Chapter 79
“Ha…”
As Seth looked at Min-ha with a complicated gaze, he eventually smiled helplessly. He then combed her messy hair with his fingers as he parted his lips again.
“…You really are a good person to other people, but you’re only terribly mean to me.”
“Huh? Me…?”
“It’s because you know too well that if you look at me like that, I’m going to fall for you like a fool again. If someone other than you had done something like this, I would have sneered and asked what kind of trick is this… Anyway, you’re good at making a fool of me.”
“…I’m sorry. I’ll never do that again. Really, I won’t make you worry about this again. Yes?”
“Please do so, because I’m a person who goes back and forth between heaven and hell with every word and action you say. Every time you go through something like this, my heart feels like it wouldn’t survive.”
“Yes. I’m sorry…”
As soon as she apologized again, Seth’s stiff expression softened. Min-ha smiled as if to reassure him before lowering her head. Hugging the little boy in her arms as he was trembling, she gently stroked Noah’s hair.
“Noah, I’m sorry. Were you very surprised?”
“…Yes. I was worried that sister-in-law would leave me like my mother.”
“No, I wouldn’t do that. Come on, look. I’m fine, right?”
Min-ha lifted his head, which was buried in her arms, with her two hands and kissed the child’s exposed forehead briefly before wiping his wet cheeks stained with tears. Noah, who seemed a little relieved, smiled slightly, and he stretched out his arms again and hugged her neck.
Meanwhile, Seth gazed at the two of them with warm eyes, but his expression changed quickly as if he had just suddenly thought of something.
“No matter how Noah gave it to you, I can’t believe someone who’s allergic to mulberry took it and ate it like that. You’re really…”
“Uh? Me?”
“Didn’t you know?”
In response to her answer, Seth asked with a puzzled expression and then exclaimed briefly. Min-ha also looked down at her body with a slightly blank face at his reaction.
‘…That’s right. This body belongs to Minase Persen.’
She did not expect it at all because she thought and acted like it was her own body. She did not think that Minase Persen would have this kind of allergy.
It was something she did not know anything about because no one had told her about it, and she did not pay much attention to it. As Min-ha made a blank expression on her face, the atmosphere around her became serious.
“Noah. Would you like to go for a short walk with Sir Lancelot for a moment?”
“Yes…? Me? Why?”
“It’ll only take a moment. Sir Lancelot, please.”
“Of course.”
Percival, who glanced at the atmosphere, held Noah, who was in Min-ha’s arms, out of the room for a while before coming back. As Lancelot left the room with the child, Bediviel, who had been watching her all along, cautiously spoke.
“Anyway, did the Duchess not know herself that you have such an allergy?”
“…Yes. I didn’t know.”
“I see. It’s a relatively common fruit in the Empire, but have you never encountered it before?”
“Yes. This is my first time.”
…As for ‘Kim Min-ha.’
Min-ha swallowed those words inside and answered. Even though she did not want to lie, she had no choice as she remembered Seth’s request not to tell anyone about ‘that.’
At that time, Percival, who had been by Bediviel’s side as if to help her, spoke with a blunt face.
“There’s no way that a nobleman like the Duchess would ever have seen and touched a mulberry tree.”
“Well, that’s true. The nobles of this country are those who neglect the act of collecting wealth by working for themselves.”
“…It was my negligence. By focusing only on the raids and poisonings, I missed the possibility that the Duchess might have an allergy.”
Min-ha hurriedly interrupted the appearance of Percival, who blamed himself again and made a dark expression while talking to Bediviel.
“Don’t blame yourself, Sir Percival. You didn’t know that, so how could you think to be careful about such things?”
“She’s right. Fortunately, she woke up safely. So, it’s a matter to be careful about in the future.”
“…Yes. Your Excellency, Duchess.”
For the consolation of Minha and Seth, Percival bowed deeply to express his apology and gratitude.
At the same time, Bediviel, who was looking at the three of them, slightly relaxed his expression before speaking with an expression that he had abruptly remembered something.
“By the way, Sir Percival. A little while ago, you said that while the Duchess was swallowing the mulberry, someone from the tent shouted, ‘No!’ Do you have any clues about who that person is?”
“…Well. I was only looking at the Duchess and Noah at the time, so I couldn’t really check.”
“Is that so? By any chance, did the Duchess ever see him?”
Min-ha tilted her head to answer Bediviel’s question.
“Well… I did see. He was the knight standing behind Grand Duchess Blaine though he was wearing a mask, so I couldn’t see his face. However…”
“However?”
“His voice is familiar. I must have heard it somewhere…”
She tried to recall the voice she had heard just before her abnormal symptoms occurred.
Even though the masked knight deliberately made up a hoarse voice to hide his identity, he was so familiar with Min-ha that even such a voice sounded familiar to her. The way he looked at her all the time during the tea party, and the attitude that strangely knew her well…
Min-ha, who had thought about the person she seemed to be familiar with, as well as Minase Persen, was terribly surprised when she recalled a dream a moment ago that flashed through her mind.
