~Chapter 51~
A few days later, Penelope, now almost fully recovered, came down to the main entrance hall where the servants were gathered.
She wore a newly tailored, bright green dress, and the servants smiled when they saw her.
“Oh, thank the goddess Hecate!”
“We’re so happy to see you healthy again, Miss Penelope.”
They came closer to her and offered kind words.
“Thank you all so much for worrying about me,” Penelope said, her eyes tearing up as she bowed to them.
“Really, thank you, everyone,” Isabella added as she handed out pouches full of gold coins.
The gold was a token of gratitude and celebration for her daughter’s recovery.
The pouches were quite heavy, and when the servants peeked inside, they were shocked — their eyes widened in surprise.
After that, Penelope, for the first time in a long while, joined the family for a meal in the dining room with her mother.
Not just Johann and Raphaella were there — Leah came too.
The appetizer was her favorite: pumpkin cream soup.
“This is so good!”
“The chef put in extra effort today just for you,” Isabella said.
“Really? Leah, it’s all thanks to you.”
Penelope turned to Leah, who sat across from her.
“Thanks to you healing me, I can enjoy this delicious soup with my family. I’m really, really grateful.”
“I’m just happy to see you doing better,” Leah replied with a warm smile.
“…Um, can I give you a hug, Leah?”
Penelope asked shyly, blushing.
“Right now? If you’d like… sure.”
Penelope stood and hugged Leah tightly.
“Thank you… really, thank you, Leah.”
Her voice was shaky with emotion, and Leah gently patted her back, feeling moved too.
Isabella, watching the scene, also teared up.
After their heartwarming lunch, Penelope and Raphaella went outside, holding hands.
“I’m going to talk with Leah for a bit, so please watch over Penelope and Raphaella,” Isabella said to Johann.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She left the children with him and headed to the sitting room with Leah.
“Penelope is doing so much better,”
Isabella said as she sipped her tea on the sofa.
“Thank you. Truly.”
“You already thanked me,” Leah replied.
“Even a hundred thanks wouldn’t be enough. I really want to repay you somehow.”
She held Leah’s hands tightly.
“…Honestly, just loving and caring for Raphaella is enough.”
“Well, of course I’ll do that! I’m her grandmother.”
And truly, that’s all Leah wanted.
“But I still want to give you something…”
“I really don’t need anything.”
“Are you saying that because you’re planning to leave soon?”
Isabella asked carefully.
“…”
“So I was right. I guess you can’t tell me why you’re leaving, huh?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to be. You probably don’t trust me enough to open up yet. That’s okay.”
She looked at Leah with kind eyes.
“But if you ever want to talk, I’m always here.”
“…Thank you.”
Isabella gently patted the back of Leah’s hand.
Her touch was so warm and soft that Leah felt like crying.
“Before we talk more about repayment, I was thinking of moving you to a better room.”
“What? Oh, no need! I’m fine staying in Raphaella’s room.”
“You saved Penelope and Johann — it’s not right for you to stay in a side room!”
“My things are just in that room. I spend most of my time with Raphaella anyway.”
“Still, sharing a room with a child…”
“I want to stay as close to her as I can while I’m here.”
She just wanted to live as closely as possible to her daughter, like they did in the cabin.
“Well, if that’s what you want, I won’t force you. But please, don’t reject my gift.”
Seeing Leah firmly decline made Isabella back off a bit.
“You said you don’t want anything, but you saved my children. Let me at least give you this.”
Isabella’s eyes welled with tears again.
“…Oh.”
Leah let out a small sigh.
‘She doesn’t know I’m terminally ill… I must’ve been too focused on myself.’
If someone had saved Raphaella, Leah would’ve wanted to give them everything, too.
‘Refusing too much would be rude. I’ll accept it.’
“Then… Thank you. I’ll accept it.”
“Thank you. It’s nothing big — just something I received from my family, Crycel, when I got married. I hope you like it.”
Gulp.
Leah swallowed hard.
‘Crycel… one of the Empire’s five great duchies with massive mines and land in the west, right?’
And she’s calling this “nothing big”?
Was she about to give her some top-tier magic stones?
“My gift is the Bart Mine.”
“…Sorry, what? The Bart Mine?”
That was said to be the third-richest mine in the Empire!
