IPSC 11

Chapter 11

This makes no sense…”

I was confused.

I understood why Vivian had cursed me. In her eyes, I must have been a thorn in the side of her relationship with Jerome—someone in the way.

But Jerome was different. He was the man Vivian loved.

Cursing the person you love?

My head was full of question marks.

“Why would Vivian curse the Duke? You said they’ve known each other since childhood…”

“Because she loves him.”

“…What?”

Had I misheard?

I looked at Lowell with an expression that clearly said I don’t get it.

“If Duke Winston were to suffer from a curse, it would give Lady Angus a reason to deliver purification incense. Even if it meant resorting to that, she simply wanted to see the Duke.”

“That’s not love. That’s obsession.”

At my words, Lowell asked calmly,

“Lady, what do you think is the difference between obsession and love?”

I don’t know.
Isn’t it unfair to ask a lifelong single person what love is?

“The deeper love becomes, the more intelligent beings try to erase the boundaries between themselves and their partner. The stronger the affection, the less they perceive the other as a separate existence.”

Lowell continued in an even tone.

“It’s an instinctive phenomenon. The desire to be close to the one you love isn’t much different from the desire to assimilate them as part of yourself.”

His voice didn’t waver.

“When love deepens, it’s natural to feel anxious when you’re apart. The actions taken to relieve that anxiety are simply labeled as obsession.”

His explanation made my stomach churn.

Yet I couldn’t quite pinpoint where my discomfort was coming from.

“Isn’t it natural to want to possess the person you love?”

His eyes were darker than usual.

“In that sense, obsession could be seen as a more intense form of love.”

I still couldn’t agree with him.

And hearing this from someone who liked collecting specimens made it sound downright dangerous.

I pushed back.

“Even so, can Lady Angus’s methods really be considered acceptable?”

“Of course, I can’t say her actions were ethically sound. But I can understand the essence of wanting to keep the person you love by your side, no matter what.”

…That’s terrifying.

Why would you understand that?

It sounded plausible on the surface, but it was nothing more than sophistry.

Lacking the verbal finesse to argue further, I decided to smooth things over with an awkward smile.

“It’s complicated. I wouldn’t know—I’ve never been in love.”

At my reply, Lowell smiled softly.

“Let’s return to the main issue. Since she used both poison and dark magic, Lady Angus won’t be able to avoid severe punishment.”

I hadn’t known Vivian went as far as cursing someone, but I already knew she was ruthless.

Still, as long as she wouldn’t get in my way anymore, that was enough for me.

“Did you lift the curse, Master?”

“Yes. There are no aftereffects, are there?”

“No. If anything, I feel healthier than before.”

“I placed a blessing spell on you.”

Blessing magic used divine power. And yet, he wasn’t even a priest.

Was that because he was the greatest mage in the Empire?

“I didn’t know you could use divine magic, Master.”

“I once served at a temple.”

“You were a priest?”

That was completely new information.

At my curiosity-filled gaze, Lowell smiled with his eyes.

“After leaving the temple, my divine power weakened, so I can’t use high-level divine magic anymore. But simple spells are still possible.”

Then he smoothly changed the subject.

“By the way, the investigation is progressing slowly. Lady Angus refuses to speak.”

Vivian, you brat. Are you really going to deny it until the end?

There was solid evidence she tried to poison me. There was no way out for her.

Lowell continued,

“If she keeps her mouth shut, she’ll receive the maximum sentence. Dragging this out only hurts her, so she’ll likely confess soon.”

“I hope so.”

Whether she spoke or not, she’d pay for her crimes either way.

Just thinking about it made me feel relieved.

Vivian’s problem was resolved.

Now all that was left was conquering Jerome!

As I let out a sigh of relief, Lowell suddenly asked,

“How did you know there was poison in the teacup?”

“…What?”

Caught off guard, I looked up and met his gaze.

“As I mentioned earlier, the poison Lady Angus intended to use is colorless, odorless, and extremely lethal. It’s not even known on the market.”

He stared at me as though he could see straight through me.

