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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Undetectable
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I slipped the envelope into my handbag.
I was about to stop carrying around the paper Mera had given me and put it in the bag as well when Menelik asked.
“Winter is in a meeting. Shall we go and wait for her together?”
“How did you know I was going to see Mother... Gasp! You saw it?!”
I glanced back and forth between the paper with Mera's handwriting and Menelik.
He gave an awkward laugh.
“I'm sorry to startle you. When you have as many enemies as I do, you can't help but develop a keen eye.”
...He already has so many enemies. If he annihilates House Mayol on top of that, Winter might actually die from overwork!
With my sister's backing, House Mayol's prestige was growing by the day.
Even for a ducal house like Nectarian, it would be difficult to escape unscathed.
Besides, if anyone else had said it, I would have dismissed it as a rather extreme form of comfort, but Menelik seemed entirely capable of carrying it out.
I once again screamed my vehement opposition internally and mumbled aloud.
“Do you think Mother would have time to spend with me? She seemed very busy today.”
“Even if she doesn't have time, she'll make it.”
Menelik held out his hand.
Before I knew it, I had taken his hand and was following him.
But no sooner had we reached the meeting room than the door swung open.
Winter was dressed in simple trousers, her long hair tied back in a single ponytail as if it were a nuisance.
And the moment she saw me, she smiled.
“Did the tea party go well? Did anyone bother you? Are you hurt anywhere?”
It was the fourth time I'd been asked that. It meant everyone was worried about me, so I didn't find it tiresome in the least.
“I'm back safe and sound! But is the meeting over already?”
“I'm ending it now. It was all pointless talk anyway.”
“That's... so harsh...”
Hey, someone inside just got their feelings hurt.
“Don't mind them. They're too scared of Rick to even step out the door.”
Winter swept me up into her arms.
She seemed displeased by how easily she could lift me.
“Viscount Rose was right to worry about your slow recovery. All our hard work fattening you up has gone to waste because of those Temple bastards.”
Winter was looking me up and down when...
“Young Duchess! You're as lovely as I'd hear—”
Just as someone else inside began to speak, the meeting room door slammed shut with a bang.
Having kicked the door shut to cut off the sound, Winter muttered nonchalantly.
“Should I feed her some restorative food... But what's the use if she can't even digest it...”
Winter furrowed her brow.
“This is definitely not normal. Could they have placed a curse on her?”
What? A curse?
“Do curses like that exist?”
“Well, I'm sure we could find one if we looked.”
Menelik answered instead.
Suddenly serious, Winter started running with me still in her arms.
“Mother?!”
As if unwilling to waste even the time it would take to go down the stairs, Winter leaped from the second floor.
Her destination was the tower where Emil stayed.
Winter set me down in front of Emil, who looked like he had just woken up.
“Check if she's been cursed.”
Emil was just as taken aback.
“All of a sudden?”
“It's my mistake. No matter how young she is, Cheria is a person just like me. I shouldn't have overlooked her being this hopelessly weak. There must be another reason.”
So lamented Winter, who was nearly 180 centimeters tall, could jump from the second floor unscathed, and could lift a massive wolf with one arm.
Menelik, who had followed at a more leisurely pace, whispered to me.
“She may not look it, but Winter is being serious. The only children she knows are Kivrin and you. It's a rather difficult basis for calculating an average.”
In other words, to Winter, who knew little about children, my body's condition was on the level of a curse.
Emil approached me with a bewildered expression.
“There's no harm in checking, but...”
“Start now.”
My shoulders tensed up unconsciously.
Fortunately, Emil's assessment didn't feel as unpleasant as the Pope's blessing had.
Menelik, sensing why I was nervous, gently stroked my hair.
“Hm? I don't feel anything.”
Emil tilted his head.
Without taking his hand from my head, Menelik asked.
“Then why the long face?”
