-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: My Enemy Sister Cares For Me
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In her previous life, Calein had violently destroyed and occupied countless territories. Even Carnai, which had no interaction with the rest of the Empire, was no exception.
It was thanks to that fact that I had briefly employed a maid from Carnai.
On her first day, she had prepared food with Yellow-Green Herb and, seeing my surprise, explained the root's efficacy.
She said it not only prevented poisoning but could also cure those already afflicted.
She explained that brewing the root into a tea or inhaling its steam would create a potent elixir capable of neutralizing various poisons, including those from the Yellow-Green Herb's leaves.
‘And she showed me a fairy tale book as proof.’
The herb was initially unknown in the Empire because it was rare and its root was particularly unsightly.
Theon's poisoning was likely due to accidentally consuming a single flower that bloomed in unusual weather. Or perhaps he had mistakenly ingested something someone possessed for a curse.
A brief silence fell. I met his gaze, doing my best to appear clueless.
Though, judging by the dazed expression on his face when he finally spoke, he didn't seem entirely fooled.
“...Even if I ask how you knew, Lady Harper, you won't answer, will you?”
“...”
“Very well.”
Theon slowly rose to his feet. The two of us descended the remaining steps in silence.
Could I leave now?
I had certainly shocked Theon, but our business was finished, wasn't it?
I took a step or two towards the heavy door, about to bid him farewell.
“Um, I'll come again the day after tomorrow at twelve...”
“Come at seven.”
“Pardon?”
I turned in surprise, and Theon was looking at me with a serious expression.
“I will teach you how to interpret the cartography method. Be here no later than seven o'clock two days from now. If you are late, your punishment will be to transcribe a hundred scriptures.”
Stunned into silence for a moment, I only grasped his meaning a few seconds later.
He accepted me. Theon Arpen!
He was willing to be my teacher, even if only for a short period.
Slowly, a smile spread across my entire face.
“Answer me, Lady Harper.”
“Yes!”
I replied loudly, unable to hide my delight.
Even as I pushed the door open with my whole body and ran down the hallway, I couldn't contain my excitement.
I could learn the true shape of the continent, drawn with the most precise cartography method in the world.
This life would be different from my previous one. I would make it so.
***
“…Insane. The root of the Yellow-Green Herb.”
Theon muttered in the empty library.
It was a cough that had plagued him for nearly half his life, ever since his impoverished mother, not knowing what it was, had brought back Yellow-Green Herb leaves for him to eat when he was twelve.
The burning sensation in his throat was so familiar that he couldn't even remember a time when he was healthy.
He had never truly slept soundly due to the incessant coughing day and night.
After he acquired some money, he tried medicines and sought doctors, but no one knew the cure.
Half of them didn't even know the name of the herb, Yellow-Green Herb.
“It can be cured this easily?”
A hollow laugh escaped him. But the book's content was clear, no matter how many times he reread it. There was no reason to insert false information into an educational fairy tale book.
“Lady Harper, just what *are* you…”
He recalled her effortlessly reading a magic book written in the Ancient Language just moments ago.
She claimed to have learned it on her own, but was that even possible?
It was true that the patterns of the Ancient Language, used by mages of the Empire long ago, were similar to the Imperial Language, but discovering the rules of their differences and naturally mastering it was by no means easy.
It was impossible without a unique sensibility and immense innate magical power.
Even the Imperial Family's First Prince, Calein Bayan, struggled with Ancient Language interpretation due to his lack of that very sensibility.
“So it's the Luperne in her, after all.”
Theon gave a wry smile. Harper Luperne possessed considerable talent yet acted as if she were completely unaware of it herself.
It was also a mystery where she had heard about the Yellow-Green Herb. Did she even realize the monetary value of this discovery?
Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the water bottle dangling in his hand. He had taken it when his cough flared up and forgotten to return it.
A sky-blue bottle with small floral patterns, resembling Harper's eyes. She seemed to like cute things, being a child. It suited her quite well, too.
Slowly gripping the bottle with his fingers, Theon found himself smiling unconsciously.
It was because he remembered Harper's back as she handed him her own bottle with her tiny hands, then energetically scurried off on her short legs to fetch the fairy tale book.
“It's a pity, Lady Harper.”
Theon murmured softly.
“If only you hadn't been born as Lady Callista's sister…”
***
“Closer. Look closer. What's the fastest route for one person to travel from Bennan to Luthen?”
