Chapter 13 – Part 2

“Are you looking for the Livano grass?”

It was Sarah who poked her head through the window.

“Sarah, stay inside.”

“It might be something you can find in the winter, but it might be difficult now that the weather has warmed up.”

Mr. Anzu started to close the window, but Sarah slapped him hard on the shoulder and turned her head toward the women.

The women looked at each other, confused.

“Is there anywhere we could find it? We need it urgently…”

“Oh… no, why on earth would you want to find such an evil thing? You should burn it and dry the seeds right away.”

Mr. Anzu said it in disgust, as if the name alone gave him goosebumps. The women laughed awkwardly.

“Because we were ordered to do so by a higher power.”

“Would you happen to know someone who might know? We’ll compensate them adequately.”

“Um…….”

Sarah leaned against the window frame, carefully scanning the women’s figures.

After a long pause, she finally spoke up.

“As far as I know, there’s only one place you can get it…….”

“Where should we go?”

The women asked excitedly. Sarah pointed to the door.

“Why don’t you come in for a minute, Hans, and you stay out.”

At Sarah’s words, Hans made a little gurgling noise and went outside, and the women hurried into the house.

When the door closed behind them, Sarah’s eyes shone as if she had been waiting.

“Why, why? What’s going on?”

“What?”

“I mean, it’s an herb that even makes perfectly fine men impotent, and you expect me to explain without knowing what’s going on? Tell me quietly. I won’t tell anyone, okay?”

Sarah, who was a nag and liked to meddle in other people’s affairs, looked at them curiously.

The women waved their hands in embarrassment.

“We’ve only been given orders, so we don’t know the details, so…….”

“Why? Is one of the high ranking noble’s husbands cheating?”

The women looked puzzled at Sarah’s question.

Sarah, who took the look as an affirmative, clapped her hands in frustration.

“Oh dear, that’s right.”

In Sarah’s mind, the image of a worried lady of the house, fearing her philandering husband might father an illegitimate child, was already drawn.

One of the women quickly chimed in.

“It must be kept secret. High-ranking people dislike such matters being known…”

Of course, they had orders from above, but they didn’t know why they were being asked to fetch the grass.

They were simply trying to anticipate what the lady in front of them might know and respond accordingly.

Whether or not she got the answer she was looking for, Sarah was pleased with herself.

“See, I can tell just by looking, can’t I? Those kinds of men need to be completely cut off.”

“Um, so where can we find it?”

“Just wait a moment. I’ll give it to you since you need it urgently.”

Sarah dug her hand into her herbal bag before the women had a chance to respond.

After rummaging around in it a few times, she pulled out a small pouch.

“Ma’am……?”

The women looked at Sarah with surprised eyes, as if questioning why an ordinary woman would have such a thing.

Sarah smiled broadly.

“I used to be a midwife in this village. I know a thing or two about herbs.”

“Ah…….”

“Actually, I’m afraid he’s gotten a little too careless in his old age…….”

“…….”

“Try getting pregnant at my age. I’d rather give him a spoonful of this than give him the pill every time, but I can’t even tell him to eat it without drooling at the mention of Livano…….”

Although they didn’t particularly want to know about other people’s marriages, the women did their best to agree with Sarah.

After a while of chattering about how annoying her husband was, Sarah had a sudden realization and put her index finger to her lips.

“You can’t tell him I gave it to you because if he finds out I’ve had it, he’ll cry and make a scene.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Just give him a teaspoonful, and if he’s anxious, a spoonful more. Mix it in his soup, and he won’t even notice.”

Sarah lowered her voice to a whisper. The women nodded.

* * *

The Duke of Travell arrived at the palace a week before the trial was to take place. He carried the medicine that Leonard had requested in his letter.

Leonard greeted him with Tenere.

“I didn’t expect you to come in person, Grandfather.”

“I came to see the wedding and to be prepared in case something should happen.”

Leonard had drugged the duke to render him infertile, and if things went wrong, he would behead him on the spot.

If that happened, he would need someone to protect him.

Although his eyebrows and beard were white, Samuel Travell was one of the three dukes of the Empire.

He would not be a hindrance.

“This is what you requested. It was obtained from someone who used to work as an herbalist in the village where Her Majesty stayed.”

Samuel handed Tenere a small pouch.

At the mention of familiarity, Tenere quickly opened the pouch.

The grass, once as white as snow, was now as white as salt after drying.

“This is how I get her help.”

Tenere muttered softly, remembering the friendly face that told her to speak up if she needed help.

