Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Dia Hates Ganeghan (4)
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I first covered the bed sheet with the blanket.
"Eek?!"
Abera, who had been looking at me with an expression that said, Why bother tidying the bedding right now?, suddenly let out a shriek.
She rolled up her sleeves and hurriedly helped with the task. She had no choice. The white sheet was stained here and there with traces of her bodily fluids.
There was no benefit in letting Alfred see it that way. Not for my position, nor for hers.
Only after the blanket fully covered the bed sheet did we open the door to let Alfred in.
"Young Lady! Abera Young Lady!"
The atmosphere in the room, which had been settling into some calm, turned chaotic in an instant with Alfred's arrival.
It was an expression unbecoming of Alfred. The butler, who should have been calmly overseeing the mansion's affairs, had a face pale as a ghost as he urgently searched for Abera.
In that regard, Abera was an expert.
The moment Alfred appeared, she had already regained her usual haughty demeanor.
She had to remain unshaken so that the subordinates wouldn't waver either.
I thought seeing Abera's face like that might calm Alfred a bit. But it didn't.
If anything, his expression darkened even more, as if he felt terribly sorry to bring up such a matter to her composed face.
"Alfred, what's got you in such a panic? Were you worried about me?"
"Ah, y-yes... That's true. That's part of it, but..."
"It's fine. Tell me calmly. What's going on?"
"Well... the porcelain..."
Alfred let out a deep sigh before continuing.
"The porcelain pieces that Abera Young Lady cherishes so much... they've all been shattered. I'm so sorry."
"Wha... Porcelain? No, it's okay. Relax your face. One or two breaking is no big deal. I know how much you treasure those pieces too, Alfred. A little mistake is fine!"
Abera's adept way of soothing a servant.
But a thick cloud passed over Alfred's face.
Even after hearing the Young Lady's words, he hesitated a moment before finally speaking, as if he'd made up his mind.
He was, after all, the butler and head servant of this mansion. Having served her loyally since the day she was born, he couldn't keep it from her.
"Young Lady. All five of them are broken, and it wasn't my mistake."
"...What?"
Abera's voice trembled slightly.
She still looked composed on the outside, but it seemed she'd taken quite a shock inwardly.
It was the natural progression. Abera cherished her porcelain.
However, it wasn't because they were pieces she'd bought herself. They were all gifts... and now they'd been smashed?
"Who would do such a thing? No, don't tell me."
Among the various suspicions that flashed through her mind, one suddenly popped up, and Abera latched onto it.
She looked at Alfred with eyes full of Don't tell me. Seeing the Young Lady's gaze, Alfred nodded.
"...Dia did it. Why would Dia...?"
"I don't know the reason either. Truly."
Alfred opened his eyes wide, pleading his innocence.
"Ah... really."
Abera let out a deep sigh and pressed a hand to her forehead.
Too many things to think about had piled up in such a short time.
Matters to settle with Ganeghan. Appeasing the gift-givers without offending them. Reassuring the servants.
...And asking why Dia broke the porcelain.
Abera knew well that when many things came at once, it was sometimes an opportunity, but mostly a crisis. She couldn't fail to overcome it.
So, steel your resolve. Tackle them one by one.
Abera turned her head to look at Ganeghan and asked.
"Mr. Ganeghan, you're currently treating Dia with the medicine you manufactured for her as well, right?"
"Yes."
"What's its effect?"
"It alleviates withdrawal symptoms. So she won't resort to extreme actions in search of drugs."
To prevent extreme actions... but extreme actions had already happened in the worst way.
And with the devastating result of all those precious porcelain pieces being smashed.
The woman with beige hair and golden eyes was deep in thought, her eyes burning even brighter.
She prodded Ganeghan with her gaze, like a poke.
"Is it effective?"
"As for its efficacy, didn't Abera Young Lady confirm it yourself?"
"Ah, that. Right."
Abera's eyes wavered for a moment.
Well, of course. No denying he's a capable doctor when it comes to manufacturing medicine.
Then it made sense to ask about the duration instead.
"How long does the effect last? I want the exact timeframe."
"Normally eight hours, but for Dia Young Lady, about seven."
"That's strange."
The Young Lady answered in a firm tone, almost reflexively.
It hadn't even been seven hours since Ganeghan visited Dia's room.
Whether it was an issue with the efficacy or the duration, in the end, didn't that mean the medicine hadn't worked?
'But I can't judge that it was due to withdrawal symptoms...'
Gravity pulls down. The Earth is round. We call such unassailable laws 'common sense.'
Abera had instilled fear in Dia for nearly her entire life.
She'd turned Dia into her pet dog, making sure she could never defy her.
Thus, no matter how she speculated, a glaring contradiction arose.
'Would Dia smash my porcelain because of withdrawal symptoms? When she fears me so much?'
Being hated by Abera never worked in Dia's favor.
Abera held the power to decide whether to give her Sao or not.
The unwritten rule: annoy Abera just enough without seeming unlikable to others.
Bothering the servants and throwing tantrums in her room was exactly that line. So why suddenly this?
"Hmm..."
