Chapter 57

Luciel looked down from the window as he rode out of the castle on horseback.

It was not like he was going away forever, but she was worried for nothing. Perhaps the same was true of Leoni, who was also worried, but instead of drowsiness, a gloomy child hugged Luciel.

“It’s okay. He’ll be right back.”

Luciel embraced Leoni, who was hugging her, with a small hand. Eva, who found the children while walking down the hallway, called both.

“Young Master, Little Madam. Would you like some chocolate milk?”

“Yes. Leoni, let’s eat together. That’s really good.”

“I don’t want to.”

I feel better when I eat sweet things, so I should feed Leoni as well, but it seems that he doesn’t want to eat it because his father isn’t there. He was usually afraid of his father, but if he wasn’t there he seemed to be really down.

Well, it was the same with Luciel. Because the strong wall protecting her was gone.

Luciel was suddenly worried about Kizef again. He was thirteen years old, so his soul must have been much younger than that of an adult like herself, but he was quietly enduring alone at the academy.

‘Kizef, everything is okay, right?’

* * *

The sky was clear without a single cloud.

It was a boring and quiet day.

These days, Bell doesn’t come all the time. Kizef developed a habit of staring at the window occasionally, even in the middle of class or while he was sleeping.

The academy has been quiet since the last incident. Maximus and his gang never touched or quarreled with Kizef, and now some of the boys talked to him. Still, the fact that he didn’t have any friends remained the same.

It was the end of spring.

The children gradually changed into short-sleeved school uniforms as the weather got warmer. Kizef also wore his short-sleeved uniform today.

There were days when he didn’t open his mouth even once for the whole day. He liked the quietness, but sometimes he remembered Luciel’s letter talking about useless things.

No, not sometimes, but he thought of it often.

Why isn’t it coming? It’s not like I’m really waiting, but it’s not coming, so I’m curious why.

Suddenly, something that had penetrated into his daily life disappeared, and he felt empty. The image of a child with a shining expression and a bright smile came to mind.

‘Did I come back to the academy for nothing?’

I thought a month would pass quickly because it was short, but this month felt exceptionally long.

He hadn’t communicated with his father since then, but Kizef tried to contact Ellington after class.

―Ah, are you talking about Little Madam? She must be doing fine in the Duchy. I’m moving outdoors right now, I need to stop communication, Young master.

‘She’s doing well.’

He somehow felt a bit reassured. Kizef smiled softly while feeling relieved. While he was smiling like that, an owl finally flew inside. Kizef opened the window to allow Bell to come in.

He left Bell taking a break and hurriedly opened the letter.

[Hi. How are you doing? Today the castle feels empty. Is it because the Duke and you are away?

Come to think of it, this is my first letter as Luciel instead of using the pen name ‘Ted’. Oh, I think I’m a bit shy.

Not long ago, it was Family Day and it was the happiest holiday until now. I didn’t know before, but now I think I understand how nice it is to be able to give something to the people I love.

I don’t have a present for you, but I’ll show you this instead. It’s a poem written by me.

Crossing the distance 

Is it fate to meet you again?

You were my only star

A star that gives me hope.

If I only have one wish to make

I wish I could be your star too.]

It was an article with such deep emotions it was hard to believe it was written by a nine-year-old child. It was singing about life, like a mournful letter to someone you loved.

‘What does it mean?’

I’ve been thinking about it, but I still don’t know. Why does she feel so sad and heartbreaking?

A feeling of incomprehension came over Kizef, the same feeling he had when he saw her for the first time.

Kizef smiled as he saw the note in the afterword.

[I’ve been thinking about it and there’s something I want to eat!

Rose says there are many desserts exclusive to the capital.

Chocolate madeleine, animal shaped cotton candy, and clam like macaroons.]

Just by reading their names, they were sugar-filled desserts. Sweet and soft like that child.

‘Are you telling me to buy all of these for you?’

“It’s annoying.”

He said with a tone that he was in trouble, but there was a calm smile hanging around his mouth.

* * *

“……Pu-ching!”

The tip of her nose and throat tickled. Luciel, who coughed, put down the book she was reading, and Bessie anxiously asked as she handed over a cup of warm water.

“Did you catch a cold?”

“Cold……?”

