Chapter 74
“Sienna will?”
Alice had been pondering how to leave Sienna behind.
She turned her head sharply at this unexpected windfall.
“Yes. I’ll stay… and take care of him. I’ll let you know when he regains consciousness, so please go back and rest, my lady.”
Sienna smiled faintly.
However, somehow, despite her slightly upturned lips, her green eyes seemed strained, as if facing a serious situation.
Could it be because she… realized the Third Prince’s identity?
The atmosphere is somewhat different from what I expected.
In the original work, Sienna was surprised to learn the Third Prince’s identity, but she mainly felt sorry for his severe injuries.
The Third Prince, all but abandoned by the imperial family.
Seeing him living without anyone to rely on reminded her of the deceased Kylus.
It was not long after Kylus had died at that time.
That’s why she took extra care in treating him.
Of course, unlike in the original work, Kylus is alive and well now… but she should still feel sympathy and pity, right?
Sienna and the Third Prince are destined for each other, after all.
Just as the major events of the original work shouldn’t change, the most important aspect—the love between these two—shouldn’t change either.
If that goes wrong, everything could fall apart.
Yes, it can’t be.
There’s no way Sienna would dislike the Third Prince.
“I’m very grateful if Sienna will stay.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll watch over him carefully.”
“Alright, then let me know when he regains consciousness.”
Alice stood up despite an inexplicable feeling of unease.
Before leaving, Alice looked at the Third Prince one more time.
Perhaps due to Helkin’s special nutritional supplement, his complexion looked much better than before.
I hope he regains consciousness and things go well with Sienna.
“Helkin, Ruyd, let’s leave now.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Alice left the room, pushing aside her uneasy feelings.
Will things go as planned…?
Alice looked back at the firmly closed bedroom door.
She had left because it was right to leave the two of them alone, but she felt strangely unsettled.
Especially Sienna’s reaction after learning the Third Prince’s identity.
What if the Third Prince doesn’t feel anything special for Sienna when he regains consciousness?
Alice let out a groan.
Even if, by chance, that were the case…
“…Nothing bad will happen.”
Alice had slightly twisted their first meeting, so the catalyst for them falling in love might be a bit different as a result.
But even so… the two of them falling in love is the most important destiny running through the original work.
That won’t change, right?
Even if it’s not love, they should at least feel attraction towards each other.
Well, surely they won’t fight.
“My lady, what did you just say?”
Alice turned to Helkin.
Helkin, who had left the room with her, was still standing by her side instead of leaving.
“It was just pointless muttering to myself. But Helkin, are you doing well these days?”
Alice looked Helkin up and down.
She had noticed since he came to treat her earlier, but his complexion and attire were quite good.
The last time she had seen Helkin was at the banquet held by Lady Quillian.
Back then, Helkin had been almost soulless from his shouting match with Lady Quillian.
She hadn’t heard news of Helkin since then due to her busy schedule, but looking at him now, he seemed to be doing quite well.
So he wasn’t kicked out.
“I’m doing well thanks to the Duke’s grace. In fact, the Duke has entrusted me with a task that allows me to showcase my abilities, so I’ve been incredibly happy lately.”
“What kind of task is that?”
“It’s researching paralytic poison for monsters.”
“Monster paralytic poison?”
Come to think of it, there was something like that.
I think there was an explanation about a poison that paralyzes monsters’ movements when the final event of monster subjugation came up in the original work.
I don’t remember exactly since I only skimmed over it.
“Yes. The Dearrut Duchy’s main source of income is monster subjugation, isn’t it? Since there are always casualties from the knights every time we subjugate monsters, the Duke asked me to use my expertise to create a powerful poison this time.”
“I see.”
Alice nodded, then paused.
Wait, if Helkin successfully creates an effective paralytic poison… could it prevent people from dying in the final monster subjugation event?
Could the content change because Helkin, who died in the original work, survives?
If people who sadly sacrificed themselves in the original work could survive, that would be truly wonderful.
Until now, changes to the original work had only twisted events, but Helkin’s news was the first piece of good news she had heard.
Alice’s face brightened as she grabbed Helkin’s hands.
“Helkin, keep up the good work. I’m sure you’ll develop a groundbreaking poison that others couldn’t even imagine.”
Because you’re an eccentric who defies common sense.
“Th-thank you, my lady.”
Helkin smiled awkwardly as if burdened by Alice and gently pulled his hand away.
“Then I’ll… take my leave now.”
