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~Chapter 44~
All the suspicions, clues, doubts, and instincts that had piled up over time were now starting to connect into one.
There were still many things left unexplained, but those could wait until later.
Noxian held her tighter, unsure if he wanted to laugh or cry.
“Shasha.”
…Shariette didn’t move. Her throat was completely dry.
The voice from above her head was strangely full of certainty.
‘Emergency! Emergency!’
Why now? What did I mess up?
‘Stay calm. Calm down!’
Her mind felt like it had been hit by a bomb—complete chaos.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heart was pounding like crazy, and she couldn’t even tell if it was hers or his.
Maybe it was both.
One was from joy—finally getting to snap his neck. The other was pure panic—she might be totally screwed now.
‘No! I’m not eagle food yet! Get it together!’
If she just stayed calm, even being carried off by an eagle wouldn’t kill her.
She quickly forced her voice to sound normal.
“Shasha? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Thankfully, her voice came out smooth, with no awkwardness or tremble.
“Even if someone suspects you, you have to act clueless with confidence!”
“That’s my specialty.”
“Then let’s practice not reacting when I call you Shasha.”
Practicing with Mia for moments like this turned out to be a lifesaver.
“…”
“Is your brain still fogged up from wrestling that relic or whatever it was?”
“…”
Shariette, nervous from his silence, started wriggling to escape from his arms.
Any longer, and her heart might explode.
She could feel his gaze piercing her from above.
After a moment of quiet struggle, his hand around her head let go surprisingly easily.
But the arm around her waist was still firm—like stone.
She finally managed to push herself halfway up using the sofa. Noxian’s face was right below her.
The scary expression she expected… wasn’t there.
“W-Why are you smiling like that?”
Shariette stammered, confused by the unexpected sight.
His usually sharp and dark eyes had softened, as if he were genuinely happy.
“Because you look healthy.”
Why is he happy she’s healthy?
‘Ah. Maybe it feels better when the person you’re going to kill is in good shape?’
After making that very likely guess, Shariette swallowed dryly.
“What is this Shasha you keep talking about? A herb? A person?”
She asked, pretending not to know anything.
“Hm… maybe both?”
Noxian trailed off and just looked up at her for a long while.
‘What kind of answer is that?!’
Shariette clenched her fists, resisting the urge to pull her own hair out. She looked down at him, trying to act calm.
But she kept wanting to look away—not because she was scared.
There was no hint of killing intent in his eyes.
That’s what made it harder to breathe.
If she could, she would run away from this suffocating atmosphere.
Just when she felt like she might really be doomed, Noxian shook his head.
“No… I must’ve been mistaken.”
“…Mistaken?”
Shariette asked suspiciously.
Coming from someone like him, words like “mistake” or “confusion” were rare.
‘If it really was just a mistake… thank goodness.’
His next words carried a sense of weariness.
“Maybe I’m just tired… or it’s the headache.”
As soon as he said he was sick, her tension vanished and relief rushed in.
Shariette’s brain clicked.
“Are you really sick? Especially your head? Your heart rate’s been odd, too…”
It matched her earlier theory—“Post-Relic Strain.”
She immediately touched his forehead. It was warm but not dangerously hot.
“No fever,” she mumbled and tried to pull her hand away—but he grabbed it and pressed it back against his forehead.
“Like this, it feels a bit better.”
“That’s just heat transfer. You’re cooling down from my body temperature.”
“Or maybe your pharmacist hands have healing powers.”
Shariette grew more uneasy.
‘He keeps saying weird things. Is it safe to wear this relic ring?’
Looking at her serious face, Noxian had to hold back a laugh.
She clearly planned to keep hiding who she really was—just like before.
‘Even if the Argen family is long gone, why hide it this much?’
Whether she was Shasha or Shariette—what mattered was that she was here, in his arms.
‘I guess I’ll let her fool me for now.’
It was amusing, the way she desperately played dumb. He wondered how far she’d go with it.
His thoughts scattered strangely, unlike his usual calm reasoning.
He gently brushed his thumb up from her hand to her wrist…
Feeling the soft, fluttering pulse.
Ever since she heard the name “Shasha,” her pulse had been running wild.
‘Right. If I scare her now, she might run again.’
He had searched and searched, thinking he would never find her.
Yet here she was—once again saving him.
That truth washed over his mind like a wave of soft white and blue.
“Miss Shariette! Look at this!”
The next day, Mia ran up, waving a stack of papers.
Shariette unfolded the familiar material—it was newspaper.
She crinkled the paper with her fingers.
“This is perfect for wrapping herbs that need to breathe.”
And since most homes threw them out after reading, they were free to collect.
“Come on! Don’t just touch it—read it!”
The Daily Chaldeon
No. 25-194, Friday, August 29
[Social News] New Pharmacist “Miss V” Saves Noble Lady’s Life
On the 25th, at Salon de Rosa Bloom, a noble lady suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, pharmacist “Miss V,” who happened to be there, performed emergency treatment and saved her life…
What the—how did news spread this fast in just one day?
Then again, considering who had been there, it would’ve been weird not to make headlines.
As Shariette quietly read, Mia was bouncing with excitement beside her.
“Keep reading!”
It looked like Mia had already read it several times. Shariette patted her head.
“You studied hard.”
“Hehe, thanks to you, Miss Shariette!”
Few maids could read and write.
Mia had learned from “Shasha” back at House Argen.
“Witnesses said she took charge of the situation with remarkable confidence. Rosa Bloom’s manager, Mr. LeBlanc (38), stated they plan to revise the menu with help from a consultant—rumored to be Miss V.”
“The head of the Medical Association praised her quick action, saying we should all learn from her willingness to jump in to save a life.”
They’re overpraising it a bit, Shariette thought.
All she did was use a medicine she happened to have.
Like being praised for scooping stew with a spoon.
If anything, Anderson deserved the credit for giving her the epinephrine as a freebie.
‘That man could probably become a successful fortune teller in an alley somewhere.’
“Also, according to the Royal Medical Association, Miss V recently passed the licensing exam in record time. Our sources say she is currently residing at the Rubellot estate…”
Mia, even more excited than Shariette, chattered on:
“It’s obvious since you’re a genius—but the real big deal is that barely any homes in the capital—or even the kingdom—haven’t read this newspaper. Everyone’s dying to know who ‘Miss V’ is!”
“And that’s a good thing?”
“You did a great thing—so of course it should be shared! And when you open your own pharmacy later, you can hang this article up as your advertisement!”
Genius, maybe? Shariette decided that when she finally had to run, she’d take Mia with her.
As she folded the newspaper, she asked:
“But this article lists Mr. LeBlanc and Mr. Medicine by name. Why is the Countess of Genoa just called ‘a noble lady’?”
“Because if you write a high-ranking person’s name without permission, you’ll get sued. It’s also for privacy.”
Even this young maid was more experienced in social matters than a desk-bound pharmacist.
“Then why am I just ‘Miss V’ if I’m not high-ranking?”
“You were with Lady Nixia, remember? If they named you outright, the Rubellot family wouldn’t let it slide! All of them really care about you!”
Shariette froze while folding the paper.