The weather outside the window was mild and sunny, how can she catch a cold? Luciel tilted her head, and Sasha ran up to her and knocked on the door.

“It’s a big deal. Master Leoni is having a high fever.”

“Leoni?”

Obviously, up until yesterday, Leoni was healthy. Luciel and Sasha went to the child’s room.

The child’s puffy, bright red cheeks and forehead were full of heat as he breathed in wildly. Luciel looked down at Leoni and guessed.

“I think it’s really a cold. Sasha, hurry up and call Doctor Cicline….”

“I’ve already been there, but she’s not there yet because it’s not time for her to come.”

Sasha replied, stamping her feet.

“Then she should call another doctor.”

“The others are still…….”

“I think I know where she is. First, put on a cold towel to cool off the heat on his forehead.”

“Yes!”

Luciel bit her lips. Cicline said she would stop by the greenhouse garden before going to work, so it was uncertain if they could meet even if she went right now.

“First, please wait here on standby.””

Luciel said so and ran out, and Bessie, who followed, couldn’t even mention that she would go instead.

* * *

Is it because it’s spring?

The medicinal herbs that were fresh in color grew abundant. Cicline’s fingertips, taking care of medicinal herbs, were smooth.

After being asked by Luciel to take care of the greenhouse garden, she came in and out of this place almost every day, it could be said to be her house.

“Yawn.”

Cicline let out a big yawn. It was due to lack of sleep since she studied herbal medicine by night and worked during the day to take care of the herbal garden.

‘The pain relief patch you gave me is so good. Can you give me one more?’

Above all else, I heard such pleasant words from the knight yesterday. I was really happy. It felt like I was one step closer to my dream of becoming a pharmacist, just as the Little Madam said.

It was around that time that a familiar shadow appeared in the greenhouse garden.

“……Whoa!”

Luciel took a deep breath and Cicline looked at Luciel with a welcoming face.

“Little Madam, I was just thinking…….”

“Doctor Cicline! I’m in trouble. Leoni is sick.”

“What? God, where is he in pain?”

“He has a high fever and no energy, so I think it’s a cold.”

“But I don’t think there’s any cold medicine readily made….”

At the words of Cicline, Luciel pointed to the herbs.

“There are ingredients here. Tatea is good for colds and body aches, right?”

“That’s right. Look at my mind. Then I’ll borrow a little bit of your Tatea.”

“Of course.……An-ching!”

“Oh, my, it looks like Little Madam has a cold too.”

“Yes, I’m also weirdly warm.”

Cicline picked the leaves of Tatea, crushed them and made a paste, which she boiled for a long time. Then, a green cold medicine was completed.

“Let’s go, I’m going to have to feed this to the Young Master.”

The two of them rushed to Leoni’s room with the medicine.

“Sasha, you can give this medicine three times a day to the young master.”

“Thank you.”

Sasha poured a spoon full of green medicine into the child’s mouth with a worried face.

In the end, after taking the cold medicine for two days, Leoni was healed. Of course, from the time he got a little better from the cold, he struggled while running away because the medicine didn’t taste good.

“Thank you, but make it with chocolate flavor the next time.”

Leoni said, sticking out his tongue. Luciel was also worried that Leoni was ill while the Duke was away, but she was relieved as he got better.

“I was really lucky to have a Doctor Cicline.”

“Little Madam should also take this medicine.”

Cicline smiled and handed Luciel a cold medicine.

“I don’t think I need to eat…An-ching!”

“Look at it. You keep sneezing.”

“Okay.”

Luciel had no choice but to take cold medicine. It worked pretty well. Not only did the sneezing disappear, but the tingling sensation in her throat also disappeared.

It wasn’t just Luciel who felt it.

“I think it works much better than other cold medicines.”

Bessie, who got the cold from Luciel, said the same thing. The medicine made by Cicline was excellent. Even drugs made from the same ingredients can have different effects.

After Luciel awakened the power of jewel, she wanted to entrust Cicline to make her own mana nutrient as soon as possible.

To do so, the herbs in the greenhouse garden and the fruit of Thierry would have to be perfectly cultivated. In the past, she told the Crown Prince.

‘Mana supplements are most effective when made with fresh herbs grown by hand.’

Luciel headed to the greenhouse garden to take care of the herbs.