“It's not just that I can't feel any trace of a curse. The Young Lady is clearly standing right in front of me—I can see her, I can touch her—but my magic can't detect a thing. It's as if the very space she occupies has been painted pitch-black... Ugh, why am I getting goosebumps?”
I had no idea what he was talking about.
Nothing can be detected by magic?
Blinking my eyes, I looked up at Menelik.
My father-in-law also wore an expression that said, *What nonsense is this?*
“So is there a curse or not?”
Winter pressed.
“I don't think so. ...Probably.”
Emil answered, his voice lacking confidence.
Could it be that Emil couldn't detect me because I was the second snake?
Perhaps this was my ability.
In exchange for my pathetic stamina, I could keep my true identity hidden from both the Pope and Emil.
I gazed at Winter's worried face.
Menelik had let it slide, but I knew I had to tell Winter, too.
Emil scratched his head.
“I'll need some equipment to be sure. Please wait a moment.”
“Tsk.”
Winter clicked her tongue.
Ugh, if my theory is right, I'm going to feel terribly sorry for Emil.
Taking advantage of Emil's absence, I approached Winter.
“Um, Mother. I have something to confess.”
As I stood on my tiptoes, Winter leaned down.
I whispered softly.
“Maybe Emil can't see me because I'm a snake.”
Winter let out a small laugh.
“How adorable. Do you like Kivrin that much?”
Huh.
“That's not it! I mean, I do like the Young Lord, but I think I'm also a snake!”
Winter still looked as if she'd just heard an amusing joke.
“Then can you transform into a snake or some other creature?”
“No...?”
“That's strange. Kivrin said he thought he could if he tried hard enough.”
Why would he need to try hard...?
My pupils trembled.
B-But Kivrin's past self didn't deny that I was a snake, did he?
Winter sat on the sofa and, out of habit, pulled me onto her lap.
“Whether it's true or not, what would you have done if I'd used that as an excuse to reject you?”
“I suppose there would be nothing I could do, but... it would be a shame to deceive you when you're so worried about me.”
Winter paused for a few seconds, then hugged me tightly.
“So cute... You know, the truth is, I'd like you even if you were an earthworm.”
“...”
No, *I* wouldn't be okay with that.
“Besides, it's fine to lie about things related to your survival. God hates many things, but there's a reason snakes in particular are ostracized. Ah, that's right. Should I tell you a secret of my own to be fair?”
My ears perked up at her words.
“Your secret, Mother?”
“Hehe, the reason I keep growing this cumbersome hair is...”
Just then, Emil returned, carrying some palette-like objects.
“I modified something our family used for paternity tests. It should still work.”
...Maybe I should take back feeling sorry for Emil.
Slightly peeved that I couldn't hear Winter's secret, I asked.
“You do paternity tests?”
“Our family is a real mess, we have seven illegitimate children... Ahem, let me show you how it works.”
At Winter and Menelik's icy glares, Emil quickly got back to the point.
“You just have to place your hand here. If an artificial wave caused by magic is detected, the paint will change to a different color. Like this.”
When Emil placed his hand on it, the white paint was stained a deep color.
I grew curious.
“How did it change when it was used for paternity tests?”
“If it was a match, it turned red. If not, there was a bit of excruciating pain... Ahem, ahem, it won't hurt at all if you put your hand on it now! I swear on my father's life!”
Swearing on the life of a father with seven illegitimate children didn't reassure me in the slightest.
Suddenly, I thought of Cesar, who was said to have grown up in an orphanage.
Could Cesar be one of the seven illegitimate children Emil mentioned?
“Swear on your own life, too.”
Winter, who seemed to find it as ridiculous as I did, said grimly. Emil grew sullen.
“Yes, ma'am...”
I poked the palette lightly with my finger.
It seemed fine, so I placed my palm on it, but it remained still.
“I suppose the Young Lady isn't cursed after all, but is simply constitutionally wea— M-My Lady, please spare me.”
