CH 4

“Hello. Priest Segolene. Forgive me for not being able to greet you properly because my legs are uncomfortable. And thank you. The priest’s skills were so good that my speech disorder was cured.”

She showed her humility with a gentle expression.

“No. Everything is a miracle God has given us. Divine power cannot cure a disability.”

The Marquis interrupted the friendly atmosphere. He still hasn’t recovered his anger towards his second daughter.

“Segolene, I don’t know if you’ve heard from the butler, but I brought you here because of my youngest son’s illness.”

Segolene shook her head calmly.

“But, Marquis. Divine power cannot cure chronic diseases.”

“However, can you make a diagnosis to some extent?”

“No, using divine power doesn’t mean we can find out the exact name of the disease. I’d rather introduce a good doctor. It would be better for Alphonse and Blanche, of course.”

The answer came from Alphonse, not Marquis.

“No. You don’t have to introduce us to a doctor, Segolene. Our family doctor comes from a famous family of doctors in the neighboring kingdom.”

“But I heard that the doctor did not know the exact name of the disease.”

“That’s because I have an unknown and incurable disease.”

“Young Master, you can’t give up your life already. In addition, the disease should be seen by as many doctors as possible.”

“But…….”

The Marquis cut Alphonse’s words as he tried to make up excuses again.

“Alphonse, Segolene is right. While we’re at it, let’s see another doctor.”

“But when I was first diagnosed with the disease, I met dozens of other doctors through the referral of my doctor!”

“Time has passed, and your illness may be in remission. It’s okay, so just trust this father.”

The boy’s face turned white. He seemed to be belatedly finding a way out of the situation. Then, Alphonse coughed loudly.

Thud. The boy fell to the floor.

“Cough, cough! Ugh!”

“Alphonse!”

While the contemplating Marquis dropped his knees to the floor and looked at his son, Mariette shouted in a panicked voice.

“Quick, get the doctor! Hurry! Tell him Alphonse is having a seizure!”

The Marquis’ anger rose while holding down the seizing Alphonse with his pale hands. With red whose veins seemed to have burst, he blamed his second daughter.

“Are you satisfied now? You scared Alphonse into a seizure!”

Blanche snorted.

“Should I really say it again? He’s faking it. He’s acting, dear father.”

“You!”

Segolene stopped the Marquis who was about to stand up and likely hit Blanche. She thought Blanche’s words were harsh, but unlike the Marquis, she knew what the priority is.

“Don’t do that, Marquis, hold the Master’s body. Let me examine the body of Master Alphonse by divine power. I don’t know the exact name of the disease, but I’ll do as much as I can!”

“Segolene. Thank you for your kind heart.”

The Marquis quelled his wrath, and knelt again next to his son.

Alphonse let out a tearful scream.

“Aww! Dad, no! Wait for the doctor to come! The doctor always relieved my symptoms!”

Unlike Blanchet, who still had a cold expression on her face, Mariette also sniffed and pleaded.

“Dad! Alphonse is right! Don’t do this, wait for the Doctor!”

However, he only bowed his head to Segolene with a dying face just as much as his youngest son.

“Please.”

Segolene asked everyone for help.

“Please hold on to the Master’s body so that I can use holy power.”

Not only the Marquis, but also the butler and Mariette sat on the floor next to the seizing Alphonse. Suddenly the boy’s groans began to subside. It was a change of plan.

“Ugh, no. Priest Segolene. I don’t have much pain anymore. You don’t even have to use your divine power.”

“No, Master. If I leave you like this, I will not be able to face Pierre.”

Segolene moved her hand, surrounded by golden light, to Alphonse’s forehead.

At that moment, a miracle happened. Alphonse slapped Segolene’s hand on his forehead and ran away. It was unbelievable that he was sick at all.

“No!”

Everyone’s eyes widened, including the Marquis. Eventually, the Marquis brought out a question that represented everyone’s feelings except for Blanche.

“No, why is a sick child so strong…?”

Blanche smiled and gave the correct answer once more.

“What are you doing, Dad? Why don’t you go and get that calf with horns in its a$$.”

[T/N: No idea, maybe he was so fast that he looked like someone who had something up his bu++]

“No way…”

Finally, it was the moment when Alphonse’s three-year fake illness was revealed. Blanche sent a chilling ridicule to the Marquis, who opened his mouth as if he had been struck with a hammer at the back of his head.

“Now do you understand?”

Frustrated, the Marquis squeezed out a belated excuse.

