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chapter 18
Anna and Lily were overjoyed to see that I had fully recovered.
Lily followed closely behind me like a baby duck, chattering nonstop about everything that had happened while I was bedridden.
She nitpicked every little thing from one to ten, but her flushed face told a different story.
After boasting for quite a while, she suddenly remembered and told me that Killian had asked after my condition several times.
Come to think of it, he was unexpectedly diligent about his duties as a husband.
In the original story, Killian and Cielina’s married life was skipped over entirely, so it was only natural not to know what it was really like until experiencing it myself.
Looking back, I felt a little sorry for having guarded myself, assuming I would be treated with coldness and contempt.
My game of push and pull with the goddess failed in just one day.
That was because the image of the sea-anemone-like head gradually turning transparent and disappearing kept popping into my mind.
Now that I knew this fragile body was being powered by the goddess’s divine energy, I couldn’t help but worry about her safety.
‘Let’s go check.’
After getting ready, I left the room.
Standing where Gabriel should have been was a hulking knight I’d never seen before, nodding off.
‘Right, they said they rotate shifts at night.’
I recalled the knight’s name that Gabriel had mentioned.
“Sir Jensen?”
The man, who hadn’t noticed my presence, sprang upright like a coiled spring and stood at attention.
“S-S-Sorry!”
Despite his grizzly-bear-like build, his face up close looked quite gentle, making me smile unintentionally.
“Harkin Jensen of the Schwarz Knights. It is an honor to meet you, Duchess!”
He shouted loudly and dropped to one knee.
Suppressing the urge to ruffle his bushy orange hair, I held out the back of my hand.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Jensen.”
“Please call me Harkin.”
Just as he was standing back up, Gabriel came up the stairs.
“Gabi— no, ahem, Sir Tomer.”
Harkin, who had been about to wave cheerfully, stiffened and straightened his posture after glancing at me.
‘So Gabriel’s nickname is Gabi?’
Still, calling her “Gabi” right now felt a bit much.
“Good morning, my lady.”
As if affirming my thoughts, she greeted me stiffly, her face devoid of any smile.
“Then I will return to the knights’ order.”
“Thank you, Harkin.”
“Not at all.”
Harkin left behind a pleasant smile until the very end.
“Today, I’m going to the annex.”
“Yes.”
Without being asked, Anna had prepared baskets full of cookies and candies.
“I wasn’t sure what the young lord and young lady might like…”
Even though she trembled in fear at just the thought of seeing them from afar, she clearly cared deeply about the children.
“I’ve liked everything Anna has prepared so far. I’ll be sure to ask which one they like best.”
Moved, she handed me the basket she had been holding with both hands.
Gabriel stepped forward and took it instead.
“I’ll carry it.”
“Let’s each take one.”
“But—”
“I can handle this much.”
In the end, Gabriel handed me a smaller basket.
“If it gets heavy, please ask me to carry it at any time.”
“I will.”
We shared the baskets and walked quietly along the narrow path together.
Gabriel was the first to break the silence.
“My lady, if I may be so bold, may I ask you something?”
Anything seemed better than this awkward atmosphere.
“Of course.”
Without even glancing my way, she asked,
“What kind of plan do you have?”
“A plan…?”
I echoed dumbly in surprise, but quickly understood what she meant.
“Is this about the children?”
Apparently deciding there was no need to be cautious anymore, she asked bluntly,
“With the ability you possess, can you lift their curse?”
I answered honestly.
“If I could, I would have done so already.”
Wasn’t that obvious?
For the first time, emotion flickered in her gaze as she stared at me.
It lasted only a brief moment, but it was unmistakably scorn.
“Isn’t that so?”
Annoyed, I threw the question back at her.
“That’s a relief.”
At her unexpected response, I had no choice but to ask sharply,
“What do you mean?”
She calmly explained,
“It means I’m relieved that your ability isn’t strong enough to lift the curse.”
“What did you say?”
My voice rose without me realizing it.
“If I was rude, please forgive me. But I could not lie, on my honor as a knight.”
I wasn’t sure whether to call this shamelessness or honesty.
