IDVM 15

~ Chapter : 15 ~

Brian was a doctor, but he had studied magic for a short while and was someone who could read mana.

“I reassured them by saying that Sir Brian knew a way to ease the symptoms, and sent them back.”

He had kept hidden the fact that Vivian’s condition improved when she was near Rachel.

Both Kalts and Owen thought Vivian was a rather clever child, but that was it.

Rachel’s constitution could not be revealed.

“It’s fortunate that the girl became Rachel’s playmate by chance….”

For that child, and for Rachel as well.

Vivian’s illness would ease, and Rachel could absorb that much more mana and grow stronger.

By coincidence, in the very village where they had come to conceal Rachel’s power, lived a child with a rare illness that could strengthen Rachel’s power—and by chance, that very child caught their eye and became her playmate.

So many coincidences overlapped that it was almost suspicious.

‘Sometimes in life, fortune just comes like this.’

Either way, Kalts now had one more reason to welcome that little commoner.

“And it seems the young lady herself has taken a liking to Vivian as well.”

At Owen’s words, a flicker of interest passed through Kalts’s eyes.

Even in the capital, they had tried attaching several playmates to Rachel, but she had shown little interest.

Vivian had originally just been a cover to conceal Rachel’s identity; no one expected the two girls to actually get along….

“That’s good news.”

Kalts rose and walked over to the window—a place he habitually sought whenever he had something to think about.

At that moment, a familiar figure appeared at the mansion’s front entrance.

It was Vivian.

And there was a man helping her into a carriage.

It was Kalts’s first time seeing Dias, but since father and daughter looked so much alike, he immediately knew who it was.

‘He must have come to pick her up after hearing she collapsed.’

But….

‘That face… it looks strangely familiar.’

It was clearly a face he had never seen before, yet it felt oddly familiar.

He tried to take a closer look, but the man climbed into the carriage just then, hiding his face from view.

Soon the carriage departed.

Kalts searched the depths of his distant memories and suddenly recalled someone with a similar face.

‘But that man… is dead.’

With narrowed eyes, Kalts watched the carriage disappear from the estate grounds, then called for Owen.

“Owen, look into Dias Hessen’s past in more detail.”

It was unlikely his memories were connected, yet it would do no harm to make certain.

Inside the carriage on the way home.

I swung my legs happily.

‘Hehe, I’m glad things worked out well.’

When I collapsed from pain, it had been terrifying.

But thanks to that, I now had a solid reason to stick by Rachel as her friend.

‘And I managed to land a blow against that nanny who never liked me, too.’

But above all—

‘I really became friends with Rachel.’

Memories tend to become romanticized.

At the time I was so sick I nearly cried, but now it felt like the pain had been bearable after all.

‘Well, I can afford to think that way now only because I don’t have to suffer that pain anymore.’

Anyway, since I’d solved the problem of becoming Rachel’s friend, the next step was….

‘Preventing Rachel from falling into darkness.’

I had finally succeeded in befriending her, but if Rachel rebelled like in the original story?

‘There’s no way Rachel, the villainess of the original, could defeat the male lead Alan.’

If that happened, not only Rachel but also her closest attendant—me—might be executed.

Of course, if I left her side before she rebelled, I could save my own life….

‘But I don’t want to abandon Rachel just to save myself.’

I could still see vividly the Rachel who, fearing abandonment, had bristled at me, and the Rachel who had looked at me with genuine concern.

I didn’t want to betray that heart.

‘For now, I’ll help Rachel grow up happily.’

If I could relieve the stress from the emperor’s oppression, maybe I could prevent her from turning dark.

While pondering ways to make Rachel happy, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze and looked up.

My eyes met Dad’s, who was quietly watching me.

Then I noticed something different about him.

“Dad, where are your glasses?”

“Huh? Ah….”

Dad reached instinctively toward his face and only then seemed to realize he wasn’t wearing them.

“I was so distracted I forgot. No wonder men kept staring at me. What if I end up charming even men like this?”

Dad said it jokingly, but I had seen it.

In that brief moment when our eyes met, the fear that had always lingered in his gaze disappeared.

I had seen that look before.

‘Whenever I was in pain, Dad was afraid.’

Afraid he might lose me.

‘I’m all he has left now….’

Mom had died of illness when I was too young to even remember clearly.

And Dad’s family had cut ties with him even before he married Mom.

When I asked why, Dad never really answered. But the important thing was this—

Now Dad only had me.

‘So when he heard I collapsed, he must have been terrified.’

Only then did I realize how frightened and shocked he must have been.

And I felt sorry.

I suddenly threw my arms around Dad’s neck. I felt him startle.

“…Vivi?”

“Don’t worry too much, Dad.”

I won’t be sick anymore.

“I’ll listen to the doctor and get better soon. And then I’ll live a long, long time with you.”

I couldn’t reveal Rachel’s secret yet, but I said as much as I could to reassure him.

After a moment of silence, Dad held me tightly.

“Yes, let’s do that. We’ll definitely make it happen.”

His voice sounded a little watery, but I decided to pretend I didn’t notice.

After all, it’s embarrassing for a grown man to cry.

…Not that I got choked up too, of course.

As I patted Dad’s broad back, I made a vow.

‘I’ll definitely twist this into a happy ending.’

For my poor dad, who only had me to rely on!

A few days later.

I returned to the estate again.

The scenery was the same as ever, except for one thing—

“Young Lady?”

Rachel was waiting in the central hall of the mansion!

As usual, I was greeting the maids when I spotted Rachel and hurried over.

“Were you waiting for me?”

But Rachel turned away, avoiding my eyes.

“No.”

“Really~? But it seems like you were.”

“No.”

“Then why are you out here?”

Rachel hesitated before making an excuse.

“…To tell you to come inside the mansion instead of the greenhouse.”

But she could’ve just told a maid to deliver that message.

The fact that she came here herself could only mean she had been waiting for me, right? Hehe.

Still, since she seemed embarrassed, I decided to play along.

‘After all, today’s the first time we’re meeting properly since opening our hearts the other day. She must be shy.’

I grinned and changed the subject.

“Alright, fair enough. Anyway, what should we play today?”

“…I haven’t thought about it.”

Even as she rolled her eyes at my cheeky tone, Rachel still answered earnestly.

“Hmm… Oh! Can I look around the library? When I passed by before, it looked huge.”

As I spoke, I unconsciously grabbed Rachel’s hand while she walked a half-step ahead of me.

She froze instantly. I felt her hand flinch in mine.

‘Ah. Is she going to pull away?’

Last time she had held on because I had just collapsed and she’d been softened.

But today, there was no guarantee she’d let me hold her hand.

I braced myself for rejection—

Just then, a shadow fell behind us, and a familiar voice spoke.

“You’re here, Vivian.”

“Hello, Mr. Steward.”

The butler smiled kindly, as always, and delivered his message.

“The Duke wishes to see you.”