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Chapter 07
“Proceed with the contract.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Viola’s face lit up.
The expression that had been stiff with subtle tension just moments ago vanished, replaced by wide, sparkling eyes—the same look as yesterday.
That unmistakable, squirrel-like expression.
“Thank you for giving me this chance!”
She blushed lightly as she smiled, clearly thrilled.
“A chance, huh.”
Whether naive or not, it suited her.
The Duke’s household needed her anyway. Simply being able to prepare the ointment for Dragon Blood made her useful, regardless of her true identity.
Even if she had been sent as a spy from elsewhere, they could still find a way to keep her here. In fact, this proposal was probably welcome from their perspective.
Cain quickly pulled a paper from his sleeve and began drafting the contract. It wasn’t ordinary paper—it was a mana-infused scroll for contracts.
“Let’s confirm again. What conditions do you want?”
“Please protect the Saintess candidate and her guardian, me. In return, I will treat Prince Jaden’s Tamutar disease.”
“Very well. But there’s one more condition.”
“What is it…?”
“This wasn’t just a simple job interview, was it? Consider it passed. But you won’t just treat Tamutar disease—you will serve as Jaden’s personal apothecary for the duration of the contract.”
Her eyes went wide, glowing with a light like fresh sprouts.
“Uh… that’s okay? I thought you might still be suspicious of me… What if I were a spy and gave him the wrong medicine?”
Was she aware she might seem suspicious? Her self-awareness was impressive. Cain couldn’t help but smirk slightly.
“I prefer keeping someone I’m suspicious of close and observing them.”
“Then… fine! I accept the conditions.”
Finally, all the items in the contract were settled.
Cain put down the pen and removed his gloves.
“Your hand.”
Viola seemed to understand and extended her delicate hand.
Without hesitation, Cain took it, slipping his fingers between hers to interlock them.
Her long, pale fingers were completely enveloped by his. Bare skin against bare skin.
Ah!
Viola coughed nervously, embarrassed. She had been brave holding a stranger’s hand during treatment, but this was different.
Her shyness wasn’t non-existent—it simply had her own standards.
Unable to bear it, she turned her head slightly to avoid his gaze. Cain, displeased with her subtle avoidance, gently lifted her chin to meet his eyes.
“You have to look properly. Isn’t this the moment you wanted?”
“Y-yes…”
Finally, her light green eyes met his properly.
Holding hands, they grasped the contract scroll together. A faint, strange glow began to swirl around it.
This meant the contract had been properly sealed. Unlike normal contracts, a mana-infused scroll grants enforcement.
If either party violates the terms, the mana embedded in the scroll will trigger penalties.
“So, is this the completion of the contract process…?”
“As you can see.”
She carefully withdrew her hand.
“Shall we bring the Saintess candidate immediately? She’s at a friend’s house right now.”
“Better attach a knight and carriage, just in case.”
“Thank you! Then we’ll depart right away!”
Bowing, Viola hurried to gather her things. She paused briefly, as if remembering something.
“I… wasn’t sure whether to mention this.”
She spun around and, as she had when first greeting him, bowed at a perfect right angle.
“Th-thank you again for yesterday…!”
“What?”
His instinctive reply reflected his confusion.
“The person I met yesterday… that was Your Grace, wasn’t it? It struck me as strange. Just at the moment I needed a position as an apothecary, one suddenly appears so perfectly.”
She rose gracefully, smiling subtly while brushing a strand of hair behind her ear with her pale hand.
“Thanks to you giving me this chance, I was able to achieve what I wanted. Thank you once more.”
Cain was flustered by the whole situation.
“How did she notice?”
That he was the one.
Of course, he hadn’t deliberately hidden it. There was simply no need to reveal himself.
Cain’s robes and various magical tools were not for concealing his identity—they were for others’ peace of mind.
Just not recognizing him reduced fear.
So Viola had no reason to suspect him. He even used magical tools that prevented facial recognition.
Without being an exceptional mage, no one could bypass those tools. Yet, she didn’t feel any mana.
“How did she know it was me?”
Her response was absurdly simple:
“Your hands.”
“What?”
“Well… I thought they were impressive.”
Viola laughed awkwardly and scratched her cheek.
“I only know how to handle herbs… seeing hands like a skilled knight’s was amazing to me.”
She never imagined they belonged to the Duke. She added sheepishly, still stunned.
“Anyway, I look forward to working with you!”
With that, Viola left the reception room.
Cain remained frozen in place.
After a long while, he looked down at his hands.
They were simply hands marked with scars and calluses, rough from hard use.
I left the reception room pretending to be calm, but my knees soon buckled, and I collapsed to the floor.
Phew… I thought I’d die from tension.
“Still, the plan worked. If things continue like this, there’s nothing to worry about for now.”
It had been worth hurrying before “that incident” occurred.
According to the original story, in a few months, the Temple would artificially create a relic to detect someone with strong Saintess energy.
The priests could possess Saintess power, but they could not detect another’s energy.
That’s why they manufactured the relic—to locate the Saintess.
“In the original story, that relic is essentially what caused my death.”
Melody, who had been living quietly in the countryside, was detected and endangered because of it.
Remembering the original plot sent chills down my spine. Had I stayed passive, I too would have died the same way.
But now, I had nothing to worry about. Many things had changed from the original story.
More importantly…
“The knight was Cain himself.”
I never imagined it. Even throughout our conversation, I didn’t notice.
“He must have been using some magical tools.”
There were countless magical tools in the world. They were ridiculously expensive, so I didn’t know much about them…
“I was completely fooled.”
I had sensed something off the entire time.
The job notice appeared at an incredibly opportune time.
The interview was unusually easy, almost as if I were pre-selected. And the interviewer was the Duke himself.
“It can’t just be luck.”
I kept feeling familiar with him, like I had met him before.
But I couldn’t be sure…
Then, when I saw Cain’s hands, I finally understood.
The thick veins running along the back, long and graceful fingers, the shape beautiful yet scarred and calloused.
“Dragon Blood’s healing is so strong, scars barely remain.”
Yet these were heavily scarred.
It meant he had overworked himself without giving his body a chance to recover. Treated like a tool rather than a human being.
“Right… he didn’t even flinch when his hands were stained with monster blood.”
I now had some understanding of the path he had walked.
I was standing dazed in the corridor when someone called:
“Miss Viola?”
“Oh, yes!”
Being addressed as “Miss Viola” was a little strange since I had been raising Melody, but before I could respond, the knights approached.
We went straight to Catherine’s house and brought Melody back.
Returning to the Duke’s residence,
“Uh…”
Melody seemed a little scared of the unfamiliar place.
“You don’t need to be afraid. This will be where we stay from now on.”
“Uh-uh?”
“Now, let’s greet the Duke properly.”
Thump-thump. My heart was racing.
The flow was different from the original story, but it resembled the beginning: the heroine meeting the childcare “father.”
Unlike the original, tense story, the atmosphere was calm.
Melody rolled her eyes, then gave a small bow, but that was all. The child ran straight to me, whining.
“Mom!”
“It’s okay. Silly little thing.”
“Uh-uh. Mom…”
I teased her lightly, and her tension eased, her previously tight lips puckered.
But then, Cain, approaching from the side, suddenly froze.
“…Mom?”
“Huh? What did you say…?”
“The Saintess candidate… she’s… your daughter?”
“Oh, yes!”
“Not a sister, but a daughter?”
Even with his expression neutral, Cain’s eyes seemed confused.
