76 – 76. Drawn Chapter (2)
-Square, square.
A quite familiar sound came from right next to him.
Soon, apples, each cut to the size of a mouthful, were placed on the plate.
“Amidst that, some were even shaped like rabbits.”
The noble’s daughter was demonstrating exceptional skill in this task.
This woman was truly extraordinary.
Camilla was an exception, most wouldn’t even touch it.
“You said you needed a lesson. Isn’t reading books enough?”
Harnier complained as she picked up a piece of apple to eat.
“If books were enough, you wouldn’t be asking me all these questions.”
“Ha. Unbelievable.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Do you even know how many questions I’ve asked Confucius so far?”
“Why do you even bother to co…”
Crunch.
As if to silence Harnier, he put the apple into her mouth.
“I couldn’t even fill five fingers. If you haven’t even asked five questions, what’s the point of asking me to teach you?”
“Yew shpeak shtrange?”
“Of course! Any noble would say the same. No one grasps this page in less than an hour. But if you haven’t even asked five questions, why do you need me?”
She says that if I keep watching her write, it seems like I haven’t grasped it properly.
From a teaching perspective, it’s quite disheartening.
“Hmm… Is that so? For a senior in high school taking the college entrance exam, it shouldn’t be that intense.”
I continued to chew on the apple in my mouth, lost in thought.
“Sigh. Well, thanks to you, I’ve saved some time from being chewed out at the mansion. I should be off now.”
“Why’s that?”
“Pardon?”
“You said you’d be chewed out at the mansion. If that’s the case, you might as well stay here. You’ve got a plausible excuse to do so.”
“Well, I…”
Her violet eyes wandered around.
“If you’re going to use the excuse of being with your injured fiancée, you might as well stay. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
“Sometimes we use each other in times like this. I, too, am avoiding the Duchess by claiming to be nursing my fiancée.”
There seemed to be no reason to go back, no immediate need to leave.
It must be a dilemma.
“I helped with the trial as your fiancée, so I’ll stay one more day and send a letter to the mansion. Then everything should be fine.”
Harnie, who had been contemplating for a moment, sighed deeply and sat back down on the chair.
Then, she cautiously asked me.
“May I make a request…?”
Seeing her shy request, I felt an urge to tease her for no reason.
“Of course, there will be compensation. Right here.”
“Compensation?”
I stabbed the apple with the fork.
And then, I pushed it into Harnie’s mouth.
“Hmm?”
“Where’s the harm in feeding you an apple and cutting you off? You should eat too.”
Honestly, the wind that came in so abruptly felt like it pierced my throat. It made me slightly flustered and made me feel like I had to reciprocate.
Of course, I didn’t actually intend to pierce her throat.
“…”
But, there was no response whatsoever.
Harnie shook her head, remaining silent.
I carefully fed her, but… Could it be that I really hurt her throat?
“Are you… alright?”
Scratching her cheek, I asked, and Harnie raised her head suddenly.
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She, who was shivering, began to approach me step by step.
“Why are you… doing this?”
“This, this…!”
“Huh…? Wha…?”
Suddenly, I sensed danger.
This person, is she serious? Judging by how her hand reached up there…
‘Is she trying to hit me like back then…?’
No. I can’t just hit her without knowing what’s going on!
Let’s try to come up with some excuse!
“Uh, did I make a mistake or…?”
“You’re asking me that now?!”
“Uh, yes.”
I really didn’t know.
Returning the apple to her mouth with a fork wasn’t that big of a mistake, was it?
…Or was it?
‘If there was something about getting angry when Harnie eats an apple…’
In the meantime, Harnie took another step closer.
I don’t know if it’s my mood, but she seems angrier than before.
“Oh, you don’t know. Yes, you were that kind of person.”
The hand shot up again.
“Then shall we just go ahead and take it?”
Oh. Other people might be captivated by that smile in an instant.
Why does it seem like a deadly smile to me?
Unconsciously, I took a step back.
Maybe it’s the mood, but it feels like I can see the future…?
Before I knew it, I was pressed against the wall beyond the bed.
I tried to come up with a final excuse.
“Harney, are you feeling unwell…?”
“No. You seem very, very healthy. You move so gracefully.”
“I feel dizzy and weak because I haven’t eaten anything…”
“Apologies. You did eat, right? It’s just that you’re not hungry.”
“Do you feel like you might collapse at any moment?”
“Oh no? Karsein Gongja looks very energetic.”
Huh, it’s not getting through…?
…Damn.
I had a hunch.
It felt like the same palm imprint from back then would be engraved on my back.
“Not once, but twice, twice…!”
hahahaha, let’s just take it.
…In my experience, getting hit quickly hurts less.
-Whack!
“Ugh!”
The spike hitting my back right after getting up was quite spicy.
***
Pushy profits.
Camilla showed up with a meal just when I heard those words emitting heat from my back.
“Doyen…? Is everything alright here?”
Harney quickly intercepted before I could answer.
“Nothing happened.”
“Really…?”
“Nothing at all.”
Although Camilla seemed puzzled as to why Harney was speaking up when I was the one being questioned, I couldn’t come up with anything to say either.
With Camilla behind me, Harney, as if signaling not to say anything, was glaring with sharp eyes.
‘I was about to ask Camilla if something was wrong, but…’
She seemed determined not to allow that, judging by how fiercely she was staring.
…I started sweating profusely.
“Oh, nothing happened.”
“But your complexion…”
“Oh, my complexion! It’s fine! I probably look like this because I just woke up. hahahaha.”
“Alright…?”
Camilla gave a quizzical look once again.
“I remember your complexion wasn’t that bad when you got up…?”
“Oh? Ah, that’s it! I’m just so hungry, that’s all.”
