CH 63

63 Flower in Hand

The pale-faced Muriel was currently sleeping in the room prepared by the duke’s family. Fortunately, she was still breathing. It was just that she had yet to regain her consciousness. Furthermore, from time to time, she was also groaning in pain.

Looking at her condition, it was as if there were thousands of needles stuck in my heart. I was really frustrated. I couldn’t do anything to help her… I was only able to grasp her hand in mine while desperately praying.

On the other hand, the condition of the other girls was not as bad, maybe due to them not wearing that misanga. In any case, their mana would have restored itself naturally with a good rest. However, it was not so for Muriel’s condition. Muriel’s mana did not recover. According to the doctor, she was still unconscious because that magic tool was still sucking her mana.

Incidentally, at this time, the blue girl’s (Sonia’s) attendant was extremely agitated with the turn of events. She felt she was responsible for this incident. It was to the point that she was hysterical and almost committed suicide, believing that this happened because she talked about that magic tool to her mistress.

She believed that if she didn’t tell her mistress, then they wouldn’t be buying that magic tools. Naturally, if they didn’t buy it, there would be no such thing as this.

Fortunately, the other attendants managed to stop her from taking her own life. However, considering her emotional state, everyone decided that she was not to be left alone in case her depression overwhelmed her into trying another suicide.

Aside from the attendant, both Bates and Luke were also agitated with the situation since they believed they could actually prevent the incident if only they had examined the misanga more carefully.

I could even hear Bates muttering something along the line of ‘It’s different from that fu*cker’s magic equation style’ or ‘The style is similar to the one from seven years ago.’ if I focused.

I didn’t pay attention. All I saw in my eyes was Muriel and Muriel alone. I noticed a dark red bruise resembling a chain coiled around Muriel’s wrist where she wore that accursed misanga before. Not willing to let this incident leave a mark on her, I asked if that bruise could be healed. Alas, the doctor and the healer called by Duke Lilac shook their head.

“Theodore. Let’s go back now. We have to leave this matter to Bates-dono and the healers. Let’s come for a visit again tomorrow.”

Before I realized it, my father had already stood by my side, laying his hand on my shoulder.

“It’s okay, father. I’ll stay by Muriel’s side. I can’t do anything at all, so at least let me stay by her side.”

“No, you can’t. You have to rest as well. You’ve used a lot of mana today, right?”

“It’s okay. I’m not tired at all.”

“What are you talking about? On top of forming the purification barrier twice, that barrier is also used to repel a wicked being. You must have spent quite a lot of your mana already. You have to rest. No matter how much higher the amount of your magic power is compared to ordinary people, you must have exhausted quite a lot of your mana to create those two barriers. Not to mention the fact that your magic power was only released yesterday. Believe me, your body is more exhausted than you expected. That’s why listen to me. Let’s go back and give your body its needed rest. You need it to recover. Okay?”

“I can sleep in this place.”

“Your exhaustion won’t disappear unless you properly sleep on the bed.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“… This is an order from your father and your family’s head. No matter how much you resisted the idea, I’ll bring you back by force.”

“Fathe–”

When I was about to protest against such a forceful method, Father touched my cheek with his hands and looked into my eyes. When I looked into my father’s eyes, I knew that he was really angry.

“Now, choose. Are you going to have to be brought back forcibly like a baby? Or, are you going to go back with your own feet? Right now, Viscount Amber can’t even come to Miss Muriel’s side since you refused to move away from that spot. Are you going to disturb their parent-child moment?”

The second Father brought that matter, I knew I was defeated. Muriel loves her family; I couldn’t do that to her. Moreover, I also didn’t want to show such an uncool side of mine in front of Muriel. Even if she was not awake to see that uncool side.

“… I’ll go back with my own feet.”

I surrendered, leaving the room with my father pushing my back along. We passed by Viscount Amber and his wife, who was waiting right beside the room’s entrance when we got out. Seeing us walking out, the couple immediately rushed into Muriel’s room. I saw that Viscount Amber did glare at me for a brief moment, though he only nodded his head toward us since my father was right behind me.

Ah, I see now. It was indeed my fault. Perhaps something like this wouldn’t happen if I got along with Viscount Amber.

“Don’t worry about it. The viscount is simply worrying about Miss Muriel. He does not resent you for this. It is just that he has no outlet for his anger, and you happen to catch a glimpse of it due to you occupying the room and refusing to leave. I mean, he’s Miss Muriel’s father after all, and he naturally cares about his own daughter. You did prevent him from staying by her side just now, so please understand the momentary anger he showed.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Right before we left, we heard the couple’s cries from inside Muriel’s temporary room.

◇

My memory was hazy after that. I remembered that Mother, Wendy, and Chester hugged me affectionately when I returned, but I couldn’t remember what they said.

By the time I noticed, I was already lying on my bed.

