“Mom will be back. Listen well to Aunt Sophie, and have fun. Okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll behave.”

“This kid really talks like an adult now. It’s so funny.”

“Yeah! Ahahaha!”

Sophie rubbed Rian’s cheeks, soft as freshly baked bread, with both hands. Rian squirmed but didn’t call for his mom.

He knew that if he called for his mom, she wouldn’t be able to leave.

“Take care! Please!”

“Aunt Sophie likes you, you know? Are you going to be like this all day?”

“Uh huh!”

“Iren, what are you still doing here? Are you worried I might eat your angelic son or something?”

“I didn’t think that.”

“Sure you didn’t. You’re just too overprotective of Rian. Nothing’s going to happen just because you’re apart for a few hours, kid.”

Sophie, who was raising a child about Rian’s age, teased her playfully. Iren was aware of her own overprotectiveness but had her reasons for not wanting to leave Rian behind.

But Iren responded with a smile instead of explaining.

“Well, I understand you’re worried because Rian is so cute and good. But anyway, go now. Today, I have to suck on these squishy cheeks.”

“Don’t play too rough.”

“I said okay, didn’t I? Hurry up and go? Mrs Lempard herself called for you. It’ll be trouble if you’re late.”

Sophie was right. Iren sighed and nodded, then gave Rian a kiss full of affection. Rian responded by pressing his lips against Iren’s.

“Let’s go! Yay!”

Sophie muttered to herself as she watched the carriage kicking up dust as it moved away.

“Mrs Lempard really loves her child deeply. To send a carriage to fetch a pharmacist herself.”

Meanwhile, Iren, who had boarded the carriage, struggled not to look back through the window.

Showing such reluctance would not be good for Rian. Besides, hadn’t Rian woken up early just to cheer her on? The child who really loves his morning sleep.

‘But why did she send a carriage today? Has her daughter’s condition worsened?’

Iren visited the estate of Count Lempard, who governed this city, once a week for medical treatment. Count Lempard’s only daughter, Lucia Lempard, suffered from asthma.

After calling all the doctors and pharmacies in the city with no improvement, it was Iren who managed to alleviate Lucia’s symptoms as a last resort.

This earned Iren the trust of Count and Countess Lempard and made her shop famous.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the estate. Iren grabbed her bag and got out of the carriage. As she looked for the maid who usually guided her way, a familiar voice reached her from behind.

“Oh, you’ve come.”

Recognizing the voice, Iren quickly bowed.

“My lord.”

Lord Lempard—Count Lempard stood behind her. Count Lempard was a man who liked elaborate clothes and had long red hair flowing down.

He had been famous as a playboy since his youth, and rumors of the countess suffering because of it were already public knowledge.

Iren was not unaware of these rumors. Vint and Sophie rushed to tell Iren when they heard she was going to the count’s estate, and the first thing they told her was about the count’s history with women.

So, Iren headed straight to Lucia’s bedroom upon arriving at the Count’s estate, and after the treatment, she would often escape through the back door used by the servants.

“The weather has become hotter these days, causing many residents to suffer from heatstroke. Are you doing alright, madam? And your son… what was his name again? Riven?”

“It’s Rian.”

“Ah, that was the name. So, is your son also in good health?”

“Thanks to your consideration, we are living comfortably. I’m glad to see that you also appear to be in good health, my lord.”

“Hmm. I’m very pleased to hear you think so.”

Count Lempard smiled at Iren. It was a hearty and friendly smile.

Despite the rumors and the concerns of those around her and herself, Count Lempard treated Iren with respect.

Besides, this was the first time the two of them had faced each other since their initial greeting.

The Count’s estate was large, and as a lord of a region, he was a very busy person, making it difficult to encounter him even by chance.

“Do you have anything you wish to tell me?”

“I was curious about my daughter’s condition. I’ve been waiting to hear directly from you, madam.”

Iren was momentarily puzzled. It would have been sufficient for Count Lempard to inquire about Lucia’s condition from Countess Lempard.

But she soon remembered that the relationship between the Count and Countess was not good.

Fed up with the Count’s behavior of constantly fooling around with other women, the Countess paid no attention to him and devoted all her attention to Lucia. It was unlikely that the Countess would discuss Lucia with the Count.

“I may not be a good husband, but I have not abandoned my duties as a father.”

“The treatment is progressing smoothly. The seizure symptoms have almost disappeared, and the chronic asthma symptoms are also quickly improving. There are no issues with her daily life now, and if she regains a bit more strength, she might even be able to travel.”

Iren provided a concise and accurate description of Lucia’s condition as requested by the Count, not because she was moved by his statement of not abandoning his fatherly duties but because she wanted to end the conversation and leave.

“Has she improved that much? Despite calling various doctors and pharmacists, not one could stop a single seizure… Madam, you are truly remarkable.”

“Not at all. The young lady has been very resilient.”

“How much longer do you think it will take for Lucia to fully recover?”

“The asthma itself could be controlled in about a month. But regaining strength might take a bit more time.”

“A month. A month, you say…”

Count Lempard stroked his chin. Iren wondered if Lucia had an important schedule coming up but did not ask.

