater.

Adolph showed no interest in me whatsoever, but catching her glance, he said,

"A pleasure, Little One. I'm Adolph from the Central Temple. You've grown so much."

"Hello."

"Strive diligently, and strive again. You bear a great destiny beyond your possessions, so you require boundless patience."

He glanced at me with eyes like he was looking at a parasite, then laughed and turned back to the Empress Dowager.

"Your complexion has improved remarkably."

"It's all thanks to you, priest. The medicine's effects are miraculous."

"I threw myself into production, thinking how much pain you must have endured to take medicine sold by such a small caravan."

How brazen, stealing our caravan's recipe and acting like this.

Then again, Adolph had always found it easy to steal from others.

He'd stolen the divine power formula I'd desperately perfected and reported it to the Papal Court as his own invention multiple times.

"I'm deeply grateful. But the caravan sells such tiny amounts, and only directly to the buyer themselves."

"Insolent lot. Worry no more. I'll prepare plenty before you run out."

"If it's such fine medicine, wouldn't selling it be profitable? Once sales begin, won't they be too busy to care for an old woman like me?"

"Not at all. I make it solely for Your Majesty."

I trembled with barely contained glee as I pieced together the situation from their chummy exchange.

Jackpot.

Mina had seen the effects of the Luminous medicine and remarked,

[Ah, so here steroids come from herbs, huh.]

It was a drug with severe side effects if abused.

Used properly, it was a miracle cure unlike any other—but misused, it could kill in the worst cases.

I'd stationed doctors to monitor symptoms before selling the Luminous medicine not just to hype its reputation.

It was to protect my customers.

If it was only given to the Empress Dowager, the other customers are safe.

They're taking tiny doses under the doctors' instructions I assigned, so side effects are unlikely.

But consuming that much? The Empress Dowager would definitely suffer them.

My medicine has no side effects—the temple's version does.

Meaning he'd bear full responsibility for her aftermath.

The Empress Dowager laughed merrily and said to me,

"Isn't the priest remarkable?"

"Yes! He really is!"

I replied brightly. The corners of the priest's mouth twitched upward.

Back from the party, I scanned my surroundings before slipping into a corner of the windowless dressing room and grabbing the communication stone.

I connected with Ceria and explained what had happened today.

"An incident involving the Luminous medicine will blow up soon. Build up enough trust so customers don't panic and quit cold turkey."

The Luminous medicine is dangerous if stopped abruptly.

[Understood, Little One. But what about the Empress Dowager?]

"Hmm... that's not my concern, is it?"

[Pardon?]

I'm no saint. The kind Leblain who would worry even over the life of the Empress Dowager—who contributed to ruining my life multiple times—was no longer here.

Now I just wait.

Thanks to Adolph's overambitious greed, all I had to do was watch the ritual and eat snacks.

A week later.

Humming to myself, I stepped out of my room and pattered down the hallway.

Time to explore the mansion!

Between the banquets, the Empress Dowager, and cleaning up after the Luminous medicine, I'd been too swamped to properly tour the place.

Even when my brothers came by daily begging me to play, I'd feigned exhaustion, burrowed under the covers, and pored over the ledgers with eyes ablaze.

No loose ends, ever!

Even if the temple tried blackmailing me, I was safe.

The mansion and palace landscapes were worlds apart.

The palace teemed with people—servants bustling through corridors.

But the mansion had the bare minimum staff darting about invisibly, avoiding the owners' eyes.

I didn't get why, but that was apparently the rule for great nobles' servants.

They were like tools—meant to go unnoticed by their masters.

The Ballua mansion was the same. The Amities mansion differed, with its modest palace ways keeping just a butler and one maid.

It feels strangely lonely.

Were the people living here not lonely?

I, soon heading to the territory, enjoyed poking around without servant interference.

I was a bit excited.

The servants said anywhere but Aunt Javeline's room was fine.

The mansion was vast—running from one end of a hallway to the other left you panting.

Wandering the second floor, I spotted a door adorned with a slightly different pattern.

What's this one?

Cracking it open revealed a small room without windows.

A storeroom? But it was impeccably kept. A table, pretty chair, cupboard, even a small bed.

A servant's room?

But which servant got a room inside the mansion?

No windows and cramped—it couldn't be Aunt Javeline's.

I slipped into the chair. Spotting a small drawer under the table, I tugged it open to find a bundle of letters—no, notes.

Should I read them? I hesitated briefly.

But I decided it was fine.

They said anywhere was okay, so if it wasn't for my eyes, they'd have hidden it.

[Apologize to me.]

[Isn't an apology for when you're sorry?]

[You were rude!]

[I don't see how gently setting down a lady weeping like a frightened mouse from mere words is rude. If it's because I saw your tears, don't worry. You're not special enough for me to remember them.]

[I wasn't crying! I was just practicing horseback riding! Grabbing my nape mid-practice and tossing me down was plenty rude.]

[I didn't realize clinging to the horse like a flying squirrel counted as riding.]

Neat adult handwriting.

The notes went on endlessly.

[I'm sorry for screaming yesterday. I was only putting fatigue-recovery tonic in the bath at the butler's request. I never dreamed you'd enter naked in the middle of the day.]

[Since my last letter's apology didn't seem to land, I'm writing again. I'm sorry. And I never spread rumors that your cobra is a cobra.]

[Mention the cobra once more, and I'll burn your room down.]

[If I upset you, I'm sorry. But really, it wasn't me. Please don't glare like before—it scares me. Yes, my 'co-, cobra' in the bath referred to yours, but I swear I didn't spread rumors.]

[What if you actually set fire to my room?!]

I giggled, flipping through.

[Is your injury from yesterday okay? Untreated, it'll fester.]

[None of your business.]

[Don't leave useless things by my door.]

[It's not useless—it's medicine. Nice weather today. So, about that snack... I'd love pudding. Please tell the butler. Sorry to impose while in your debt.]

[You're imposing on me, not the butler.]

[Thanks for the pudding.]

[Do you know how blissful it is to soak your feet in ice water under a garden tree in summer?]

[Thanks for the ice water.]

The deferential one was brazen, but it didn't feel off-putting. The handwriting and phrasing brimmed with charm.

[Why didn't you come out yesterday?]

[If you're sick, say so. Don't tough it out under the covers again.]

The other side had started writing first too.

My heart pounded. Were these love notes?

[I'm not getting married.]

Exactly!

[Why tell me that?]

[Then stop glaring daggers whenever we meet.]

[It's an eye condition! ...But you're really not getting married?]

[No.]

The letters grew sweeter.

[I wish you'd cool off a bit.]

[That better not be your apology. If you knew how close I came to jumping in the lake after you kissed me in front of the butler, you'd never apologize that way.]

A kiss!

My heart fluttered so hard I clutched my flushed cheeks.

[Were you alright yesterday?]

[I'm not that frail.]

.

.

[Three months, it says.]

What was three months?

Is someone ill?

No more notes followed. I stroked the end worriedly.

Just peeking into their hearts made my chest ache—I hoped they'd be happy forever.

"Hmm." I sighed wistfully, rebundling the notes to tuck back in.

But something blunt brushed my fingers in the drawer corner.

Pulling it out: a pair of rings. The wider one plain, the narrower embedded with a ruby.

Examining the wider band, I spotted engraving inside.

"Li...sette. Lisette!?"