[ “It’s the fruit from the sycamore tree used as food for silkworms! I ate it when I went on a picnic with my nanny, and it was delicious!” ]
He was the first to discover Minase Persen’s allergy to mulberry as a child… The masked knight was Rupert Guinivis….
Min-ha said while covering my mouth with her two hands.
“That masked man… Rupert Guinivis, I think it’s him.”
“Yes? Percival, is that true?”
“I didn’t notice it at the moment because I was flustered by the Duchess’ crumbling pain.”
“…That bastard. Did he aim for the right time, knowing that me and the knights would be absent?”
“Did he do anything to the Duchess without Sir Percival’s knowledge?”
Min-ha answered Bediviel’s question as it was.
“Yes. I don’t know if it was because of Sir Percival or because of the other ladies, but until I swallowed the mulberry, he only stared persistently at me, and nothing much else happened.”
“That evil bastard… What was he aiming for this time?”
“Whatever he may have been aiming for, one thing is for certain is that there’s no place in Loengram Castle where he can’t hide. Where are Sir Gawin and Sir Kay now?”
“Sir Kay went out of the castle to arrange other doctors and pharmacists in case of an unexpected situation after completing the physical search of the doctor who examined the Duchess, and Lord Gawin left, saying he had to organize what had arrived for the Duchess.”
“Huh…? To me?”
“Yes. Do you have any guesses?”
“No…”
Min-ha shook her head in response to Percival’s question.
Knock, knock―
The next moment, there was a knock.
“Commander. This is Gawin. May I come in?”
“Come in.”
In response to Seth’s answer, the bedroom door opened, and Gawin, with his hands full, entered the room. He first put what he had in his hand on the bedside before bowing to Seth, then turned to Min-ha.
“A little while ago, I heard from Sir Lancelot outside. I’m glad you looked unharmed, Duchess.”
“Thank you. By the way, what did you bring in?”
“You mean that? It seems that other wives have sent gifts to the Duchess to wish her well.”
“Yes? To me?”
“Yes. What did you say… it was in return for the doll? Oh, there were so many that I was getting annoyed while checking to see if there were poisons or ugly things in them. Duchess, do you have anything in mind?”
“…Oh, Yes, I do.”
At Gawin’s question, Min-ha smiled awkwardly and stared at the stuff piled up next to the bed. They were all packed in boxes, big and small, but there were so many and wide varieties, so it was difficult to guess what was what.
Even though she did it without wanting anything in return, an excessive reply came back…
As Min-ha leaned back in an uncomfortable position to look at the stacked boxes, Seth gently pushed them away and turned to Gawin.
“Sir Gawin, I’m glad you’re here. What are the other knights doing now?”
“Yes? Oh well, everyone will be in this mansion except for Lancelot.”
“Then, tell them to prepare to return to the Persen castle right now.”
“Yes? Suddenly?”
“Yes. Staying longer than this is a waste of time.”
“However, will Grand Duchess Blaine stand still? What will we do if she tells His Majesty that you committed the rude act of departing first? Besides, we haven’t yet been able to gather as much information as we would like about the Grand Duchess’ forces that you have ordered to collect.”
When Gawin asked, surprised by his words, Seth let go of Min-ha’s hand and put his hand on Gawin’s shoulder as he answered.
“There will be an opportunity to gather information next time. Also, for the reason of leaving the banquet and returning… I’ll use the excuse that her condition is severe.”
“….!”
“They wouldn’t be able to tell a sick person to continue having fun. Actually, she needs a break, and…”
“….?”
“I heard Rupert Guinivis was at the tea party.”
“…What? Then, was that why the Duchess collapsed?”
“No. In any case, it’s certain that there’s no one in this mansion who isn’t siding with him. We don’t know what else will happen if we stay longer.”
“Even though it’s unintended, now that there’s a justification, this is the right time. Well, I’ll tell them to get the traveling equipment ready to leave right away.”
“Yes. Also, make sure to write proper letters to Grand Duchess Blaine and the Marquis of Loengram.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Then, everyone back down for now. She needs some rest.”
At Seth’s command, Gawin and the other knights bowed deeply before leaving the room. After issuing a congratulatory order and sending everyone out except himself, Seth turned his head to look at Min-ha with a warm gaze before laying her back down on the bed again.
“We can go back now. Rest until everything’s ready. I’ll protect this place.”
“Yes. Thank you, Seth.”
“You’re welcome. Now, go to sleep until I wake you up. You need to rest now.”
“…Yes.”
Min-ha replied with a pleasant smile as Seth’s lips touched her forehead. Because of the strange dream tying Rupert Guinivis and Minase Persen’s affair, her mind was complicated by this and other worries. However, the fact that she could still go back made her feel at ease.
With her light heart, Min-ha closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.
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