“Hmph.”
I glared at the map, eyes wide.
“You must internalize how to understand multiple spatial dimensions in your mind. It's not merely a theoretical problem.”
It was the fifth day. Theon had called me at dawn and immediately made me sit in front of the map.
He made me stare at the map until my eyes hurt, then spent hours making me memorize all sorts of place names. Thanks to him, I felt like I could now recall the continent's geography with my eyes closed.
“From Bennan, ride a horse to Lichen Territory, then find a portal in this forest that connects to Valid, and after that…”
As I hesitated, glancing at Theon, he offered a small hint.
“Let's say there's a very, very urgent matter. Something like a thousand gold hanging in the balance.”
A thousand gold!
“Then you just have to jump from Kanaen Falls! It connects to Luthen's beach via a portal!”
A thousand gold! Wasn't that enough money to tolerate breaking a leg jumping off a waterfall?
Having had my runaway funds extorted by Calein in my previous life, I was a bit sensitive when it came to money.
“That's correct.”
Theon nodded, as if his values regarding money aligned with mine. He seemed to be trying to suppress it, but a small smile played on his lips.
“You've learned well. You'll be able to read them on your own now.”
“Really?”
I asked excitedly. It was rare for Theon to give praise.
Just as he said, I had learned enough about maps. He had said it would take a month; he must have lied to scare me.
I felt like I now had some understanding of the continent's previously incomprehensible layout, and even the principles of creating and connecting portals.
I finally did it. Just before Callista returned.
Theon's smile faded, and he stared intently at me. He had a habit of looking at me that way whenever I grasped something new.
He opened the sky-blue bottle he was holding and took a sip of tea.
An unsightly plant root lay at the bottom of the transparent liquid.
“Uncle Theon, aren't you coughing anymore?”
“Thanks to Lady Harper, I'm almost completely recovered. Brewing and drinking the root proved effective.”
He said, looking into the tea with a newfound expression of wonder.
Judging by his improved complexion and the smooth skin from getting more sleep, his words seemed true.
“Then…”
“Do you have another request for me? If it's a reward for curing my illness…”
“Give me my bottle back.”
“Cough!”
Perhaps flustered by my unexpected answer, he coughed, something he hadn't done, and spat out water.
Jena gave me that!
On the first day, I hadn't brought my bottle, and ever since, Theon had subtly been carrying *that* bottle around, drinking tea from it.
It was a tiny, child-sized water bottle.
“Here it is. I didn't realize you cherished it.”
Theon carefully maintained his composure as he placed the bottle in front of me.
Seeing him red-faced from choking, I felt a little sorry for him.
He's only human; it's natural to covet something cute.
“…If the water bottle is pretty, should I get you one too, Uncle?”
“I don't covet such things. Besides, this water bottle is tacky.”
He replied quickly, as if my suspicion was deeply embarrassing.
What?!
What's wrong with pink floral patterns!
“…And I'm not an uncle. I'm still far from getting married.”
Theon added after a moment of silence.
His expression was resolute, as if he meant to clear up all accumulated misunderstandings now that the topic had come up.
“Pardon?”
I asked again, flustered.
How old was Theon, anyway?
The Theon I remembered had always been an adult, so I'd never thought to consider his age.
He doesn't want to be called 'uncle,' huh.
A hypothesis about what Theon might want popped into my head. Though it was severely unfitting…
“Y-you don't mean ‘brother’?”
“Don't say such preposterous things. My youngest sibling is twice your age.”
He harshly rejected the title I had painstakingly come up with.
Staring blankly at him, wondering what on earth he wanted, Theon sighed and spoke again.
“Just call me Theon, Lady Harper. That's how you address a butler.”
“Theon…”
I tried calling him, as if speaking a friend's name.
A subtle softness seemed to flicker in his stern eyes behind his glasses.
***
“Lady, wake up quickly.”
Jena's voice woke me up early in the morning.
“Mmm…”
My lessons finally finished after a week, couldn't I just sleep in a little…?
“Quickly, Lady. The carriage's arrival time has been moved up.”
“Arrival time?”
“Lady Callista, I mean.”
“Gasp!”
I felt the last vestiges of sleep instantly vanish. I threw off my blanket and sat up.
Today was the day. The day Callista was coming to the mansion.
