IGMIMYS 24

~Chapter 24~

Camilla looked up. Her attitude was polite, but her eyes showed she didn’t regret what she had done, even if she knew it was wrong.

The Grand Duchess burst out laughing.

Everyone stared in shock.

It had been so long since they’d seen the Grand Duchess smile!

“You didn’t make a single excuse. How interesting.”

‘She’s still young.’

She’s ruled by her feelings and speaks honestly.

The Grand Duchess finally realized that the young lady in front of her was not just the scandalous girl from the Mowin family people gossiped about, but just a kid of that age.

If you counted her age from her past life, Camilla was hardly a little girl, but the Grand Duchess didn’t know that.

“Young lady, I saw that anesthetic you used before. You said it would help when I gave birth, didn’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Camilla nodded.

‘I never thought it would be used like this.’

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. The baron’s gift ended up helping in an unexpected way.

“You’re so young, but your talent is already blooming, and the medicine worked well. But I want to ask you one thing.”

The Grand Duchess’s gaze grew serious.

“If your anesthetic spreads into the world, it could be used for crime as well as healing. If that happens, can you take responsibility for it?”

It was a hard question, but Camilla answered calmly.

“We don’t stop making knives just because people use them to kill.”

Her eyes shone with a confidence not fitting her young age.

“Medicines and knives are both just tools. That’s why a good city needs good rules for knives. And…”

She spread her arms wide, as if she was showing off Escalus itself.

“Isn’t Escalus a good city?”

A bitter smile spread on the Grand Duchess’s lips.

The maker of a drug, or the maker of a knife, couldn’t always be blamed. That was up to the user. It was also the responsibility of the people who ran the city.

If she denied it here, she would only hurt the authority and honor of the whole ducal house.

“…Yes, Escalus is a good city.”

‘She’s completely right.’

The Grand Duchess looked at Camilla for a long time, then finally spoke.

“Dane, is everything the young lady from the Mowin family said about last night true?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“And you also want her help?”

“I do.”

“Alright. Camilla Mowin, I will make you Dane’s pharmacist. But there’s a condition.”

‘Finally…!’

Camilla’s heart pounded. She was ready to accept any condition.

“You must take medical lessons from me.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m a strict teacher, so you’d better be prepared.”

Camilla thought in a daze,

‘Is she mad because I wanted to save her first?’

A professor in a completely different field in this world? What a mess.

To escape a crazy family, now she had to become a grad student again. This was a difficult escape.

“Even if you’re a pharmacist, I’m still a doctor. Treating Dane should be something we do together.”

The Grand Duchess asked gently,

“I think you should study more medical knowledge for your work. Don’t you agree?”

It was true. Medicine here was not as advanced as in her past life, but the Grand Duchess was still the best.

‘Besides, getting close to the Grand Duchess can only help me.’

After thinking it over, Camilla answered politely,

“It’s an honor I can’t describe.”

The Grand Duchess said they’d start classes and research together from tomorrow.

‘But she’s six months pregnant. She must have trouble moving already…’

In four months, she’d have another baby, but the Grand Duchess smiled as if she’d found new energy in life.

Right before sending Camilla and Dane away, the Grand Duchess whispered,

“Dane, I’m sorry.”

Dane’s eyes widened. Then, the Grand Duchess looked at Camilla and said,

“Thank you, Camilla.”

Camilla and Dane left the Grand Duchess’s room and walked down the hallway.

When they were alone, Dane whispered,

“It’s been a long time since Mother looked so happy.”

“Has it?”

“And… thank you.”

“Huh?”

“For helping my mother and my sibling.”

He couldn’t look her in the eyes as he said it.

Camilla saw how shy he was and smiled a little.

‘So much for not getting along.’

The story in the original novel was a lie.

They were actually a loving mother and son, almost enviable.

Camilla nodded, trying not to show her jealousy.

“And for checking on me last night, too.”

“I told you, it’s my job.”

‘Besides, I need to get closer to Dane if I want to run away one day.’

Dane stared at Camilla for a moment, then suddenly grinned.

“To thank you, I’ll take off my clothes for you any time you ask.”

“Dane!”

Now it was Camilla’s turn to blush bright red.

He was still young, but how could he talk so boldly?

But he just changed the subject.

“At the baron’s house, they said the ducal greenhouse was amazing. I can’t really call it a reward, but do you want to see it?”

Camilla’s eyes sparkled at his words.

‘It was amazing.’

Camilla couldn’t hide her excitement.

Even at the baron’s house, the greenhouse was huge because of their medicine business, but it was nothing compared to the ducal house.

“Did you like it?”

“It was wonderful. It takes a lot of work to make the right growing conditions, but I never thought I’d see it like this.”

Camilla’s voice was full of excitement as she looked at a rare herb that had been brought all the way from the Eastern Continent and was growing well.

As Camilla talked with her cheeks flushed, Dane gave her a small smile.

‘Oops.’

She probably seemed childish now.

“But Dane, the ducal herbs are really valuable, right? Do any of the workers ever steal from the greenhouse or use the herbs wrongly?”

“They used to, but after the main thief got his hand cut off and was thrown out, nobody dares anymore.”

“I see.”

That made Camilla think.

‘If I’m right, maybe that’s why Marie messed with my stuff…’

At that moment, a totally different view came into sight past the greenhouse.

The green garden suddenly ended, and an archway covered in thick ivy blocked the path on heavy stone pillars.

Even sunlight couldn’t get through, so the archway was dark and shadowy. Camilla asked as she glanced at it,

“What’s that?”

Dane turned to see what she was pointing at and answered,

“That’s the entrance to the family graveyard. All the elders of the house are buried there. Want to go in? It’s my playground.”

“Your playground?”

“If I’m here, the servants can’t find me easily. I used to bring my chessboard here alone.”

‘Chess, huh?’

Sneaking in through curtains and using the graveyard as a playground—Dane didn’t seem as calm as he looked.

“Sure, let’s go.”

She was interested to see his playground.

There wasn’t much sunlight, but the graveyard was huge and beautiful. Dane showed her all around.

One gravestone, made of black marble, especially stood out.

“This spot gets the most sunlight. I often lie down here to rest.”

Dane brought her in front of it.

Under the ducal crest—a shield and sword—white letters were carved.

Damian Escalus
The azure blood froze, and the heart slept in starlight.

‘Wait, azure?’

As soon as she saw the word that sounded like Dane’s illness, Camilla felt chills run down her spine.

“He’s my uncle. The former Grand Duke had the same illness as me.”

One who lost his life to Azure Sanguis.

If the disease wasn’t cured, Dane would walk the same path.

“So he stopped working and spent his time wandering outside the city of Escalus, looking for a cure, but he just got a lot of criticism and died.”

A warm wind blew between them.

Dane sat on the soft grass in the graveyard.

“Sometimes I think I’ll end up lying next to my uncle one day.”

Suddenly, sunlight broke through the clouds and shone on Dane’s hair.

His blond hair looked like it would melt away in the golden light.

Without thinking, Camilla grabbed his collar.

Dane’s eyes turned to her.

“Camilla?”