Chapter 12
Her father, Alessandro Addis, had forbidden Kanna from returning.
Hadn’t he warned her not to show herself anywhereānot to return to her childhood home, not even to appear at social gatheringsābecause he never wanted to see her again?
As a result, Kanna had spent all those long years practically shut away in the Valentino duchy, faithfully obeying her father’s warning to stay out of sight.
And now what?
She had come here of her own accord?
“You filthy bitch! How dare you come here?!”
The atmosphere in the Addis household was already grim because his younger sister, Lucy, had been struck by a mysterious illness.
And now Kanna had returned home too?
“Where’s Kallen? Why the hell did he let Kanna inside?”
“He entrusted Lady Lucy’s treatment to Duchess Valentino.”
“…What?”
“He said treatment will begin as soon as the ingredients are ready. Young Master Kallen has gone out to prepare them…”
“Has he lost his mind?! Where’s Kanna?”
“She’s in the laboratory.”
Orsini immediately stormed toward the basement.
His heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs as he threw open the laboratory door.
“Hey, trash.”
His sister turned to face him.
Kanna looked exactly the same.
Still pathetically ugly.
Still the same worthless older sister.
“Good to see you, Orsini.”
At least, that’s what he thought…
…until she spoke.
Her long black hair framed her face, and beneath it, her lips curved into a broad smile.
There was something chilling about that smile.
Goosebumps crawled across Orsini’s back.
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
He quickly replaced his surprise with a mocking grin.
“Have you forgotten what our relationship was like, trash?”
If she had…
He would simply remind her.
He strode over and seized her shoulders with crushing force.
Lowering himself until they were eye level, he leaned in so close their noses nearly touched.
“Hey, trash. You…”
Then their eyes met.
Beyond her disheveled bangs…
…her black eyes.
“…”
He forgot.
For a brief instant, he completely forgot what he had been about to say.
His tongue stiffened, unable to produce a single word.
Long eyelashes.
Delicate double eyelids.
Eyes as clear as a deer’s…
Yet stronger than anything else about her.
Did she… always look like this?
Did Kanna always have eyes like these?
“You’re awfully close, Orsini.”
It was as if lightning had struck him.
Startled, Orsini immediately released her.
One step.
Another.
Without realizing it, he stumbled backward before abruptly stopping.
Then humiliation flooded over him.
His face twisted.
Just as he was about to yellā
“It’s good to see you, Orsini. You feel the same, don’t you?”
Kanna smiled as she casually ran her fingers across the neatly arranged medicine bottles.
“It’s been a long time. Didn’t you miss me?”
“Miss you? Me?”
A laugh burst out of him in disbelief.
Had she finally gone insane?
“Quit talking nonsense and get out. Don’t you know you’re the stain that splattered all over the Addis family?”
“I’m staying here for a while.”
“I guess Kallen hasn’t told you yet.”
“…What?”
“I agreed to cure Lucy.”
Orsini wanted to cover his ears.
He couldn’t understand why he was still letting her speak.
Why hadn’t he grabbed her by the hair yet?
That was exactly why he’d come.
Even now, he fully intended to.
Right.
Hit her.
Knock her down.
Just don’t use too much strength.
He was one of the Empire’s greatest swordsmen now.
His strength was enough to shatter stone.
One slapājust hard enough to terrify her.
Then grab her hair and drag her outside.
That would do it.
Then what the hell am I waiting for?!
“Get out of the Addis estate. No…”
“I’ll throw you out myself.”
As he spoke, Orsini raised his right hand.
This time he truly intended to shove her away.
But at that very momentā
Kanna’s fingers, which had been absentmindedly brushing over the medicine bottles, swiftly snatched up a slender vial.
With one smooth motionā
She splashed its contents at him.
It happened so quickly that Orsini only realized what she’d done after his chest was already soaked.
“…What?”
“What does it look like? I’m teaching my rude little brother some manners.”
“What theā”
“Urgh!”
The pain came a moment later.
Agonizing pain.
It felt as though the flesh were being peeled from his chest.
Screaming, Orsini tore open his shirt.
“W-What is this?! Ghh!”
Sizzle.
A burning sound accompanied the smell of scorched flesh.
His chest smoked as if it were melting away.
His face contorted in agony.
“One of the potions I made as a child.”
“It burns flesh without causing bleeding.”
“Y-You crazy bitch!”
“It’s my own special formula.”
“Unless you use the antidote I made, the pain won’t stop.”
“And it’ll leave scars.”
Orsini glared at her with bloodshot eyes.
For even hesitating to hit her…
He had been a complete idiot.
“I won’t let this go, you piece of trash!”
But now wasn’t the time.
After shoving Kanna aside, Orsini frantically reached for the rows of medicine bottles behind her.
Dozens of bottles.
Countless different liquids.
One of them had to be the antidote.
Which one was it?
“If you apologize, I might give you the antidote.”
“Shut up!”
He would rather die than apologize to trash like her.
Just thenā
“What is going on here?”
Kallen approached with a cold expression.
His eyes moved between Kanna…
…and Orsini, whose shirt was gone while his chest continued to burn.
“Kallen! This is all your fault! You let this pile of garbage into the house andā Gah!”
Orsini couldn’t finish.
The pain overwhelmed him.
His knees hit the floor.
A moment later, he lost consciousness.
“What exactly happened?”
Kallen’s voice carried not the slightest trace of sympathy.
“Nothing much.”
“Orsini tried to hit me, so I struck first.”
Orsini.
It seemed his reckless older brother had once again started trouble.
And Kanna claimed she’d gotten the first blow?
“…You did this to him?”
“Yes.”
It was impossible to believe.
Who would believe that Kanna had reduced Orsini to this state?
“It’s a potion I made when I was fourteen.”
“…You made that when you were fourteen?”
“Yes.”
“I also made the antidote.”
“I was going to give it to him if he apologized, but he refused and fainted instead.”
Fourteen…
That had been the period when she was constantly abused by the Addis family.
She had already been capable of creating something like this?
If she possessed potions that were practically weapons…
Why had she allowed herself to be abused all those years?
And what had changed inside her…
…that she could now use them without the slightest hesitation?
Kallen wanted to know.
Questions crowded his mind, rising all the way to his throat.
Just as he was about to askā
“Are the herbs and acupuncture needles ready?”
Kanna’s question snapped him back to reality.
“Yes.”
“They should arrive by tomorrow evening.”
“As for Brother Orsini, I’ll have the servants carry him to his room.”
“You don’t need to concern yourself with him.”
Kallen answered immediately before turning away.
His brows narrowed.
A moment ago… I nearly asked something utterly absurd.
She’s only here to treat Lucy.
I shouldn’t concern myself with anything else.
The following evening, all the materials had arrived.
Kanna carefully measured each medicinal herb.
She divided them into individual packets before examining the acupuncture needles.
They had been crafted exactly to her specifications.
She was extremely satisfied.
It almost feels like I’ve obtained a magical tool.
Acupuncture opened blocked meridians and allowed the body’s energy and blood to circulate freely.
These needles, however, had been forged from mana stonesā
Healing mana stones, no less.
Their effectiveness would be extraordinary.
Everything is finally ready.
Before heading to Lucy’s room, Kanna handed Kallen a sheet of paper.
“I almost forgot.”
“Let’s sign the contract first.”
The document clearly stated every promise they had made to one another.
“…Do you doubt my word?”
“I simply prefer certainty.”
“Unbelievable.”
Grumbling under his breath, Kallen pressed his official seal onto the contract.
“Now that we’ve come this far…”
“You’d better cure Lucy properly.”
“I know.”
“Now then…”
“Shall we begin the treatment?”
