Chapter – 15
When they arrived in front of the greenhouse, the maid assigned to Kiana stood blocking the door in a respectful posture.
“I’m sorry.”
She bowed her head and spoke firmly.
“The young lady ordered that no one be allowed inside the greenhouse for two hours.”
“Move.”
Scari spoke chillingly. Killing intent filled his eyes. Compared to his gaze and tone, the command itself was rather mild.
“I’m sorry.”
But the maid did not step aside.
“I already got scolded a lot today for being late with the coffee errand. If I fail this order too… I might really get fired.”
“Have you forgotten whose orders you should be obeying right now?”
Scari rarely lost his composure and shouted.
“No—before it came to this, you should’ve handled it yourself!”
“She was so resolute that I… I couldn’t even dare touch her. And…”
The maid trembled but kept bowing as she spoke.
“The young lady said that if I endure a month, I could at least put spy experience on my record.”
“What?”
“She already noticed that the Duke ordered me to watch her.”
Joshua, who had followed Scari, quickly asked:
“And she didn’t hit you? She found out you were spying.”
“No, she didn’t. But every word she says makes me feel like I’m being hit.”
The maid looked gloomy, remembering how Kiana had started ending every sentence with “spy.”
Joshua rubbed his chin and muttered:
“As expected… she hasn’t changed at all.”
Hesitating a little, the maid gathered courage and voiced her opinion.
“But it didn’t feel that bad. Actually… this might sound strange…”
“Go on.”
“It felt refreshing… and kind of cool. She was clearly criticizing me, but she wasn’t wrong, so it made me reflect on myself… and at the same time, I felt a tiny—really tiny—bit of consideration.”
Joshua slowly nodded.
“Right. I felt that too… She criticized me for being addicted to luxury goods, but between the lines I could feel a chick-tear-sized bit of goodwill.”
“That’s not criticism. You being addicted to luxury goods is factual.”
Scari said firmly.
The maid carefully added:
“Yes… well, anyway, none of it was false, so I wasn’t resentful.”
Then she bowed deeper toward Scari.
“However, Your Grace…”
She had sharp instincts and quick judgment—personally selected by the head maid as Kiana’s watcher.
By animal instinct, she had already decided what she must do now. Even trembling under Scari’s killing intent, she did not move her feet.
“From what I’ve observed, the young lady is not someone who bluffs. So…”
Gathering all her courage, she insisted:
“I believe now is the time to trust her.”
“…What?”
“She won’t do anything that harms Hou-nim. She clearly said she would fix him herself.”
“A child who’s neither a doctor nor a veterinarian—!”
Before Scari could finish, Joshua interrupted:
“Summoned beasts can’t be healed by doctors or vets anyway, grandfather.”
While Scari fell silent, the maid continued:
“The young lady prepared her materials without hesitation. She seemed certain of her method. She knows many things we don’t… After all, she’s the Academy’s genius. Perhaps you should trust her.”
Silence fell.
Scari stood motionless for a long time, as if frozen.
“…Come to think of it…”
He muttered, as though realizing something entirely new.
“…I’ve never trusted Kiana.”
Joshua shrugged beside him.
“That’s nothing new, grandfather. You cared about us, but you never trusted anyone— not just Kiana. Even Alex, you only use when something needs biting.”
“That’s because all of you grew up like complete disasters! What would’ve happened if I entrusted the family to you?”
“It would’ve collapsed beyond recovery.”
“That’s why this old and sick me is still working myself to death! So I can leave you a proper family! Do you understand this great love?!”
“Grandfather, why are you suddenly bragging about feelings you never expressed your whole life…?”
“This is nice! I’m expressing my feelings — why do I feel refreshed?”
The head maid, who had hurried after them, twisted her face in guilt.
He looks so relieved… Now I can’t tell him I never meant for him to brag…
Watching Scari’s usual stoic charisma crumble, she despaired inwardly.
Then—
From inside the greenhouse came a clear flap sound. Wings.
And faintly, Kiana’s voice leaked out:
“Don’t get excited! We still have more to do! There are still toxins in your body! Don’t act like you’re fully healed!”
Scari could no longer hold back.
The maid also failed to stop him.
The door burst open and Scari, Joshua, the maid, and other servants rushed inside.
<But my body actually moves properly after years!>
And the sight at the innermost nest made Scari lose his senses.
<This is amazing!>
Hou, who had always lain weakly with closed eyes, was slowly flapping his wings in midair.
<I feel alive!>
“You were already alive. Just warm up lightly until I finish calculating.”
Beside the nest, Kiana was scribbling formulas like mad onto parchment spread across the floor.
It was as impressive as Hou flying.
“…Kiana?”
Several cups of coffee, stimulants, and empty medicine bottles lay scattered everywhere.
In the middle of it, Kiana — wearing glasses — buried her head in a mountain of parchment.
Every sheet was filled with complex formulas. Strange magical tools rolled around nearby.
Scari and Joshua now understood what the maid meant by ‘I couldn’t dare touch her.’
“…Ah.”
Joshua muttered:
“If focusing on something looks that cool… maybe I look like that when recruiting knights for ‘Lorelei’…”
His green snake familiar answered:
<Nope.>
Joshua bent down and picked up one of the empty bottles — stomach medicine.
He was about to speak when Kiana snapped:
“Just a moment.”
Without even looking up from the parchment, she irritably muttered:
“Don’t disturb me. I’m concentrating.”
Hou added from beside her:
<You heard her. Don’t disturb!>
Scari froze. Hearing Hou’s lively voice after so long moved him deeply.
Since he remained silent, Joshua also couldn’t speak.
The two men who normally barked at everything now kept completely quiet at Kiana’s command.
Kiana, wearing glasses, kept moving her quill nonstop, occasionally muttering, “I need sugar…” and eating candy.
Candy wrappers had piled beside her.
She looked… slightly insane.
The maid quietly brought simple chairs.
And for quite a while, Scari and Joshua sat there, holding their breath and obediently waiting.
