Chapter 9
The Duke’s frosty voice sounded intimidating at first glance, but beneath it lay genuine concern for Liriette.
She stared blankly at him for a moment before speaking.
“Even so, I won’t eat meat.”
Before the Duke could tell her that the goddess would not punish her for ignoring such doctrine, Liriette continued.
“Because… the medicine I used on your eyes was made with the Goddess’s power.”
“…?!”
The sudden confession made one of the Duke’s eyebrows rise.
“I can’t tell you exactly how it’s made. But while I’m making that medicine, I don’t want to risk earning even the slightest bit of the Goddess’s displeasure.”
Liriette believed in the Goddess, but not with the unwavering devotion of priests who dedicated their entire lives to her.
The same was true of her divine power.
She never considered the extraordinary ability inside her to be precious.
If anything, it had only brought her pain. There had even been times when she wished the power would simply disappear.
Even so, the reason I strictly follow the doctrine…
…was because of a promise she had made in her previous life.
Back then, after the Duke’s eyes had been healed, he sought Liriette out to thank her.
His gratitude didn’t end with words alone.
He told her that, in return for restoring his sight, he would grant her anything she desired.
With a trembling voice, she had said:
“Please… let me leave this place.”
Even as she spoke those words, she never expected her wish to come true.
By then, the High Priest had already amassed enormous wealth and influence by exploiting her ability.
Even for the Duke of Windsorice, taking Liriette away from someone that powerful would have been an extremely difficult task.
She never believed he would agree.
Yet, contrary to her expectations, the Duke had nodded without hesitation.
“Very well.”
That single curt reply became hope and salvation for the Liriette trapped in hell.
From that day on, she made herself a promise.
If the Duke is ever hurt again… I’ll heal him.
Remembering those wordsāsomething she could never tell himāLiriette said clearly,
“What if I anger the Goddess… and then I’m unable to heal your eyes?”
“…”
“That would be terrible. I really want to cure them.”
For a moment, the Duke was speechless.
Her voice carried such earnest determination that he couldn’t mistake it.
Why would a child who has never even met me before… a child who doesn’t even live in the North… go this far for my sake?
While he sat there quietly puzzled, Liriette continued.
“So… once your eyes are completely healed… would you treat me to another meal?”
She lowered her voice shyly.
“Next time… I’ll eat the meat too.”
Then, almost like a bashful confession, she added,
“To be honest… I’ve always wanted to try it.”
The Duke didn’t answer immediately.
Only after a short silence did he reply.
“So be it.”
Though his face remained expressionless, the tips of his ears had turned the faintest shade of red.
The treatment began.
Liriette first removed the bandages wrapped around the Duke’s eyes.
The wounds were still decaying, but they were unmistakably lighter than the day before.
Thank goodness.
Smiling with relief, she removed her glove.
The finger she had cut yesterday had completely healed after applying the ointment.
But there was no time to celebrate.
She would have to wound herself again.
Taking out the small knife, Liriette inhaled quietly.
I can endure the pain…
But the moment I have to make myself bleed… it’s still terrifying.
Her hand trembled as she sliced the tip of her finger.
A bright crimson drop of blood welled up.
She carefully spread it over the Duke’s damaged eye.
In truth, even if the Duke couldn’t see, he should have realized what the little girl before him was doing.
His senses were as keen as those of a wild beast.
But…
He deliberately dulled those senses.
He didn’t want to uncover the secret Liriette was trying so desperately to hide.
All he allowed himself to notice was the warm, sweet fragrance coming from the “medicine.”
Once again, its effects were astonishing.
He could feel the damage around his eye rapidly healing.
Even the faint pain that had remained vanished completely.
After pressing a handkerchief against her bleeding finger, Liriette wrapped it up and slipped it back inside her glove.
“The poison in your eye has almost disappeared. A few more days of treatment should heal it completely.”
Her voice still sounded unmistakably childlike…
Yet she spoke with the confidence of an experienced physician.
