Chapter 13

Translator and Editor: Effe and Yonnee

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“It’s medicine, keep drinking it. I’ll give you candy when you’re done.”

Just as Tessa looked down at the glass of black water, Mani waved the marble candy as if to appease the little child. Kennis, who watched it from the side, shook her head sharply as she organized the stethoscope and other medicine bottles.

“Miss Mani, the Madam is not a child.”

“Oh, Doctor. Even if you say that, doesn’t she still feel like a child to me?”

“Anyway, Miss Mani, that is your problem. No matter what, how can you treat a grown woman like that? And Madam, please take your medicine. It may look a little off, but it’s good for the body.”

Kennis spoke sternly to Tessa, who was still holding the glass. It was then that Tessa drank the medicine gently. The medicine was very bitter, to the extent that she winced. Tessa naturally furrowed her brow, and Mani quickly put the candy in her mouth.

Tessa smiled softly at Mani.

She had no memory after having an affair with Hert. When she opened her eyes, Tessa was again lying in the annex room. The bed was soft, and the room was warm with the heat of the fireplace.

In addition, her nightgown was replaced with a new one. The fabric and stitching were better than before. And again, the old maid, Mani, was watching over her.

When Tessa woke up, Mani called the doctor right away. It was the doctor who was now arguing with Mani by her side. It was also a person Tessa had seen often before.

“Oh, I almost forgot to give you this medicine.”

Kennis, who was about to lock her bag, rummaged through the innermost pocket and pulled out a wide container. She squeezed it into Tessa’s hand. What is this? When she opened the lid, she saw a white solid medicine.

“Once or twice a day. Apply after washing. From the outside to the inside slowly and widely. Don’t use too much, just apply in moderation.”

Tessa tried to ask what this medicine was, but she soon realized what the medicine was for and blushed. It felt like she was caught stealing. She got caught doing something that shouldn’t have done. She gave Tessa this medicine, above all else it meant she knew what had happened between Tessa and Hert.

It didn’t make sense that she didn’t know anything, as she was the doctor who mainly takes care of the Marquis’ wives. Especially now, Tessa was also her patient, so perhaps Kennis knew best what Tessa and Hert had done that day.

Tessa lowered her head. She wanted to be buried underground right away. What did Kennis think of Tessa? As soon as she lost the Marquis, she seduced another man in an instant. What would she think of her? She might think Tessa was shameless. Come to think of it, Hert was the murderer of Marquis Jutert, and Tessa was the same as the murderer of her husband.

“I’m relieved though.”

“…Yes?”

“I heard that he will be absent for a while. So I’m happy for Madam. After all, men do not know how to take care of women.”

Don’t you think so? Kennis smiled softly at Tessa. Thanks to this, Tessa noticed that she had said something like that to reassure her. Before long, Kennis got up and she gave Tessa one last request.

“And most importantly. Make sure to eat and rest well. That way you can recover quickly. Don’t try to move for something trivial, Madam.”

“Yes, yes…”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. If there is anything, please call me through Miss Mani. I’m staying in the annex, too, so I’ll run to you as soon as I can.”

“Yes, thank you…”

Tessa nodded towards Kennis, and Kennis waved her hand as if it was nothing.

Tessa hid the medicine she had received under the pillow while Kennis left her room with Mani. Mani also saw her receiving the medicine, but she was nevertheless ashamed to have the medicine openly. She was no longer her child, but these things were unfamiliar to Tessa.

“Oh my, Madam. Are you going to sleep already? I brought some bean soup, just have some of it and go to sleep again. If you sleep as it is, your stomach will hurt.”

Mani, who came after seeing Kennis, found Tessa fumbling in her blanket to hide her medicine, and said something close to a nagging. Yes I will. Tessa, whose feet were numb, hurriedly came out of the blanket and nodded her head.

“No, just stay on the bed. I’ll bring it to you. Didn’t you hear the Doctor earlier? She told you not to move.”

“But…”

“Uh-uh, please stay still.”

Mani brought the soup on a small tabletop so that Tessa could comfortably dine on her bed. It was cooled to the right temperature for just eating. While Tessa was being diagnosed, it was as if Mani had prepared in time.

