I Became The Younger Sister Of A Dying Woman - Chapter 54

54. When you go, at least wipe off your drool

“Ugh. It’s, it’s so bitter! Candy! Candy!”

I whimpered, as if I were about to gag.

Startled, Mini shoved one of the candies into my mouth.

“Are you okay?”

“……Yes. I think I’m going to live because I’m eating candy.”

How in the world did Letty get such a bitter medicine?

The pills I’d gotten from her after going to the duke’s mansion had been like torture.

In my heart, I didn’t want to take it.

I didn’t really want to eat it, but since Letty gave it to me, and they say that what’s good for your body usually doesn’t taste good, I forced myself to eat it.

I have to gain strength from this and finish today’s tasks successfully.

“By the way, Mini, how about you? Did you deal with the issue of the maids in the Western Palace from yesterday?”

“I was just about to report on that,”

“Good. Go ahead and report.”

Mini spoke with a somber expression.

“Yesterday……”

* * *

Mini was quite the character.

It wasn’t for nothing that they say the servants take after their masters.

Being around Linzel, who was a good talker, Mini’s social skills improved day by day.

With a good heart, friendliness naturally follows.

Mini was confident she would get along with the maids of the West Palace.

Yes, she did…….

“Uh… Is this still the same palace?”

Mini looked up at the tower in front of them.

The tower was entangled with vines, and it looked eerie.

And in the vicinity of this tower, it felt as if gloomy clouds were hovering.

If she listened closely, she could hear birds singing, a sound that resembled human screams.

Mini felt a shiver run down her spine and her hair stand on end.

The place with the eerie atmosphere was the West Palace.

It was a far cry from the gorgeous buildings of the Imperial Palace.

‘I didn’t realize this place was so far from the East Palace, but it’s a bit eerie.’

Nevertheless, Mini rubbed her hands together.

As spooky as the West Palace was, Mini wanted to carry out Linzel’s task perfectly.

Mini walked towards the entrance of the Western palace, swinging the snack basket with cookies back and forth.

There were no guards or maids at the entrance.

“Hello! Is anyone there?”

There was no answer from behind the closed door.

Mini called out again.

“I have a message from Princess Linzel!”

About a minute passed, and finally, the door slid open.

The person who appeared between the open doors was a middle-aged woman with a pale complexion.

She looked like a maid, but there was no vitality in her.

It was as if she might collapse if lightly touched.

Mini thought she seemed to fit well with the gloomy atmosphere of the Western palace.

“Hello! I am Mini, Princess Rinzel’s personal maid. I have a message from Princess Rinzel.”

Instead of answering, the woman looked Mini up and down with narrow eyes.

Mini’s small shoulders shrunk.

“Come in first.”

“…..Yes.”

Mini stepped into the West Palace.

The atmosphere inside was somewhat better than outside.

You could say it was well organized.

However, without any decorative items, it felt somehow cold.

“Um… Where are we heading now?”

“We are going to the aide of Prince Illiya. He will probably deliver the message.”

“I see…”

Mini decided to gauge this maid’s reaction first.

“Would you like some cookies, by any chance? They’re from Her Highness Linzel, and they’re delicious.”

“No, thank you.”

“In that case, do you have any favorite treats?”

“I don’t have any.”

Why is this person so cold?

Mini said cheerfully without giving in.

“Actually, I used to be a maid in the duke’s household, but I came to the palace recently and don’t have any friends. In that sense… would you like to be friends with me?”

Though there was a slight age difference, they were both maids, so they could become friends.

However, the response was consistent.

“No, thank you.”

Mini silently cried out in their heart.

‘Miss Linzel. Isn’t this too difficult?’

The maid ahead stopped in front of a door.

“Mr. Mercy. A guest has come to visit His Highness Illiya.”

From inside, a youthful voice floated out.

“Bring them in.”

“Yes.”

Mini followed the maid into the room.

Then, she greeted politely so as not to insult Linzel.

“Greetings, my lord. I’m Mini, Her Highness Linzel’s personal maid. I have come to visit the West palace with a message from Her Highness.”

Oh. If Linzel were here, she might have praised me by touching my cheek gently.

“Awww, my dear. You’ve done a good job, ogoo-ogoo. “

Or something like that.

Mini slowly lifted her head from where it had been due to her bowing. What she saw was a sight that made her eyes widen in disbelief.

“……!”

* * *

“……Why, what was that that made you doubt your eyes?”

I said out loud in excitement.

The gloomy tower, the lifeless maidservant, and the aide she encountered create surprises…….

What a stimulating and fun story this is.

‘I should have gone there myself.’

I promised myself that I would go with Hernan to the West Palace.

Since the incident at the hunting competition when I almost got shot by an arrow, Heran forbade me from going anywhere alone.

I also didn’t want to be in danger, so I always stayed with Hernan, or when he wasn’t around, I made sure to have a knight accompany me.

