Chapter 15
Why is it green? That’s the color of my eyes, isn’t it?
Ellen, unable to believe what she was seeing, pulled the mirror right up to her nose and blinked rapidly.
“How does it look?”
“Uh… something’s wrong with my eyes…”
Seeing her eyes waver aimlessly, Licio immediately dashed out and called the court physician.
After examining Ellen’s eyes, the physician said there was nothing wrong with them.
‘Anais’s eyes were definitely deep green, though…’
Ellen couldn’t let go of the mirror.
Was it because she had only seen Anais in that dim temple? No, she’d seen her in bright places, too.
So that’s why they said we looked like sisters…
Ellen stretched her arm out and held the mirror farther away, then frowned, smiled, and tried making various expressions.
“They say the face is a window to the heart — I think that’s true.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Well…”
Just finding that one piece of similarity made Ellen feel so overwhelmingly happy.
Because it felt like it wasn’t Anais she was seeing — it was herself.
As if she had found the part of her that had disappeared.
Perhaps it was the reassurance of confirming her identity that brought a relieved smile to her face.
“I look a little brighter now.”
Looking at the mirror, Ellen smiled again.
“How adorable, saying you’re happy in such a cute way.”
“Huh? That’s not what I said at all!”
Licio pulled the mirror closer again so that Ellen’s entire face was reflected.
“Look — a woman in love, Anais.”
“Me? I’m not in love.”
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have that kind of expression. You look like a freshly bloomed flower.”
Maybe it was because her emotions were heightened, but Ellen’s cheeks had turned a soft pink.
“I told you, I’m not!”
Embarrassed, Ellen covered the mirror with both hands.
Then, before she realized it, Licio leaned close to her ear and whispered sweetly,
“You really do seem brighter. You’ve been through a lot, and yet you’ve endured it well. I’m proud of you.”
“Wh–what’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden…?”
“Nothing. Just saying.”
Then, without warning, Licio lay down with his head resting on her lap. He took her hand and placed it on top of his head — as if asking her to stroke his hair.
Ellen let out a small sigh, half exasperated, half amused, and began gently running her fingers through his hair.
“How long do I have to do this? You should get up now.”
“Not enough yet. More.”
He kept his eyes tightly closed, as if determined to hold his ground.
Is he waiting for a blessing or something?
He was sensitive to divine energy, so maybe he actually felt something when she touched him.
Well, of course he’d want that. He knew good things when he saw them.
Wait — maybe this was the perfect moment to ask.
Ellen gathered her courage.
“Please lift Dorothy’s punishment.”
Licio had ordered Dorothy to be confined for neglecting Ellen in the library.
It had been completely unfair.
After all, Ellen was the one who had coaxed Dorothy to leave her alone — so hearing that the maid was being punished had made her feel terribly guilty.
But Licio’s reply was firm.
“No. If that maid had stayed at her post, you wouldn’t have been crawling into a corner of the library crying.”
How awkward. She couldn’t very well tell him she’d been climbing out a window that day.
Ellen ran through possible explanations in her head.
I wasn’t crawling — I walked! I can walk, you know!
I just didn’t tell you because you gave me that wheelchair. Then I found out Anais underwent a divine power test.
There’s no way a noblewoman like her could become a Saintess, so I started suspecting the temple. That’s why I hid the fact that my body had recovered. And the one who hired Marmonde probably has ties to the temple too.
Ah, right. One more thing — I’m actually possessed!
What a mess.
Ellen sighed inwardly. There was no way she could patch together that mountain of lies now.
And she didn’t even have solid proof — only suspicions and guesses. How could she convince Licio with that?
For now, pretending not to know seemed best.
“Um… I’d really like Dorothy to be with me. She’s important to me.”
Was he reluctant? Licio didn’t answer right away.
So Ellen softened her voice and added playfully,
“Please, Duke~”
Then, suddenly, a gentle smile curved his lips. He took her hand again and placed it back on his head.
“I’ll lift the maid’s punishment. But don’t stop.”
“O–okay.”
Ellen obediently continued stroking his hair.
When Dorothy came back, she’d have to treat her well — cookies, cake, whatever she wanted.
…Although come to think of it, all she ever gave people was food.
Still, she couldn’t afford to trust Dorothy too much. Getting attached was dangerous.
While Ellen was resolving herself, Licio seemed to have drifted off to sleep.
Thanks to her diligent efforts, Ellen was now free to quietly admire his face.
He’s so ridiculously handsome… every single time.
***
The Count of Lahone, the temple, the mysterious noble who ordered Marmonde — the more Ellen chased Anais’s secrets, the deeper into the maze she seemed to fall.
Rohan’s help had limits, and Dorothy still wasn’t someone she could completely rely on.
I need people…
If only she could make the Duke’s household servants take her side — that would be ideal.
Maybe I could win them over one by one? No, there’s too much hostility. It’d take too long.
But hiring outside help through a guild wasn’t possible either — she had no money.
Even though people envied her as the Duchess of Devesse, Ellen didn’t actually have anything — not wealth, not power, not influence.
She was just a powerless duchess the servants liked to bully.
I have to become a real duchess — not just in name, but in authority.
The most urgent step was managing the household — overseeing the budget and accounts.
That meant she needed to get her hands on the household ledgers that controlled all expenses.
So, as Licio finished his breakfast that morning, Ellen kept sneaking glances at him, waiting for the right moment.
“Do you have something you wish to say to me?”
“No…”
Ask again, please just ask again, she thought desperately, but Licio seemed more interested in the dessert the maid had just brought in.
A dessert she’d never seen before was placed in front of her, and Licio’s teasing smile made Ellen narrow her eyes suspiciously.
“You didn’t put anything in this, right?”
“Ha? Of course not. I poured poison into it generously — go on, eat up.”
She had only been asking because the color was so vivid it looked like it had paint in it. But when he assured her it was fine, she couldn’t help smiling.
The herb leaf on top was too pretty to disturb, so Ellen carefully scooped a bit from the side.
A cool, refreshing sweetness hit her tongue — and melted away almost instantly.
“Mmm! What is this?”
Her excited voice made Licio’s grin widen.
“Peach sherbet.”
“It’s so good!”
It looked beautiful and tasted heavenly.
“I thought you’d like it.”
Licio crossed his arms and nodded with quiet pride, his chin slightly raised.
He looks like the pastry chef who made it himself.
He didn’t even touch his own sherbet — just watched her eat with a satisfied expression.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“You’re quite deft with your hands. Very quick.”
His answer came out of nowhere.
Ellen tilted her head, confused, but she was in such a good mood from the sherbet that she just laughed it off.
“Yeah, people say I’m pretty quick with things.”
She waved the dessert spoon proudly.
He probably didn’t know how important that skill really was.
At the temple, her speed had meant she could eat more than anyone else — and her quick writing had made her the envy of her friends.
Pleased with her little talent, Ellen puffed her chest out.
“That’s not what I meant, Anais.”
Then Licio smoothly plucked the spoon out of her hand.
Suddenly empty-handed, Ellen instinctively looked toward his untouched spoon on the table.
Noticing her intent, Licio covered his spoon with his hand.
Ellen was beyond shocked — she was indignant.
“What are you doing?”
Unbothered, Licio smiled and scooped a bit of sherbet, then held the spoon up to her lips.
“Say ‘ah.’”
He wanted to feed her? That was…
Way, way too embarrassing!
