CH 8

I woke up when I heard a loud noise.

I heard people muttering something, among them the voices of my mother and Grand Duke Crichton.

I got up from my seat, rubbing my eyes that did not open well.

Then I saw my mother’s back, the Grand Duke Crichton, and a person I have never seen before.

Even if it was the mother and the Grand Duke of Crichton, the clothes of the other two of them in this room were very special.

The priestly attire of the temple is dedicated to the goddess Duanna.

The goddess Duanna is said to be the mother of all gods. She could heal the people and the priests who worshiped her.

The priest of the Duanna Temple who is here right now must also have the ability to heal.

He seemed to be a high priest in the temple of Duanna

After thinking about it, I realized what the three of them were doing.

The biggest reason I tried to get the Grand Duke Crichton to meet my mother.

Trying to cure my mother’s illness.

Fortunately, it seemed that Grand Duke Crichton had called a priest to rescue my mother.

Before returning, the doctor’s skills Delphia could not cure her mother’s illness.

It takes a lot of money to call a competent doctor, but there was not enough money in the house to call such a doctor.

That’s why I wanted to meet Grand Duke Crichton, but after returning to the Great House of Crichton, he recruited the high priest of the Duanna Temple right away without waiting, far greater than a doctor.

“In her case, treatment is needed once a week for a full three months.”

As if many things had already happened while I was asleep, the priest spoke politely to my mother and the Grand Duke of Crichton.

Even after summoning a high-level priest, my mom has to continue treatment for three months.

I realized how serious my mother’s illness was.

I hid my concerns and waited for the adults to tell me.

“Can you heal it?”

Perhaps he had the same concerns as me, the Grand Duke Crichton asked the priest of the Duanna Temple.

The high priest smiled softly and nodded his head.

“Yes, as I said, if she proceeds with the treatment, she will fully recover.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

Grand Duke Crichton sighed in relief.

I was also relieved and relaxed at the priest’s words.

“By the way, is that little girl the Grand Duke’s granddaughter?”

If the priest hadn’t suddenly pointed at me and asked, I would have thrown myself back on the bed with ease.

At the priest’s question, Grand Duke Crichton and my mother’s eyes turned to me.

Then, with a strange face, he answered the priest.

“That’s right. It’s my daughter’s child.”

“Then, it would be a good idea to test your granddaughter as well.”

“Me?”

At the priest’s unexpected words, I opened my eyes and looked up at the priest.

I wasn’t the only one who was surprised.

Grand Duke Crichton and my mother also hardened their faces, guessing what the priest meant.

“You mean…?”

“Hazel’s disease is hereditary. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get it, but statistics show that children are also more likely to get sick, so it would be a good idea to test it.”

The surprised eyes of my mother and Grand Duke Crichton were on me.

I felt burdened by their gaze, so I crouched my neck awkwardly.

“I’m fine.”

Grand Duke Crichton laughed bitterly at how he interpreted my words.

“Yeah, sweetheart. It’ll be fine.”

The Great Grand Duke Crichton, who briefly reassured me, looked back at the priest.

“Then I’m sorry, but can you take a look at Mirabel’s body? Please check it carefully. This old man asks for this.”

“Yes, sir.”

The priest of the Duanna Temple approached me, bent his knees, and reached out to me.

“Will you put your hand on my hand?”

As the priest said, I put my hand on the priest’s hand.

Then a bright light began to burst out of his hand.

It’s not that I wasn’t worried, but before the return, there were no special problems, so I waited for the results with confidence that there would be no problems.

After a while, the light began to fade.

The priest smiled as if trying to reassure me.

“Fortunately, you have no signs of illness. But…”

The priest vaguely blurred the end of the sentence. They waited for his words, staring at the priest with eyes of concern from the Duke of Crichton and my mother. I also looked at the priest, only after sneaking a glance at the two.

“The little lady is surprisingly capable of accepting divine powers.”

“What does that mean?”

“Maybe you can handle the divine powers. Little lady, if you have time, would you like to visit our temple later?”