After swallowing a dry gulp, Mini confessed the reason for her surprise.

“You see, I was greeted by a gorgeous man, and that’s why I was surprised.”

“Gorgeous ……?”

“Yes. Think about it, the West Palace has little interaction with the other palaces, the appearance is gloomy, and the maids are reserved… And in that environment….. a gorgeous man appeared? It’s just so strange!”

She was not wrong, so I nodded.

“That splendid man is Prince Illiya’s aide?”

“That’s right.”

“But when you say splendid, are you referring to his face or his attire?”

“Both!”

Mini exclaimed even more excitedly than me.

“He looked quite young for an aide. In his early thirties? He generally gives a cold impression, but that’s not all! He’s really handsome, you know? Of course, not as handsome as His Highness Heran.”

Ahem, that’s certainly true.

There couldn’t be anyone more handsome than Hernan.

“He was wearing a luxurious uniform. But the decorations on the uniform were really ~ extravagant. He had rings on his fingers, a necklace around his neck, and even earrings!”

“Ohhh.”

“I thought I was meeting Prince Illiya himself, not his aide.”

What a fancy character.

I hadn’t known anybody as gorgeous as the man Mini had described since I’d become Linzel.

I scrambled out of bed.

“I must go to the West Palace at once.”

“Miss Li-Linzel?”

“His splendid appearance, I’m really curious.”

I have to see it for myself.

“When you go, at least wipe off your drool!”

“Did I drool?”

Ahem. I wiped the corner of my mouth with my sleeve.

Just the thought of a handsome man got me like that.

“And you should listen to my story too! The appearance of a glamorous man is not the end!”

“Aaaah, right, we were just trying to find out about Highness Illiya, weren’t we?”

I flopped back down on the bed.

“And do you think he’ll let me visit?”

Mini shook her head.

Her gloomy expression was an added bonus.

“No, Prince Illiya never meets with outsiders.”

“An outsider…….”

Strictly speaking, I wasn’t exactly an outsider.

I wasn’t disappointed because I knew this meeting wouldn’t come to fruition.

However.

‘It’s unnatural for someone who serves a loner in the corner of the room to be overly flamboyant.’

“So, Mini. Have you had any contact with the maids of the West Palace?”

Wouldn’t the maids of the West Palace know the reason for the unnatural arrangement?

It wouldn’t matter much, even if it was just a little information.

But Mini shook her head.

“Miss Linzel. Please give me a little more time.”

“It’s okay. We’ll try to push through.”

With just one visit, we wouldn’t be able to figure out anything.

“Yes!”

As soon as my conversation with Mini ended, a palace maid came to find me.

“Your Highness, there is a message from Hernan, to escort you to the drawing room.”

I was eager to meet Hernan, too.

I needed to tell him about the vassals, and I needed to tell him about Miller’s atrocities that Izekiel had told me about.

“Yes! Lead the way.”

* * *

Hernan wasn’t the only one in the drawing room.

“Hello, Linzel.”

It was Izekiel, who had been ill with a fever.

He didn’t look like he was in pain.

There was even a faint blush on his cheeks, and I felt a newfound energy in him.

I was astonished.

“Oh my. You’ve already recovered?”

“……Sure. Shouldn’t I be feeling better?”

“No!”

You’re supposed to be sick until Letty comes to visit!

To recover in just one day…

“What if you get sick again?”

I was pretty desperate.

Izekiel leaned back on the sofa, looking relaxed, as he calmly replied.

“Oh well, I don’t plan on getting sick for a while.”

Shit. What if Letty comes over later?

“Linzel. Is there something wrong?”

I sat down on the couch where Hernan was sitting, then whispered to him.

“Actually, I asked Letty to come and check on His Highness Izekiel.”

I didn’t explain to Heran separately, and though he may be oblivious at times, he must be aware that Letty has some affection for Izekiel.

He also saw Letty give Izekiel a handkerchief at the hunting competition.

“Hmm.”

Hernan, who made a brief sound, looked at Izekiel.

“Izekiel. Don’t you think you’ll be sick for a few more days?”

“Like a married couple. Never mind. I’m not going to get sick.”

Izekiel crossed his legs and clicked his tongue irritably.

“What about your ankle? It was sprained back then.”

“……It still hurts.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Because Letty would be worried about Izekiel’s ankle, and maybe nurse him back to health.

“Let me ask you, do you two want me to get sick?”

“I’m sorry, but should I say wish now? Haha. I have some circumstances.”

“I support Linzel’s opinion.”

Izekiel let out a sigh and said.

“I won’t ask you next time.”

For Letty’s sake, I just wanted him to be sick for a while.

Anyway, I was done talking about Izekiel’s illness.

I wondered why Hernan had sought me out.

“Your Highness Hernan, what have you called me for? That is, along with Izekiel…….”

“Ah. About that.”