Chapter 7
That bastard—he already approached Livanu?
“Who’s there!”
I thought he wouldn’t get involved so soon, but he already has.
What’s worse, unlike the instinctive hostility burning inside me, Grace had to keep her head down for now.
But Grino was drawing closer, step by step.
At this rate, he’d find Grace hiding behind the tree.
And then, suddenly, something black leapt into the air.
Meooow—
A sharp, screeching cry—it was a cat. Grino halted in his tracks.
“Ha… it was just a cat…”
Exhaling in relief, Grino turned back toward Livanu.
They exchanged a few words, then Grino left. Not long after, Livanu also went on his way.
“Haaahhh…”
Only then did Grace, who had been covering her mouth the whole time, slump to the ground.
Livanu’s skin disease had only healed after he reached adulthood.
But those two already knew each other?
How? Why?
Could Grino know?
Or did he have some other purpose?
If so, then what was it?
Grace was bewildered by the unexpected pairing of Grino and Livanu.
Trying to think it through made her feel like her head would explode.
Grino never moved without a reason. There had to be something.
“Damn it…”
When Livanu had come of age and left the Forrette ducal household, that was when he got involved with Grino.
The meeting of a genius mage and a genius swordsman had been the talk of the town.
Back then, Livanu had already been freed from the disease that had shackled him. Within a few years, his swordsmanship had risen to an unmatched level.
True, the pockmarks from long neglect could not be erased, but his talent alone made him a sought-after groom.
“What’s going on here?”
There were still five years left before Livanu came of age.
“…Unless…”
A terrifying thought struck her.
What if it wasn’t Livanu he was after, but a test subject for his experiments?
“Madman.”
Grace couldn’t stop the curse from slipping out.
Targeting the duke’s household?
Sure, finding test subjects was difficult—punishments for human trafficking were harsh. But this was far too reckless.
There were plenty of other families. Why here?
Even if his goal was just to find subjects, there was no reason to approach Livanu.
It was only a theory, but nothing else made sense. Grace raked her hair roughly in frustration.
“Whatever else, if it’s about test subjects…”
That was something Grace could never overlook.
At first, she’d been too afraid, trembling at the thought of being captured again, unable to enjoy her second chance at life.
Later, she forced herself to work through the trauma.
She had moved on, but the memory of her first life ending in Grino’s underground lab still sent waves of rage through her even in her sleep.
She couldn’t stand by and watch others suffer the same fate.
In the end, Grace spent the night agonizing, trying to think of a way to keep Grino away from Livanu.
But nothing good came to mind.
The worst part—she had no idea what kind of relationship the two had, nor how to broach the subject.
“Good morning, young master.”
“…”
“It drizzled before dawn. The earth is damp, and the air is so fresh. Let me open the window for you.”
That emotional distance she thought would close with time felt unbearable today.
So Grace decided to face it head-on.
“Oh, by the way, I saw you going out yesterday.”
“…What?”
Livanu, who had been staring into the void as if determined to ignore her, flinched noticeably.
“Why so surprised?”
“No reason…”
“Where did you go?”
“…Why do you need to know?”
“Oh, no, it’s just—I was worried about you.”
At the word worried, Livanu gave a subtle shiver.
“I just never saw you go outside before…”
“So what, you think I should stay shut inside because I’m sick?”
His words twisted like a coiled rope—bitter and defensive.
Grace quickly waved her hands.
Or maybe he was saying mean things on purpose, just to push her away.
“No, that’s not what I meant!”
“Then what did you mean?”
She wanted him to be honest about who he’d met. Was that so much to ask?
Keeping her face neutral, Grace smiled instead.
“If you went for a walk, then let’s go together!”
“…Together?”
Clearly, he had no intention of telling her who he’d seen. If she pressed, he’d only twist her words. She had to improvise.
“Yes. Since it came up, why not?”
“Now?”
“Yes. A light walk after breakfast is good for your health.”
Whether he refused or agreed, she planned to stick close to him today.
Livanu’s eyes darted, then he said:
“…Fine.”
“…Pardon? What did you say?”
Grace, who hadn’t expected him to agree, blurted in surprise.
“What.”
“Did you just say yes?”
“What, would you rather I said no…?”
“No! I’m glad you did!”
Her face lit up as she began listing all the benefits of a morning walk, insisting he wouldn’t regret the choice.
Livanu listened without a word, picking up his spoon to eat the breakfast Grace had prepared.
He had meant to keep his distance. But the moment she said together, his resolve crumbled.
It had been so long since he’d gone on a walk with anyone.
He couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
“Here, wear this.”
“What is it?”
“A scarf. It’s chilly out.”
He had never worn one before.
Taking the clumsy length of fabric, he looped it around his neck awkwardly. The loose holes did nothing to block the wind.
Grace chuckled softly, stepped close, and unwound it. She carefully wrapped it again, neat and snug.
Her face was so close, Livanu held his breath without realizing it.
“This is how you do it.”
The scarf now sat firmly knotted.
“There are lots of ways to tie it. Want me to show you later?”
“…Later?”
“Yes. With practice, you’ll get better.”
“…Alright.”
Since later had come from Grace herself, it sounded like she meant to stay around.
Livanu couldn’t hide the smile tugging at his lips. He asked her to show him.
Grace’s grin was so bright her eyes nearly disappeared. “Look forward to it,” she said. “There are many ways.”
Lowering his head slightly, Livanu fiddled with the scarf she had tied.
It was warm. Comforting.
He almost forgot he’d meant to keep his distance.
“Here, put these on too.”
She slipped mittens onto his hands before they finally set out for their walk.
Livanu, who usually just threw on whatever clothes when going out, found this careful preparation strangely unfamiliar.
It was too much.
He wanted Grace to stay by his side.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…No reason.”
“Shall we go?”
He thought grimly: It’s too late now.
Even if she decided to leave after a month, like all the other maids, he wouldn’t be able to let her go.
“Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong again?”
Grace, confused, asked nervously.
“No, nothing like that.”
“Then do you have something to say?”
“…Grace.”
“Yes? Go ahead, say it.”
“…Nothing.”
If only he had kept his distance, he wouldn’t be having these thoughts now.
The garden where Livanu lived had been left neglected for so long it looked like a wasteland choked with weeds.
Now, though, it was so clean he could hardly believe it was the same place.
True, some corners were still untouched, but it was a remarkable improvement.
“How do you like it?”
“…There’s a table.”
The wide garden was free of weeds.
On the even lawn stood a sturdy table, perfectly placed in the sunlight—just right for sitting and resting.
And from a large branch hung a swing.
“I made that.”
“…You did?”
“Yes. I thought someday you might come out, so I wanted you to have a place to rest.”
“And the table?”
“Oh, that was discarded in the empty lot across the way. I cleaned it thoroughly, though. Of course, if it bothers you, you don’t have to use it.”
He knew the place had once been full of junk and rubble.
To see it like this now was… surprising.
“Are you alright?”
Grace asked. Livanu carefully sat down at the table.
A thought crossed his mind.
Would she really abandon me, after doing all this?
