MDRH 84

Chapter 84

Cookie relayed everything the baron’s aide had said without missing a word.
From the story about the ancient relic, to how Archmage Arkel would soon return with the materials to activate it.
And even that they planned to use Elize to set fire to the place where those materials were stored.

[I almost got caught while listening in! That aide guy had such sharp instincts. I just shifted a little and he instantly noticed—whip! He turned his head right at me!]

“What? You didn’t get hurt, did you?!”

[Not at all! Is this my first day on the job?! I quickly flattened myself against the wall and listened to the rest!]

“Oh my, how clever! My Cookie!”

[Eheheheh!]

Cookie rubbed his face against Lucillea’s palm, grinning brightly. While stroking him, Lucillea tilted her head.

“But… an ancient relic? What could that be?”

[That part they didn’t say! Looked like it was written in a letter, but they tossed it into the fire, so I couldn’t bring it back.]

“I see. You did well, Cookie.”

[I did good?!]

“Of course! You did so, so well!”

Puhihihit! Cookie, feeling proud, bobbed his head up and down.
As she petted the back of Cookie’s head, Lucillea sank into thought.

What kind of relic was so important that they would even plan arson inside the Grand Duke’s residence?

‘It can’t be something like a device to test the evidence Elize brought.’

The ducal house had already dealt with countless impostors like Elize. They were already skilled at telling real from fake—no relic needed.

‘Then… could it be… a tool that verifies blood ties?’

Yes… the evidence was real, so the next step would be another test.
And to activate the relic, materials were required. Without even one of them, it wouldn’t work.

‘But they said they’d burn the storage where those materials are kept…?’

That was as good as a confession.
Proof that they were not truly of the Grand Duke’s blood.

Sigh… Lucillea let out a weary sigh.

‘What could be more foolish than that…’

Then suddenly, a thought struck her, and she caught her breath.

‘Wait… they must know they’d be suspected first if a fire broke out.’

And yet they still planned arson?

Perhaps…

Lucillea murmured softly:

“They might be planning to frame someone else for it, so no one thinks they started the fire themselves…”

***

That night, Lucillea was plagued by nightmares.

But she wasn’t the star of the dream.

It felt like she was drifting endlessly in warm, cozy water, with no sense of direction. She couldn’t open her eyes, couldn’t move her limbs.

She felt as though she had become part of someone else—someone consumed by immense sorrow and fear.

Then—

From across the water came a muffled, low, cold voice.

“Hand it over.”

A man was demanding something.

“I can’t do that.”

A woman’s voice, moist and trembling, refused.

With her words, emotions poured into Lucillea—desperate resistance, a fierce will to protect something, a crushing urgency.

“I don’t want to kill you.”

The words rippled through the darkness like waves.

“If you take — away from me—”

“So there’s no choice. I’ll kill you—…”

Their voices came fragmented, as though breaking apart in the water.

Instinctively, Lucillea curled up.

She couldn’t tell whose voices they were, but terror gripped her chest until her heart shrank.
Just hearing the exchange filled her with unbearable dread.

Terror.
Not hers, yet searingly vivid, as though it tore at her own skin.

She was swallowed in overwhelming fear unlike anything she had ever experienced, barely able to cling to her sanity.

Then—flicker.

“—Hah!”

Lucillea jolted awake.

Huff, huff, huff…

Her body was drenched in cold sweat.

‘What on earth kind of dream was that?’

She sat up, wiping her forehead with the sleeve of her nightgown, glancing around.

There was Cookie, dozing in his cage.
The fire in the hearth flickered faintly, and silver moonlight streamed through the window.

Her ragged breath and racing heart gradually calmed.

‘Why such a dream…?’

She often dreamt of monsters, or of being killed by the future Serdian.
But never a dream this revolting and suffocating.

‘Not even back in Mille village did I dream like this.’

Even in her darkest days, she had never felt such horrific sensations in a dream.

Her fingertips still trembled with the lingering fear. She clasped her hands tightly.

‘Ugh… I already have so much to think about. Why did I have to dream this too…’

Maybe it was accumulated exhaustion. Or maybe her mind was overburdened with the whole Elize affair.

