Chapter 50
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50
“Wow. Unbelievable.”
Sitting in the drawing room, I shifted my gaze.
“Are you planning to ruin my appetite for both lunch and dinner now?”
I wondered which would come first: the day I finally got used to his constant picking of fights, or the day Leon Frezier finally agreed to my deal.
Ideally, I hoped for the latter.
For now, I remained silent and took a sip of the herbal tea a servant had brought earlier.
“Are you ignoring me now?”
Every word out of his mouth was a provocation as he sauntered toward me.
Without a change in expression, I shot a question back at Leon Frezier.
“Was that directed at me?”
“Who else?”
“I thought you were talking to yourself.”
“Talking to myself?”
I set my teacup down and said, “I didn't think anyone would address their own family in such a confrontational tone.”
“Ha.”
Leon Frezier plopped down across from me, crossed his legs, and leaned forward.
“Hey.”
“What now?”
“You’re not Tulia Frezier, are you?”
“……What?”
For a moment, my heart seemed to skip a beat.
Leon Frezier, his fingers interlaced, spoke with a serious expression.
“Normally, you’d be acting like a wild brat by now. Or did you finally go so crazy that you actually became normal?”
“…….”
I was dumbfounded, but what made it worse was that he seemed to be genuinely agonizing over the possibility.
Seeing my face contort in annoyance apparently didn't sit well with him, as Leon Frezier scowled right back.
I expected him to pick another fight, but then—
“So, why did you come all the way to my room?”
Surprisingly, he asked a normal question.
Fine.
‘Let’s just finish the mission and get out of here. Let’s leave.’
I placed the basket I had brought with me onto the table.
“What’s this?”
Wary, Leon naturally reached out, but I blocked the back of his hand.
The way he recoiled as if he’d touched a bug the moment our skin met was truly infuriating, but...
‘Ten thousand coins. It’s ten thousand coins.’
I repeated that irresistible number over and over in my head, forcing the corners of my mouth into a trembling smile.
“First, if you have a personal physician...”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Good for you. Could you call them first?”
* * *
“Gasp! Isn't this Wood Flu? No, this is Golden Lily Grass! My goodness, even Thousand-Year Snow Leaves...!”
Once Leon Frezier’s physician arrived, I didn't even need to explain anything.
The moment I showed him the basket, he worked himself into a frenzy all on his own.
“Wh-where did you get such precious medicinal herbs...?”
“Grandfather gave them to me before. I was very sick, you see.”
“I-I see. Only someone of Grand Duke Frezier’s stature could possibly gather such rare ingredients in one place. My word, my word...!”
I glanced at the physician, who was practically bouncing around like a starstruck fan, and then looked back at Leon Frezier.
Leon Frezier looked embarrassed by his own doctor’s behavior.
Of course, the moment our eyes met, he quickly straightened his expression.
“What, did you come here just to brag about what you got from the Grand Duke?”
“Physician.”
“Yes, Lady Tulia!”
I completely ignored Leon Frezier and smiled.
“Assuming you use all of those herbs...”
“Gasp.”
“Can you heal the bruise on Brother Leon’s cheek within three days?”
“H-huuuh.”
Leon Frezier’s physician took several deep, sharp breaths.
Leon, who had been picking a fight with me just moments ago, could no longer maintain his composure and wiped his face with both hands.
With a small "Ah, damn it," he looked utterly mortified.
‘...Well. My own doctor’s hands were shaking when he saw the herbs Grandfather gave me, too.’
How should I put it?
To these doctors, was this basket like a legendary dreamscape or an eternal treasure island?
“Physician?”
“It. Is. Possible.”
The physician spoke with confidence, his eyes burning with a sense of duty and personal intellectual greed.
I turned my gaze to Leon Frezier and asked, “You heard him, right?”
“I have ears, so yes, I heard. But what of it?”
“That cheek of yours is starting to turn black.”
“So what if it turns black or burns off? What does it have to do with you?”
“What does it have to do with me?”
I scoffed and arched an eyebrow.
“I wonder if this stupid second young master realizes that the direct descendants will be arriving one after another starting the day after tomorrow?”
“...Stupid, what?”
Since 'embracing his wounds' was impossible, I decided to lean more into the 'honest' approach.
Because of that, my words got a little... just a little harsh, but since Leon Frezier hadn't reached the point of grabbing me by the collar yet, I decided to stick with this tone.
“Who else in this castle besides Lisian could leave a mark like that on you?”
“...No one.”
“Right? No one.”
Lisian was always the overall top student of the Academy.
However, I knew very well from The Milk Bread that when it came to swordsmanship, this jerk Leon Frezier was always number one.
“It’s not like we have a father or a mother around.”
“…….”
“Do you really need to show the other relatives that something happened between you and Brother Lisian?”
“…….”
“Let’s be honest with each other.”
I took a sip of my cooling tea and continued.
“You’re vaguely aware that our relatives don't exactly like us.”
This statement was a bit of a gamble.
In truth, in The Milk Bread, Lilius, Tedric, and Aubrey weren't portrayed as such wicked people.
Since The Milk Bread was a reverse harem dating simulation, the system focused more on relationships with the male leads or grinding for Corico’s reputation and funds.
So, it was possible that the Lilius family only hated Tulia.
After all, unlike Tulia—who was rumored to be the child of the Marchioness’s affair—the twins were definitely the children of Marquis Aster Frezier.
‘They might have hated them less because they’re definitely of their bloodline. Or they might have even been proud of them.’
If that were the case, Leon Frezier would probably think I was just trying to drive a wedge between them.
Leon Frezier.
How would he respond?
“…….”
A silence followed, like drift ice floating on water.
It wasn't completely submerged, nor was it rigid.
It was a strangely thin, yet somehow transparent silence.
In that moment, I had a feeling that whatever answer came next would be free of lies.
Leon Frezier, who had been staring at me blankly, slowly opened his mouth.
“Are you really...”
“…….”
“Are you really Tulia Frezier?”
Suddenly, the tension strangely dissipated. I looked away.
“Physician.”
“Yes, Lady Tulia.”
Was it because I had shown him a basket full of herbs so rare that even most nobles couldn't dream of them?
The physician was looking at me with eyes sparkling unnaturally, as if he were looking at the goddess of pharmacy and medicine herself.
I asked him, “Did Leon Frezier hit his head too?”
* * *
Knock, knock.
Knock, knock, knock.
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.
At the sound of the persistent knocking, Lisian looked up from his book.
Lisian pulled the bell cord, and a clear chime rang out, signaling that the visitor could enter.
Creak.
The door swung open, and the one who walked in was none other than Leon Frezier.
This was the first time the two of them had met privately since that day in the library.
“Brother.”
Leon Frezier approached with his usual slouching attitude and plopped down on the sofa.
Then, he said:
“Lend me some money.”
It was the last thing Lisian expected to hear.