“Blanche. I, uh…….”

“That’s enough, Father. Don’t try to apologize.”

The Marquis’ face lit up at the calm voice.

“Oh, my dear second daughter. You know how this father feels!”

“That’s not it, Father’s voice. I don’t want to hear it any more.”

The Marquis, who had been made fun of, lost his words.

* * *

The mansion was turned upside down. Because Segolene healed Alphonse’s incurable disease. However, this was only an external fact, and the truth was different.

3 years ago. The Marquis told Alphonse, who had just turned seven.

“Alphonse, I, as well as your grandfather and your great-grandfather, all attended the Imperial Academy. So of course, you should pass the Imperial Academy, as you were born into this family. With excellent grades like your brother Pierre.”

After that, Alphonse had to sit at his desk for 13 hours a day. Then one day.

When Alphonse fell ill with the flu, the Marquis brought a travelling doctor into the house. In fact, he was a swindler who did not know medicine. However, he knew better than anyone that the 7 year old Alphonse did not want to go to the academy.

That’s how the deal was made between the two. The Marquis was furious when his son’s immature fraud was revealed, and immediately beat the doctor and kicked him out of the mansion.

Alphonse, who had been scolded by the Marquis for a week, had to prepare for the Academy entrance exam, which was the initial cause of the fake illness.

Even today, Alphonse, who was struggling with studying from early morning to late at night, came to see Mariette.

The boy was so tired that he wanted to pass out right away, but he could not sleep without voicing out his frustration. Unlike the Marquis, who was angry, Mariette welcomed Alphonse.

Her hair was being brushed by a maid in front of the dressing table, changing into her pajamas.

“Welcome, our youngest. Oh my God, your face has shrunk in half!”

Whether there was a maid in the room or not, the boy came to Mariette’s arms.

“Hngg. First sister! I’m so tired! I’m going to die studying like this! I am a precious spirit warrior, so why do I have to study well!”

“Yeah. Dad is very greedy too. The Academy’s top entrants only need our older brother, Pierre, why bother you too?”

“As expected, older sister understands! Yes! It’s all because of sister Blanche! She’s a fool, but she’s trying to show off!”

“Alphonse.”

As if to warn him, Mariette firmly spoke her brother’s name. Alphonse pouted his lips and glanced at the maid. After her handmaiden bowed her knee once to inform them she was leaving, she disappeared from Mariette’s bedroom.

It wasn’t until they were left alone in the bedroom that she talked to her brother quietly.

“You can’t say that about our sister. Besides, in two months, Blanche will be Countess.”

“But Count Juan is…….”

Before he could say the words ‘human garbage’, Mariette’s eyes flashed.

“He’s extremely rich. Perhaps he is the second richest person in the kingdom?”

If he’s rich, does it not matter if the other person is an old man or a demon? As he was young Alphonse was confused, Mariette grinned, revealing her pink gums.

“Your second sister, she’s going to be a rich lady now. Finally, our less-capable Blanche is helping our family.”

Her voice was cold and brutal as if she was not the girl who cried pitifully because she didn’t want to marry Don Juan.

For a moment, Alphonse felt a chill.

“… Sister?”

“I am so glad, Alphonse. Our older brother is the most talented person in the empire, and you are a precious spirit warrior. Moreover, Blanche, who was the only flaw in our family, will soon become rich, right? Now that I am officially a princess, I will not envy the Empress of the Empire either.”

She gently stroked the terrified Alphonse’s head, and spoke indifferently.

“But before that, I have to appease Blanche. At this rate, she will no longer listen to this sister.”

“Sister, look…….”

“Oh, my. Our youngest. Why do you look so upset? You look scared of something.”

Mariette still soothed her brother with a picturesque smile.

“It’s okay, Alphonse listens to me. Sister doesn’t hate you. You know, right?

“Uh, sister Mariette.”

Mariette smiled brightly as the boy hesitated and nodded. Only then did Alphonse think, perhaps, she might have noticed his fake illness before Blanche, but remained silent.

It would have been easier for her to get her way.

* * *

Early morning, two months before the wedding.

Blanche was forced to open her eyes. It was because Mariette’s five maids were impatient to wake her up. Unlike Blanche, who lived with only one maid for her whole life, her twin sister had a lot of people next to her, even after the family situation went bad.

“Lady Blanche! Come on, wake up! Lady Mariette is waiting for you!”

“There, you two! We’re going to wake her up, so go get her wheelchair!”

**********