“Unless you actually drank it, you shouldn’t have been able to tell. So how did you know it was poisoned and use a fairy skull?”

I rolled my eyes inwardly.

Is he suspecting me?

I didn’t expect him to press the issue like this. I’d been careless.

In the game, no matter what I did, everyone just accepted it. But now that this was reality, things weren’t going my way.

I couldn’t exactly say I knew because I’d experienced it before.

I racked my brain.

How do I get out of this without raising suspicion?

“I wasn’t thirsty, so I didn’t drink the tea. But Lady Vivian kept insisting. Even when I refused, she pushed it on me, so I thought something was off.”

Lowell said nothing, simply watching me.

Does he not believe me?

As I swallowed nervously, he finally spoke.

“That’s curious. It was the same at the Duke’s estate last time, too. Could it be that you have an ability to sense ill intent?”

Had my desperation reached him? The suspicion in his eyes slowly faded.

“Perhaps you have particularly sharp instincts. That kind of perceptiveness will be useful in many ways.”

Thank goodness. The excuse worked.

Just as I exhaled in relief, there was a knock at the door.

Moments later, Lowell’s attendant entered with a report.

“Duke Winston has arrived.”

“The Duke? I don’t recall making an appointment.”

“He says he’s here to see Miss Ambervier.”

I sprang to my feet.

He must’ve heard I collapsed and came to check on me!

Coming all this way himself—how thoughtful.

Saved me the trouble of going to him.

I pulled out a mirror to check my condition. Thanks to Lowell’s blessing, my face looked lively.

Does this look like someone who’s sick at all?

I grabbed some makeup, dusted white powder over my face, dulled my lips, and shaded under my eyes with a bluish tint.

If he was visiting the sick, I shouldn’t look too healthy. Looking frail would earn more sympathy.

A classic move: activate the protective instinct.

Once I was done, I asked,

“Master, how do I look?”

“A complete mess.”

Perfect!

Buoyed by his blunt assessment, I hurried out.

In the reception room, Jerome sat neatly on the sofa.

“It’s good to see you again, Your Grace.”

His eyes wavered. His brows drew together slightly.

After a moment, he regained his usual composure and stood slowly.

“…You’re in worse shape than I expected.”

For some reason, his expression darkened.

Is he worried?

“Still, I feel better just seeing you come all this way.”

I smiled gently.

As he sat down, Jerome said,

“I’ve sent medicine and ingredients that should aid your recovery to the Moon Tower. They should arrive tomorrow.”

Oh my. That’s unexpectedly sweet.

All that effort raising his affection wasn’t for nothing.

“You really didn’t have to. Thank you—I’ll make good use of them.”

Then Jerome spoke heavily.

“…I apologize for what happened with Lady Angus.”

Huh?

I tilted my head at his sudden apology.

“She’s the one at fault. Why would you need to apologize?”

“Because you became entangled with someone you never should have, because of me.”

Ah. That’s what he meant.

I thought he was indifferent, but he was more considerate than I expected.

Jerome bowed his head formally.

“Since this incident occurred due to someone associated with me, I offer my sincere apologies.”

Well, it did happen because of him—but how was that his fault?

Besides, dealing with Vivian so easily was a bonus.

I replied softly,

“It’s fine. How could this be your fault?”

All that remained now was raising Jerome’s affection and returning to reality!

I activated my trump card.

[Activating ‘Charm’ skill.]

But instead of Jerome’s affection meter, a different system message appeared.

[Skill activation failed.]

…What?

Did I see that wrong?

As I blinked in disbelief, Jerome dropped a bombshell.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep my promise to show you the North.”

“…What?”

I stared at him, stunned, then managed to speak.

“Ah—you said His Highness the Crown Prince has been summoning you lately. If you’re busy because of that, it’s fine. We can tour the North later—”

“No. That won’t be necessary. There will be no further involvement between you and me, Miss Aisha.”

Jerome rose slowly and bowed with flawless composure.

“Please recover well.”

With that, he left the reception room.

I stared blankly at his retreating figure.

What?

What just happened?

What the hell went wrong?!