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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: My Enemy Sister Cherishes Me
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The memory of that day, when Callista purged Igard, was shocking even to recall.
His body, hung on the castle walls, unrecognizable and pecked apart by birds, still vividly appeared in my mind.
It was around that time that Callista began to actively try to assassinate me. It was as if she had decided to eliminate everyone who could potentially replace her in the council.
‘If Vittori had lived, perhaps she could have stopped Callista.’
This was why I was looking for her. The possibility that if the kind Vittori were alive, I might have experienced fewer assassination attempts.
Well, even if the outcome was still having to run away, it would at least buy me some preparation time, wouldn’t it?
“Young Lady? Did you hear me?”
Theon’s voice pulled me out of my recollection.
“I did.”
My mind was spinning at a frantic pace.
I had found Vittori. Since I’d even greeted her, there was only one thing left to do.
I had to save her. I had to save her, no matter what…
“Theon.”
I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“How many Yellow-Green Herb roots are left?”
“…I had bought about thirty roots, but ten of them are now useless.”
He tilted his head, answering as if the topic was unexpected.
“Give me just three of those.”
I said, my tone quite firm.
“…If you wish, I can give you all ten.”
“No, just three for now. That’s enough for research.”
Perched on the bed, I hopped down in front of Theon.
“And tell me the way to the Academy.”
“…It’s not difficult.”
Theon looked as if he wanted to ask for the reason but said no more.
I diligently racked my brain, which had been sluggish from sleep, and began to formulate a plan. There was someone I needed to visit soon.
Vittori Mueller, my future benefactor. And I would bring her a precious gift.
What could possibly make a scholar lose their mind? A new discovery, of course. Vittori would begin her research the moment she received it.
And she would be grateful to me.
It was the best gift. And good gifts are meant to be recycled. Why couldn't I use on Vittori what I had used on Theon?
“Theon, I won’t go to the library tomorrow.”
When I said that, Theon pondered for a moment, then nodded without further questions.
Vittori, a lifetime late, but I’ll protect you now.
So that later, you can protect me.
***
“It’s cold today. Please wear this bunny hat that comes with matching socks.”
“Thank you, Theon.”
As expected, Theon was thoughtful.
Having changed from my pajamas into casual clothes, I meekly offered my head so Theon could place the soft, fluffy hat on me.
The moment the hat was on, Theon’s lips seemed to press together tightly, and he trembled slightly, but it was probably my imagination.
He had listened to my explanation that I would tell Vittori about the Yellow-Green Herb’s efficacy, then, without a second thought, gave me the three Yellow-Green Herb roots he had purchased.
Not only that, but he also wrote a note briefly explaining the herb’s medicinal properties for Vittori and slipped it into my pocket.
I exited the room, holding the Yellow-Green Herb wrapped in a handkerchief in one hand. The long, fluffy ears of the hat drooped down on either side, dangling with each step I took.
Clatter, clatter, clatter—
I practically bounced down the stairs, left the main building of the mansion, and headed towards the Academy via the path behind it.
Creak—
Opening the door of the pristine white building, I saw dozens of doors lined up along the clean corridor.
Behind each door, there would be countless academic spaces: a painter’s room, an architect’s room, a literature room, and so on.
This building had been constructed by the previous Duke to cultivate talented individuals within the Luperne household.
Hold on a second, how do I find the medical research lab?
The mansion grounds were vast, and my memory was hazy. No, to be honest, this was my first time ever visiting this place.
“…Is this it?”
I stopped in front of the largest room in the center of the Academic Institute’s first floor.
The Luperne Ducal Family had traditionally emphasized medicine and produced many renowned physicians, so wouldn’t the largest room be related to medicine?
If I was wrong, I’d just say I got lost. I was a child, after all.
Knock, knock— Click.
There was no answer to my knock, so I opened the door and stepped inside. The research labs of the Academic Institute were originally open for members of the Luperne household to freely enter and exit.
“Wow…”
Instead of the expected scent of medicine, what unfolded before me in the room were bookshelves packed tightly with white books and a large desk. A vivid blue carpet lay on the floor, contrasting with the white.
Though much smaller than the Central Library, this room, which appeared even neater because of its size, was clearly someone’s study.
Someone very clean, probably a perfectionist, and very high-ranking, authoritative, and intelligent…
“What are you doing in my study?”
The moment I turned to leave, a voice echoed from behind the bookshelves. A familiar, chilling voice that made the hairs on my neck stand on end.
“To enter here without permission, you’re quite bold.”
Slowly turning my body, I saw two figures, previously unseen, leaning against the bookshelf.
Long, flowing silver hair and deep, dark blue eyes fixed on me were the first things I noticed.
‘Callista.’
I instinctively turned my gaze to the other person to avoid making eye contact with her.
“I thought it was an assassin… but it’s a young lady.”
Dark red hair similar to Vittori’s, black eyes, a longsword at his hip, and a hand gripping its hilt.
There was only one knight authorized to carry a sword within the Academic Institute.
Aramis Mueller.
“Being young doesn’t guarantee you’re not an assassin.”
