Chapter 4

A cold so piercing it felt like it was cutting through her bones hit Rin — far worse than any of the nausea she’d experienced before. The repeated vomiting and fainting had drained her strength to the very bottom.

The moment she realized it, Rin panicked.

At this rate, I’m really going to die… I can’t keep doing this. I need to stop using this method for now.

If she was going to push herself, it had to be worth it.

Startled by the sudden chaos, the Second Wife grasped Rin’s hand tightly and asked in alarm, “What in the world happened? Yana, Olga… who was it again—oh! That’s your maid, isn’t it? Did she yell at you?”

Rin welcomed the tears that welled up in her eyes alongside the nausea. Sniffling, she spoke in a trembling voice.

“Olga… she said the Second Wife was coming, and she wanted to make me look more lively with makeup. I couldn’t lie to you, so I refused, but Olga forced me…”

Rin watched closely, curious to see how the Second Wife would respond.

The proper reaction would be to dismiss Olga from her post as Yana’s personal maid. But if she only gave her a light scolding and tried to sweep it under the rug…

That would mean Olga belongs to the Second Wife and her husband.

Yana’s frail body, her unstable mental state, and Olga’s lazy, insolent attitude made one thing clear:

In House Tusslena, Yana had no allies.

Considering Yana’s position, Olga could easily be a spy planted by the Second or even the Third Master of the house.

After all, Yana was the illegitimate daughter of the deceased first son.

Rin had no intention of being watched over by people who had driven Yana to the point of mental collapse. The Second Wife’s gaze turned cold as she stared at Olga.

“Is that true?”

“M-Madam… I-I only… I just wanted to help the young lady look her best…”

Smack!

The slap rang out with no hesitation. The Second Wife struck Olga hard across the cheek and pointed at the door with a firm hand.

“Get out. That child is already frail, and instead of caring for her properly, this is what you’ve done? You’re fired. Don’t you dare step foot in this room again!”

“M-Madam! Please, I—”

“Out. Now!”

Tears streamed down Olga’s face as she fled the room. Rin blinked in surprise.

That… was a lot more reasonable than I expected.

“Yana? Don’t worry, dear. I’ll have another maid assigned to you immediately. That girl will be expelled from this household.”

The Second Wife embraced Yana’s shoulders, guilt clouding her eyes.

Maybe it was the warmth of her touch, but Rin felt something like peace settle over her. Though her stomach still burned from vomiting, Yana’s body felt oddly lighter.

“I’m truly sorry. I didn’t realize this was happening while I wasn’t paying attention. Oh, Yana… why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t you say something?”

“I…”

“It’s alright. You don’t have to say a word. I understand — I understand everything. It must have been so hard for you…”

Her sorrowful expression and gentle hands comforted Yana’s worn heart and body.

I was wrong. There is someone in House Tusslena who cares about Yana after all…

A small sense of relief bloomed in Rin’s chest.

Still… she didn’t just switch out the maid — she’s having her expelled from the estate entirely…

That could only mean Olga wasn’t working for the Second Master and his wife.

Then I don’t need to go out of my way to force Olga out.

Olga was rude — insufferable and quick-tempered — but she was also brutally honest. If Rin trained her properly, she’d at least have someone she could keep tabs on without fear of betrayal.

Back at the orphanage where Rin had grown up, there had been plenty of kids like Olga. Teaching her wouldn’t be difficult.

“Yana? Let’s get up now. There’s someone you need to meet.”

“Someone to meet?”

“Your Second Uncle. He’s asked to see you. I know you’re not feeling well, but he insists. I’m sorry, Yana — I can’t go against his orders.”

The Second Master…

That’s the second son — one of the uncles who took Yana in after her father’s death?

But instead of coming to see his sick niece himself, he’s summoning her to his room? What kind of jerk does that?

“Come. Take my hand.”

The Second Wife was being so kind — Rin couldn’t bring herself to reject her.

Well… it’s not like I can leave this body anytime soon. I might as well see for myself what kind of person the future head of House Tusslena really is.

Clutching her aching stomach, Rin followed the Second Wife out of the room.

She was led to a studio filled with canvas and light. The unfamiliar space was thick with the scent of oil paint, and brushes and paint tubes were scattered carelessly around, leaving the room in disarray.

“Roman.”

