Chapter 4

“Post a notice.”

“We’re hiring a healer.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Conrad looked surprised by Cain’s sudden order, but he immediately accepted it.

His master often gave unexpected instructions that were difficult to understand.

“And…”

For once, Cain paused as if he were thinking carefully.

Then he finally said,

“If a woman with pink hair comes to the Duke’s mansion, report it to me immediately.”

“Yes, understood. Are there any other features I should look for?”

“Well… her hair is fluffy…”

Fluffy?

Conrad wondered if he had heard correctly.

It was such an unexpectedly cute word to hear from Cain.

But Cain had no time to care what his aide was thinking.

Something about the woman kept bothering him.

Whenever he thought of her face, he felt as if she reminded him of something.

A chipmunk?

No…

That wasn’t quite right.

Something even softer.

“A squirrel.”

“…Pardon?”

Cain nodded to himself in satisfaction.

He had finally figured it out.

Her slightly curly, soft pink hair looked just like a squirrel’s fluffy tail.

And her face…

He remembered how she had widened her eyes and scolded him as though he were a naughty child, completely unaware of who he was.

Even now, thinking about it made him smile.

“She looks like a squirrel.”

“One with absolutely no fear.”

“…A squirrel?”

Conrad looked completely confused.

He tried imagining a pink squirrel.

Instead of understanding, he became even more puzzled.

Cain offered no further explanation.

Like the emotionless dragon-blooded man he was, he simply walked away.

***

The next day…

“Huh? He was telling the truth.”

I rubbed my eyes as I looked at the notice posted on a wall covered with ivy.

[House Ashelrn is recruiting a skilled healer to work at the Duke’s mansion.]

It definitely hadn’t been there yesterday.

The notice had appeared overnight.

Exactly as that man had said.

As long as I meet the requirements, there’s no reason not to apply.

While I carefully read the notice, Catherine, who was standing beside me, gasped.

“What? The Duke’s family is hiring someone? I’ve lived here for ten years, and I’ve never seen a notice like this.”

Catherine was a friend I had made in the village.

Hayron was her hometown, so she often came back to visit her mother.

Since we were about the same age, we became close.

“Wow… They don’t even require a recommendation letter. They must really need someone urgently.”

“That’s true. I wonder if someone suddenly quit.”

Even I found it surprising.

Noble families were extremely strict.

Even hiring maids required careful background checks and recommendations.

Yet now they were openly recruiting a healer.

That was highly unusual.

Even I could apply.

The Empire had an official healer qualification exam.

It tested basic medical treatment and medicine-making skills.

After passing, people could choose their career.

Some became physicians who mainly treated patients.

Others, like me, studied medicine more deeply and became pharmacists.

Most people choose to become physicians.

But technically, I’m still a qualified healer.

While I was thinking, Catherine suddenly clapped her hands.

She looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“This is perfect! You’re applying, right? Didn’t you say you came here looking for work?”

“I’ll apply, but don’t expect too much. Honestly, getting accepted won’t be easy.”

This was the Duke’s personal healer.

Someone like me, with only a few years of experience, probably wasn’t qualified.

But I wasn’t discouraged.

Because it doesn’t matter!

My real goal wasn’t getting the job.

I just wanted a chance to meet Cain.

Even if I failed the interview, I wouldn’t lose anything.

Unfortunately, Catherine misunderstood my reaction.

She patted my back encouragingly.

“Come on! With your skills, you’ll definitely get in! Remember how you completely cured my mother’s illness last year?”

“That wasn’t even a serious illness. Anyone could have treated it.”

Catherine shook her head.

“Sigh… That’s exactly how geniuses are. Being too humble is practically a crime.”

Melody, who had been quietly listening, copied Catherine and shook her head too.

“Melody agrees with me, right? Your mommy is amazing, isn’t she?”

“Uu!”

Melody proudly puffed out her chest.

She looked as proud as if she were the one being praised.

I burst out laughing.

The two of them got along so well.

Catherine pushed me gently.

“This isn’t the time to laugh. I’ll watch Melody, so hurry and apply.”

“Huh? Right now?”

“Good jobs attract lots of applicants. Don’t underestimate unemployment in the city.”

“Uu!”

Even though Melody had no idea what unemployment meant, she nodded seriously.

