Stefan had a bag of tools slung over one shoulder, suggesting he had come to check on the stairs and the bench. He sat down beside me naturally and asked about my well-being.

“How have you been? I heard you’ve been very busy lately.”

“Oh, I’ve been well. I’ve just been a bit overwhelmed catching up on postponed tasks. By the way, did you make all of this yourself?”

As I admired the bench, he smiled broadly and explained.

“Yes. Ever since you healed my leg, I’ve been able to do so much more. This bench was something I wanted to build for a long time, and seeing you sitting on it makes me happy.”

He brushed his hand over his thigh with a satisfied smile, and for a moment, I imagined a light ivory-colored dress overlapping it.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Why had I completely forgotten? The fact that I needed to heal my mother’s leg.

‘Just trust Hazel.’

‘If it weren’t for you, how could I have possibly shown up in society like this?’

‘I’m sure Hazel will heal the other leg too. I can wait as long as it takes.’

I felt a headache coming on. A sense of guilt washed over me, as if I had abandoned my duty.

Since I had learned to read, my mother often mentioned her leg to me, both in person and through letters. Hearing it repeatedly, almost like brainwashing, over a long period, had built up pressure on me.

Once, during a practical class, I couldn’t handle the pressure and made consecutive mistakes. I had infused too much magic, and the patient, being too frail to handle it, deteriorated rapidly. If not for my mentor’s intervention, it could have been a disaster. I was so shocked that I couldn’t perform well in subsequent classes, and upon hearing this, my mother began to refrain from mentioning the leg treatment.

Yet, I felt like I had shown my benefactor an unworthy side of myself, so I dedicated myself even more to research. The thought that Lady Lawrence had saved me, invested so much in me, and yet I couldn’t meet her expectations weighed heavily on me. During this time, I ended up marrying Leopold, and as I became a real part of the family, she placed even greater expectations on me. However, all her hopes were shattered by my death, and I could only imagine how devastated she must have been.

This time, I was determined not to die and was eager to heal her leg for Leopold’s sake. The day my mother could walk fully on both legs, perhaps some of his pent-up resentment and affection would be relieved.

The problem was that I still had no idea how to do it, and I felt lost. Even though I had seen quite a few patients on my way to D’Agnon, most of them had injuries caused by physical trauma, which didn’t help me find a clue for treatment. I wondered if encountering a wider variety of patients might help me find a way.

“Healer, are you alright?”

Stefan asked worriedly, noticing my expression had darkened while I was deep in thought. I quickly composed myself.

“Of course. There’s nothing to be not alright about.”

“If there’s anything I can help with, please let me know.”

Moved by his kind offer, I spoke somewhat impulsively.

“If you have the time, could you guide me to the Soltanir estate?”

“The Soltanir estate? Alright.”

Despite the sudden request, he nodded calmly.

“When are you planning to leave?”

“Well, first I should send a letter to Count Soltanir to inform him of my intention to visit. Once we receive a reply, we can set out. And if the Count permits the visit, we’ll need to stay there for a few days.”

“Understood. I’ll prepare in advance. Let me know when the reply arrives.”

“I will. Thank you so much, Stefan.”

Feeling reassured to have someone accompany me to an unfamiliar place, I waited for several days for a response from Count Soltanir.

The Soltanir estate was located at the southernmost tip of the Denhaph Empire. It stretched out long from side to side, with the western part close to the coastline and the eastern part touching the Whitia mountain range.

Count Libellate Soltanir was known for his lack of greed despite his title. Thanks to the warm climate and fertile soil, the estate was self-sufficient without the need for trade. Moreover, the food produced in the estate was sold throughout the empire, with much of the profit returned to the estate’s inhabitants. Rumor had it that even though the Count didn’t seek wealth, his fortune rivaled that of the imperial family.

As for his character, I hadn’t heard much beyond that he was a family man, but that alone gave me hope he was a good person. In the capital, many nobles engaged in corruption, and it wasn’t even considered a flaw.

Although I hadn’t spoken to him personally, I had encountered him at social gatherings a few times, and he had attended my wedding.

In any case, it was certain that he cared for his people and managed his estate diligently. So, I was confident he wouldn’t outright reject my request, even if the reply took a little longer. After all, it would be difficult for any ruler to ignore a proposal to treat patients.

About a week after sending the letter through Uncle John to express my intention to visit, a splendid carriage appeared in the village.

“Healer! There’s a carriage outside right now…!”

