MLWDP CH 10

Chapter 10

Silence.

When no one spoke for a long while, Brinnen seemed to notice the atmosphere had turned strange, so he lowered his head slightly.

“If I overstepped, I apologize.”

“No. You only said that because you’re worried about our Idette.”

Having someone sick in the household is like that. Days without much to laugh about just keep repeating.

Of course, I know that. But today, I really am fine. I know my body best.

Idette looked at Brinnen with annoyance for interrupting her walk. Why did he have to show up right before she went out, blurting things without any sense of timing?

“It’s been years since Idette hasn’t had a fever. I nearly let my daughter overexert herself. Thank you for stopping her.”

“But I said I’m fine….”

“Hmph. Brinnen is right. There’s no gain in pushing yourself too hard. Rest today.”

With that, the Count and Countess bowed their heads and left the room.

Left alone with Brinnen, Idette pouted.

“I wanted to go for a walk.”

“Yes.”

He agreed easily enough, but his expression clearly said, “So what?”

Ha, unbelievable!

Idette stifled a laugh of frustration and glared at him.

“If it weren’t for you, I would have gone.”

“Yes, yes.”

Whatever she said, he just accepted it blandly.

He didn’t look like he cared about soothing her at all.

For the first time since meeting Brinnen, Idette sharply turned her back on him.

But Brinnen just sat down as if nothing happened and calmly opened his book.

Snorting, Idette irritably opened her own book.

The two of them sat like that for quite a while, backs turned, reading in silence.

She’d been sulking because her walk was canceled, lips pressed tight, but as she thought about it calmly… what was the point?

Brinnen wasn’t the one upset—she was.

Would he even be affected? Probably not.

In the end, Idette broke the silence first.

“…But did the Duchess really say that?”

It was a sudden thought. The Duchess had also been sick for a long time.

“Yes.”

In the original story, she remembered, Brinnen’s relationship with his father, the Duke, had been terrible. But with his mother… maybe it was better?

Still, like Idette, the Duchess had died before the story began, so she only appeared in one or two lines.

“So he really was worried about me?”

Brinnen said nothing this time. He had answered faithfully before, but now remained silent.

Sometimes silence was as good as saying yes. He probably didn’t want to admit it aloud.

His faintly flushed cheeks gave him away.

“Hmm.”

So he does still have feelings.

Wasn’t he supposed to be the emotionless male lead?

“Next time, if I’m really fine, let’s go for a walk.”

“Yes.”

This time he answered.

Suppressing a smile, Idette shifted back from turning her back to him. Then she asked:

“That time—you worried about me, didn’t you?”

Brinnen’s expression clearly said, Here it comes.

It was so transparent that she nearly laughed.

“You’re okay now, right?”

He stayed silent.

“You won’t answer? I’m asking because I worry too.”

“…I’m sorry for showing you such a pitiful sight then.”

“Not an apology. I’m asking if you’re okay now.”

“…Yes.”

So concise.

“Good. If you’re fine, that’s enough.”

“…Aren’t you going to ask…?”

Brinnen suddenly looked a little dazed, as if surprised she let it go so easily.

He must have expected her to press further.

The subject he left unsaid was obvious: Aren’t you going to ask what kind of nightmare I had?

Nobles usually considered it bad manners to pry, but in truth they couldn’t hold back curiosity, so they’d always ask in roundabout ways.

Judging by his expression, Brinnen had probably already thought through what kind of answer he’d give if she asked.

“Would you have actually told me?”

He stayed silent.

“We agreed not to cross certain lines. I worried, yes, but I won’t pry if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“…Lines… you say.”

“When the Duchess eventually grows tired of me, even this fake friendship will end, don’t you think?”

For the first time, Idette voiced her true feelings: she didn’t intend to maintain this childhood-friend relationship forever.

Brinnen didn’t reply, but his silence was as good as agreement.

“So, let’s just read then?”

He said nothing.

At that moment, a soft spring breeze slipped through the slightly open window.

The warm sunlight, birdsong, and green scenery caught Idette’s eyes—so much so that she didn’t notice.

Didn’t notice Brinnen’s steady gaze, fixed intently on her.

***

Later, even after Brinnen left, Idette never got another fever. Perhaps because she’d been taking her medicine faithfully.

The Count’s mansion was practically in a festive mood.

A few days later, Hadi secretly came again to check her condition.

“The treatment worked.”

“Thank goodness.”

Hadi let out a sigh of relief, pressing a hand over his chest.

“But it’s only a temporary effect. For real recovery, the elixir is essential.”

“I see. But if it’s just about taking the elixir, couldn’t I simply find one you know about? Why do I have to be diagnosed by this Hezbeni person?”

“No. Everything must start with a proper diagnosis. Taking medicine without knowing the illness won’t cure you—it could even make things worse. Even among elixirs, effects vary widely.”

Hadi’s face hardened with warning.

Idette nodded in understanding. Giving heart medicine to a cancer patient would be useless, after all.

“…I already went to speak to Hezbeni, but he’s so used to being deceived that he didn’t believe me. Not my words, at least.”

“Really? You actually tried talking to him?”

“Yes. But he said he would only believe it if you went to him directly.”

“Then where do I go to meet him?”

“You cannot go directly, my lady.”

Hadi cut her off firmly.

Idette blinked at the sudden refusal.

“Why not?”

“Because he lives in the slums.”

“Then I’ll just go there.”

She answered easily, but Hadi and the three maids who had been quietly listening jumped up in shock.

“My lady! Do you know how dangerous the slums are? What if something happens to you there?”

“She’s right. That’s no place for a young noble lady to enter!”

For once, the maids and Hadi all agreed.

“But why is he in the slums? Didn’t he have a family background?”

“He may be a pharmacist, but where can one escape the eyes of the Temple? Nowhere.”

Ah…

“The Temple’s eyes are everywhere. Even with a family, he has no place to go… except the slums.”

Those words conveyed all too well how harsh life was for a pharmacist.

No matter how skilled, the only place left for them to stay was the slums.

“I see… But then how can I ever meet Hezbeni?”

“Every full moon, Hezbeni goes to collect herbs. We can try then. It’s much safer that way.”

“Ah, the full moon. It’s not far off.”

“Yes.”

The full moon.

If she wanted to sneak out at night and climb the mountain then, she would have to take extra care with her health until that day.