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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: An Offer You Can't Refuse
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While Brandon aged at an alarming rate, Alison opened her mouth with a solemn expression.
“We were still just seeing each other. We were considering marriage, but I’ve decided not to see him anymore.”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s difficult for a single woman to raise a daughter, and we had common interests, so I’d been relying on him… I must have been out of my mind from desperation.”
Alison took Erica’s hand.
It was a sign that she no longer needed a husband who would hit her daughter.
“Thank you, truly. I know I have no right to ask, but please take care of my daughter.”
“That’s only because your daughter is so capable. Oh, and even when she makes it big, she has to make my requests a priority!”
“My skills are still lacking, but thank you for believing in me. I should be the one repaying your kindness, so I’ll study hard and do my best to be of help.”
It was the answer Lumina wanted.
‘If I can get a talent like Erica on my side, there’ll be nothing I can’t do.’
A smile naturally formed on Lumina’s lips.
“If any problems arise, I’ll contact you separately. For now, please leave before Sir Ash arrives.”
After thanking her profusely, Erica and her mother rose from their seats.
Lumina thought to herself, her eyes fixed on their retreating figures.
‘The future keeps changing.’
Erica would no longer be called an ill-fated genius, and Lumina would no longer die an early death.
Her mind reeled at how a single choice could so drastically alter the future.
‘The Duke did say he’d give me a fortune I could never earn in a lifetime if we divorced.’
If she took that and left, she could live a life of luxury.
‘It’s not that I don’t trust Duke Heart, but…’
There are always ‘what ifs’ in life.
She didn’t know when or how her choices might create a butterfly effect, so she didn’t want to put all her eggs in one basket.
‘And my relatives.’
What Lumina had done to them so far was more like a childish prank, laughable to even be called revenge.
She needed the power to properly retaliate against her relatives, who, though quiet for now, would surely become a nuisance someday.
To do that, she needed a little help from the person sitting next to her.
“Little Madame.”
Lost in thought, Lumina stared at the mother and daughter without blinking.
Brandon, mistaking her gaze for something else, called out to Lumina in a worried voice.
Lumina had never once felt parental affection.
He deduced that she was staring endlessly at the affectionate mother and daughter out of envy.
“Mister Brandon. I have a favor to ask you.”
“Yes, tell me anything, Little Madame.”
Brandon looked at Lumina with a wistful gaze.
What kind of favor would she ask?
Surely she wouldn’t ask him to act as a loving father, even for a moment?
He was indulging in such fantasies when she spoke.
“I’m going to do an acrostic poem with the word ‘Okay.’ Give me the syllables.”
…Okay?
All of a sudden?
Though bewildered, Brandon still felt a great deal of pity for Lumina, so he obediently gave her the first syllable.
“O.”
“Once this cure works, you’ll be mine.”
“Kay.”
Seeing Brandon shout ‘Kay’ without any suspicion, Lumina gave him a sly smile.
“Perfect. If you take that antidote and are completely cured, you become my subordinate.”
“…What?!”
Brandon, realizing too late that he’d just entered into a verbal contract, reacted a beat too slow.
“You want me to be your subordinate?”
“Yes. Just act as you do with the Duke.”
Simple and easy, right?
Brandon let out a hollow laugh as he looked at Lumina, whose expression seemed to say just that.
He was nearing forty.
Yet he’d never imagined he would hear something like this from a twelve-year-old kid.
“If I say no, are you going to take this medicine away?”
“No. If that was my plan, I would have snatched the packet from you the moment Erica gave it to you.”
Lumina gave a slight smile.
“That medicine is yours.”
Brandon looked at Lumina with suspicious eyes. He couldn’t figure out her intentions at all.
If she wanted to make a deal, holding his life in her hands would have been the easiest way. Why?
“I don’t make such petty threats. Besides, threatening someone doesn’t make them completely yours.”
What Lumina wanted was a competent person of her own who would not betray her.
“Instead, you watched from the side as I saved you. To be honest, you’re curious now and want to come work for me, don’t you?”
Lumina was right.
An unheard-of information network.
Unstoppable drive.
And even a cunning that burdened her opponent with heavy debt at minimal cost to herself.
