“I might be able to endure without my body breaking down.”

“Well, miracles can happen in this world.”

Astrid shrugged at Leticia’s bold statement and stood up.

“Anyway, I’ll release Tan once he adapts to his current physical state, so don’t worry too much. More importantly, we need to catch Gaien quickly and connect the magical circuit…”

Astrid closed the curtain around where Tan was lying and walked toward the workbench.

She sat Leticia in a chair and organized the vials of Basilinte blood she had collected.

Soon, she grumbled.

“Since Lady Isana won’t return with Lord Gaien, I might really need to go catch him. Why do all the men in this family make such a mess of their marriages?”

The blood samples, organized by date, were arranged neatly.

Though it was only a few drops per day, Leticia was concerned about the daily extractions.

“…Do you need to take my blood too?”

“The source of the curse is Basilinte, so that’s why I took their blood. I’m comparing how much the curse has weakened after absorbing your magical power, so there’s no need to take your blood.”

Astrid examined the organized blood samples carefully and murmured.

“The curse is weakening.”

“Really?”

“It’s so slight that it might be my imagination.”

She spoke in a deliberately dry tone, as if trying not to get her hopes up.

“But if the curse continues to weaken, then rivers will gradually begin to flow in this land, rain will fall… and the Basilintes’ emotions might return.”

“….”

“Though it’s a very small possibility.”

Astrid casually smiled and gently pinched Leticia’s cheek.

“Anyway, my baby- no, Leti. Don’t keep trying to do things for others. You deserve to be pampered.”

Leticia rubbed her pinched cheek and smiled quietly.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had been surrounded by such kind people. It felt like she had returned to the days when she lived with the Borba troupe.

It felt truly wonderful.

“Now, what shall we learn today?”

Astrid smiled as she placed a bowl of water in front of Leticia.

“Last time, you learned how to move water. I was thinking of teaching you how to freeze or evaporate water next… but learning in sequence can be boring. What would you like to learn, my disciple?”

Leticia pondered deeply before smiling—an expression that had come to resemble Astrid’s.

“I want to learn how to make it rain.”

***

It had become routine for Leticia to hold hands with Chamuka while sleeping at night and to walk hand-in-hand with the Grand Duke during the day.

It was also around this time that Tan finally accepted reality and began wandering around the castle, albeit with slumped shoulders.

“Why won’t Leti hold my hand?”

“I am holding your hand now, Lord Tan.”

“You’re wearing gloves! Why won’t you hold my hand bare-handed?”

Now that Tan had learned to form sentences, conversations like this occurred several times a day.

“I want to sleep with Leti too. Why does he only sleep with my brother?”

“Leave before Mother scolds you.”

“You leave, brother!”

Leticia silently endured the brothers who fought several times a day, reminiscing about how they had gotten along better when they were more beast-like.

Thanks to their near-daily arguments, Tan’s language skills developed remarkably quickly.

His growth rate was, how to put it… about twice that of imperial citizens.

Just as this chaotic daily life had settled into a routine, Astrid finally left the castle to capture Gaien.

She then returned triumphantly, like a hero who had captured an evil dragon, with Gaien in tow.

It was impossible to know what Astrid had done to Gaien, who was carried into the castle unconscious and collapsed in the carriage, but it didn’t seem to have been a peaceful encounter.

“Leti!”

Astrid lifted Leticia with sparkling eyes and spun around, unable to contain her excitement.

It didn’t seem like simple happiness at seeing her.

“I found a water vein! There’s a water vein that hasn’t dried up! Finally!”

Astrid exclaimed excitedly.

Normally, all water veins in this land were dried up, but an exception had appeared. She rejoiced that the curse was clearly weakening.

She was so pleased that she even gave the Grand Duke, who had come out to greet her, a tight hug.

This was the same Astrid who usually only replied to the Grand Duke with ‘go away,’ ‘leave,’ or ‘move’ except when she needed something from him!

“Astrid…”

The Grand Duke froze in shock, and Astrid roughly pushed him away before dragging Gaien out of the carriage.

After unceremoniously dropping Gaien on the ground, she carried Leticia into the carriage.

“Master?!”

When Leticia poked her head out of the carriage window in confusion, she saw Astrid already sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Let’s go! To the place where the river still flows!”

“Where is that?!”

With Leticia’s scream-like cry, the carriage shot forward quickly.

Since Leticia had her head out of the carriage window, she could see the faces of the Basilinte family watching the carriage speed away like the wind.

Tan stood gaping blankly beside Gaien, who was sprawled on the ground, and Chamuka, despite his expressionless face, had trembling eyes.

Surprisingly, the Grand Duke didn’t panic at all and quickly grabbed a nearby horse and mounted it. He began to chase after the carriage rapidly.

And so began the chaotic carriage journey.

No, it shouldn’t even be called a journey.

It was a chaotic rush that didn’t stop even once until they reached their destination.

For three days and nights, Leticia munched on emergency rations inside the carriage while watching Astrid driving without sleep and Ferik continuously following them.

They say humans are creatures of adaptation.

Leticia had adapted to the quiet madness of the Basilinte family.

***

“Mmm…”

Leticia opened her heavy eyelids. Her entire body ached, as if she had been rolling around.

Naturally, after spending three days and nights in a jolting carriage…

“Hello?”

A child with fluffy brown curly hair suddenly appeared in her field of vision.

Though she didn’t know who it was, she returned the greeting.

“H… hello.”

“Hahaha!”

The child laughed loudly, making their fluffy hair bounce.

As Leticia fumbled to sit up, the child pulled her hand to help. They seemed like a very sociable child.

“I’m Colin. And you?”

“I’m…”

Not knowing whether to say Leti or Sion, she let her words trail off.

Looking around, she found herself in a clean bedroom, lying on a bed.

“Where is this?”

“My aunt’s house.”

“Who is your aunt?”

“Isana Lefri.”

Isana.

A name she had heard several times.

Leticia immediately sensed that this was the home of the former Grand Duchess who had divorced Gaien.

It seemed Astrid had come here to capture Gaien and discovered the water vein nearby.

After reaching that conclusion, Leticia asked Colin:

“The person who came with me?”

“Oh, they’re waiting outside. Should I ask them to come in?”

“Yes.”

Colin scurried across the bedroom.

Soon, the door opened, and a large, white-haired man entered.

Leticia doubted her eyes for a moment.

“Your Grace…?”

Where did Master go, and why are you coming in?

The Grand Duke, who approached Leticia with large strides, picked her up.

From the now-familiar embrace, Leticia asked.

“You didn’t return to the castle? Is it okay for you to be out like this?”

“I doubt any problems will arise just because I’m gone for a while. More importantly, Leti, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’ve gotten lighter. Astrid will scold me if she sees.”

“If I’ve gotten lighter, wouldn’t that be because of Master…?”

Ferik nodded in agreement with Leticia’s words.

“Then she’ll scold me.”

Now it was Leticia’s turn to nod in agreement.

With or without reason, Ferik was always scolded by Astrid. Always.

Usually, she was angry at Ferik’s very existence, so there was nothing he could do about it.

Of course, it didn’t help that instead of staying away until Astrid’s anger subsided, Ferik kept hovering around her.

“By the way, where is Master?”