Chapter 7 (Part 9)

At that moment, Kelle stepped out of the room. Brienne hurried after her and asked,  

“Can I take a look too?”  

“Sure.”  

Kelle smiled brightly and approached Batrick, who was standing by the door.  

“Why are you up so early today?”  

“It’s because you’re late, Kelle. By the way, the herbs from the West arrived, but is it okay to accept them? The packaging was really strange.”  

“Yes, I bought them for a hefty price from a renowned herbalist. These herbs are rare, hard to find, and can only be gathered by skilled herbalists.”  

Kelle opened the door, with Batrick following behind her.  

“What kind of herbs are they?”  

“They’re very rare.”  

Batrick nodded as if he understood and quietly followed along. Meanwhile, he kept glancing at Brienne. When their eyes met, he awkwardly smiled.  

Brienne returned the greeting with a nod and quickly followed Kelle.  

Kelle had built another storage shed, likely due to the success of her medicine business, and it was larger than before.  

“When did you build this?”  

Kelle smiled as she opened the door to the storage shed.  

“Cardin funded it. He said he was grateful that I took care of you.”  

Brienne’s face froze. She hadn’t known that Cardin had gone to such lengths.  

At that moment, Kelle walked briskly ahead. Brienne followed her belatedly, trying to calm her emotions. She had resolved not to think about Cardin anymore, but his presence lingered even here, weighing down her heart.  

Tap, tap. Batrick hurried ahead and pointed to a box wrapped tightly in yellow tape.  

“This is it. The postman grumbled about how heavy it was when he delivered it.”  

Kelle beamed as she crouched down to examine the box. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.  

She immediately took a knife and tore open the box. The scent of dried herbs filled the air, and it smelled oddly familiar. It reminded Brienne of the bitter taste of the tea she had once drunk.  

Looking closely, even the herb leaves seemed familiar. The dried leaves had jagged edges, making them appear sharp. Brienne’s eyes hardened.  

“Are these the herbs you mentioned earlier?”  

She asked again, wondering if Kelle might have made a mistake. But Kelle smiled brightly and nodded.  

“Yes, these are the ones I mentioned—the herbs that can cause infertility in healthy people.”  

Batrick, standing nearby, widened his eyes.  

“Why would you buy such herbs? Aren’t you supposed to treat people?”  

“That’s right. But strangely enough, when someone with infertility takes these herbs, their condition gradually improves. That’s why I’m planning to develop it further this time.”  

Brienne was at a loss for words. The tea leaves Hernes had always given her to drink were identical to these herb leaves.  

Unable to believe it, she asked,  

“If you steep these herbs in hot water, does the brew turn crimson, like blood?”  

“How did you know? That’s why most people don’t like drinking it. The taste is bitter too.”  

Her legs gave out, and Batrick quickly grabbed her arm to steady her.  

“Are you alright?”  

Brienne nodded weakly, regaining her balance. Her heart raced with tension.  

In the end, Foyne’s words had been true. Hernes had deliberately made her drink tea that caused infertility. While Brienne had known Hernes didn’t approve of her marriage to Cardin, she hadn’t expected her to go to such lengths.  

And she had done it under the pretense of offering a fine tea.  

“Brienne, are you really okay?”  

Kelle looked at her with concern. Brienne forced a smile.  

“I’m fine.”  

Kelle studied her for a moment before turning to Batrick.  

“Batrick, unpack all these herbs and portion them out by the end of the day.”  

“All of them?”  

“You said you liked simple tasks.”  

“Well, yes, but how am I supposed to finish all this by today?”  

“If you work all day, you can do it.”  

Batrick looked like he had a lot to say. Brienne quickly spoke to Kelle.  

“I’ll help too.”  

Kelle immediately waved her hand.  

“No, you should rest. You must have had a hard time in Devok.”  

“I can still help.”  

At that moment, Batrick stepped in.  

“Miss Brienne, it’s fine. Even though it’s a bit tiring, I’m used to this kind of work.”  

“But I’m really fine.”  

“No! I think you should follow Kelle’s advice and rest.”  

Batrick smiled brightly, unlike before. His kind demeanor prompted Brienne to respond.  

“Thank you.”  

“You’re welcome. Now, please rest.”  

Batrick busied himself opening the box next to Kelle. The bitter scent wafted out, causing Brienne to unconsciously step back.  

Kelle slowly stood and approached her.  

“Brienne, have you seen these herbs before?”  

“Pardon?”  

“You seemed really startled.”  