A little later…

I gathered the necessary documents and headed straight for the Duke’s mansion.

The timing really couldn’t have been better.

The Ashelrn family normally had little need for pharmacists or personal physicians.

Because of their dragon blood, their healing ability was far beyond that of ordinary people.

Of course, they weren’t completely invincible.

They suffered from illnesses unique to dragon-blooded people.

But those illnesses couldn’t easily be cured through medicine.

So I had never imagined they’d suddenly recruit a personal healer.

I really got lucky.

It was all thanks to the mysterious man who had warned me beforehand.

He had unknowingly helped me a great deal.

If I ever meet him again, I’ll definitely thank him.

…Come to think of it, who was he?

If he were just an ordinary monster hunter, he wouldn’t know about the Duke’s private affairs.

Maybe he was one of the Duke’s knights?

The Silver Dragon Knights of House Ashelrn were famous throughout the Empire for hunting monsters.

If he belonged to them, everything made sense.

Just then—

“Huh?”

Something suddenly felt strange.

Why couldn’t I remember his face?

I clearly remembered him being incredibly handsome.

Yet every detail of his face was blurry, like looking through thick fog.

Even his voice had become impossible to remember.

It was as though magic had erased him from my memory.

“Maybe I was just too nervous.”

No…

That didn’t seem right.

Could it be…?

As I considered another possibility, I realized I had already reached my destination.

“Wow…”

A gasp escaped my lips.

The building before me wasn’t simply a mansion.

It was more like a massive fortress.

So this is House Ashelrn.

I’d heard that if someone stacked all the family’s property records together, the pile would be bigger than an entire library.

Its ancient, majestic architecture was beautiful.

At the same time, it was overwhelmingly intimidating.

The fierce guards standing at the enormous iron gate made me instinctively shrink back.

But I couldn’t turn back now.

I hadn’t done anything wrong.

I should walk in confidently.

Clenching both fists, I approached the front gate.

But the moment I stood before the guards…

All my confidence disappeared.

“H-Hello…! I’m here to apply for the healer position…!”

As expected of the guards protecting the great House Ashelrn…

Their expressions were terrifying.

I hadn’t done anything, yet I suddenly felt guilty.

The guard beside the first one glanced at me.

The two quietly whispered to each other.

“Looks like it’s her.”

“I’m sure of it.”

W-What?

Did I do something wrong?

I haven’t caused any trouble yet!

Just as I became even more nervous—

“Could you please wait here for a moment? I’ll call someone to escort you.”

“Oh! Yes, thank you.”

Contrary to my expectations, they treated me politely.

Relieved, I nodded.

One of the guards went inside the gate and quickly stopped a servant.

“Go inform Lord Conrad immediately. Tell him… that squirrel… Ah, yes. Tell him Miss Squirrel has arrived.”

“Pardon? Miss Squirrel?”

“Just go! It’s the Duke’s order!”

Beyond the iron bars, everyone suddenly became busy.

They seemed to be talking about something, but I was too far away to hear.

Besides…

I was far too nervous to pay attention.

Deep breath.

I inhaled and exhaled repeatedly.

Soon, the guard returned with a neatly dressed servant.

The servant politely led me inside.

After walking through long, elegant corridors, we finally reached what looked like a reception room.

“The interviewer will arrive shortly. Please make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you.”

The room was even more luxurious than the outside.

But I couldn’t appreciate it.

I was becoming more nervous by the second.

I have to do well.

I wonder who the interviewer will be.

Hopefully someone close to the Duke.

That would make it easier to ask for a chance to meet him.

Don’t stutter.

Smile.

Greet them politely.

What else should I remember…?

I kept running interview scenarios through my head while nervously fidgeting with my fingers.

Then—

Click.

The door finally opened.

I unconsciously held my breath.

The person who entered was someone I had never expected.

Silvery hair that shone like silk.

A cool forehead beneath neatly swept bangs.

Eyes as red as blood.

His face was beautiful.

Yet it was so perfect that he almost didn’t seem human.

The moment I saw him, I knew exactly who he was.

There’s no mistake.

Cain Ashelrn.

The man who would become Melody’s father in the original story.

For some reason…

One of the novel’s main characters had personally come to meet me.