Alisa came running to inform me of the situation while I was busy working. When I stepped outside, I discovered that the villagers had already gathered to watch.

I was at a loss for words, surprised that they had even sent a carriage. One of the knights who had arrived with it greeted me politely.

“The greatest healer of the empire, Hazel Lawrence. We have come to escort you under the lord’s orders.”

“Oh, I was planning to ride a horse…”

The situation seemed to be escalating more than I had anticipated. Upon closer inspection, there were six knights present. Stefan, who was already outside, looked at me and spoke.

“If there’s a carriage, of course, you should ride in it. The knights are here, but if you don’t mind, I can accompany you as a personal escort.”

There was no reason to refuse his courteous offer. Leopold had hired him for my sake…

In the end, I grabbed the bag I had packed in advance and hurriedly got into the carriage with Stefan. As soon as we set off, the children who had gathered to see the carriage excitedly followed us for a while. Fortunately, their voices soon faded as we entered a quiet forest path.

“D’Agnon is close to the Soltanir estate. Do you know anything about the Count? Any rumors, perhaps?”

I thought it would be better to know in advance if there was something I wasn’t aware of, so I asked Stefan. He tilted his head and then replied.

“There aren’t any special rumors. He is a lord with a very good reputation among the estate’s people. Oh, I heard that the Count and Countess have a grown-up daughter whose personality is quite unusual.”

I hadn’t heard about the daughter at all, so I was curious. However, since the information seemed unusual, I asked cautiously.

“What do you mean by ‘unusual’…?”

“I’m not sure either. That’s just what I’ve heard.”

Since it wasn’t a description used for a good personality, I felt a bit tense. Especially because, right after my marriage, I often became the subject of gossip in society for supposedly stealing a good match. I felt uneasy. Of course, as long as the Count and I achieved what we each wanted, there shouldn’t be any major issues.

With a mix of excitement and nervousness, I arrived at the Soltanir estate. As we passed through the grand gates, I could immediately tell how immense the Count’s wealth was.

The garden was large enough to rival the imperial palace, and the intricate, large sculptures and the lavishly blooming flowers everywhere suggested the number of employees he must have.

As the carriage stopped past the central fountain and the door opened, I couldn’t help but be amazed, unlike Stefan, who remained unexpectedly calm. Well, as a mercenary, he must have seen even more impressive things.

With Stefan’s help, I slowly stepped out. However, the person who greeted me was not the Count and Countess. It was a young woman with luscious brown hair tied up, dressed in riding clothes, who stood with her arms crossed, staring at me intently.

Before I could even greet her, she spoke with a slightly irritated look.

“Are you Hazel Lawrence? When it comes to looks, I don’t fall behind anywhere… Hmph.”

“…Excuse me?”

After making some cryptic remarks, she mounted the horse beside her and disappeared. I couldn’t take my eyes off her retreating figure, bewildered. Stefan also seemed shocked, frozen in place.

The Count and Countess came rushing out belatedly.

“Oh my, are you the Duchess of Lawrence?”

“Ah, yes…!”

I had long given up that title, but officially, Leopold and I were newlyweds, and I was so taken aback that I answered without thinking.

“Did our child perhaps offend you?”

The Countess craned her neck to look in the direction where the young woman had disappeared.

“Well…”

“She addressed the Duchess without any honorifics and made comments comparing appearances.”

As I hesitated to explain, Stefan spoke without hiding his displeasure.

The Count and Countess widened their eyes and gasped.

“Oh dear. Our child has been rude. We apologize. She’s grown up physically, but she’s still immature.”

Count Soltanir, with his curly brown hair, was just as short and stout as I remembered. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and repeatedly bowed his head to me with a flustered expression.

“Ah… so she was the young lady of Soltanir.”

“We apologize on her behalf.”

The Countess of Soltanir, standing next to him, also apologized, looking at a loss. It didn’t seem like something they needed to bow so deeply for, so I stopped them.

“It’s alright. Please raise your heads. It seems there’s a story I don’t know, and I’m sure the young lady had her reasons.”

The couple exchanged a troubled look. The Count, avoiding my eyes, spoke with difficulty.

“Well… our child has long admired Duke Lawrence. That’s why she opposed your visit. We tried to persuade her, but she behaved rudely.”

“Of course, it’s just a childish crush, so please don’t misunderstand!”

After hearing the Countess’s hasty addition, I fully understood the young lady’s attitude.