“Oh, I happened to see them once before. The smell and the crimson brew left a bad impression on me.”  

Kelle’s eyes widened.  

“When?”  

“Well…”  

“Kelle, I’m busy. Could you talk outside?”  

Kelle chuckled in disbelief and took Brienne by the arm.  

“Come on, Brienne. It looks like Batrick is eager to work hard.”  

She glanced at Batrick, who was focused on weighing the herbs. His hands moved quickly as he sorted them.  

“He works well, doesn’t he?”  

When Brienne nodded, Kelle’s eyes sparkled with pride.  

Before long, Kelle led her out of the storage shed. Still holding Brienne’s arm, she said,  

“Batrick is a rare, diligent worker. The fact that he’s willing to do it all alone because you don’t look well shows how considerate he is.”  

When Brienne nodded again, Kelle continued speaking.

“Lately, he seems to be studying herbs as well, saying he wants to work in that field someday.”

Kelle paused as she looked at Brienne. It seemed like she had something to say, so Brienne waited quietly until Kelle finally spoke.

“Are you planning to stay here for a long time?”

Brienne answered honestly.

“I’d like to stay as long as possible.”

She worried that Kelle might find this bothersome, but Kelle smiled brightly.

“That’s even better. Brienne, why don’t you take over my work while you’re at it?”

The unexpected suggestion made Brienne’s eyes widen. Kelle chuckled as she continued.

“I’m getting older, and it’s becoming harder for me to manage everything. With Batrick working so diligently by your side, I think it would work out fine.”

“But I…”

“Don’t you think Cardin would understand? Sending you all the way here shows he must be a very understanding person.”

“…”

“And with investment from the Messerode family, this business could grow even bigger.”

Kelle’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Brienne couldn’t bring herself to mention that she was considering divorcing Cardin.

***

After Brienne left, Cardin spent countless sleepless nights. Though there were many other tasks, he focused most of his energy on revising the family laws.  

Sodric, the Messerode family’s dedicated lawyer, rubbed his tired eyes and suddenly froze mid-motion. Four hours had passed, but Cardin remained as flawless as ever. There wasn’t a trace of fatigue around his eyes, and his gaze was steady as he skimmed through documents. His long fingers turned the pages without hesitation.  

At that moment, Cardin looked up. His piercing gaze allowed no room for error.  

“Have you found anything about Roquek’s parents?”  

Sodric quickly glanced to the side. Cardin’s aide, Damon, was chewing on a piece of bread as he responded.  

“We’re investigating, but nothing has come up yet.”  

“There must be something.”  

Cardin’s low voice sent a chill through the room, and the atmosphere grew heavy. Damon hastily swallowed the bread he was eating.  

“What about Roquek’s nanny?”  

“The nanny hasn’t…”  

Cardin’s eyes narrowed sharply.  

“Then what exactly have you been investigating?”  

“Well, that is…”  

“Start over with the nanny. Look into every maid who started working here 30 years ago.”  

Damon wished Cardin had given such clear instructions from the start. Cautiously, he asked,  

“Do you really think Roquek was born out of wedlock? If that were the case, wouldn’t the retainers have noticed first?”  

“They would have, which is why the truth was erased before they could.”  

“Then why would you, Your Grace…”  

Cardin spoke calmly, as if recalling the past.  

“My late father particularly disliked Roquek. Why do you think that was?”  

Damon racked his brain. The previous Duke despised those who didn’t understand noble etiquette or manners. He didn’t even consider commoners as people.  

Especially stories of nobles running off with commoners—such people weren’t treated as human in his eyes. Damon’s eyes widened.  

“Could it be that the late Duke already…”  

“My father must have known. That his brother had a child with a commoner.”  

“Then shouldn’t the late Duke have dealt with it himself? He hated commoners so much—why didn’t he…”  

Cardin tossed one of the documents he was reviewing onto the desk. Damon hurriedly picked it up. It was a transfer contract for an emerald mine. The transferor was Cardin’s uncle, and the transferee was Cardin’s father. The sharp signature on the document was proof, and there were several such contracts. Damon’s eyes wavered with confusion.  

“So, the late Duke accepted all the mines in exchange for staying silent?”  

“In the end, even my father couldn’t resist the lure of money.”  

Cardin smiled faintly, as if amused. His father, who had always acted so dignified and noble, had ultimately compromised for wealth.  

He had no hesitation in raising his hand against those who defied him, disregarded those around him, and took the loyalty of others for granted. He acted generously toward other nobles but vented his anger on Cardin at home.