Callista approached me, who was frozen in place, and scanned me up and down before pointing at the handkerchief in my hand. More precisely, at the flower petal peeking out from it.
“Did you bring a poisonous herb in your hand, attempting to poison me?”
“Oh, no! I was going to give it to Vittori…”
I waved my hands in panic, but Callista only frowned further.
“To think you’d try to assassinate your prospective attending physician first, I suppose I should commend you for your thoughtful planning.”
“In that case, you’ve found the wrong room.”
Aramis stood beside Callista, still on guard, and looked down at me.
“To kill Vittori, you should go to the second floor, Lady Harper. This is His Grace’s study.”
What?
He seemed perfectly willing to sell out his own twin if it meant getting me away from Callista.
“It’s Yellow-Green Herb. A little causes a cough, and a lot leads to death.”
Callista naturally took the Yellow-Green Herb from my hand, held it in her right hand, and examined it from various angles.
“It’s not poisonous.”
“It’s not?”
She chuckled as if amused, then pinched both my cheeks with her thumb and middle finger, forcing my mouth open.
“We’ll find out if you eat it.”
Callista brought the Yellow-Green Herb closer to my open mouth. My heart sank, and I struggled to pull my face away, but my body wouldn’t budge an inch.
Just as the pretty, dangerous yellow petals were about to touch my lips, Callista tilted her head and pulled back the arm holding the herb.
“How curious.”
“Huh?”
“Last vacation, you were cooped up in your room, skin and bones, but now…”
She briefly released her grip on my cheeks and adjusted her hand position. She squeezed my right cheek with her thumb and forefinger.
“Your cheeks are very soft.”
Callista set the Yellow-Green Herb down on the floor, bent one knee, and sat down, taking both my cheeks in her hands and stretching them out.
Perhaps because I had been gorging on sweet desserts for the past few days, my cheek fat had indeed increased quite a bit.
What was this? Was this a new kind of torture from the heartless Callista?
“Ah… Ahan’t.”
“Bear with it.”
Callista lightly ignored me, continuing to pull and stretch my cheeks as she observed me.
“Luperne’s clear blue eyes, but a color more like the sky than the sea… Is this inherited from Grandfather?”
“Grandfather?”
“Yes. He had large, light blue eyes similar to yours.”
I had never met my grandfather. All I knew was that he was more capable than my father, succeeded in everything he touched, be it politics or business, but failed miserably at raising his children.
So, was this a curse that I, too, would fail at raising children?
“An assassin who openly carries a poisonous herb, though… it seems you didn’t inherit Grandfather’s meticulousness.”
“I’m not.”
“And that bunny hat is far too conspicuous. It may be warm, but you’ll never succeed wearing something like that.”
“I’m not an assassin…”
“Then will you eat it yourself?”
“No.”
“If you don’t want to, confess quickly. Then, just once…”
Click—
While Callista was kneading my cheeks and interrogating me, the study door opened once more, and a woman about her age entered.
“Young Lady, you’re here… Oh?”
Red hair and large, dark eyes. A face identical to Aramis’s, except she was shorter and had a slightly more smiling expression.
Vittori’s eyes widened when she saw Callista pinching my cheek fat.
I felt a deep surge of welcome in my heart.
“You’ve arrived, Vittori.”
“What are you doing to the child?!”
She blinked a few times, then, seemingly understanding the situation, shouted.
As expected, she was kind. To take my side. Emotion swelled in my heart once more.
Callista finally released her grip on me and stood up. Her calm expression hadn’t changed in the slightest.
“I’m interrogating an assassin wearing a bunny hat. She says you were her target.”
Aramis, who had been standing with his arms crossed, answered casually on Callista’s behalf.
“Then you should have told her it was on the second floor! Why were you pinching her cheeks?!”
“I did. She pinched her cheeks because they were soft.”
Vittori naturally took my hand and pulled me away from Callista. It was something unimaginable for anyone else, but Callista let Vittori do it.
Vittori smiled kindly and said to me,
“Little Young Lady, my laboratory is on the second floor. If you want to kill me in the future, you should come there.”
Vittori said the exact same thing as Aramis, completely unfazed.
“I wasn’t trying to kill you…”
Just how common was assassination in this blasted household?
I knew there were many who coveted the Luperne Ducal Family’s position while the Duke was incompetent, but I hadn’t realized it was this bad.
In my previous life, I thought only I lived a dangerous life. It suddenly occurred to me that many people had died earlier than I did.
To clear up the misunderstanding before it was too late, I picked up the Yellow-Green Herb from the floor and offered it to Vittori.
“I came to give you this as a gift.”
Well? Aren’t you grateful? Do you know how amazing this is?
I shook off the humiliation of having my cheeks pinched moments ago and put on an arrogant smile.
“This is what…”
“You’ve acquired a rare poisonous herb. However, it’s unsuitable for assassination, and the poisonous petal part itself is too small. For assassination, snake venom or red-headed bird venom…”
“It’s not poison! It’s medicine!”
When I yelled out at Vittori’s frustrating answer, all three pairs of eyes focused on me at once.
“Medicine…?”