The treatment was over, so Liriette prepared to leave.
But the Duke stopped her.
“Stay and eat.”
“…?”
She tilted her head in confusion.
A moment later, Simon entered carrying something.
The instant Liriette saw it, she covered her mouth.
That’s…!
On a round plate sat a triangular slice of cake.
It was a beautiful strawberry shortcake topped with a single plump, bright-red strawberry, so pretty it looked like something from a painting.
Smiling with his fox-like eyes, Simon explained,
“In the North, hearty meat is valued far more than sweet sugar, so we don’t really have a dessert culture. That’s why your meals have been filled with meat instead of sweets.”
To put it more honestly…
The Duke, Simon, and everyone else in the castle had wanted Liriette to eat meat instead of sugary cake.
She was simply far too small and painfully thin.
But in the end, they gave up on forcing the issue.
If she won’t eat meat… then let’s at least give her something she’ll genuinely enjoy.
That was how the strawberry cake had come to be.
Simon smiled.
“It’s been years since our chef last baked a cake. I can’t promise it’ll taste very good.”
“It looks delicious.”
“Really, really, really delicious.”
Liriette’s unusually excited reaction made Simon chuckle.
“Then please, have a taste.”
He held out a fork.
Yet Liriette hesitated.
The temple only forbade eating creatures with blood.
That didn’t mean she could indulge freely in everything else.
The High Priest had also taught that excessive sugar, salt, pepper, and other luxurious seasonings gradually corrupted the human body.
So in both her previous life and this one, she’d always avoided consuming too much of them.
Cake contains a tremendous amount of sugar…
What if eating it causes my divine power to disappear…?
She was worrying seriously…
When her eyes suddenly widened.
A bite of cakeāwhipped cream, sponge cake, and strawberry togetherāhad entered her mouth.
When she came back to her senses, she realized…
The Duke was holding the fork.
Did… His Grace just feed me…?
She barely had time to process that before another thought overwhelmed her.
Wow!
The cake melted inside her mouth.
It was unbelievably sweet.
As if she had bitten into an entire cloud made of sugar.
Watching Liriette chew with tears threatening to spill from her eyes, the Duke spoke.
“When children eat cake, they only need to worry about one thing.”
“…”
“Whether they’ll get cavities.”
“So stop worrying about anything else.”
His icy voice was so firm that every anxiety inside Liriette vanished as though by magic.
Like someone enchanted, she obediently opened her mouth.
The Duke fed her another bite.
As she slowly chewed, tears welled beneath her large blue eyes.
They rolled freely down her cheeks as she smiled.
“I’ve never tasted anything this delicious before.”
“Thank you… Your Grace.”
Hearing her heartfelt gratitude, the corners of the Duke’s lips lifted ever so slightly.
From then on, Liriette treated the Duke every morning.
After each treatment, Simon would bring her cake.
A different cake every day.
Rich chocolate cake coated in dark chocolate.
Soft raspberry mousse cake bursting with fresh flavor.
Cheesecake so smooth it melted the instant it touched her tongue.
Each one was the result of the chef and kitchen maids putting their heads together to decide what kind of cake Liriette might like.
Their efforts were well rewarded.
Every single time Liriette ate cake…
She cried.
Blushing bright red, she hurriedly wiped away her tears.
I’m actually crying because cake tastes so good…
How embarrassing…
She thought she looked ridiculous.
But Simon, watching nearby, only smiled until his narrow eyes curved shut.
How adorable.
The chef and kitchen maids reacted the same way after Simon told them.
“Lady Liriette cried crystal-clear tears while eating the cake we made!”
The cooks and kitchen maids flexed their muscular arms and cheered triumphantly.
Yet the person sitting closest to Liriette whenever she ate cakeāthe Duke himselfā
couldn’t react at all.
His eyesight had not fully returned, so he still couldn’t properly see her.
Just what kind of expression is that child making while she eats cake?
