DSMBL Chapter 84

Chapter 084

Mia and Illia were invited over for the children. Rubella brought them along with a nanny and two maids to look after them.

“Don’t behave like you do at home. If you cause trouble, we’ll go straight back. Do you understand?”

 “Yes!!”
Mia and Illia answered loudly. Kids are the same everywhere. 

Rubella sighed and said to me,

“I’m worried they might be rude to the Duchess.”

“Kids are the same everywhere. Don’t worry too much, Rubella.”

“Well, maybe we should send them back now…”

“Stephanie and Theo have been waiting since yesterday. I don’t think that’s an option.”

Rubella, still looking worried, stared at the children. The kids, however, were just smiling brightly.

“Where’s Theo and Stephanie?”

“Are we going to play something fun today? What are we doing?”

“Let’s go upstairs. Theo and Stephanie said they were going to the forest to play. Do you like forests?”

“Is there water there? Can we catch fish?”

“There’s no water in the forest, silly! Can we catch bugs there? Pick fruits from the trees?”

The kids were already excited to play. I suddenly realized that they would be happy no matter what they did, just like Theo and Stephanie. All the worries about what to do today seemed silly now.

“We might be able to do all of that.”

“Wow!”

“Wow!”

The children’s eyes lit up. Just then, Theo and Stephanie ran out of the room where they had been having a lesson.

“Mia!”

“Illia!”

And behind them, Lorencia ran out. Lorencia, with a stern expression, said to the kids,

“The lesson isn’t over yet. Go back to the…”

“Let’s finish for today.”

At my words, Lorencia looked up at me and furrowed her brows. Then she clicked her tongue.

What’s with that attitude?

It was a little different from her usual behavior—rude, even. But I didn’t want to correct her in front of the kids, so I sent them to the playroom first. Lady Yurena hurriedly followed the children.

I followed Lorencia into the room. She was tidying up the space where the lesson had taken place.

Before, I had felt a bit guilty about taking her position. But now, that feeling was completely gone.

Lorencia now looked the same as Janice. It was difficult to see Janice favorably, especially after being suspicious that she had brought in Count Solovis.

“I think I need an explanation for that attitude earlier.”

At my words, Lorencia sighed deeply. Then she turned sharply toward me. Lorencia pouted her lips and said,

“Class time is my time. If the Duchess doesn’t even respect that, do you think the children will follow me?”

“I already told you today’s lesson would be shortened.”

“Just saying that doesn’t mean I have to follow it automatically, does it?”

Lorencia retorted. I didn’t understand why she was suddenly acting like this. I thought we had been getting along fine, but now she was being difficult. Of course, she had acted a little differently when she spoke out about the Duke’s corruption, but I thought that was just an isolated case. Maybe this was the real reason?

“Yes, you should follow it.”

Lorencia opened her mouth.

“I’m an employee, and you’re the employer. If you wanted to remove me from this position, you could do so without a word.”

“…Do you think that’s possible? I was recommended by Janice for this position. Janice has been with the Duke’s family much longer than you!”

When I heard that, I understood. Lorencia was looking down on me. The faint look of contempt in her eyes made it clear. Why? I had never had a problem with Lorencia before, and we hadn’t clashed.

She had been a good teacher, and I was satisfied with her.

Of course, privately, Lorencia and Janice weren’t exactly likable, but I never let that show.

“Are you trying to say Janice is above me?”

“Of course not. I just think that because Janice has shown loyalty to the Duke for so long, the Duke will listen to her more than to you.”

Lorencia said this in a strangely twisted voice. I could tell what she was thinking now. Janice had survived in this house for so long, no matter what she did. Even though she no longer worked as a nanny, Cassius had allowed her to stir things up in the Duke’s household.

No matter her intentions, to Lorencia, Janice must have seemed like an unbreakable wall.

“If that’s how you think…”
“Ahh! Aaaahh!”

Before I could reply, a scream rang out. I ran out of the room. That was Lady Yurena’s voice — she never screams. Something was wrong with the kids. Lorencia followed me.

The children were supposed to be in the playroom, getting ready to go out. What could’ve happened?

I opened the door wide. The kids were pale. Yurena was soaked in blood, and Theo—
“Theo!!”
“Oh my God, Theo!”

Lorencia rushed over and grabbed Theo tightly. He was coughing up blood and struggling to breathe.
“Get a doctor now!” she screamed.

I finally snapped out of my shock. I pushed Lorencia aside and pulled Theo into my arms. He was coughing hard. I checked his body — it wasn’t magic. The leftover magic in his body had been weak for a while now, thanks to Stephanie.

So this meant someone else had hurt him. I turned to Stephanie. Whatever had hurt Theo, she might be able to help.

“Stephanie, can you help?”
My voice shook even though I tried to sound calm. Stephanie walked over from her nanny’s arms and placed her hand on Theo.
“Do you feel anything?”
“He’s not dead yet.”
“I know that.”
“He ate something bad. Something poisonous. It’s tearing up his insides. He’ll die soon.”

I bit my lip hard. There was no time to figure out who did this. First, I had to save him. It didn’t matter who was watching or how much life I had left — I poured my holy power into Theo.

My energy flowed into him. Someone screamed again, but this time, it was a cry of awe.

“Charlotte!”

Cassius and I locked eyes. Theo’s breathing calmed, and he opened his eyes. At the same time, my body collapsed.

Cough

I spat blood on the floor. Cassius caught me in his arms. In his warmth, I closed my eyes for a moment.

I’ll be fine. I still have a long life ahead.

***

Cassius paced in the room, waiting for the doctor, Miller, to finish examining Charlotte.

“How is she?”
“…She’s very weak.”
“Can you tell how much life she has left?”
Miller shook his head carefully.
Cassius sighed and held his head.

For the first time in his life, he truly cared for someone — Charlotte. And now, her remaining life… her possible death… it started to matter to him.