CHAPTER 55…………
“Before my reputation lowers my value in the marriage market any further, won’t you think of marrying me off to a suitable man?”
“Rumors are only rumors. There’s no need for that.”
This was, after all, the father who had allowed her to pursue an engagement with the Imperial Family at her own will, and then had also allowed her to break it off.
His words felt trustworthy.
“I’ll take care of the gifts myself, so Father, please don’t worry too much.”
“Liri. Or should I speak directly with Her Majesty the Empress…?”
“You’re the one who said it, Father. A rumor is only a rumor. If you trust me, that’s enough.”
Noticing her father’s intent to persuade the Empress, Linaria shook her head.
“If both I and you refuse, how can the Imperial Family force it?”
‘In any case, this interest will cool soon enough.’
“The only crown given to you is that one.”
In her past life, the tiara had carried a meaning far different from a proposal.
It bore Maximilian’s will—that he would never give her the Empress’s crown.
‘This time, I’ll return this tiara to Rusalka.’
There were still two years left before Rusalka caught Maximilian’s eye.
Because of her race, she lived in a remote place far from people’s attention, so it wouldn’t be easy to find her right away.
‘If only I could find Rusalka before Maximilian does…’
But since she couldn’t be sure, Linaria decided to keep it for that day.
Resolving her mind, she gave the order:
“Divide the dresses and shoes among the maids who’ve worked well, and handle the rest as you see fit—except for the tiara.”
Several maids who unexpectedly received dresses squealed with delight.
The other servants began sorting the gifts.
“Kaas?”
He was among them.
“You don’t have to do this yourself.”
“No, I’ll do it.”
Kaas was Linaria’s knight, her slave.
Yet when he insisted on doing the work of a servant, she had no choice but to step back.
“I’ll go up first.”
Linaria left, and since Anna had no interest in dresses, she helped Kaas carry the flowers.
At some point, she stole a glance at his face—and was startled.
“What’s with that expression?”
He looked as though he might kill someone.
‘Well, I suppose it’s only natural to compare himself. The empire’s most eligible bachelor is proposing.’
She had warned him repeatedly not to misunderstand the young lady’s affection.
Since he hadn’t taken her advice, he ended up like this.
“I told you, didn’t I? My lady is the kind of person who receives proposals from His Highness the Crown Prince.”
She had meant it as a sharp reminder—that someone like him shouldn’t even dream of it. But his response was unsatisfying.
“So it seems.”
Kaas muttered bitterly.
Today, the choker at his neck felt unbearably suffocating.
While his half-brother showered her with lavish gifts, what could he give her?
No—that wasn’t even the right question.
What could a slave give?
For the sake of his own safety, he had chosen to wear the collar.
So the only thing he could give her was obedience.
Realizing this, Kaas thought:
What a pitifully worthless gift.
Linaria exchanged a short letter with Duke Brimstone.
—How much cash can I access immediately?
The reply came quickly.
Looking at the endless string of numbers, Linaria imagined what she could buy with it.
“So it really was nothing.”
The flowers, dresses, shoes, even the tiara Maximilian had gifted her—
It was an amount enough to buy all that many times over.
“My price wasn’t much at all.”
If Maximilian had thought he could buy her favor with those gifts, then in the end, that was exactly what he valued her at.
In the past, it might have seemed enormous. But now, she was not so lacking in wealth that she could be swayed by material things.
‘And I plan to earn even more in the future.’
Realizing anew that she was rich, Linaria gazed lightly out the window.
‘The sky’s so clear today, not a cloud in sight.’
As she thought so, suddenly a faint, hazy smoke drifted upward, blurring her view.
‘Don’t tell me there’s a fire?’
But for a fire, it was far too quiet.
Puzzled, she leaned out the window and spotted Kaas at the source of the smoke.
She hurried down to the garden where he was.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting rid of what you don’t like.”
Kaas was burning the leftover flowers, shoes, and the like that hadn’t been given away.
Others might not notice, but the flames burned unusually strong—as if he were using the power of the Divine Beast.
And yet, the closer she got, the stranger it seemed… something smelled delicious.
Puzzled, she peered into the fire and saw potatoes roasting inside.
He was using Maximilian’s gifts as firewood to roast potatoes.
“Ha—haha!”
The moment she realized, Linaria burst out laughing.
‘If he saw this, his pride would be shattered.’
Maximilian would never imagine his gifts being used to cook potatoes.
It was almost a shame she couldn’t summon him here to witness it.
“Are the potatoes roasted well?”
“…Yeah.”
“Could you spare one for me?”
Roast potatoes burned easily if you looked away even for a moment. Since there weren’t many, Linaria asked carefully.
Kaas picked out the biggest, finest potato and took it out. With delicate hands, he peeled it.
It was as if he couldn’t feel the heat.
He blew on it and handed it to her.
Though he had chosen the best-looking one, once it was in Linaria’s hands, it seemed pitifully small.
She had surely eaten far more delicious potato dishes. Yet this was all he could give her—just a potato roasted in a fire.
Embarrassed, Kaas’s face flushed red.
“Looks delicious.”
But Linaria accepted it without complaint, and began to eat the steaming potato, little by little.
Perhaps because watching flames was pleasing—
It tasted sweeter than any potato dish she’d ever had.
As she was happily eating—
“Linaria!”
A familiar voice came rushing closer.
“Linariaaa!”
She turned and saw a short, stout figure running toward her in a hurry.
It was Magnus.
“Master, would you like some potato too?”
“What are you doing near a fire! You’re not burned, are you? My child isn’t roasting alive, is she?”
Her offer was ignored.
Panting, Magnus grabbed her shoulders.
He turned her this way and that, inspecting her from every angle, until he noticed the poultice on her arm.
“I knew it!”
He tore it off, revealing the red burn, and pulled medicine from his robes.
Pouring the liquid onto her skin, the wound vanished in an instant, leaving smooth white flesh as though the burn had never existed.
So this is the medical technology of the Ivory Tower.
She marveled silently, when a flurry of hushed questions came.
“How many times have you met Duke Ignas?”
“Twice.”
At only two meetings, Magnus’s face went pale.
He immediately cupped her cheeks, stretching them like dough and puckering her lips repeatedly.
By now, she wasn’t sure if he was checking for injuries at all.
“Where else are you hurt? Not just the arm?”
“Mmphh.”
She tapped his hand with her finger, telling him to let go. Finally, he released her.
“Who else knows about Duke Ignas’s condition? Don’t tell me you spoke of it to anyone else?”
“No. Kaas knows because he saw it himself… and it seems Lord Brimstone knew as a friend who often exchanged with him. So only the three of us.”
“Good.”
Magnus let out a relieved sigh.
“Linaria, from now on, never make contact with Duke Ignas again. And tell no one what you’ve seen.”
“You already know something, don’t you, Master?”
“This isn’t the kind of story you blurt to just anyone.”
“I’m not just anyone.”
“N-no, that’s true, but… you’re not telling everyone you’re not just anyone, right?!”
Magnus rambled in a fluster, his face red.
Watching him, Linaria lowered her voice, conscious of Kaas.
“Duke Ignas… knew about the Divine Beast I contracted with.”
At once, Magnus’s composure returned.
“As I thought. My suspicions were right.”
“……”
“A tragedy is unfolding in House Ignas. You said Duke Ignas was always timid, unfit to be an heir, yes?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Magnus furrowed his brow.
“Most likely… whether by his own will or by someone around him, they tried to contain a Divine Beast within his body.”
In this world, nobles contracted with Divine Beasts and borrowed their power.
But to house a Divine Beast in one’s flesh meant…
“They tried to make Duke Ignas into a god himself.”
