Chapter 69
“I’ve heard he always gets up early to attend to his duties.”
“Then he must be up now.”
I rolled my eyes towards the main building where Ide would be, beyond the window.
Just because he’s awake doesn’t mean I can abruptly visit him.
This isn’t a rural neighborhood anymore, and we’re no longer just neighbors.
Nevertheless, I needed to meet Ide quickly.
I needed him.
More precisely, I needed the information about the Grand Duke whom Ide had served for a long time.
‘I need to make a deal to get the Grand Duke to help with my reinstatement.’
At present, I can’t be certain that the Grand Duke invited me here because he supports me.
‘Rather, the fact that I have to request a conversation gives me a strong feeling that the Emperor forcibly dumped me on him.’
Grand Duke Lloyd Eckhart is strictly neutral, but his power is immense.
If I can obtain it, it will surely be the fastest path to reinstatement.
First, I need to subtly leak the cards I hold to the Grand Duke through Ide.
The Grand Duke will surely take the bait.
Even in the original story, he had quite a headache over the issue of ‘that.’
Yet, unable to bring it up rashly, I bit the inside of my lip for a moment and then let out a big sigh.
“If it’s alright, please tell him I’d like to have lunch together with Aslan. With Ayla too.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Luisa bowed politely and quickly left to carry out the order.
After she left, I lay face down on the bed to receive a proper massage.
My shoulders relaxed involuntarily as my mood became unsettled.
To think I have to use the children to dig up information about the Grand Duke.
Ah, if I were the real Minerva, I wouldn’t have involved the children.
My head drooped.
Jane, noticing my unpleasant mood, smiled awkwardly while watching me, then pressed hard on my muscles.
“Ow! What are you doing, Jane!”
“What am I doing? Massage, of course!”
Jane grinned and started pressing harder on my shoulders and arms.
The gloomy mood from earlier was completely overtaken by pain, bringing tears to my eyes.
I screamed in short bursts with a grimacing face, but Jane didn’t stop.
Thanks to that, my muscles must have loosened somewhat, because even though the intensity was the same as before, it didn’t hurt anymore.
As my expression became somewhat more peaceful, Jane brought up an old story with a nostalgic face.
“Lady Theodora always taught you harshly, my lady. She hasn’t changed.”
Jane, who had served me in the imperial palace as well, knew Theodora’s bad habit of pushing me to my limits.
I only endured for a few months, but I was amazed at how Minerva had endured it her whole life.
Still, thanks to her, I was able to buy some time and not die immediately at the Fran mansion.
I lowered one eyebrow and smirked.
“I’ve been feeling the need for training lately too… Ouch. Anyway, it was too much this time. By the way, this muscle pain is lasting longer than I expected.”
“I heard you suffered for 5 days? Then you should expect it to take about that long to recover.”
“No, even when my arm was broken last week, it healed in two days.”
Come to think of it, that is strange.
I suddenly questioned my own words.
Looking at both arms while lying face down, they were not only clean externally, but had healed so perfectly that I could hold a sword again without any problem.
Jane also seemed to question this bizarre recovery ability, but even the employees who were seriously injured at the time recovered quickly.
They didn’t heal as perfectly as I did, but at least they had no problems working and traveling long distances.
Jane pressed down on my back firmly and offered the most plausible explanation.
“Maybe the doctor was exceptionally skilled? You said so yourself at the time, my lady.”
Honestly, that’s the most realistic explanation, but…
Still, I can’t accept or understand it.
‘Even with modern medicine, doesn’t a cracked bone take at least 4 weeks to heal?’
You need a cast for a month even for a cracked little toe, but I had injured both arms.
It’s not like magic was used, it’s just strange…
It was also strange that no one found it odd that severe injuries healed immediately.
I feel like something like this happened before.
‘When Aslan became human.’
No one found the strange things strange.
At that moment, I suddenly felt very sleepy.
Even though my body ached from loosening tense muscles, my eyes slowly closed.
But before they closed completely, the door burst open.
“Mom, I’m all ready!”
“Aslan, you’re here?”
Aslan appeared in her usual energetic manner.
I had sent Aslan to wash up earlier while I was talking with Luisa.
Perhaps because Flora paid extra attention since we’re in someone else’s house, Aslan returned looking like a rich young lady.
But no matter how she’s dressed up, her boisterous nature doesn’t change.
Aslan saw me groaning under Jane’s merciless massage and literally jumped up spread-eagle.
“Jane! Don’t hurt Mom!”
“No, Aslan. It doesn’t hurt. Jane is treating Mom’s pain.”
“It looks similar to what I usually do?”
Aslan tilted her head with a look that said “Treatment?”
Maybe because she’s a cat, twin tails suit her well, and when she acts cute on top of that, she looks so lovable that I want to bite her chubby cheeks.
I’ve raised my daughter well.
A satisfied smile appeared on my face, feeling proud.
“Massage loosens painful muscles.”
Aslan’s head tilted even more.
She still didn’t seem to understand.
Perhaps she thought she could do it since massage and kneading aren’t that different?
Aslan suddenly clenched her fists.
“Then I’ll do it! I can do it too!”
“What? No, massage is tiring for the person doing it too.”
“I’m strong. And even Jane shouldn’t hurt Mom!”
Oh my. It’s admirable. Aslan is certainly strong, but it would probably hurt less than Jane’s massage where she puts her weight into it.
“Alright, then I’ll ask Aslan.”
“Okay!”
As soon as I gave permission, Aslan jumped onto the bed and climbed onto my back.
‘I’ll have to ask for another massage later.’
I signaled with my eyes, and Jane smiled understandingly and carefully left the room.
For now, let’s just enjoy this touching moment.
Aslan took a position on my back like a cat curling up, and started kneading with her small hands.
I could feel her fingers pressing and relaxing, making me feel like I was being kneaded like dough.
Aslan purred loudly, occasionally muttering like she was casting a spell.
“Get better soon. All the pain fly away.”
I closed my eyes and mulled over Aslan’s muttering.
It feels like I’ve heard Aslan say something like that before.
‘I can’t remember…’
Maybe it’s because of the purring sound and the appropriate pressure on my body.
Somehow feeling lighter than before, my eyes slowly closed.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Golden Palace in the capital.
On the highest golden throne.
A platinum-blonde middle-aged woman sat arrogantly, looking down at Theodora with fierce eyes.
“So, Minerva has safely arrived at the Grand Duke’s territory.”
Despite the lion-like spirit, Theodora bowed her head loyally without fear.
“Yes. As Your Majesty commanded, I confirmed with my own eyes that the butler came out to welcome her, and then returned.”
Theodora also delivered a letter from Grand Duke Eckhart.
After confirming the letter from the Grand Duke, the shadow finally lifted from Emperor Yupiteria’s face.
Yupiteria let out a deep sigh and slid down in her chair, relaxing her body that had been tense all along.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work. Really.”
“I’m honored.”
Perhaps because she was more at ease now, Yupiteria became talkative with a face full of emotion.
“It’s still amazing to think about. She acted like she would never return to the imperial palace. To think such a day would come.”
“…”
Theodora knew the reason.
But it wasn’t something she could speak of carelessly, and because of Minerva’s earnest request, she kept her mouth shut despite her position as an imperial knight.
And the news that secretly reached the Emperor also reached Mars’s ears.
“Damn it…!”
Mars gritted his teeth, his fists trembling.