No matter how she racked her brain, she couldn't solve the puzzle with the information at hand.
It felt like an invisible wall blocking her thoughts, as if she'd approached the problem wrong from the start.
Then, as Abera groaned and wrestled with her thoughts, Alfred glanced at her cautiously and spoke up.
"Um, Young Lady."
"Ah, yes. Yes?"
Abera shook her head, snapping out of her deep contemplation.
"There was something a bit odd."
"Something odd...?"
Another thing to ponder. Abera's nearly expressionless face furrowed a bit more.
"Yes. Well... Dia Young Lady didn't seem to be asking for medicine."
"What?"
Abera's furrowed expression smoothed out instantly. Instead, her eyes went wide.
Stunned, she urged Alfred on.
"What do you mean? Tell me the details."
"Well... I was talking with Hildia. And Dia Young Lady must have overheard."
"What were you talking about?"
"Just... that Abera Young Lady was in Mr. Ganeghan's room."
Alfred mumbled a bit. But Abera's attitude was firm.
"Everything, not a single detail omitted. Your role is truly important, Alfred."
"Ah... Um."
Alfred looked flustered, but the water was already spilled.
With things having come this far, he couldn't hold back now.
Finally, Alfred sighed deeply and spoke candidly.
"First, there've been rumors among the maids that Mr. Ganeghan is a bit popular lately. Hildia mentioned it."
"Hmm... That could happen."
The Young Lady stroked her white, soft chin.
To maids with little male experience due to their workload, Ganeghan's decent looks and kind personality were bound to attract attention. Nothing hard to understand.
"What else?"
"And actually... I'm sorry! We were wondering if Abera Young Lady might be interested in Mr. Ganeghan too!"
"Wh-what did you say?!"
Abera's composed expression shattered in an instant.
What on earth is this butler saying!
She glanced at Ganeghan, but the doctor looked unfazed.
As he'd said himself, 'Nothing to lose.'? Seeing that nonchalant face made her pride sting and anger rise.
"Why would you even think that? You and Hildia both!"
"Well, you see..."
"No, no! Forget it! Anyway, it's absolutely not that, so never say it again! No, don't even think it!"
"Yes... Understood. Anyway, that's what I wanted to say. The moment she heard that, Dia Young Lady flew into a rage and charged at us."
Oh right, that's how it was.
They were discussing Dia breaking the porcelain.
And then it hit her. Something clicked unexpectedly in her mind, like puzzle pieces fitting together.
That's it! I'd been approaching the problem all wrong from the beginning!
'Huh?'
Dia hadn't charged for drugs. She'd overheard Hildia and Alfred's conversation and didn't like it.
And that conversation was about Ganeghan and Abera.
'Could Dia have feelings for Ganeghan?'
It was natural for someone who'd rarely held anything in life to obsess madly over something in their grasp.
But even so, Dia had seemed to faithfully keep her promise to drive Ganeghan out herself.
For good reason—didn't Ganeghan have knife wounds on his body?
'No, wait. Am I being fooled?'
Dia had feelings for Ganeghan from the start. The steak incident made it clear.
That's why she'd scared her into backing off. But now this rebellion?
Dia couldn't have done it alone. She wouldn't have even thought of it.
But now Ganeghan was by Dia's side. That changed everything.
Ganeghan's medicine was highly effective. She'd experienced the injection herself.
What happened in Dia's room was known only to the two involved.
...If this doctor had nearly cured Dia and was plotting something else?
'At first, I was confused whether I'd fallen for some strange drug or if I actually liked Ganeghan.'
Her thoughts tipped decisively.
No need to call Asbidal. He's clearly bewitched me with weird drugs. To find my weakness.
Something big enough to stake my body on it. What is he scheming?
Once her thoughts reached that point, it felt like a battle transcending mere life and death. Abera swallowed dryly without realizing.
She had no intention of losing. No, she couldn't lose.
Not with the name Abera de Menesil at stake.
'This man's plotting something huge. Definitely.'
Daring to defile my body, defy my will, deceive me?
Does he not know who I am? Who does he think I am?
One piece of evidence is enough.
Grab even a single one. And kill him.
Abera glanced back subtly. Toward Ganeghan.
"I've thought too long. You said the effect lasts about seven hours, right? What now? It seems over seven hours already."
Ganeghan nodded.
"Yes. She's probably starting to suffer withdrawal symptoms."
"You'll have to go, Mr. Ganeghan."
"I suppose so. Then I'll be off..."
"No."
Abera cut him off sharply.
A smug look of assured victory to boot.
"This time, I'll come with you."
"No. It's dangerous."
Of course he'd refuse.
But now, it just sounded like an excuse.
Rejecting the rejection, Abera replied.
"It's fine. Just as there's something only you, the doctor, can do, there's something only I can do to Dia. Like scolding her, for instance. Besides, I'm her guardian, right? So..."
As if she'd never been serious, Abera lifted the corners of her mouth slyly.
"...I need to see what kind of treatment my precious little sister is getting. Absolutely."
Dia in withdrawal was quite honest.
She'd pry every detail out. Find out what's happening behind her back.
You're done now.
You pathetic scheming doctor.