“Come on, here is the spoon. If you’re struggling, please tell me and I’ll help.”

“…Thank you.”

Tessa reached out for Mani to take the silver spoon, almost dropping it because of its heavy weight. She still didn’t have any strength in her body because she had been lying in bed without eating for the past few days.

Seeing this, Mani took the spoon from Tessa again.

“I will do it… Come on, aah.”

Mani scooped up the soup in moderation and took it to Tessa’s lips. Tessa stared blankly at it for a moment. It had been a long time since someone cared for her and helped her like this. When was the last time she received proper care?

Tessa then let out a short sigh.

‘Hert did this too…’

When she was at the orphanage, Tessa used to get very sick once a year. Each time Hert nursed her all night, so Tessa was able to get up from her bed in a matter of days.

‘Don’t be sick, Tessa.’

Tessa felt her nose wrinkle at the friendly voice she had forgotten. As she struggled to burst into tears, Mani gently pushed the spoon into her mouth. The warm and savory soup warmed her mouth pleasantly.

“Is it delicious?”

“…Yes, it is delicious.”

“Eat this, sleep well, and when you wake up, I will prepare food you can chew. You can’t eat much, so the doctor said this soup was good at first. What do you like?”

“What I like…?”

At Mani’s question, Tessa was taken aback unknowingly. It was a question she hadn’t been asked since coming here.

In fact, more than that, Tessa questioned whether she was worthy of her favorite food. She knew better than anyone that she wasn’t in a position to claim it just because she ‘liked it’.

But to say what she liked…

As Tessa’s expression hardened a little, Mani made a worried face.

“Madam, are you okay? I think your complexion has gotten worse again…”

“…Why are you being so nice to me, Mani?”

Tessa asked something she had been curious about for a long time. At that question, Mani blinked for a moment. She had an expression saying that she did not expect to receive such a question.

“I… It’s really nothing… Because you’re always nice to me…”

At a time when Tessa was utterly isolated from the rest of the castle because of the abuse, Mani was one of the few who helped her. She always looked at Tessa with sad eyes. She then tried her best to help as far as she could help. Tessa couldn’t understand it.

While serving as a maid, who might otherwise be kicked out of this castle, Mani took care of Tessa’s food every time. At night even when Tessa was lost in the castle, she lit the candle and guided her to her room.

“Mani, I… I am not worthy of your kindness. I don’t know how to do anything… I don’t know how to give… I am an incompetent person.”

“Madam, why do you say that? I’m the maid here. It’s only natural to serve the Madam even if I don’t get anything in return.”

“However…”

‘A person’s life has already been ruined because of me. If she gets involved with me too, she may become unhappy because of me. I am of no use to anyone.’

The words she couldn’t utter were lodged in her throat. Tessa couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself. The reason she is afraid of taking Mani’s kindness as simple kindness was perhaps because she truly was as stupid as the director said. But this, too, was unavoidable.

Mani was a kind-hearted person. Tessa didn’t want such a person to be unhappy. She wished her misfortune had not reached Mani due to her, even if it was only one small chance. She didn’t know when she was going to throw the people around her into hell with this stupidity again.

It was hard enough that she wanted to die alone.

Then, Mani answered firmly.

“And it’s not just me. Now everyone here will treat Madam properly. That’s the way it should have been.”

“What…”

“Because the new lord who became the owner of this place has instructed us to do so.”

Tessa’s head raised immediately.

“Sir… Hert?”

“Yes, so don’t worry too much and focus on recovering as the Doctor said. When the lord returns, we have to show him a better side.”

“Bu, but the Sir said to me…”

Hert hates me…

Tessa was uneasy as she could not understand Hert’s intentions.

As expected, it was not good to hold such a sickly woman. So she guessed he’ll just wait for her body to fully recover? No matter how much she thought about it, there was no reason for Hert to be nice to a traitor like herself, so Tessa kept thinking in that direction.

In the past, Tessa had committed an indelible sin against Hert. As a result, he fell to Hell and returned alive from there, and came to this place to take revenge on Tessa.

There was no need for anyone to give such consideration to a traitor. For not being locked up in the dungeon, Tessa should be grateful to Hert.

But why was he giving her such consideration?

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