But then—

“I don’t want to kill you.”

That heavy voice echoed again in her mind.

‘Strange. I’ve heard that voice before.’

The woman’s voice was unfamiliar, but the man’s—she had definitely heard it somewhere.

‘Who was it?’

She searched her memory, but no one came to mind.

***

Morning came.

Boooom!

An explosion rang out from Lucillea’s laboratory.

Sitting in the corner reading, Serdian waved away the thick smoke billowing past his eyes.

“At this point, I can’t tell if she’s making potions or explosives.”

Perched on his shoulder, Cookie nodded as if he understood.

“Chirp chirp! Tweet! Peep!”

“Oh? You think so too?”

“Cheep!”

“Smart one.”

Serdian gently petted Cookie’s walnut-sized head.

Then Lucillea emerged from the haze, coughing.

“Cough! Not explosives—it’s a potion! A potion!”

She flung open the window, letting the smoke drift out.
Turning back, soot smeared on her face, she crossed her arms and declared boldly:

“I’m developing a potion so incredible, it’ll shock not just the Empire—but the entire continent!”

Serdian closed his book, smirking.

“Well, you’ve certainly managed to shock the ducal house. Every morning—with your explosions.”

“Wha—! Serdian, you—!”

Lucillea puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him.
Serdian tilted his head as he studied her face.

“But… did you even sleep? You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.”

“Huh? My eyes?”

Lucillea fumbled at her face, then went to the mirror.

“Ah…” She sighed softly.

“Must be from that nightmare I had last night.”

She’d already been staying up late thinking about Elize’s group. After the nightmare, she couldn’t get back to sleep, tossing and turning until dawn.

“Nightmare?”

“Yeah. But it’s normal at my age, right? I heard nightmares help you grow taller!”

“One or two nightmares won’t cut it, then.”

“Hey!”

She snapped, but Serdian only chuckled, rising from the sofa and walking over.

Up close, she was a mess.
He brushed bits of dried herbs out of her tangled hair.

“Take it easy.”

“…Huh?”

Lucillea blinked up at him.

Serdian’s crimson eyes met hers squarely as he continued.

“Sometimes it feels like you’re running from something.”

Her eyes trembled faintly at his words.

“You don’t really seem like the type trying to win the Grand Duke’s favor. So why do you look like you’re always trying to prove yourself?”

She didn’t know what he meant exactly. But she did know—his words pierced the very feelings she tried to avoid facing.

The scraps of ingredients scattered on the workbench rustled in the faint breeze.

Lucillea tried to suppress the stirring in her chest.

‘So sharp in moments like this…’

He always acted indifferent, but more than anyone, he seemed to observe her closely.

Instead of answering, she scratched at the floor with her toe.

Her anxiety about escaping the villain’s fate.
Her impatience to leave the ducal estate and live freely.

Maybe all of it was manifesting in her constant need to prove herself.

After a pause, she forced a crooked smile.

“What, do you keep a daily observation journal about me or something?”

“Observation journal?”

“Like—‘Today, Lucillea looked like she was being chased by something.’ That kind of thing.”

Serdian narrowed his eyes and scoffed.

“No need to write it down. It’s obvious just by looking.”

“I’m that easy to read?!”

He smirked.

“Obvious is boring.”

“Huh?”

“I mean—slow down. Even if you fall behind a little, no one’s going to kick you out of the ducal house.”

“….”

Lucillea stared at him.

Really?

‘If I fall too far behind, won’t I be cast out?’

As if reading her thoughts, Serdian added:

“I won’t let that happen.”

“…!”

Her eyes widened slowly.

Sunlight streamed through the lingering haze, illuminating Serdian’s face.

Damn…

‘He really is the male lead, huh…’

So cool…!

“…What’s with that face?”

Serdian recoiled in alarm, but Lucillea burst out laughing and clung to his arm.

“Let go!”

“Nooope!”

Their bickering echoed through the laboratory.

That day, Lucillea received unexpected comfort from an unexpected person.

Comfort that felt both awkward and embarrassingly heartwarming.

And perhaps tonight, she would find herself sleepless again—for a different reason.