IVFV 20

Chapter 20

The smell of cigarette smoke in front of food was honestly unpleasant.

‘But if the Duke of House Hart insists on smoking, could I really stop him?’

…No. Absolutely not.

Lumina was well aware of the powerful will of someone addicted to cigarettes.

To at least prepare herself mentally, she stiffened and stared nervously at Lucius.

He placed the cigarette into his mouth. Now he just had to light it.

But instead of pulling out a lighter, he simply rolled it between his lips without lighting it.

Huh?

‘Wait, wait. I clearly saw him unwrap something round and put it in his mouth?’

“That’s not a cigarette?”

That’s right. What Lucius had taken out wasn’t a cigarette.

It was a lollipop.

“I’m quitting. My wife hated the smell of cigarettes.”

Lucius replied, pushing the candy to one side of his cheek so he could speak.

As far as Lumina knew, the Duchess had died long ago.

Yet he was still quitting smoking because his wife disliked it. Surprisingly, he seemed to have been a devoted husband.

‘Well… he was unexpectedly devoted to his son too.’

Judging people by appearances was something only amateurs did.

Still, seeing a man with such a fierce face sucking on a cute lollipop naturally drew her gaze.

“That’s a dissatisfied look.”

“Huh? Me?”

That couldn’t be true.

Anyone else maybe—but she would never dare send an improper look toward the Duke of House Hart.

Lumina blinked rapidly, trying to rid her eyes of any possible impurity.

“If you’re that dissatisfied, you should just say it.”

“What?! There isn’t even a hint of dissatisfaction! Look!”

Hop!

Lumina opened her eyes wide and shot him a sparkling gaze.

There wasn’t even a speck of ulterior motive in her innocent eyes.

But Lucius didn’t seem particularly interested in her effort.

Without even looking at her, he casually slipped his hand into his pocket.

When his hand reemerged, it was clenched in a fist.

‘W-What is that?’

His large fist, with white sticks poking out between his fingers, moved toward Lumina, whose eyes had gone round.

And then—

Clatter—

Colorful lollipops spilled out in front of her.

“If you want some next time, say it. If you want more, say that too.”

“…Yes!”

She finally realized that the “improper look” he had mentioned meant a look craving candy.

She had never harbored such wicked thoughts—but refusing a mountain of candy would be awkward, so she responded energetically.

“I wanted to serve you dessert, but they said it isn’t good for a patient who just woke up from fainting. Endure with this for today.”

There was no need to endure anything.

There was enough candy in front of her to live on for a lifetime.

“By the way…”

Lumina fiddled with the wrapper of a lollipop without opening it and asked cautiously,

“Do you have other flavors?”

She had braced herself for being scolded for being picky about a gift.

‘But I ate too much strawberry milk flavor in my past life. I’m sick of it.’

Most of the candy he gave her was strawberry milk flavor. She could tell just by the packaging.

She assumed he had deliberately chosen those because she was young.

There were always preconceptions like that. So she spoke carefully, almost like negotiating a backroom deal.

After hearing her request, Lucius silently slipped his hand into his pocket again.

When he pulled it out, a variety of colorful lollipops spread across the table.

His pocket was practically a candy sack.

“Thank you!”

Even more varieties than before were laid out. Without hesitation, she picked up the one she wanted.

“You seem to like that one.”

“Yes!”

Lucius looked at her as if it were unexpected.

After all, the candy she chose was cinnamon flavor.

Lumina placed the lollipop into her mouth along with Lucius, signaling the end of the meal.

‘I feel corrupted.’

Suck, suck.

Sitting side by side, they sucked on their lollipops, enjoying the slightly sinful sweetness.

Her stomach was full, her back felt warm, and the taste in her mouth was slightly bitter at first before gradually turning sweet.

It was a peace she could never have enjoyed at the Langshus estate, guarded like demons by Teresa and Joseph.

Outsiders often described the Duke of House Hart as a mad devil.

But in Lumina’s eyes, the real devils were her own blood relatives.

“By the way, was the matter I requested before I collapsed resolved?”

Suck, suck.

Earlier, Lumina had asked him to recommend servants to work at the Langshus estate.

“Yes. I selected only the quick-handed and tight-lipped ones and sent them immediately.”

For some reason, Lucius’s tone sounded rather grim.

“They’ve probably wiped everything out by now without leaving a single trace.”

“…Wiped out what?”

Did he send assassins instead of servants?!

For a moment, she wondered if Joseph and Teresa had already had their throats slit. Lumina looked at him with shaken eyes.

