Chapter 30
“Evan?”
What Evan had brought was, surprisingly, ganache.
“What… is this?”
“It’s what you gave me last time,” Evan answered slowly.
“You said you stood in line for an hour because you wanted to eat it with me.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Then of course we should do together what we couldn’t do back then.”
Because he wanted to do exactly what I had done, he went into town himself—without using the name Icard—and waited in line for an hour to buy it.
To be honest, the ganache had only been a smokescreen for other business I had to take care of, so I felt a slight twinge of guilt…
But I was the kind of person who could easily ignore a little guilty conscience.
“Ah, yeah. Thanks. But you didn’t have to go that far.”
“Next time, let’s go into town together. Today, I just wanted to repay you for waiting.”
Evan set the ganache down on the garden table and spoke gently.
“Of course, the knights at the training grounds sent Lisa back without even telling me.”
Apparently, Ludva had already instructed them to turn away anyone who came looking for Evan.
‘Meticulous, aren’t you…’
But since I had been even more meticulous, I supposed this counted as my victory.
“Maybe it won’t happen, but… if you ever come home later than I do, I’ll definitely stay up and wait for you.”
“Well, do as you like…”
Considering I still hadn’t fully recovered, it seemed unlikely I’d ever be out late anyway.
“By the way.”
Evan slowly turned his head toward Redian.
“Who are you?”
His voice sounded strangely chilling.
“Why have you been staring at Laria this whole time?”
Redian trembled and looked only at me with pitiful eyes.
Even as the reigning queen of acting in this district, I was momentarily flustered.
If I said he was a painter, that would reveal I wanted to make slush funds through selling paintings. Besides, Lady Matilda used to frequently summon painters—I didn’t want to stir up that trauma. He was already looking at me and thinking of her.
But saying he was a herbalist wouldn’t explain why he’d been staring only at me.
“Just go for now.”
I decided to send Redian away first and think later, but Evan suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.
“Laria is my wife.”
Is there anyone here who doesn’t know that?
I stared at him, bewildered, but he continued, glaring at Redian as if he might kill him.
“She’s not someone you can casually hold in your eyes.”
If a painter doesn’t hold his subject in his eyes, then what is he supposed to hold?
Of course, I couldn’t say that.
“S-s-sorry!”
Redian, innocent as he was, bowed several times and hurried away.
“Who is he?”
Evan turned back to me with a slightly stiff smile.
“Why was he looking at you like he was bewitched?”
His tone was terrifying. If I hadn’t sent Redian away, it looked like he might have hit him.
I was at a loss for words.
‘In times like this… the best defense is offense!’
When nothing comes to mind, buy time and muddy the point by attacking first!
‘Strike first!’
I frowned and spoke in a stern voice.
“Evan.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t tell me… don’t tell me you’re actually that awful?”
“…What?”
“No matter how high our status is, that doesn’t mean commoners can’t even look at us.”
In the original story, even to Seymour—who was born a commoner and had bought his title—Evan had never used insulting language like other nobles did. I had thought he was simply indifferent to everyone equally.
“I thought attending the Academy would have made you more open-minded about things like that.”
I let out a sigh as if disappointed.
“I really think it’s terrible for nobles to treat commoners as if they’re not even human.”
I tried to pull my hand free from his grip, but strangely, he was strong and wouldn’t let go.
“Laria.”
Evan loosened his hold slightly, only to interlace his fingers with mine instead.
“I know you’re kind. But being a commoner isn’t what matters right now. What matters is—”
Just then, my chest tickled. My coughing had decreased lately, but of all places, here in the garden with nowhere to escape!
“E-Evan. Wait a moment.”
“Why?”
“Just a second, I need to use the restroom… cough!”
I couldn’t hold it back. A cough burst out, and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. Shock flashed across Evan’s eyes.
“…Laria?”
He usually wore such an indifferent expression that I’d never imagined he could look like that.
“Is no one there? Gather all the kitchen maids at once! An attempted poisoning—”
“Evan! It’s not poisoning!”
“Who dares attempt to harm the Duchess’s wife!”
Your father!
I answered inwardly but forced myself to stay silent.
Evan, nearly frantic, grabbed my arm with burning eyes.
“I-I’m really fine, Evan. It’s nothing.”
In truth, I had been making it into something, but his expression was so serious that the words slipped out without thinking.
“Evan, calm down. You didn’t know, but I’ve been like this since long ago.”
“What?”
His whole body was trembling. As he wiped the blood from my lips with his thumb, he asked slowly,
“Since long ago? Why is that?”
“Evan, wait. Just calm down first…”
He looked as though he might cry, and I felt awkward. He seemed far more shocked than I’d expected.
Should I tell him it’s a terminal illness? But with Ludva already having shattered his mental state, should I really tell him now that his wife might die too?
His mother’s death was already a trauma. Telling him that his wife—who resembles his mother—might die would be too cruel.
‘When things get this awkward…’
“Evan, I really need to use the restroom first. It’s definitely not poisoning, so don’t summon innocent people. Ask Father for the details.”
Shifting the responsibility onto someone else was the best method.
“I’m still young… so I don’t really know. Father assigned my personal physician himself, so wouldn’t he know better?”
Will that work?
Since Evan still wouldn’t release my arm, I had no choice but to use my ultimate escape cheat.
“…cough.”
“Laria!”
“Cough, coooough… E-Evan, let go… I’m tired, cough.”
I put on the expression of a tragic heroine and started coughing again. Evan hurriedly supported me, insisting on escorting me to the restroom.
Even then, the hand holding me was trembling violently—clearly, he was deeply shaken. This was exactly why I had tried to hide it from him as long as possible.
‘Please, Father, just make something up as you see fit.’
After bringing me to the restroom, Evan handed me over to the breathless Lisa and strode toward the duke’s office.
“Wait for me, Laria. Even if I have to empty the ducal family’s entire budget, I’ll cure you somehow.”
You don’t even need to empty the budget—I’m already curing it just fine…
When I came out of the restroom, Serena and Lisa had arrived and were bickering.
“Can you really call yourself the attending physician after letting this happen?”
“Being beside her while she coughs doesn’t change anything.”
“But what if an emergency occurs? Why aren’t you fulfilling your duty properly?”
“Fine. From now on, I’ll stick right by Lady Laria’s side, so you can go.”
“Go? Her clothes are stained with blood. Someone needs to help her change.”
“Oh? I’ll help. I noticed a dress in the wardrobe I hadn’t seen before.”
“Why is the physician picking out clothes? That’s overstepping your authority!”
I sighed and shook my head. Fortunately, I didn’t have to intervene.
“Lisa, His Grace and the young master are calling for you.”
I had no idea why they were summoning Lisa, but in any case, it was fortunate. Ever since the Ludva incident, the two of them hadn’t properly spoken or even faced each other. Maybe this would be a good opportunity for an honest conversation.
So I took Serena and headed back to my room.