…”
Does that make any sense?
Even though I didn’t hear a voice saying that, Camilla’s eyes seemed to be implying just that.
I get the suspicion, Camilla.
But, I have no choice.
If I even slightly mention it now, it feels like another palm imprint from Harney will appear on my back.
“Ah, ahahahaha! I’m hungry, should I eat now?”
You know you’re suspicious too!
But if I get hit with another flame spike, I might not even be able to eat that rice…?
Please catch on. Camilla.
Without asking what had happened.
After briefly exchanging a solemn prayer with Camilla and Harnier, she quietly began preparing the meal.
Glancing at Harnier, the axe-like gaze was gone.
‘Phew, I’m alive…’
Only then could she breathe a sigh of relief and sit at the table.
The spread on the table was not particularly extravagant.
It might seem obvious, but there were people who didn’t know the obvious.
In that sense, Camilla was clearly different from Clare.
‘I brought everything that I can digest easily.’
Moreover, as a clear indication of her kebab allergy, she had separated parts of each dish on the plate and even placed antihistamines next to them.
It wasn’t just about being meticulous.
Camilla may have been more knowledgeable about Karsein than anyone in this household.
Seeing Harnier sensibly packing the food he would eat into a kit, Camilla could potentially be helpful in this chapter.
Furthermore, Camilla was a maid. The position was just right.
“I will go out. Please enjoy your meal.”
“No. Wait a moment, Camilla.”
“Young master?”
I got up from the dining table and handed her a letter.
It was a letter to be sent to the Viscountess Theresa as a courtesy as I had written in front of Harnier earlier.
“It’s a letter to be sent as a courtesy. I’d like you to deliver this to my mother and get a sense of the atmosphere.”
“Understood, young master.”
First, I needed to know how far Episode 2 had progressed.
The progress bar was still silent, but at this moment, there was no one more suitable than Camilla to dig out information.
Camilla nodded slightly and soon appeared, deceiving everyone’s eyes perfectly by bringing drinks to avoid suspicion.
“How did it go?”
“Well…”
Camilla hesitated a bit before answering.
“You mentioned that once the young master recovers, you plan to attend the Eastern Nobles’ Conference together.”
“…Did Mother personally say that?”
“Yes, young master.”
No wonder Camilla’s tone seemed to convey something.
It seemed like Isabella had spoken so straightforwardly.
First, the Eastern Nobles’ Conference.
If that’s the case, the decision is not final.
The next schedule is likely to be decided by me.
“Anything else?”
“You mentioned you would change the painting in the central corridor of the Bagramd Viscount’s estate.”
“The central corridor…”
Harnier seemed a little surprised too, covering his mouth with his hand.
The picture in the central corridor was a family photo.
And it didn’t just depict Karsein, who had caused trouble at the time.
‘What a visible act.’
Well, do as you please.
I won’t interfere with that, as it belongs to you.
‘Right now, the most important thing for me is where Chapter 2 will progress from.’
I got up from the dining table and took out a note and a map.
The sketch was quickly drawn on the map, and once the markings were done, it was handed to Camilla.
And finally, this time, Emma handed over the remaining money she embezzled.
“Go there and take care of what’s inside. No matter how much money is involved, don’t worry about it and spend it freely.”
“Your Grace.”
Camilla glanced at Harnier discreetly.
Thorough as always. Perhaps she was conscious that her fiancée might retaliate upon hearing such important matters.
“I see. Camilla, this servant, there was a reason behind your sending my letter this way.”
Harnier seemed somewhat relieved upon hearing this.
“No need to worry. This engagement is a contractual one, where both parties have pledged to support each other to achieve their goals.”
“A contract… for an engagement?”
“Yes. It’s a relationship where we help each other to achieve our objectives. So, you don’t need to worry too much.”
“Camilla, as Harnier says.”
Even I nodded in agreement, and the sense of caution disappeared.
Even seeking forgiveness for doubts. Having the correct noble mindset, Harnier urged her to lift her head quickly.
A few more words were exchanged, and once alone, Harnier smiled and asked me.
“It’s been a while. Seeing such proper caution. And moreover, your demeanor is not like that of a servant.”
“Camilla was originally a noble.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. I relinquished my status due to my mother’s magical illness.”
“I see. That explains why your grace remains intact.”
After understanding, she muttered something while glancing at me.
“Yes?”
“It’s nothing.”
I didn’t know what she said.
But, somehow, Harnier’s face seemed brighter than before.
I don’t think there will be any more misunderstandings like earlier.
***
Before we knew it, night had fallen.
With the help of Carcine, Harnier, who had briefly felt a sense of liberation in the manor, was able to slightly change her thoughts about meal times with others, which she always disliked.
Meal times were simply occasions for a few questions and answers, but thanks to that, Harnier was certain.
It was really lucky to have caught this man under contract.
“Do you know, Carcine? People with such eyes are rare to come by.”
Camilla’s gaze still lingered vividly.
The suspicion in those eyes, which had been heavily guarded against the owner’s secretive instructions leaking out, was not just about persuasion or suggestions.
“It’s loyalty. And you must have shown immense mercy to that servant.”
For Camilla, Carcine was not just a plausible master but would be a lifelong benefactor.
That’s why she was lucky.
He was a good person.
To the extent that she wanted to tell her past self, who had worried about what if he turned out to be a villain.
“Well then, I should repay the favor I received, shouldn’t I?”
Before retiring to the guest room guided by Heron, Harnier picked up a pen and began writing a letter.
[To Mina.]
[I’m sorry for the sudden request, Mina.]
[Could you help me investigate the Shatren Territory?]
…
…
Harnier is investigating a possible rival ?