“All future profits from that mine will be yours.”
A maid placed a document on the table when Isabella gestured.
It was a transfer of ownership contract.
Isabella had already signed it.
Leah just needed to sign, and the mine would officially be hers.
“Wait, no… that’s too much.”
She had decided to accept a gift, but this? She never expected a whole mine.
The western region was full of mines, and they produced a huge amount of ore.
And the quality? The best magic stones in the Empire came from the west.
Bart Mine might’ve been ranked third, but its profits weren’t far behind the top two.
Owning that mine would make her richer than most nobles.
“Honestly, I still feel like this is too little. If not for you, the Blumhardt bloodline might’ve ended! But since you feel overwhelmed, I’ll settle for just mine…”
Isabella looked genuinely disappointed.
Just mine?
‘Good grief. What else was she planning to give me?’
Feeling overwhelmed, Leah leaned back slightly.
“I prepared the contract in advance, just in case you changed your mind. Here, all you need to do is sign.”
Isabella dipped the pen in ink and handed it over.
‘I said I’d accept, so I can’t back out now… Fine, I’ll sign. If I die, it’ll end up being Raphaella’s anyway.’
With trembling hands, Leah signed the contract.
“Congratulations — you’re now the owner of Bart Mine.”
Just like that, Leah became one of the Empire’s richest people.
Unthinkable for someone born a commoner.
“You’ll feel it more when we visit together next time,” Isabella said with a satisfied smile.
—
‘I own Bart Mine now? I still can’t believe it…’
Still dazed, Leah went to see Dorothea.
Dorothea was leaving for the Magic Tower and was busy packing her things.
“You’re leaving now?”
“Yeah, it’s time.”
Leah felt sad hearing that.
“…I see. Dorothea, thank you so much for helping me with the potion.”
“I should be thanking you! I learned so much while helping.”
Dorothe waved off the thanks.
“Oh, Leah — once I settle in at the Magic Tower, I’ll contact you. Come visit!”
“Can I?”
“Of course! We’re friends, aren’t we?”
She scrunched her nose playfully.
“I’m really glad we became friends.”
Leah hugged Dorothea gently. Dorothea hugged her back.
“Me too, Leah.”
“Don’t forget to message me. I’ll come with a gift!”
“Definitely!”
Leah saw Dorothea off as she left in a Blumehart carriage.
Then she went to find her daughter — but neither Raphaella, Penelope, nor Johann were in the garden.
“His Grace went to teach the young lady how to ride a horse,” a servant nearby explained.
“Horse riding?”
Leah got worried — could Raphaella really start that already?
She followed the servant’s directions and soon reached a wide field.
In the distance, she saw Raphaella on a pony, holding the handle on the saddle.
Johann was leading the pony by the reins.
“Mommy!”
Raphaella waved when she saw Leah.
“Raphaella, hold the reins properly!”
Leah shouted in panic.
“It’s okay!”
She laughed and kept waving, completely unaware of her mom’s worry.
She was probably going to keep waving until Leah got there, so Leah started running toward them.
‘Ugh, that guy! He’s just letting her ride with one hand? Couldn’t he at least say something?’
Leah grumbled internally at Johann’s calmness.
“Raphaella, it’s dangerous — you need to hold the reins.”
“She’s fine. The kid has great balance.”
Johann tried to reassure her.
“Still…”
“She’s not doing it for the first time.”
Turns out, Raphaella had already practiced riding a few times.
“Since when?”
“While you were busy with the potion, I took her riding a few times. Now she wants to try riding on her own.”
“Raphaella, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I forgot,” she giggled.
“You were too busy from morning to night making the potion. She probably didn’t want to bother you.”
Johann was right, and Leah had nothing to say.
Up close, Raphaella looked totally at ease on the horse.
Leah realized she was overreacting.
“Mommy! Come ride with me!”
“No, I’m okay.”
She’d never even imagined herself riding a horse.
“Why not? It’s super fun!”
“It’s just hard at first. Once you get the hang of it, anyone can do it — wanna try?”
While Leah was flustered by the suggestion, a knight on horseback approached from a distance.
“Your Grace,” he said after dismounting and walking quickly to Johann.
His face looked serious.
“Her Highness the Princess has arrived at the estate.”