Though I was dumbfounded, ending the conversation here wouldn’t satisfy my pride.
“Since you’ve already been rude, go on.”
Thinking I wasn’t serious, she closed her mouth.
“I trust that someone who values a knight’s honor wouldn’t pick a fight with the lady of the house without reason.”
“I had no intention of picking a fight—”
I continued without allowing Gabriel to interrupt.
“Are you truly satisfied ending the conversation like this?”
She had indirectly revealed that she hoped I would not lift the children’s curse—an opinion completely opposed to my own desire to free them if I could.
I pointed that out.
“You dismissed me as wrong without offering any valid reason. To me, it sounds as though you refuse to acknowledge me as your mistress. Is that the case?”
Though she tried to hide it, her fluster was obvious.
“If that’s so, I will lodge a formal complaint with Killian, who recommended you.”
That confident threat was the decisive blow.
She blinked in shock, then bowed her head.
“Please forgive me, my lady.”
Her face, cold as carved marble moments ago, flushed red and blue.
“I only—”
“Only?”
Moistening her dry lips, she continued in resignation.
“I merely wish for the head of the family’s position to no longer be endangered.”
Everything clicked.
‘If the children’s existence comes to light, they’ll threaten Killian because of the ducal succession.’
She truly was a loyal knight worthy of Killian’s trust.
“I understand your position well, Sir Tomer.”
I decided to end the conversation there.
My irritation hadn’t faded, but it was still good that I had heard her out.
‘Honestly, I was so overwhelmed with my own problems that I hadn’t even considered what would happen after the curse was lifted.’
As long as I lived as the lady of this household, Killian’s problems were my problems too.
‘Just in case, I should prepare.’
By the time I finished resolving that, we had arrived at the annex.
“I’ll go in alone.”
Now that I knew Gabriel didn’t feel kindly toward the children, I didn’t want her entering their space.
She hesitated briefly, then seemed to understand and handed over the baskets without protest.
“Cielina!”
At the sound of the door, Irene came pounding down the stairs.
“Irene, it’s been a while.”
Irene’s eyes went straight to the baskets in my hands.
“Snacks!”
“That’s right, snacks and candy.”
“Did Anna give them to you?”
“Yes, Anna made them this morning just for you and Erhi.”
Irene spoke as if she were already close to Anna, which was both adorable and heartbreaking.
Since she always said Anna made the snacks every time they were brought over, Anna had already become something like an angel in the children’s hearts.
‘I wish Anna could gather just a little more courage.’
I had once suggested that she greet the children, but she had declined.
“Until the curse is completely lifted, it would be better not to meet them. I mustn’t hurt the young lord and young lady by making a mistake.”
She likely meant she wasn’t confident she could stay calm if the children unexpectedly reverted to their beast forms.
‘That makes sense.’
Putting aside my regret, I waved to Erhi, who appeared at the stair railing a moment later.
“Erhi, hi!”
Instead of running down, Erhi hopped lightly over the railing.
“Oh!”
A gasp escaped me.
The black wings rising from Erhi’s shoulders were clearly visible.
“Cielina, can you see the wings today too?”
Irene asked with sparkling eyes.
“Yes, I can see them clearly. They’re really cool.”
“Cool?”
“Yes, cool. They look bigger than before.”
“Hehe.”
Irene puffed out her chest as if she were the one being praised.
‘The wings definitely started appearing from that day.’
From the day the children were pushed to the brink of losing control, their wings began to show.
‘They only shimmer faintly like shadows unless they’re fully spread, though.’
Erhi flew proudly up to me, then pretended nonchalance as if nothing had happened.
Still, it was obvious he was paying close attention so he wouldn’t miss my praise.
Here you go—more praise.
“Erhi, how do you fly so well? Can you teach me too?”
The corners of Erhi’s lips lifted, pushing up his chubby cheeks.
“But Cielina doesn’t have wings.”
Such a cute kid.
“Then I’ll make you fly instead.”
“You will? How?”
When I asked with wide eyes, Erhi grinned.
“It’s a secret.”
Irene, who had been circling around us, pouted.
“I don’t like secrets!”
I giggled and gently squished Irene’s cheeks.
