Chapter 23

'Who is it?'

I held Demian's hand tightly and cautiously approached, asking,

"Are you okay?"

"Where... where am I? It's too cold..."

She seemed not to hear me, still shivering uncontrollably.

Did she lose her way?

But her attire looked better than that of other ladies.

'Even Royna doesn't wear clothes like this.'

This means she's not a servant of the duke's castle.

'But this isn't the time to stand around.'

I bent down and checked her condition.

"Are you okay? Are you in a lot of pain?"

"It's cold... too cold..."

"Can you try to stand up? It's warmer inside than here..."

I gently took the old lady's hand to help her up, but I was startled.

'Her body is as cold as ice.'

Upon closer inspection, her complexion was also poor.

'This could be serious if left unchecked.'

But I couldn't just pull her up. She seemed to be in some kind of unknown panic.

If I led her too abruptly, she might become even more frightened.

I wiped the serious look off my face and spoke in a playful voice.

"Grandma, what are you doing here?"

The old lady, who had paused at my question, lifted her head.

"...Who are you?"

"My name is Ellie. I was taking a walk with my friend Demian. And you, Grandma?"

"I... I..."

Her gaze wandered, and I calmly waited for her to gather her thoughts.

"Am I... a grandma?"

After a while, she asked a somewhat unexpected question. It seemed strange to her to be called a grandma.

She blinked, looking dazed, and I had already noticed that she was disoriented.

'She must have occlumency disease.'

In the empire, there were several incurable diseases, one of which was 'occlumency disease.'

Occlumency disease was a condition where one's memories gradually disappeared.

It was similar to dementia in modern times, and the lack of a cure was also similar.

'I heard that making someone with occlumency disease anxious can worsen their condition.'

I wiped the stiffness off my face and spoke in a bright voice again.

"Grandma, don't just stand there. Come play with us! Your hands are so cold."

I wrapped the scarf Royna had tied around my neck around the old lady.

"Let's go. There's a place over there with lots of beautiful flowers! It's incredibly warm!"

"...Is it warm over there?"

"Yes!"

When I shouted, the hesitant old lady slowly nodded.

I smiled and looked at Demian. Demian nodded back, quick to catch on.

The old lady, holding my left hand and Demian's right hand, took a step forward.

"...It's warm."

As we entered the greenhouse, the old lady muttered blankly. Her anxiety seemed to ease a bit as she saw the beautiful flowers.

While admiring the flowers, I casually asked her,

"Grandma, what were you doing here? Did you lose your way?"

"I'm not sure. Why was I here...?"

The old lady slowly shook her head in response to my question.

"Hmm, that could be it. I often forget things too. Right, Demian?"

"...Yeah."

Demian nodded quickly, catching my eye.

As we chimed in, her face relaxed a bit.

"Grandma, what's your name?"

"...My name?"

"Yes. You seemed to dislike being called Grandma just now. Hehe."

"My name..."

She blinked, looking embarrassed.

"My name is..."

Just as her lips parted,

"Viera!"

A strange man's voice came from outside the greenhouse. I peeked out.

'Huh?'

The voice belonged to Viscount Amand. The viscount's face turned pale when he saw us.

"Viera!"

"...Marvin?"

The old lady, who had approached us, looked bewildered as she looked at the viscount.

I stared wide-eyed, alternating my gaze between the viscount and the old lady.

'Could they be... a couple?'

Then she would be Viscountess Amand?

Meeting such an unexpected person, I was taken aback and blinked.

The viscount approached us with a pale, tense face.

"Viera. Do you know how long I've been looking for you? What are you doing here?"

"Marvin?"

"How long have I been...?"

The viscount opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again, his face filled with emotion.

For a moment, the old lady, or rather, Viscountess Amand, looked confused.

She blinked once.

"Marvin...?"

Her innocent voice faded.

It seemed she had regained her composure momentarily. Her face turned pale.

"Marvin. I'm sorry. I lost my way..."

Before she could finish, the viscount pulled her towards him.

"Come here. It's dangerous over here."

"Marvin, but..."

Despite the viscountess's protests, the viscount was insistent.

You shouldn't anger someone with occlumency disease. Anxiety only erodes their memory further.

Then, the viscount, who was about to take her away, looked at me and said,

"I don't know what your intentions are, but don't take advantage of my wife."

"...Excuse me?"

"I mean, don't use my wife's pain for your cowardly schemes."

Viscount Amand spat out harsh words. I was so taken aback that I couldn't even laugh.

Just as I was about to say something in my defense, Demian stepped in front of me.

"Dem, Demian?"

"...Don't say bad things about Ellie."

Demian glared at the viscount with a wary expression.

The viscount frowned.

"...Young master. It seems there's a misunderstanding. I was just-"

"It's not a misunderstanding."

He cut off the viscount as if there was no need to listen.

"Good people don't talk about Ellie like that."

His sharp words startled me.

Demian shouldn't be wary of the viscount.

'He's going to be Demian's teacher!'

Viscount Amand was not only the one who discovered the mine but also an exceptionally skilled knight.

Though he was older now and rarely held a sword, his long experience and skills were unmatched.

Demian would learn even more refined techniques under such a teacher.

'But he's showing such an attitude to his future teacher!'

I quickly pulled Demian's arm.

"Demian, stop it."

"But..."

"I'm fine. So just stop it."

At my urging, Demian tightly closed his mouth and let go of his arm.

The viscount snorted.

"...Now I understand why His Grace brought you along."

He sneered as if I were Demian's owner.

"Approaching my wife must have been for this reason."

"Marvin."

The viscountess tried to stop him by grabbing his arm, but he didn't stop.

"I have no intention of adopting a foster daughter. So don't use such cowardly tactics. They won't work on me."

The viscount said this and turned away, leaving.

The viscountess tried to say something, but he didn't budge.

I burst into a hollow laugh only after they disappeared from sight.

I could understand the viscount's reaction, but I felt wronged.

'I kind of expected him to dislike me, but not to this extent.'

Honestly, I didn't mind if he disliked me. I was used to it, and it was somewhat expected.

'But now Demian has also been labeled as a troublemaker...'

I sighed deeply and looked at Demian.

"Demian, being overly cautious isn't always good."

"Why?"

Demian blinked with an innocent face.

"Ellie said so. She said not to just take it and to fight back when angry."

"...That's true, but he was talking to me, not you."

"But..."

Demian looked a bit confused.

"I'm fine."

"Really? ...But I got angry because that man said bad things about Ellie. That's why I did it."

Demian said this in a deflated voice, then looked up at me.

"Did I do something wrong...?"

I hesitated, unable to answer easily.

Demian was a child who didn't know emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness.

Though he had opened up to me, he was still insensitive to his own feelings.

This was the first time he had shown anger, resisted, and pointed his sword at someone he perceived as an enemy.

Can I tell you, who has taken such a step, that it's not allowed?

"No. You did well."

Expressing emotions was a step forward.

Demian was inexperienced in dealing with others, but he could learn gradually.

Demian is a kind and gentle child, so he would learn if I taught him properly.

'But just in case...'

It would be good to have a safety measure.

"Demian, if you get angry and want to run out, you have to stop immediately if I tell you not to. Got it?"

"Even if Ellie is in danger?"

"I won't put myself in danger. If I do, I'll get out of it."

Speaking confidently, Demian's eyes showed admiration.

"Okay. I got it."

Oh, this innocent child. I patted Demian's head as if praising him.

Demian blushed and closed his eyes tightly.

Without ears and a tail, he looked just like a puppy.

"Prince! Miss Ellie!"

At that moment, a familiar voice called from a distance.