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Chapter 15
Brian was a doctor, but he had once studied magic theory and possessed the ability to read mana.
"For now, I simply reassured them ‌‌‌that Brian knew how to alleviate her condition and sent them away."
I concealed the ‌‌‌fact that Vivian's illness would improve in Rachel's presence.
Both Caltz and Owen regarded Vivian as ‌quite a clever child, but nothing beyond that.
I couldn't reveal Rachel's true nature to them.
"How fortunate that the child has become Rachel's playmate.... Luck indeed."
For both the child and Rachel.
Vivian benefited from her condition improving, while Rachel grew stronger by absorbing that much mana.
By chance, I had come to this Village to conceal Rachel's power, and by chance, a child with a rare illness capable of enhancing Rachel's strength lived here, and by chance, she caught my eye and became his playmate.
The coincidence layering upon coincidence was suspiciously remarkable. ‌‌‌‌
'Life occasionally brings such fortune.'
In any case, as Caltz, I now had one more reason to regard the commoner child favorably.
"And ‌‌‌it appears the young lady has taken a liking to Vivian as well."
At Owen's ‌‌‌‌words, a glimmer of interest flickered in Caltz's eyes.
The Emperor had arranged playmates for Rachel multiple times before, but ‌he showed little interest.
Vivian was merely meant to be a smokescreen to hide Rachel's identity, ‌‌‌‌and I hadn't expected the two children to get along well....
"That's worked out well."
Caltz rose from his seat and approached the window. It was ‌‌a place he habitually sought whenever he needed to think.
Just then, a familiar silhouette ‌‌appeared at the Estate's entrance.
It was Vivian.
And a man was helping Vivian into a carriage.
Though Caltz was seeing Dias Hessen for the first time, the father and daughter resembled each other so closely that he could identify him immediately.
'He must have come to pick her up after hearing she had collapsed.'
But....
'That face somehow seems familiar.'
Though he was certain he'd never seen ‌‌‌this face before, it felt strangely familiar.
He tried to examine the face more carefully, but the man climbed into the carriage just then, and the face disappeared from view.
Soon the carriage departed.
Searching through the depths of distant memory, Caltz suddenly recalled a similar face.
'But that person... is dead.'
Caltz watched the carriage leave the Villa with narrowed eyes, then called for Owen.
"Owen, investigate Dias Hessen's past more thoroughly."
Given the circumstances, it was ‌unlikely to be that person from his memory, but it wouldn't ‌‌‌hurt to ‌‌clarify the inconsistencies.
* * *
Inside the carriage heading home.
I swung my legs happily. ‌‌‌
'Hehe, I'm glad things worked out well.'
I was startled when I actually collapsed from the illness.
But thanks to it, I now had a solid reason to remain as Rachel's friend.
'And while I was at it, I even got a jab in at ‌the Nanny, who never liked me anyway.'
And more than anything.
'I became real friends with Rachel.'
Memories have a way of becoming beautified.
Just moments ago, the pain had been ‌‌‌so intense I thought tears might spill, but now it felt bearable.
'Though I suppose it's easy to think peacefully about it now that I don't have to ‌‌suffer through that anguish anymore.'
In any case, I'd resolved the matter of ‌‌becoming friends with Rachel, so the next step was....
'Preventing Rachel from falling into darkness.'
I'd only just succeeded in becoming friends, but what if Rachel caused a rebellion like in the original story?
'The villainous ‌‌‌Rachel from the original could never defeat the male lead, Alan.' ‌
Then not only would Rachel be executed, but I, ‌‌‌as her closest confidant, might face the same fate.
Of course, if ‌‌‌‌I abandoned Rachel before the rebellion occurred, I could save my own life....
'But I don't ‌‌‌want to abandon Rachel just to save myself.'
The ‌‌image of Rachel, once so wary of abandonment that she'd strike first, ‌‌and the clarity of Rachel's eyes filled with genuine concern for me—both remained vivid in ‌‌my mind.
I couldn't betray that heart.
'First, I should help Rachel grow up happy.'
If I could ease the ‌‌‌psychological oppression from the Emperor, maybe I could ‌‌prevent the darkness from consuming her?
As ‌I was contemplating ways to bring joy to Rachel, I suddenly felt a gaze ‌‌and lifted my head.
My eyes met Curtis Rohan's, who had been watching me quietly.
