Chapter 33 - 33

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When Askin hurriedly arrived at his territory, everything was already over.

"Aria!"

Askin rushed into the castle. The servants who had been moving busily saw Askin and quickly bowed their heads.

Seeing the towels and water-filled basins they were carrying, Askin furrowed his brow and quickened his pace.

Soon, his nanny, Martha, ran to him.

"Martha, where is Aria?"

"Oh, the young lady... huuph, has fallen into a peaceful sleep. Your Excellency."

Martha was the nanny who had been with Askin and Aria since they were children, and had especially cared for Aria for a long time.

So she knew Aria's condition better than anyone.

Askin could tell Aria's condition just by looking at Martha's face.

Her wrinkled face was pale. But Askin read her expression without difficulty.

Aria is safe.

She has passed the crisis.

"...How did she pass the crisis?"

There was a place he needed to stop by with Ben for a bit.

It was an area Askin had been focusing on recently, a place that might bring him wealth in the future if his ideas proved correct.

Aria always came first for Askin, but today he thought she would be safe and had stepped out for a moment.

But the price for his complacent thoughts was heavy.

The Lemut territory also had a doctor who could be called the ducal physician, but honestly, he wasn't very capable.

So when Aria's health was about to decline, Askin would personally bring a doctor from the capital.

He never expected Aria's condition to deteriorate rapidly just when he let down his guard for a moment.

But it was unexpected.

Surely, without a doctor of at least the level of the one he brought from the capital each time, it would be impossible to stop Aria's symptoms and peculiar attacks?

"Exactly what happened. Tell me."

"..."

It was strange.

Martha, as well as the surrounding knights and servants, were all hesitating, not knowing what to do.

As if they didn't know what to say.

But he couldn't wake Aria, who was said to be fast asleep.

Seeing Askin's expression growing colder by the minute, Martha stepped forward.

She closed her eyes tightly inside and carefully opened her mouth.

"The Countess sent the physician of the Altsbeit Ducal house..."

Askin's eyes widened. His lips parted.

But just before he spoke, Askin noticed that Martha had more to say.

"...And? You look like you have more to say."

"..."

"Martha, your left eyebrow twitches when you're hiding something."

Martha made a troubled face, then smiled awkwardly.

'I really can't fool our young master...' Thinking this, Martha carefully parted her lips again.

"The Countess also sent a healing mage... If it weren't for the mage, the young lady wouldn't have been able to hold on due to her weakened constitution."

"..."

Askin felt an indescribable feeling.

Honestly, he was surprised hearing it, and at the same time, he regretted it.

It felt like hearing a truth he should not have known.

He had been curious about what Martha was hiding, but this wasn't the truth he wanted to hear.

Was it really the truth? No, this assumption wasn't right.

Because all the vassals, knights, and servants who looked embarrassed and astonished at this moment were witnesses.

"...Is it true."

"Yes, it is."

A healing mage.

They were people who had specialized only in healing magic, treated with the same respect as someone holding the title of count wherever they went.

Moreover, the ability of skilled ones was such that summoning them came at a steep price.

There was a rumor that in Altsbeit, where money overflowed, they would summon one even for a scratched knee of their cherished granddaughter.

The situation in the Lemut territory was different.

"...The fee, the Countess had already paid it, so they said they wouldn't accept it and left."

The doctor and the healing mage had already returned.

"Alright, I understand. Everyone return to your posts."

Just as Askin commanded, a maid ran to him and informed him that Aria had opened her eyes.

Askin ran to Aria's room in a flash.

"Aria!"

"...Brother!"

Aria, who had been barely leaning on her bed, called out to him happily.

Askin paused seeing his sister's face, pale to the point of being bloodless, but soon sat by the bed as if nothing was wrong.

"Aria, I heard the news. I'm sorry..."

"Brother, did you hear?"

Just as he was about to apologize for not being by her side, Aria's small voice cut him off.

Aria had an unexpectedly excited expression.

Her cheeks were even faintly flushed.

"The Countess helped me! Perhaps... have we been misunderstanding the Countess?"

Askin parted his lips to say something, then pressed them firmly shut.

Then he nodded bluntly.

"...You still look pale, so why don't you sleep a bit more."

"Brother, listen to me seriously! How could she think to send us her physician and the best healing mage that's impossible to book?"

Aria held her own cheek.

"Actually... the Countess also said she would be my friend."

His sister suffered from severe depression after having attacks.

She dreaded being a burden to him.

"...It's because of me."

So he could never, ever talk about money-related matters in front of his sister.

There were many times she would lose her smile for up to a month and spend her nights in tears.

He remembered all those times clearly.

His only family, his sister in front of him, was smiling such a happy and hopeful smile. He couldn't do anything to spoil that.

"...That's something. Her being a friend."

"Right? Being friends with someone like me... It's like a dream. She's such a beautiful, wonderful person...!"

He couldn't bring himself to admit that woman, so only a blunt reply came out, but Aria seemed happy even with that, clapping her little hands and smiling prettily.

Askin thought it was amazing that Aria was acting her age for the first time in a long while.

But perhaps due to her weakened constitution, Aria soon grew tired.

Sensing this quickly, Askin forced his sister to sleep.

"...Brother."

Aria forced her drowsy, heavy-lidded eyes open and looked at him.

Her brittle-looking thin fingers held onto his sleeve.

"Brother, do you... hate the Countess... a lot...?"

Instead of answering, Askin stared at his sister's fingers.

So frail.

Did he hate that woman?

The feelings he had for Charlize Altsbeit could not be explained in just one line.

If he had to bundle the long, tangled feelings in his heart... it would be resentment and hatred.

There were countless incidents Aria didn't know about.

But at this moment, instead of bringing that up, he simply nodded silently.

"I-is it because of me...?"

"No."

"Then, you know, just once, just this once... wouldn't it be okay to give the Countess a chance...?"

At those words, he was at a loss for breath.

He loved and cherished his only family, his younger sister, but he couldn't bring himself to answer that.

Aria seemed to understand, gave an awkward, faint smile, and let him go.

Perhaps tired, Aria quickly fell asleep, and he left the room quietly.

In front of Aria's room, the people worried about her were still gathered.

Askin dismissed them all and entered his office.

Alone in the room, he slumped onto the sofa and rubbed his handsome face.

His head was a mess.

'Why, did that woman...'

Why did Charlize Altsbeit care so much for his sister?

"No, Brother, the Countess let me into the carriage because I was cold! And she even b-brushed my hair...!"

On that rainy day, he was sure that woman had tormented his sister, but the truth Aria told was different. He couldn't believe it.

That woman?

"I want to see you destroyed. It sends a thrill through me when you suffer."

That woman said that?

"...D-Duke. The Countess helped us. The workers, and... she provided water and food without asking for anything in return...!"

"M-My family regained their strength and lived thanks to her!"

He knew about the 'Charlize is an angel' rumor going around the Lemut territory recently.

He thought it was nonsense.

He thought all these recent events were just a new scheme of that woman.

But.

Her behavior was strange for someone supposedly hiding an ulterior motive.

"I fell on my own, Grandfather misunderstood."

"You need time too. Think about it. Wasn't it strange that I suddenly acted even crazier and just clung to meeting you, like you said? It was the first time I only asked to meet and didn't try anything else, right?"

Her slender voice buzzed in his ears.

"I gave you chances several times. But it was you who kicked them away. Just think he wasn't worthy of you."

"Wait, Grandfather. This is..."

"What are you doing!"

Was it because it contradicted his sense of justice? He remembered for a long time the face of the woman who always acted arrogantly like a tyrant, looking like she was about to cry as she was dragged away helplessly.