🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 9
The important thing wasn’t that, so to lighten Aria’s mood, I linked arms with her and spoke in a cheerful voice.
“No way! Today, you and I are partners, Aria! I like you more than Your Highness Leonit!”
“…Really?”
“Of course. You’re the person I’m closest to, Aria. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s right!”
Aria’s mood immediately lifted, and I silently followed wherever she led me.
Wearing cute outfits and performing awkward dance steps with our hands clasped together, we drew soft laughter from the people around us.
‘I hope Leonit is happy too.’
I briefly glanced in Leonit’s direction before turning my gaze away.
After all, sometimes growing up requires standing on your own.
I’m bored.
Very, extremely bored.
I attended the simple basic etiquette class with Aria, but aside from that, I had to stay in my bedroom.
The physician had insisted on complete rest, warning that symptoms could appear anywhere, anytime.
The Duke and Duchess Maynard bought me this and that to prevent boredom, but it didn’t fundamentally solve the problem.
‘What good is knowing the cause of the illness if I can’t fix it?’
Sigh.
A deep, frustrated sigh escaped me. Feeling like I might turn into a big lump if I stayed lying down, I got up and headed to the window.
The season had warmed enough that the sunlight felt warm on my cheek.
As I stared blankly outside for a while, a knock at the door interrupted me.
“Come in.”
When the maid entered with something in her hands, my face twisted in dismay.
“Miss, it’s time for your medicine.”
The bitterness must have been jaw-clenching, because on the tray with the medicine was a large candy.
I stared at the dark concoction, wondering if it was even safe to eat, and sighed.
“…I don’t want to take it.”
It was a genuine feeling from deep within, but the maid seemed to think it was childish whining and couldn’t hide a smile.
“But you need to take it to get better. Today, I brought candy from the place you like. Young Master Daniel specially got it for you.”
“Lil Carman?”
“Yes. It’s a newly released candy. They say each piece has multiple flavors.”
My childlike body craved the sweet candy desperately. After a moment of hesitation, I braced myself and picked up the bowl.
Squinting my eyes, I gulped down the medicine and opened my mouth wide to show I had finished.
The maid quickly shoved the candy into my mouth.
“Ugh, it tastes awful…”
Apparently, making delicious medicine was nearly impossible.
While I rolled the candy around in my mouth to push away the bitterness, another knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
My tongue refused to move properly, making my words slurred.
It was Aria. She appeared holding a large book, and the maid left the bedroom with the tray.
“Did you take your medicine? It must’ve been gross.”
I nodded in empathy.
“Mother said we have to take one more class. What if I get too tired?”
Aria sighed as she lightly tapped her small fists on her shoulders like an adult who hadn’t slept for three days straight.
Her cuteness made me bite my lower lip to suppress my laughter.
“Want some?”
I offered her the remaining candy, but she turned her head with a huff.
“No. You bought it, so I won’t eat it.”
But her glances toward it were telling.
I handed her the candy and said,
“But it’s really tasty. You can taste both apple and grape.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. I purposely left some so we could share.”
Well, sometimes little white lies are okay.
Aria seemed deeply moved by my claim that I saved it for her. She sniffled for a moment before seriously picking up the candy.
“In that case, I have to eat it.”
As she popped it in her mouth, her cheeks twitched.
Watching her enjoy it, I turned my attention to the book she had brought.
“Can I read this?”
It was titled A Beginner’s Step in Theology for Everyone, a book on theology studies.
Aria nodded, indicating it was fine.
Turning the first page, I noticed illustrations covering one side—likely made to help understand the content.
The content matched what I already knew. As I casually flipped through, I noticed a new scribble I hadn’t seen before.
“Riela… Maynard?”
I read it unconsciously, and Aria shyly burst into a grin.
“I was just thinking… It’d be nice if Riela were my sister! I only have an older brother, so I was curious what having a sister would be like…”
She fidgeted her fingers in embarrassment, and I had to clench my fists.
Otherwise, I might’ve hugged Aria and kissed her.
“And soon, that might actually happen!”
I just turned my gaze at her, puzzled by what she meant.
“What does that mean?”
Really, I’m going to become Riela Maynard?
Changing the surname of a noble child was rare. It only happened if parents completely relinquished their rights over the child or if something happened to the parents.
Could something have happened to Riela’s parents?
To figure out what was happening, Aria grabbed my hand.
“I—I only heard about it! They said Riela might use the same surname as me… That’s why I got excited…”
Her voice faltered, glancing around.
I didn’t feel physically ill, but my stomach churned. I looked down at Aria’s hand still holding mine.
She might not have realized it, but a clean, pure holy power was emanating from her.
Which meant, soon, my holy-power allergy symptoms would flare up.
Ah, wait… I have so much to think about.
“Riela?”
Seeing me turn pale and unresponsive, Aria’s eyes shook in worry.
“Are you sick? Is it the medicine?”
I wanted to tell her that if she let go for a moment, I’d be fine, but I was too dizzy to speak. I tried to pull my hand away, but it was useless.
Aria, panicking, clutched my shaky body as if I might collapse.
‘This time, I really feel like I’m going to die!’
I wasn’t wearing my magic stone necklace, so the sensation on my neck felt unfamiliar and the holy power hit me directly.
Ah… my vision is fading…
“Riela!!!”
Aria’s scream became the background as I collapsed. Even as my vision blurred, her bright white holy power shone before me.
“Riela, you can’t die!!!”
I’m not dying, so stop it already…
“…It seems we need to act.”
A disorganized voice in my ear slowly brought me back.
My fingertips were still numb and cold, but quick treatment meant no pain.
‘Ugh. My situation.’
As I blinked and focused, I felt warm hands on mine—someone had noticed I was awake.
“Riela! Are you conscious?!”
Ah, Daniel.
He held my hand tightly as if I might vanish.
I nodded, gathering all my strength, and noticed the physician looking pale as he entered.
“I—I will re-evaluate the diagnosis.”
His voice trembled, likely from worrying while I had collapsed.
I lay quietly as he examined me.
Aria wasn’t visible, so I searched for her. Daniel spoke up.
“She’s sleeping. Her holy power flared suddenly, and her temperature rose a bit.”
I recalled that she had awakened her holy power and couldn’t leave her bed for a while.
It couldn’t be helped, but hearing she was unwell made my chest tighten.
“So, how is Riela’s condition?”
The physician glanced nervously at Daniel.
“You still don’t know the cause?”
Daniel’s tone was sharp. The physician, trying to calm this high-strung noble, launched into a long explanation with all sorts of elaborate words.
“So you still don’t know the reason. Am I wrong?”
“…Correct.”
“Work here just until today and then go elsewhere. I’ll request a recommendation from my father, so you won’t be slighted.”
“Y-Young Master!”
Daniel seemed to want him gone immediately.
The tense atmosphere made the hairs on my neck stand on end.
“Daniel.”
I had to intervene.
Until now, only I knew the cause, but with Aria awakening her holy power, a new solution occurred to me.
“Yeah, do you want me to get a chocolate cake from Lil Carman?”
I shook my head. The physician looked terrified, as if sentenced to death.
He had done nothing wrong, so I cleared my throat and said,
“Actually, it hurt when Aria grabbed my hand. It tingled and made my stomach churn.”