It was an unexpected proposal. His face, looking straight at me, had a gentle smile.

I hesitated and opened my mouth carefully.

“If I can handle the divine power, can I heal other people as you did?”

“We don’t know in detail what kind of ability you have yet, but those who deal with divine power generally have the power of healing.”

“Then… Can I cure my mother’s illness?”

“It will be hard because it’s a difficult disease, but it is possible.”

The priest answered with a gentle smile on his face. He seemed to have a good grasp of what I wanted to hear.

“Then I’ll go. I’ll come later.”

As I answered, I felt a little sad. It was because I thought that if I had been able to handle the divine powers, my mother would never have died in the past.

“Yeah, well done.”

Meanwhile, Grand Duke Crichton smiled happily and spoke to the priest.

“Yes, then I’ll get going now.”

After the priest greeted Grand Duke Crichton, he also greeted my mother and me one after another.

Then he turned around and quietly started to leave the room.

“That’s a relief. It’s a disease that can be cured.”

The Grand Duke Crichton smiled and hugged my mother once.

Mom burst out into a bashful laugh and then walked out of Grand Duke Crichton’s arms and beckoned to me.

I got out of bed, put on my shoes, and then ran to my mother and hugged her.

My mom also hugged me tightly as the Grand Duke Crichton did.

“It’s all thanks to our Bell, if it weren’t for Bell, I would probably…”

My mom hugged me harder, blurring the end of her words.

Even if I didn’t hear it, I understood what it meant, but I didn’t bring it out of my mouth.

Everything is going well, so there’s no need to say bad words.

After Mom released me from her arms, she gently swept my hair.

Her hand was delicate and soft, and I smiled.

Grand Duke Crichton, watching this, put his hand on my shoulder and opened his mouth.

“Now that the examination is over, shall we go eat breakfast? Brian might be worried after a while.”

After washing my face in the morning, I grabbed my mom’s hand and headed to the dining room.

Brian and Elliot had already arrived there.

“You’re here. Please take a seat.”

Brian said, pointing to the seat.

Mom sat across from Brian, and I sat next to her. Elliot was looking at me in front.

It was so unfamiliar and awkward to see Elliot looking at me with his round, dazzling eyes, so I turned my head to look toward Grand Duke Crichton.

Grand Duke Crichton was sitting in the superior seat and instructing the maid to do something.

“Did you sleep well yesterday?”

Surprised by Brian’s sudden voice, I looked at him.

I thought he was talking to my mom, but he was looking and smiling happily at me.

“Ah yes. It was comfortable.”

“I’m glad you were comfortable. My niece, please tell me whenever you have any inconveniences while staying here.”

“Yes.”

I answered with a smile, forcing the corners of my lips that did not rise.

It was strange and awkward seeing Brian laugh and talk to me.

If my memory is correct, Brian was a cruel and cold human being that was given the title of Duke of Iron.

Before returning to the past, I had seen him once on an expedition to exterminate demons.

At that time, instead of smiling, he was staring at the monsters with bitter eyes that seemed to eat people around him.

Then he stood in front of anyone else and slaughtered the demons.

I couldn’t believe Brian was my mother, Cornelia Crichton’s brother at the time, so I just looked at him from afar.

The intense image of that time is still etched in my mind, but Brian, who is in front of me now, had such a cool atmosphere and was smiling like a fool.

It made me wonder if this person was the same person at the time.

Maybe the Duke of Crichton and Brian I knew were different people?

“By the way…”

Brian opened his mouth, who had been confused for a while.

He was frowning as if something was uncomfortable.

Then Brian became the cool-headed, fierce-eyed Duke I had seen in the past. A man with a powerful and intense impression, as if standing in front of the demon.

Seeing how the atmosphere changed dramatically with just a word, it seemed that the Duke of Crichton I knew was the same.

But what is the reason for suddenly making this face?

Why are you suddenly angry?

Was my answer not good?

Why? I just answered.

I hope he doesn’t hate me.

Considering how happy he was to see me at our first meeting, or when he told me to tell him about something that makes me uncomfortable, he must have liked me.