Looking ‌‌‌at Curtis Rohan, I noticed something different from usual.
"Curtis Rohan, where are your glasses?"
"Hm? Oh...."
Curtis Rohan habitually touched the bridge of his nose before seeming to realize his glasses were missing.
"I was so preoccupied I forgot. No wonder the men were staring. If even the men fall under my spell like this, what will I do?"
Curtis Rohan spoke playfully, but I saw it.
In that brief moment our eyes met, I saw the fear that had lingered in his pupils vanish.
I'd seen that look before.
'Every time I suffered, Curtis Rohan was afraid.'
Afraid of losing me.
'Now I'm all the family Curtis Rohan has left....'
My mother passed away from illness when I was so young I barely remember her.
And Curtis Rohan's family had severed ties with him before he even married my mother.
When I asked ‌‌why they'd cut ties, Curtis Rohan didn't give me a proper answer, but anyway, what mattered was!
Now I'm all he has.
'So when he heard I'd collapsed, he must ‌‌‌have been terrified.'
Only then did I understand how shocked Curtis Rohan must have been, how afraid he ‌‌‌must have felt when he heard the news of my collapse.
At the same time, I felt sorry.
I suddenly wrapped my arms around Curtis Rohan's neck. I felt him flinch in surprise.
"...Vivian?"
"Don't worry so much, Curtis Rohan."
You ‌won't hurt anymore now.
"I'll listen well to Doctor ‌‌Brian and ‌‌get better soon. That way I can live with Father for a long, long time."
I couldn't reveal Rachel's secret, which hadn't been made public yet, but I reassured Father with the strongest words I could muster.
Then Father, who had been sitting quietly for a moment, pulled me into a tight embrace.
"Yes, let's do that. It will happen just like that."
Somehow, Father's ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌voice seemed to ‌‌‌carry moisture, but I decided to ‌‌‌pretend not to notice.
After all, it's rather embarrassing for a grown man to cry.
...Not that I was getting choked up either.
I patted Father's broad back and made a silent vow. ‌‌‌‌
'I'll make sure this ends happily.'
For my poor Father who only looks at me!
* * *
A few days later.
I returned to the Villa.
The scenery was ‌‌‌no different from usual, but there was one thing that had changed....
"Young Miss?"
Rachel ‌‌was waiting in the central hall of the Estate!
After exchanging greetings with the Maids as I always did, I spotted Rachel and hurried over.
"Were you waiting for me?"
But Rachel turned away, avoiding my eyes, and replied.
"No."
"No~ but it seems like you were waiting~"
"I wasn't."
"Then why were you out here?"
Rachel, who had hesitated for a moment, made an excuse.
"...I was going to tell you to come into the Estate instead of the Greenhouse."
In truth, I could have conveyed that message through one of the Maids.
But the ‌‌fact that he went out of his way to come here and wait meant he was waiting for me, ‌‌‌didn't it? Hehe.
Still, since Rachel seemed embarrassed, I ‌‌decided to pretend not to notice.
'Since today is the first time we've properly met after opening ‌‌‌our hearts a few days ago, he must be feeling shy.'
I smiled mischievously and changed the subject.
"Understood. Setting that aside, what should we do for fun today?"
"...Haven't thought about it."
Despite giving me a sidelong glance at my cheeky response, Rachel ‌‌‌answered ‌faithfully.
"Hmm.... Oh! Can I see the Library? When ‌‌‌I ‌‌‌passed by last time, it looked really huge."
As ‌‌‌‌I said ‌‌‌this, I casually took Rachel's hand as he ‌‌‌walked slightly ahead of me.
Rachel's steps came to an abrupt halt. At the ‌same time, I felt the hand I was holding tremble slightly.
'Oh. Is he going to pull away?'
Last time, it was right after I had collapsed, so his heart was weak and he let me hold his hand.
But there was no guarantee he would hold my hand today either.
I was bracing myself for Rachel's rejection when a shadow fell across our ‌‌backs, and a familiar voice reached my ears.
I was bracing myself for Rachel's rejection when a shadow fell across our ‌backs, and a familiar voice reached my ears.
"You've arrived, Vivian."
"Good day, Butler."
The Butler smiled warmly as always and delivered his message.
"The Duke is looking for you."

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support ‌‌‌our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------