Episode 4
“Miss Layla?”
“…Ah, many people have been asking about that herb lately.”
Layla looked down at her teacup instead of meeting Easton’s eyes like before.
“Does Aiola have uses besides curing the poison DeFloreo?” Easton asked, sensing something strange.
“…It also makes skin tighter and brighter. It’s used for beauty,” she said with a small, awkward smile.
“Rich ladies want it a lot. It’s very rare and hard to find…”
“Beauty, huh…”
That word, with no trace of desperation, almost made Easton laugh bitterly. He picked up his teacup and gave a small, forced smile.
“It would be better if you sold it to me instead of those people.”
“What do you need it for?” she asked, carefully watching his reaction.
Easton didn’t drink the tea. He spoke slowly.
“My little sister… was poisoned by DeFloreo.”
“She was poisoned?”
“Yes. She’s only ten years old…”
His hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. Even though he tried to speak calmly, it was hard to stay cold while talking about his only remaining family.
“That poison is really hard to get…”
“Exactly. They used it on purpose. If it were easy to cure, they wouldn’t have used it.”
Thinking of it made his teeth clench in anger.
Duke La Rose had already sacrificed his own son, and now he was using Easton’s sister’s illness to control him. The duke promised to give him the cure, but only if Easton let corrupt laws pass in the noble council.
‘Brother… can’t you just give up on me…?’
Even Psyche, his little sister, had told him to give up on her. She was only ten.
He had failed to protect his parents. But he would protect Psyche no matter what.
After a long search, he found out that the poison used was DeFloreo.
He had to get Aiola—no matter what.
For his sister. For himself. For the future of the Inverno Empire.
“She’s not doing well.”
“You must have a lot going on…” Layla said softly.
“Can you help me?” he asked, full of hope.
Layla didn’t answer right away. She looked deeply thoughtful, then nodded.
“Yes. I want to help you.”
“Thank you. I can pay you well—”
“No need for that.”
Her long silver eyelashes trembled. But then she smiled and continued.
“Aiola is a very tricky herb. It’s hard to turn it into medicine.”
“I do have a skilled doctor, but…”
“I’ll make the medicine for you.”
Easton tilted his head slightly.
“But didn’t you say you’re self-taught?”
“I’m a bit embarrassed to say it myself, but I have some talent in this area…”
She blushed lightly and looked shy. Then she remembered what Easton had said earlier and quickly added:
“Oh! If you’re uncomfortable with that, I can just give you the herbs. If the doctor’s medicine doesn’t work, you can try mine instead. That’s okay, right?”
Easton found himself quietly staring at her.
Was she really doing all this out of pure kindness?
He hated how suspicious and untrusting he had become. And yet, he kept reminding himself not to trust her.
“…If you’d be willing, I’d really appreciate that.”
He smiled to hide his dark thoughts.
At his positive answer, Layla smiled brightly.
“Then, let’s just wait for the rain to stop.”
She looked out the window, seeming more relaxed. Rain continued to pound against the glass.
“Yes. I’m staying at the inn in the village center.”
Easton had barely touched the cake, and he hadn’t taken a sip of tea. He gently set his cup down on the table.
“Alright. I’ll go look for the herb as soon as the rain stops.”
“When you go, can you call me? I want to help too.”
“Hmm… okay.”
“Then I’ll take my leave now.”
He slowly stood up.
“Take care getting back.”
Layla saw him to the door.
Then, as if remembering something, she said:
“Oh, your forehead…”
“Yes?”
“It should be healed by now, but… if you need more medicine, come back.”
It had only been a little while. There’s no way it healed that fast.
“…Alright.”
He answered vaguely and opened his black umbrella.
As he glanced back, he saw her still waving at him with a smile.
His heart shook uneasily.
Unnerved by a feeling he hadn’t had in a long time, Easton quickly turned away and walked back to the inn.
“You went and asked, I assume?”
At the inn’s dining hall, the herb man who’d told him about Layla was drinking a beer.
“Yes. Thanks to you.”
“She agreed to help, didn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I didn’t think she’d say no.”
“Usually small villages like this don’t trust strangers.”
Feeling oddly tired, Easton pushed back his golden hair and sat across from the man.
“Miss Layla is… too kind.”
Almost suspiciously kind.
Easton ordered a cold drink and looked at the man again.
The man nodded and said, “She has her reasons.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s been living in that orange-roofed cottage for about 15 years. Came here with an old nanny.”
“Nanny?”
“Yeah. As you can see, this is a village of old folks and herb-sellers. Kids are rare.”
He took a big gulp of his beer and went on.
“Layla grew up loved by everyone.”
That explained why there was no public info about her.
The innkeeper brought a cup of iced Darjeeling tea. Easton checked quickly if it was poisoned—then spoke in a low voice.
“She seems to live alone now.”
“She does. The nanny died recently in an accident.”
“Accident?”
“Yes. A carriage accident, I think.”
“What kind of carriage rides are there in a place like this?”
“That, I don’t know. She doesn’t talk about her family much. I don’t think she’s from a poor family, but… there’s some story there.”
“I see.”
“That’s why she’s been helping a lot of people lately. She says doing good will help her nanny rest peacefully in heaven.”
She had seemed so bright and carefree—he never imagined she might be carrying a wound like his.
Suddenly, his own mother flashed through his mind. His chest hurt with the memory.
“…So if you get that Aiola herb, make sure you don’t tell anyone.”
“I understand. I can see how much she’s loved in this village.”
Easton gave a dry chuckle and downed the tea in one go.
He slammed the cup down on the table and pulled a silver coin from his coat, placing it beside the cup.
“I’ve had more than enough of rumors. Don’t worry.”
“Ah, alright.”
Easton nodded slightly and went upstairs to his room.
Layla’s smiling face flashed before his eyes.
His heart started pounding uncontrollably.
“…So what if we share the same pain?”
Trying to shake off the thought, he shook his head hard.
Then, as if he were infected, he started ripping off the bandage she had wrapped on his head.
“…Huh?”
He went into the bathroom to wash his face.
When he looked in the mirror, his eyes widened in shock.
“What the…”
His swollen forehead… had completely healed.
As if he had never hit it in the first place.