Then it was even more questionable.

Why did Brian’s mood suddenly change?

“Hmm…”

A heavy sigh escaped Brian’s mouth. My shoulders flinched for some reason.

If you have something to say, I’d rather you say it quickly, but somehow Brian couldn’t speak out and opened his mouth several times. I was repeating the closing.

If I leave it as it is, I think the uncomfortable situation will continue until the meal starts, so I couldn’t help but open my mouth first.

“U, uncle, do you have anything to say to me? Did I do something wrong?”

My voice dropped sharply as I assumed it was my fault that caused his sudden anger.

Brian, who heard it, laughed awkwardly.

“Am I scary?”

These were Brian’s words after a long silence.

“What?”

I couldn’t understand the meaning of Brian’s words, so I asked, dumbfounded.

“No, it’s natural that you feel scared and unfamiliar with your uncle, whom you’ve seen for the first time in your life. I’m sorry, I should have made you feel more comfortable…”

Brian lowered his voice a tone and spoke to me as if he was talking to himself.

I guess the change in his expression was because he was worried, not because he was angry.

I fell into greater confusion when I saw Brian’s smile.

“My brother… I’ve been talking about this for so long, haven’t I? It’s scary if you harden your face like that.”

When I was speechless and frozen, my mom held my hand and scolded Brian.

“Bel can’t even talk because she got scared of your frowning face.”

“Did I do that?”

Brian asked my mother with a face as if he didn’t know what kind of expression he was making.

My mother nodded as if it was natural, and Brian looked at me with his face twisted as if crying.

“I’m so sorry if I scared you. My niece…”

It was a powerless voice.

I was puzzled by many of the things Brian showed me.

Above all, the image of the Duke of Crichton, who I had seen before I returned to the past, remained in my mind.

So the “embarrassed face” he showed for a while was enough to look overwhelming to me.

But is that just because he’s embarrassing?

As I still couldn’t answer and just blinked, Brian drooped his shoulders.

“Today, I think it’s probably better for me to eat separately.”

Brian let out an inaudible sigh. He was ready to get up.

Grand Duke Crichton, who was watching the scene, coughed as if he was upset.

Of course, you’re trying to stop Brian.

“Then why are you talking to Mirabel and scaring her?”

Overshadowing my thoughts, Grand Duke Crichton rebuked Brian and stared at him with a thin eye.

It looked like he was going out, so I had to do something.

“I’m sorry, but Father, I think you will have to eat breakfast alone this morning.”

Elliott, who had been still, helped Grand Duke Crichton.

Then Brian raised his eyes fiercely and looked at Elliot.

Elliot shrugged his shoulders as if he was familiar with that gaze.

“Don’t you think Mirabel will be scared if you keep doing that?”

“Elliot, you bastard. You’ll see.”

Brian got up from his seat, reciting a line that a third-rate villain would say.

He seemed to be leaving the dining room.

I hurriedly opened my mouth because I thought I shouldn’t keep looking at him like this.

“No, uncle! Let’s eat together.”

When I finished speaking, Brian looked back at me with a bright smile.

“Really… Can I do that? Aren’t you scared of me?”

Not wanting to break the hope that had spread across Brian’s face, I smiled and nodded.

“It’s because I’m still unfamiliar, so won’t it get better if we see each other often?”

“… Oh, my god.”

I thought it was going to end with a simple thank you, but Brian looked greatly moved.

“You are the only one who embraces me like this in this place. Mirabel, my niece. If anyone who tries to harm you appear in the future, please tell me, but I will cut him off.”

Brian, who wiped away the tears flowing out, quickly sat down.

Elliot looked at Brian with a sour face and opened his mouth.

“That’s what I’m saying, dad. You’d better not say such scary things. It’s counterproductive.”

Upon hearing Elliot’s complaints, Brian narrowed his eyes and stared at Elliot.

“Elliot, see you in today’s training session.”

“What? I don’t have any training today.”

“Well, is that true?”

As soon as the meaningful Brian’s words ended, the maids soon began to deliver the meals.