CHAPTER 33…………………………………………….
A peaceful morning where soft sunlight gently bathed everything.
“How is it?”
I asked the person sitting across from me at the table on the terrace.
“This is exactly the taste.”
Terence closed his eyes and savored the tea like a statue, then nodded.
“It relaxes both body and mind. I don’t know why the tea I brew never tastes like this.”
“You’ll succeed if you keep trying.”
“Well… it seems I have no talent at all for brewing tea.”
I felt a little puzzled.
‘It’s not like the tea is enjoyed for its flavor or aroma, so why would talent even matter?’
All that’s needed is to add the prescribed ingredients and brew them in order.
Yet, Terence, who had received the recipe from me, had already failed several times to brew the right medicinal tea. He said the tea he brewed didn’t even ease his headaches.
Once, I had stood right beside him, watching and giving advice during the brewing process, yet when he tasted the finished tea, he shook his head as usual.
‘It might have felt the same to my tongue, but of course it wouldn’t to his.’
In any case, because of this, I ended up preparing medicinal tea for him every morning and evening.
As a natural consequence, we gradually started having tea together every time.
He might have found it bothersome, but to me, it was a welcome thing.
Staying at his villa and being treated with utmost care made me feel like I had to do something in return.
Even though I could have just been treated as a temporary guest, Terence’s private villa staff were exceedingly kind—almost to the point of being overwhelming.
‘He really picked his people well.’
Everyone, except for a man named Jack, seemed unaware of the identity of the villa’s owner, but they didn’t seem curious either, and quietly did their work even when a new guest—me—suddenly appeared.
Thanks to this, even Cassius had no idea that I was staying here. Terence had mentioned that the Duke’s people were currently searching every lodging in the capital like a storm.
‘They must be getting anxious. Let them stew a bit.’
Because of Cassius’s unusual movements, many people seemed convinced that the rumored aristocratic couple on the verge of divorce was us.
Less than a week remained until the trial began. Laura adapted quickly to the new environment, and we confirmed that the housekeeper’s voice had been properly recorded on the recorder brought from Cassius Castle.
Things were going smoothly.
There was no news from the head butler, but that was beyond my control, so I didn’t dwell on it.
Terence asked,
“You’ll be going out soon, right?”
Lately, I had been going to Sharon’s office every day to prepare for the trial.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to accompany you today due to work.”
“That’s fine.”
Terence was busy too. After all, he was soon to formally become the crown prince of this country.
Preparing to face the faction of the empress who would oppose Terence’s accession required considerable preparation.
“Just for acting alongside me up until now, I am more grateful than I can express.”
“It’s nothing. I did it because I wanted to.”
Terence slightly changed his tone.
“Since things have come to this, I have someone to introduce today.”
Someone to introduce?
“Oh, is this the new bodyguard?”
Lawyer Sharon asked, seeing a new face next to me.
“This is Vineta, temporarily assigned to guard Idel.”
A gray-haired woman with a blunt expression introduced herself. A sword at her waist marked her as a warrior.
I had just arrived at Sharon’s office with the new bodyguard Terence introduced.
“Hello.”
A messenger, accustomed to handling various errands, brought out refreshments.
Looking at the messenger, who had grown remarkably more mature, and the neat, spacious office, I thought,
‘Worth every penny, even if it’s not mine.’
Sharon had moved her office using a blank check Terence had provided.
“Honestly, it looks like it could collapse at any moment.”
Sharon had resisted spending too much, but Terence convinced her with just that one sentence.
Thanks to this, Sharon and the legal team she gathered could prepare for the trial in comfort, without worrying about costs.
While taking a short break from work, Sharon showed curiosity toward Vineta.
“Did you attend the Academy?”
“Yes, but how did you know?”
“I also went to the Academy. I think I saw you around, so I guessed.”
“Really? Sorry, I don’t remember very well…”
“That’s fine. The law and swordsmanship departments are in entirely separate buildings. My memory is just unnecessarily good.”
I joined the conversation.
“Indeed, Sharon was a genius selected as a scholarship student for the Academy.”
Through frequent visits to the office, I had learned quite a bit about Sharon.