“Dust,” Lucius replied as if asking why she would even question it.

Lumina, who had briefly imagined a bloody massacre, laughed awkwardly.

“Haha. Right. Dust. Very important.”

“When you return home, you won’t find even a speck.”

Though he carried the nickname of devil, it seemed she was the one having wicked thoughts.

“But do you collapse every time you use your ability? That doesn’t seem consistent—you were fine last time.”

“I’m not sure. I think I’ll know if I treat the Young Master once more.”

There was one suspicious point preventing her from decisively saying she fainted simply because she overused her power.

She had felt something unusual only when using her ability on Karayan.

‘Maybe it’s because I wasn’t healing visible injuries? It’s definitely different from treating a broken leg or removing shards of glass.’

Lumina was lost in thought when—

“If you require recovery every time you treat him, perhaps it would be better for you to stay here instead. That way, there would be fewer suspicions.”

“But I’m only your ward.”

She meant it was too much.

Not a commoner, but a noble lady with inheritance rights living in his house? Even if tied by patronage, it was excessive.

Yet Lucius responded calmly.

“It would be different if you were not my ward, but related by marriage.”

“…What?”

That had been close.

She had almost spat her candy in his face. His sunglasses might have shattered.

“Didn’t you boldly say you wanted to use this house? This is simply part of the process. Why are you so surprised?”

Lucius was strangely calm. Any normal person would have been shocked.

What about your son’s opinion?

The most important party—Karayan—was completely left out.

“Is it that you do not like my son?”

The atmosphere was so intimidating that it felt like she would be thrown out immediately if she said yes.

‘You should be asking your son that first!’

The last time he said something similar, she could brush it off as a joke.

But hearing the same proposal twice was starting to feel frightening.

Suppressing the urge to protest, Lumina smiled brightly.

“Of course not. It’s just that I believe the title of the Duke’s ward is already more than enough for me.”

Phew. That should have been a smooth deflection.

Anxiously, Lumina rolled the cinnamon candy in her mouth—it was already half gone.

Just as she worried the conversation might drag on, a servant approached Lucius and whispered something in his ear.

“I have a scheduled engagement and must step away for a moment. Make yourself comfortable in the estate.”

Lucius rose from his seat.

“You are an honored guest. You should be treated properly. I will assign you a personal maid.”

“Hello, Miss from Langshus. My name is Olivia. I will be attending to you for the time being.”

Just as Lumina was wondering how to find the guest room, a woman in a maid uniform introduced herself.

She looked to be in her early thirties. With her glamorous features, she seemed more suited to a party dress than a maid’s uniform.

It almost made one wonder if appearance was part of the hiring criteria at the ducal house.

“I heard you have difficulty walking. Shall I carry you?”

“N-No, that’s not necessary. Just support me.”

“But I heard you came all the way to the kitchen dangling from His Grace.”

The rumor had already spread, apparently. Slightly embarrassed, Lumina decided to be shameless about it.

What was done was done. Better to worry about what came next.

Earlier had been an accident because she had just woken up.

Now that she had eaten properly and regained some strength, with a little support she wouldn’t wobble like before.

“Don’t worry. I’m strong.”

But Olivia misunderstood—or perhaps didn’t listen at all—and reached out before Lumina could finish.

Unlike Lucius, Olivia was a woman, and at a glance looked slender, so Lumina assumed it would be difficult—

Lift.

‘…Is she a Legion?’

Olivia lifted Lumina with absurd ease.

“W-Wait!”

In the end, through dramatic negotiation, Lumina managed to at least keep her feet on the ground while being supported.

Despite the small incident, Olivia was a kind maid.

“I’d like to take a walk. Is that alright?”

“Of course. Absolutely.”

Olivia readily agreed, helped her change, and guided her outside.

Lumina was strolling leisurely through the garden when—

“How dare you! Move aside at once!”

There was a commotion near the main gate.

“What’s happening?”

“Shall we go take a look?”

For some reason, Olivia seemed more excited than Lumina.

She asked in a tone that suggested she would be disappointed if they didn’t go. Lumina nodded and approached the source of the noise.

A sharp young girl’s voice rang loudly enough to shake the estate.

“How dare you treat me, the Princess of the Empire and fiancée of the Young Master of House Hart, with such disrespect! I will report this to His Majesty, and you shall all vanish like dew at the execution ground!”

One familiar phrase pierced Lumina’s ears.

The fiancée of the Young Master of House Hart.

‘…The same thing the Duke just proposed to me?’