At the Second Wife’s call, a man with gray hair, deep in his painting, turned his head.

“So, you’ve come.”

As Rin locked eyes with his cold, expressionless face, his name surfaced in her mind like it had been waiting there.

Roman Tusslena.

He looked to be just past thirty, and his steely gray eyes gleamed with an icy light.

This man is the second son of House Tusslena?

Rin glanced around the studio. Paintings — proudly displayed — adorned the walls.

But…

Has he only recently started painting? His technique lacks… personality and polish.

Frowning slightly, Rin examined the painting nearest her.

<March 1, Year 228 of the Continental Calendar – Roman Tusslena>

Judging by the date, he’d been painting for at least four years.
Ah. So it’s not inexperience — just a lack of talent.

“Yana, come here.”

At Roman’s command, she stepped closer. He looked at Rin — or rather, Yana — and spoke as if instructing a child.

“I’m your uncle. For the past fourteen years, I’ve taken care of you. My wife and I are practically your real parents.”

Real parents?

If you were her real parent, would you summon a child who fainted twice just to come here? Why not go to her room yourself?

Besides, it wasn’t just Roman who had taken in Yana. The third son, too, had helped raise her after her father’s death.

He wants something from me. That’s obvious.

Rin had dealt with her share of conniving adults. The way Roman emphasized nonexistent familial affection made it crystal clear.

“I have no intention of troubling you further. All I ask is that you answer my questions truthfully.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Did the third son put you up to it?”

“Put me up to what?”

“Did he tell you to sneak into the greenhouse and steal the wolfthorn berries?”

Ah.

Only then did Rin grasp the meaning behind his question.

So the second and third sons are at each other’s throats. Noted.

But how was she supposed to know who ordered what? She’d died and woken up trapped in this body! How could she possibly know whether Yana ate those berries on someone’s orders?

Still, even to Rin, Roman’s suspicion didn’t seem far-fetched. House Tusslena’s greenhouse had been famous even thirty years ago.

A hidden treasure of the Tusslena estate — a greenhouse of deadly poison, filled with dozens of rare and lethal plants.

Its sinister reputation only grew, given how unbefitting it was of a house called Apostles of the Divine.

Wasn’t it said that they used it to torture heretics?

Whether that was true or not, one thing was certain: it wasn’t a place people entered lightly.

Yet Yana had gone in, stolen a deadly fruit, and collapsed. It was an unusual — even suspicious — event.

Should I just say I lost my memory? That’d be easier… and technically true.

But one thing bothered her.

What if the secret behind Rin’s resurrection was tied to this incident? If Yana had indeed been ordered to eat those berries, and Rin had returned because of it…

Then she needed to deny Roman’s suspicion here and now — if only to draw out whoever had orchestrated the event.

“…No. The third son never forced me to do anything.”

Roman’s face hardened.

“Yana, didn’t I just tell you to answer truthfully? Lie to me again, and I won’t tolerate it.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Then why did you sneak into the greenhouse?”

In that moment, Rin discovered a bitter truth — cleaning up someone else’s mess was truly exhausting.

“I just… I was curious. I read in a book that wolfthorn berries taste like heaven. I wanted to try them for myself.”

Roman’s stare turned cold.

This seemed like the kind of moment that called for an apology, but having already vomited water earlier, Rin wasn’t eager to repeat the experience. Roman took a long breath, then suddenly snapped, his face flushing red.

“Curiosity? You did it out of curiosity?!”

He exploded in fury.

“Because of your whim, I’m about to lose the greenhouse—!”

“Roman.”

The Second Wife cut him off quickly, trying to calm him.

Ah, so he said “greenhouse” just now.

No wonder he’s acting like a child who had his toy taken away.

It seemed the third son was using Yana’s incident as a reason to seize the greenhouse. Roman, unable to retaliate, was taking it out on Yana.

“Think carefully, Yana. The third son definitely ordered you to do it. There’s no way a quiet child like you would cause such a disaster on your own.”

Roman’s voice was slightly calmer now, but still firm — trying to coax her into admitting guilt. Rin found it pathetic — a grown man unable to control his temper, taking it out on a child.

“I’m fine, Uncle. The antidote worked — I don’t feel any pain.”

“You’re only thinking about yourself!”

“But… isn’t my health more important to you than just a greenhouse, Uncle? Isn’t it?”