She wasn’t curious, nor did she see any reason to be. She simply found Count Lempard uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry, my lord, but it’s time for me to see Lady Lucia now.”

“Oh dear. How rude of me to hold up someone busy. Go ahead then. Shall I escort you to Lucia’s bedroom?”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

“Hahaha, just kidding. You must find me quite difficult. You may go to Lucia.”

“Excuse me.”

Iren bowed and quickly turned around, then briskly walked away from the spot.

But for some reason, she felt an unpleasant sensation as if a sticky gaze clung to her until she entered the annex building where Lucia’s bedroom was located.

* * *

“You must finish it all. Don’t leave anything behind.”

“Ah, it’s bitter. I’ve eaten it all. Are we done?”

“Thank you for cooperating. Would you like a cookie as a palate cleanser?”

“No thanks? How many times do I have to tell you that your cookies taste terrible? They’re like baked mud.”

“Is that so… Rian eats them well and says they’re delicious.”

“Your son must be taste-blind then.”

Lucia retorted sharply and popped a candy from a pretty box into her mouth. Wearing pajamas, Lucia rolled around on the bed hugging a pillow.

“You shouldn’t lie down right after taking your medicine.”

“Stop nagging. You’re not my teacher. No, you’re more bothersome than one.”

“I’m saying this because it won’t help with your treatment.”

“Hmph. Hey, can I ask you something?”

Lucia’s brown eyes sparkled.

With Count Lempard’s red hair and the Countess’s eyes, Lucia had an intense appearance as well as a prickly and wilful personality.

But since she’s grown accustomed to dealing with difficult people, Iren did not find Lucia annoying or detestable. No, there probably wasn’t anyone more challenging to deal with anywhere in the world.

Compared to that person, Lucia was just cute.

“What exactly are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“My mother said so. Your speech and actions are definitely not those of a commoner. You seem more like a noble lady than I do, so she told me to watch and learn from you.”

“That can’t be. I’m just an ordinary person. As you know, I don’t even have a family name. I’m not someone from whom you could learn anything.”

“Of course, I have no intention of learning from you. Why would I need to learn anything from you? I am Lucia Lempard, the only daughter of the most prominent lord in the south.”

Lucia spoke with a swagger. It wasn’t just empty pride or vanity. After all, the Ratuna territory in the south was one of the most renowned tourist cities in the empire.

The Count of Lempard couple’s luxury was at a level that would have been impossible to sustain if not for the tremendous tax revenue from their domain.

“Your son, is he a noble family’s bastard?”

Iren doubted her ears as she was organizing the tools she had brought. She slowly turned her head. Lucia was smugly lifting her chin.

“See, my guess was right.”

“Did you say it was a guess?”

“Do you want to hear the details? Then admit I was right first.”

Lucia sat up briskly and crossed her arms. Iren silently stared at her.

Iren’s expressionless face harbored no emotions. Her deep blue eyes, resembling an endless abyss, steadily gazed at Lucia.

“What, what! Why are you looking at me with those eyes? Am I wrong? No! It’s obvious since you have no surname but you know manners and procedures well, and educated behavior is ingrained in your body, isn’t it? You must have been a maid in some household!”

“And then?”

“And then? You must have seduced a suitable young master. Or maybe they liked you first. Anyway, you ended up pregnant and ran away.”

Lucia’s voice grew quieter towards the end.

Iren remained seated in her chair with proper posture until Lucia’s voice completely faded away. Then she silently stood up.

Her movements were natural and elegant, imbued with dignity just as Lucia had described.

“That’s right.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Miss, you are correct. I was a maid in a certain count’s household. My pretty appearance caught the eye of the elder young master, and I received his love.”

“Could it be… My guess was right? It was true?”

Lucia’s eyes widened as she clapped her hands and exclaimed.

She was pleased that her speculation was correct and proud that she had unearthed Iren’s hidden circumstances all by herself.

Iren’s gaze at Lucia was as calm as a sea without even a ripple.

“I became pregnant with the elder young master’s baby. But the elder young master did not want the child with me because of my low status and existence.”

“Because you’re a maid, of course. But still, if you had the child, you could become a concubine, right?”

“The young master’s family had a rule against taking concubines.”

“Ah. I’ve heard there are families like that. A well-known family is like that, the Duke of Cardius. You didn’t work there, though. I heard they don’t let just anyone in as a maid.”

Lucia giggled. Cardius. The name of the estate that continued to haunt her even after she had run away.

If the name Phaeson was something she merely resented, Cardius was terrifying. So terrifying that she felt she had to risk death to escape it.

Iren looked down.

“But the young master did not give up on me. He said he didn’t need the child but wanted me by his side.”

“So you ran away? To have the child?”

“Yes.”

“How? It doesn’t seem like someone who would say that would let you go easily?”

Lucia leaned forward, engrossed in the story. A smile appeared on Iren’s pale face.

“I made sure he couldn’t chase after me by crippling his arms and legs.”

“…What?”

“I made it so he couldn’t scream that I was running away by silencing his mouth.”

“You… know how to use a sword or magic?”

“No. But I have something I’m good at, don’t I? As you know very well.”