“Yes, yes, you must be busy, so go on.”
Alice waved her hand, shooing him away. Helkin looked at Alice skeptically before quickly departing down the corridor.
Then Alice glanced back at Ruyd.
He had been standing quietly like a background character ever since bringing the Third Prince.
She wanted to tell him to go rest since today had been unusually eventful, unlike usual…
But he probably wouldn’t listen even if she said so.
Ruyd looked puzzled as his eyes met Alice’s for a moment.
“My lady, do you have any tasks for me to… Ah, if it’s about that book, I’ve had a maid move it to your bedroom.”
“Book?”
Alice tilted her head, then remembered what happened at the bookstore.
The intense romance novel.
‘Yes, all of it. I… really like those kinds of books.’
Oh, dear.
The embarrassing memory she had forgotten came flooding back.
And it seemed Ruyd had diligently carried out her order and bought the book.
“Ah, you must have been flustered… But you still remembered the book.”
“You said it was a book you really liked, my lady.”
Ruyd answered calmly.
Really liked.
“Haha. Yes, that’s right…”
She couldn’t deny it since it was her own words. Alice turned away from Ruyd in embarrassment. At that moment, she came face to face with a man who had just come up the stairs.
“My lord.”
Alice stopped in her tracks upon seeing Kylus.
“Alice.”
Kylus, who had been looking at her, turned to Ruyd.
“Ruyd, that’s enough escort duty for today. Go see Davit. You have work to do.”
“Yes, understood.”
Ruyd bowed and left his post.
This was fortunate, as she had been feeling embarrassed anyway.
Alice looked at Kylus with a more relaxed smile.
“You’ve just returned, I see.”
When Alice had returned to the duchy, Kylus had been absent.
“Yes, I just got back.”
The butler had said he had gone out on urgent business.
So she had given out a guest room in the duchy without getting Kylus’s permission.
Of course, both Sienna and the butler had said it was fine to do as she wished, but seeing Kylus now, she felt she should explain.
That way, she could naturally lead Kylus to the Third Prince later.
As she was thinking, Kylus came closer to Alice.
“I actually have something to tell you, my lord…”
Alice stopped speaking as she noticed a pungent smell coming closer with the decreasing distance.
This smells like… blood.
As Alice stopped talking, Kylus also stopped walking.
“Alice?”
Kylus called her name, sounding puzzled.
“Ah, it’s just… Suddenly… I smell blood.”
“Oh dear, I thought I had washed it off, but it seems some smell remains.”
Kylus furrowed his brow slightly and took a step back from her.
Then he lightly shook his arms as if to dispel the smell.
Alice’s face hardened at the confirmation that it was indeed the smell of blood.
Did that crazy Empress woman send assassins again so soon, unable to wait?
“Did… assassins come again? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Alice took a step closer to Kylus.
He shook his head with a faint smile.
“Don’t worry, no assassins came. Naturally, I’m not injured anywhere. Even if they had come, there’s no way I would get hurt.”
Kylus’s languid voice echoed in Alice’s ears.
It was quite a confident, almost arrogant statement, but she couldn’t really refute it.
After all, he hadn’t even gotten a scratch while facing more than ten assassins that day.
“…That’s true.”
Alice stepped back, seeing how completely fine Kylus looked.
“Then why the smell of blood…”
“I had some business at a slaughterhouse where they sell beasts, so I just came back from there. I’m sorry for the unpleasant smell.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m getting used to this now… It’s not terribly unpleasant anymore.”
It was fortunate that the smell of blood no longer made her nauseous, but she wasn’t sure if she should be happy about becoming accustomed to the scent of blood.
Alice’s expression soured.
“More importantly, what were you about to say earlier?”
“Ah, I’ve brought a guest to the duchy. In Rocfen… someone who saved me, but they were injured because of me. I wanted to ask for your permission, but since you weren’t here, I went ahead and gave them a guest room. Is that alright?”
“I already heard about the guest from the butler. Someone who saved you, they said. Of course we should welcome such a person to the duchy.”
“Hmm… Then I’ll feel at ease hosting them as my guest.”
“Please do. And Alice, you are the lady of the Dearrut Duchy. Even if they weren’t a benefactor, you could invite dozens of guests to the duchy if they were your guests. The management of the town house is the lady’s responsibility, after all.”
“Still, I’m not the real lady of the house…”
Alice spoke quietly, worried someone might hear, and Kylus’s eyebrow raised.