Brandon had never seen someone so meticulous since Lucius.
“Are you asking me to be a double agent?”
“It’s not impossible. It won’t be much different from what you’ve been doing anyway.”
Because of the binding spell, Brandon couldn’t tell Lucius about his current condition.
And since Lumina was involved in this matter, he couldn’t honestly report her recent activities.
Hadn’t they gone out together today, deceiving Lucius?
Until now, Brandon had been Lumina’s hands and feet behind Lucius’s back.
“Don’t worry. This isn’t about betraying Father. I have no intention of antagonizing him, nor do I have any ulterior motive to steal his secrets.”
She simply needed an aide who could secretly handle her external activities for her.
And there was no one as suitable for that role as Brandon.
“Then let me ask just one thing.”
“…”
“How on earth did you know the name Calvados?”
Brandon also wanted to ask how she knew about Erica.
But he had a hunch that if he asked this question, his other questions about Lumina would also be answered.
“Calvados, you ask. As for how I knew that name…”
Lumina said slowly, drawing out her words teasingly.
Brandon focused on Lumina.
It was then.
“Ugh.”
Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his face. It was a pain that had been visiting him frequently these days.
*Drip, drip—.*
Brandon’s face began to melt again like a viscous liquid.
Considering it usually became unbearable late at night, this was far too early.
‘So this was her plan from the start when she insisted I not wash.’
Her constant questions about when he would wash, and her telling him not to wash today.
“Looks like it’s time. There’s no better way to check if a medicine works than taking it when you’re in pain, right?”
“…”
“Erica mentioned earlier that when she tested it on a slime, it was cured immediately after taking the medicine. I hope you recover just as quickly.”
She had acted as if she was about to answer how she knew about Calvados.
Brandon was disappointed that he didn’t get an answer.
He could take the medicine later, so just as he was about to ask his question again…
“Sir Ash is here.”
*Flinch.*
Brandon flinched.
Lumina was looking out the window.
Ash was walking towards them, carefully cradling a box of egg tarts.
“You don’t want your beloved son to see you like this, do you? Hurry up and drink the antidote.”
“What if the medicine doesn’t work?”
“It happens to be raining, so you’ll have to run out into it immediately.”
Lumina shrugged.
“Wasn’t your appointment with the person called the Doctor in about two days? There’s no more time to look for another antidote, so I guess today’s the day it all gets decided.”
“…”
“Either the medicine works, you’re fully cured, and you come work for me; or you betray my father; or you die.”
Lumina said, counting on her fingers.
“You can’t avoid the worst-case scenario anyway, so what are you hesitating for?”
Her tone was nonchalant.
“I told you before. The less you have to lose, the more freely you can raise the stakes. You only live once, so have some confidence.”
Those weren’t the words or the look of an ordinary twelve-year-old.
Brandon, who caught a glimpse of madness in the girl’s pink eyes, opened the packet.
Inside was a transparent cylindrical glass vial.
An antidote of an indiscernible color—perhaps purple, black, or green—sloshed inside.
Staring at the obviously unappetizing liquid with anxious eyes, Brandon squeezed his eyes shut.
And…
*Gulp—.*
He swallowed it in one go, without even tasting it.
“How is it?”
Unable to answer, Brandon immediately covered his face with his hands and bowed his head low.
*Clang.*
The glass vial fell to the floor.
*Jingle—.*
And at the same moment, Ash entered the cafe.
“Sir Ash! Over here, over here! Did you get the egg tarts?”
“Yes.”
Ash’s gaze, after his blunt reply, shifted to the person sitting next to Lumina.
A woman with her head bowed, her long hair hanging down like a curtain, covering her face with her hands.
No, his disguised father’s condition seemed unusual.
“Ah.”
For a moment, he almost called out ‘Father.’
Ash caught himself and shut his mouth.
“Sir Ash, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
Ash shook his head, trying desperately not to look at his father, who was pretending to be a maid.
“Hannah’s family had to leave early because something urgent came up. Isn’t that a shame, Hannah?”
Lumina asked Brandon in a tone of genuine regret.
Brandon, in his guise as Hannah, slowly rose from his seat.
Still covering his face with his hands.