Perhaps I fell asleep for a bit there. Anyway, by the time I became aware again, the room was dark. And when I opened the curtain, the sky was already dark. But I could see a beautiful moon hanging up in the night sky, lighting up my room through the gap in the curtain I opened.

I looked around and saw that on the side table, the little chick figurine Muriel made sat. Perhaps Richard placed it beside me so I could see it immediately once I woke up.

“Muriel…”

Her pale face flashed through my mind again. She looked as if she had already died. So much like my late father in my previous life. He also passed away when I was around ten years old. At that time, I remembered my big sister, who had just entered junior high at the time, had to direct the funeral direction in place of my mother, who couldn’t leave my father’s side.

If I’m not wrong, my big sister at that time had said, “You must never leave Mother’s side. Remember, you must be able to fill the hole left in Mother’s heart due to the loss of our father. Make sure that you don’t die on her like our father too. Our mother is still alive; otherwise, we might have already drifted on the streets right now, so stay by Mother’s side. Leave the other troublesome things to your big sister. All you need to do is just stay as you are and stay by Mother’s side. Understood?”

“Something that I can do… Muriel is still alive….”

Yes, it’s still alright. Muriel is still alive. Hope bloomed inside my heart with that thought in mind, and I left the table side and took out a box. Inside the box were the gems from the appraisal ceremony. I grabbed the gems and made a wish.

“Please make a hexagram-shaped hole that is big enough for the thread to pass through.”

—— Roger that. Leave it to me.

Listening to the gem’s bright reply, I unintentionally let out a smile. Thus, in front of my eyes, a hexagram-shaped hole formed in the center of the gem.

I then took out silver and gold threads from my sewing box and affixed them to the needle. After that, I threaded the strands into the hexagram-shaped hole. With triangle-shaped gold thread and inverted triangle-shaped silver thread, I twisted the two threads that came out from the other end and knitted the one inside with the finest lace needle.

When it was about ⅔ done, I knitted a petal pattern with yellow, green, blue, red, black, and white thread. I also made a crystal flower bud wrapped in gold and silver thread and tucked it in the center of six colored petals.

I then knitted a small ribbon in the center of this flower. At the very least, I wanted this to cover the dark red bruise on her wrist. Since the healer could do nothing, and Muriel might find a misanga-like bracelet to be unpleasant after this incident, I wanted to do something about that bruise.

After all, it seemed that that dark red bruise was the culprit that kept draining her lifeforce even at this very moment. And though this was nothing more than a cover, it was better than nothing.

At this point, I just wanted to do something for Muriel.

That was why I would give her this, no matter how trivial it seemed to be.

Knitting like an obsessed madman, I paid no heed to what happened around me, and by the time I noticed, it had already become an extremely long bracelet. One that was enough to coil around Muriel’s wrist a few times over.

Finally, I put a finishing touch on the end of the threads and tidied up my sewing box. After that, I left my room, the finished bracelet in my hand.

However, right after stepping out of my room, I remembered that I couldn’t just deliver this to Muriel. That was right; I had to bring the chick figurine along. I turned back and picked up the chick figurine and thought. You’re worrying about your creator, too, right? Let’s go meet her.

“Where are you going to at this time, Young Master?”

The one who called out to me was Kevin. It seemed he was keeping a watch on me.

“It’s still midnight. Please go back to your room.”

“I want to deliver this to Muriel. I’ll be back right after I deliver this.”

“I know that you’ve been doing something in your room since a while ago, but can’t you at least wait until tomorrow? I’ll accompany you however you want if you deliver it by then. Right now, you have to rest. Master had told you to take a rest too, right? I mean, I’m sure that Muriel-sama is also worrying about you.”

I knew that. I knew all that. But I was really anxious right now. It felt like a black mist was eating me up from the inside.

“Sorry, but it has to be done right now. Tonight. I might regret it later if I do not deliver this gift right now. So, please, let me pass.”

I bowed my head. I had to go no matter what.

Kevin hesitated for a while, but in the end, he heaved a sigh, “Okay. I understand. I guess I really can’t win against you, Young Master. Moreover, Young Master has only shown his selfishness at a time like this, so… A~h, geez, fine. Let’s get scolded together later on.”

“Of course. We’ll go through the fire together.”

===

Upon arriving at the mansion’s entrance, I saw that Richard had already been waiting for us. He even prepared the carriage.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Theodore-sama.”

Eh? What’s happening here?

“It is just as Kevin-sama had predicted. That’s why I had arranged the carriage for you while you did something in your room.” I turned around to look at Kevin, but he averted his face and whistled innocently.

Dammit. I got tricked again. Still, you’ve my gratitude, Kevin.

“Thank you, everyone. We’ll be going back right after I deliver my present. Please forgive my selfishness just this once.” I said as I entered the carriage, my mind already flying far away.

Wait for me, Muriel. I’m coming.