CH 35

‘Aren’t you shy? Are you okay now?’

Well, it’s true that there’s no need to give a bad impression since we’re about to become relatives.

“Okay, let me introduce you.”

I turned to Richard.

Whoa, look at that guy’s dazzling eyes.

“But before that, be polite.”

“What?”

As if Richard was caught off guard, he looked at me with round eyes.

I straightened my shoulders and raised my chin.

“As you said. We became relatives. But you forgot that I’m older than you.”

“…..”

“You know that Grand Duke Laurent isn’t the kind of person who treats someone rude, right? Of course, the same goes for the only younger sister of the Grand Duchess. I don’t want to even say hello to a guy who doesn’t have manners.”

–What the hell is this woman……

Richard confided in his dissatisfaction. Of course in his heart.

“It’s because you, I mean, Your Highness was wearing such clothes in the first place. If you had been Fabian’s fiancee, you should have worn a dress that befits your status! Then I wouldn’t have misunderstood.”

“Don’t blame others. It’s your fault that you didn’t have eyes to see,” I said sternly.

“I am the same person wearing the old dress from that day and this fancy dress now.”

“That……”

Richard, who was speechless, bit his lip.

His blue eyes shook relentlessly.

After a while, he looked at me once, looked up at the sky and sighed once, then placed a hand on his chest.

And he bowed his head to me.

“I apologize for ignoring you until now. I was wrong.”

He meekly changed his tone.

I couldn’t hear his inner voice..

Are you apologizing sincerely?

Well, this is enough.

I grinned. Then I pointed to Richard and looked back at Larissa.

“Larissa, this boy here is Young Lord, Count Richard Laurent, the cousin of the Grand Duke. He said he would return to the academy soon, so you won’t be seeing him for a while. Rest assured.”

Larissa blinked a few times and looked at Richard.

“Young Lord Richard, this cute little girl here is my precious little sister, Larissa Blick.”

That’s enough right? I was about to bring Larissa back in, but when I saw Richard, I opened my mouth.

‘Oh my.’

Richard’s entire face had turned bright red.

Can a person’s face turn so red like that?

“H-Hello Y-Young Lady Blick. I, I am Richard Laurent. Please feel free to call me Richard.”

Both hands had been removed from their pockets for a long time, and he even stammered.

He even used honorifics on Larissa, who was younger than him.

He stood stiffly, unable to breathe properly, waiting for Larissa’s answer.

Larissa blinked her big eyes, but she didn’t say anything.

Of course. At least, as far as I know, Larissa never said a word even to me.

But Richard doesn’t know that Larissa doesn’t speak.

Richard frowned as he watched Larissa silently stare at him.

I decided to have a little pity on Richard.

“Larissa’s voice hasn’t come back yet.”

Then Richard said in surprise, “Was a cold such a big disease……?”

– Ha, haha, I’ve heard that some people from the lower classes die from a cold. Still, no matter how low the rank is, she is still a young girl from a noble family……

An inner voice of confusion was heard.

‘That’s about the poor who can’t get treatment on time……’

That’s not the case with Larissa.

‘It doesn’t matter if I don’t explain it, right?’

I really don’t like it when other people, especially Richard, look at Larissa with such pitiful eyes!

I really hate it, but I can’t help it.

I have no choice but to get out of here quickly.

“Okay then, it is done, right? I have to go inside. It’s not good for Larissa to get the wind blow more cold than this,” I said firmly.

Whether he has a conscience or not, Richard no longer holds us back.

‘I don’t want to see you again in the future.’

Today, I happened to see the cute side of a boy his age, but I still haven’t forgotten that Richard looked down on us with a cheeky tone.

It gives me goosebumps to think of such a guy hovering around our Larissa.

I stepped fast for no reason.

***

The next day, doctor Bellman came to visit. It seems that Fabian had been talking to him for a while.

He was a middle-aged man with gray hair to his temples.

He had been serving as the Grand Duke’s doctor for a long time, and he had a serious atmosphere.

I explained the situation before Bellman met Larissa in person.

She was imprisoned for almost her entire life and was often severely punished.

“What I want you to look at is actually the wounds on her heart rather than the wounds on her body. This kid is really deep……deeply wounded.”

As if he had been told beforehand, he nodded his head with a serious face.

“You must keep it a secret. No matter what.”

“Alright.”

“Even if something unexpected happens during treatment, please keep it a secret……from His Highness too.”

He raised his eyebrows when I told him that he had to keep it a secret from Fabian.

“I can’t do that. The Duke is Miss Larissa’s family and protector, and in the case of a serious illness that’s life-threatening, I will go and tell him right away,” he said stubbornly.

I nodded helplessly.

“Okay. An exception is made when her life is at risk. Otherwise, promise to keep your mouth shut.”

“Alright.”

I heard his inner voice of dissatisfaction asking,

– What the hell did you do to a young child that you are doing something like this?

His inner voice turned into astonishment as soon as he started the examination.

– I didn’t know it would be this……

Bellman controlled his expression and swore in his heart.

He took care of Larissa’s wounds first and then started the examination.

He lit a candle one by one around Larisa’s eyes to look into it, and even made her stick out her tongue.

He even instructed her to do simple movements.

After the treatment, Bellman spoke to me, “She seems to have no problem with her cognitive abilities. All you have to do is to make her eat well and go for walks, even if it’s a little tough.”

“I keep talking to her on purpose even if she doesn’t answer,” I said.

“That’s a good idea, too. It may be helpful to take her around and give her as much experience as possible.”

I could do that.

I nodded.

“Also, I’m not sure, but she may show abnormal behavior in the future,” Bellman continued his explanation.

“What do you mean abnormal behavior?”

Bellman explained in a slightly unconfident tone, “I have some experience with similar patients. I do not know the exact reason, but if someone is severely abused, there are cases where he abuses himself even after he gets out of the situation.”

“I beg your pardon?”

No way. I felt uneasy.

“……In some cases, self-harm. Sometimes they torture themselves physically, or they show a tendency to violence towards others.”

How could such a little kid be able to injure herself?

Besides, she will hit others or swear at them?

‘Nonsense.’

I remembered the horrible basement scene.

Even after getting out of such an environment, is Larissa still feeling anxious and not at ease?

I didn’t think that the old wounds would heal so easily, but I had the hope that it would get better after she got out of the Blick family.

Bellman added in a businesslike tone, “It doesn’t necessarily happen. I’m just saying just in case.”

“……I know”

He got up with his medical tools in his bag and said, “This is just my opinion, but it may be necessary to constantly confirm that the past is the past and the present is different from the past.”

The past is just the past.

Somehow, it felt like a comfortable word.

After a long time, the wounds on the body may heal and the scars may fade, but what about the wounds on the heart?

Every time you look down at your body, you will be reminded of it. Will there ever come a day when you will be able to easily move on and say that the past is just the past?

“Then I’ll see you once a day.”

Bellman bowed his head lightly, then picked up his hat and left the room.

‘The past is just the past.’

I planted those words in my head and looked at Larissa who was sitting by the window.

Larissa was still sitting in the same position, looking down at her toes.

But if I look closely, today is a little different.

She had a rosy color on her cheeks, perhaps because she had a lot of experience going out to get some fresh air.

She had pale cheeks until yesterday.

‘All right. I can help you to stop the past in the past and build the present together.’

I straightened my shoulders.

Whether it works or not, I have to try first.

In the next three years or so.