“Oh, that’s nothing. Among my juniors, there was a prodigy who majored in law, economics, mathematics, and military science simultaneously.”
“…Ah, Elliot Rude?”
“You know him too. Elliot Rude was sponsored by the Cassius family, wasn’t he?”
Of course. He was a significant supporting character in the novel Returning to Walk Only on the Flower Path and one of the seven talents collected by Riena.
Known as Riena’s bundle of wisdom. Cassius’s current success was largely thanks to Elliot.
‘I’m glad Riena firmly believes Liandro won’t lose this trial.’
Otherwise, we might have called Elliot back from abroad. His involvement would have made my chances of divorce slim.
Elliot was portrayed as the top intellect in the novel’s world.
“Still, that’s impressive.”
Vineta said, crunching on a cookie.
“I always slept during classes and never dreamed of a scholarship.”
“So you’re a noble?”
Students from ordinary families struggled with the tuition, so Academy students who weren’t scholarship recipients were mostly nobles.
“No, I’m a commoner. But my master recognized my talent and paid for my tuition.”
Sharon glanced around and lowered her voice.
“Your master… is it… the Marquis?”
Sharon was the only one in the office who knew Terence was behind me.
“Yes. When he saw me as a teenager earning small money in back-alley duels, he became my patron. He sent me to the Academy to develop my talent further.”
Though Sharon asked, Vineta responded as if speaking to me.
“So it’s just a guardian and ward relationship.”
“Hmm, but…”
“In case there’s any misunderstanding.”
“What misunderstanding?”
“Nothing, if you don’t think anything of it.”
…No matter how I look at it, that’s what it is, right?
‘No wonder the villa staff were overly kind.’
Since they couldn’t reveal the arrangement between Terence and me, they probably assumed it was a romantic or close relationship.
I felt a little guilty, as if I had blocked a respectable bachelor’s marriage path. But in the novel, Terence neither married nor dated and focused solely on his schemes, so this should be fine…
While I was rationalizing this, the messenger approached.
“A guest has arrived.”
He looked frightened.
“Cassius’s viscount…”
“What?”
I faced Liandro, who was standing outside with only Vineta.
Liandro spoke as if exasperated.
“It seems this place doesn’t even have a cup of tea for guests.”
“We don’t receive guests like you. For a while, I’m the only client of lawyer Sharon Meatings’ office.”
“I wondered where you went and found you moved to a much nicer place than I expected. From what I gathered, Meatings wouldn’t have such wealth. Your wife must have paid for it.”
“And?”
“Isn’t all the money from selling the gifts I gave? The only property you brought from your family was a defunct mine.”
“So what? Once given, isn’t it mine? Are you really petty enough to take back gifts just because we’re not on good terms?”
“What did you say?”
Liandro scowled and blushed.
Watch who you mock, you miser. I’m not the one dying for face—it’s you.
If he were the type to let petty pride upset him, he wouldn’t have survived two years in the Cassius household.
‘This guy is shameless too. Not for face, but for shame’s sake, at least have some.’
The last time I saw him, he had been rejected and pretended to be pitiful, yet now he brazenly showed his face and asked audacious questions.
“Where are you staying these days?”
He must have found out that my lawyer was Sharon but didn’t know more than that.
“Why? Did you fail at sneaking after me this time?”
“I’m not. Last time, your wife got really upset, so I decided not to.”
Not “decided not to”—you just couldn’t. I had always used the secret entrance of this building.
Originally, this building was a disguised base of the Information Guild, and Terence had introduced it to Sharon when the guild wanted to dispose of it.
Because he had connections with the Information Guild while wandering the back alleys, he knew there were secret entrances and spaces here.
“Just tell me roughly where you’re staying. I’m worried.”
“No. I won’t tell you. Go away.”
“…You’re really frustrating. I’m holding back rising anger here.”
Is he crazy? Who’s holding back anger right now?
“What are you holding back?”
Liandro’s gaze carried sharp fury.
“I heard everything. Why did you go to your family’s home and do that? How dare you destroy Riena’s portrait.”
Then came an absurd demand.
“Go to Riena and your father immediately and beg for forgiveness.”