She probably wouldn’t realize that this grass had fallen into her hands.

“I’ll have them mix it up during the inspection, since they’ve been looking for it a lot lately.”

Marquis Salvatore, who had been a nobleman all his life, was finding life in prison increasingly difficult.

His requests for bath water, bedding, and a doctor were becoming more frequent.

The only food allowed to prisoners was food from home, but even that had to be inspected each time.

This was because there was a possibility of smuggling dangerous items, and overly luxurious food should not be given to the prisoner.

“Yes, Your Majesty, then I will keep a close eye on Marquis Salvator’s entourage.”

Samuel spoke as politely as he always did.

Leonard clutched the pouch containing the medicine tightly.

* * *

“She didn’t like …… much of anything sweet, especially fruit.”

“That’s not like me; I like sweets.”

Callian saw Alaina every day.

They dined together like father and daughter, chatting away.

Neither brought up the subject of the imprisoned Marquis.

As if it were an unwritten rule to keep the peace.

But Callian would often visit Isaac without telling Alaina.

Although his brother’s attitude seemed somewhat different from before.

‘He seemed to be hiding something.’

Callian shifted his fork, feeling unnecessarily bitter.

There was no way his brother hadn’t noticed that he’d been spending more time with Alaina lately.

Alaina hasn’t been in or out of the house much, and she’s been acting very quiet.

‘She doesn’t seem to have any lingering attachment to the position of Empress….’

Although Callian had been meeting Alaina frequently for some time, it didn’t seem like Alaina harbored any great ambition for the position of Empress.

There didn’t seem to be any ill feelings towards the former Empress, who would soon return to being the Empress.

Whether she had given up on becoming Empress now or if there was another motive, Callian couldn’t tell.

“Was there anyone else she was close to besides the Empress’s mother?”

Callian looked up at Alaina’s question.

Seeing the look on her face as she waited for an answer, he quickly raised the corner of his mouth.

“There were many who wanted to be close to her. But the only one she would call a friend was the former Marchioness. I suppose she thought they were in a similar situation.”

In a way, it was camaraderie among Cinderellas.

One had gone from being a Patrona to a Marchioness, and the other from being a Baron’s daughter to a Marchioness. They might have felt a sense of camaraderie.

At Callian’s answer, Alaina suddenly thought.

“Does Tenere know too?”

It was unlikely that she knew much about her mother, though she had no doubt they were close.

Ludwig Evan, whom she’d met a few times in social circles, seemed ashamed to have taken Tasha as his second wife.

‘I should have known better.’

The Marquis Evan, who was executed for treason, was said to have held his daughter like a water ghost.

He even cursed her, saying she was a stone woman and would never serve as Marchioness, so it’s no wonder he treated her so badly.

It was easy to see why she was so intimidated and why she kept coming back to her, if she had thought about it.

What was that petty pride for?

“What’s wrong?”

Alaina looked up at Callian’s question.

She looked at her uncle and smiled meekly.

“Just… I feel a bit regretful. It would have been nice to meet someone my mother was close to.”

“…….”

“She must have been lonely, then.”

Alaina smiled bitterly.

Callian looked at her wordlessly. His lips twitched in a small smile, as if he wanted to say something.

“After dinner… would you like to go out together?”

“Where?”

“There’s a dessert shop she used to go to. You’ve probably been there a few times too….”

“You went on a date with my mom?”

Alaina laughed, as if she hadn’t thought of that.

Callian paused, but then laughed nonchalantly.

“She treated me like her younger brother. She used to take me out to distract me when I was alone.”

“I see.”

Alaina nodded and dabbed at her mouth with her handkerchief.

Callian set the finished utensils down besides his plate.

“I’m sorry if I seem to be taking up too much of my uncle’s time, but…….”

“Don’t say that. You’re my…….”

Callian closed his mouth, about to say, out of habit, that she was like a daughter.

Swallowing hard, he continued.

“….niece.”

“…….”

“My brother entrusted you to me, and if I neglect you, I’ll get in trouble.”

“Really?”

Alaina said, sitting up.

“Okay. Then I’ll think of you as my father while he’s away.”

“…….”

“Come on, Uncle.”

Alaina laughed like she knew nothing.

Who did that laugh remind him of, if not Isabelle?

Callian held out his arm to her nonchalantly, as if he didn’t want to give anything away.

‘This child is not my daughter. She is my brother’s daughter.’

Even knowing that, why did such inappropriate desires arise?