Chapter 3

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No! I was just trying to point out the information about her descendants.”

Lianna meticulously wrote what April was pouring out without a break as the information she was saying is necessary and will be added to the research later.

“You said that the more they lose their energy, the more these tools become useless, right?”

“Yes. It’s because this technology is an antique one. Their ability deteriorated as the witches began to lose their life force. Some people, like me, can still use a bit, but not much like they used to.”

“You’re focusing on regeantology, aren’t you? Can you do anything else? Something like a spell?”

April hesitated at the mention of the word ‘spell’.

“I don’t know.”

April replied, covering her wrist with her bracelet. Noticing that she was feeling uncomfortable, Lianna hurriedly put down the pen and turned away.

“Will you be coming to my birthday party, April?”

“Actually, I feel a bit weird meeting so many people. I would like to give you a present myself, so I will just stay at the detached house.”

Thinking that she would face more enemies, April had never been to a crowded place ever since she fled. She even missed her boarding school graduation ceremony. Lianna, who also knew about her situation, never asked her again.

“That will be enough. Actually, I’m a little worried about this party.”

“Why?”

“Father has invited Ian Marquis. And since I have a special relationship with his cousin brother, it will be pretty noisy. Count Rose is also invited.”

By Lianna’s cold tone, it was obvious how she thinks of Count Rose.

‘I’m sure the request was aimed for the Marquis. But, I hope nothing serious happens.’

Circumstantial reagents were bound to enter Ian’s mouth. April bit her lips. A drug or a potion that temporarily changed a person’s tendency could even cause side effects. She started feeling a bit anxious.

“What’s wrong, April?”

“Oh, no. I think I forgot something.”

“You’ve been overdoing it lately. Today’s research is over, so go home early and rest.”

“Yes.”

April left the mansion alone and began to walk across the garden. While passing through the low-cut trees, April gazed at the ground, lost in thoughts.

‘Maybe it would show as a trait, but if it becomes dangerous, then….’

As soon as she reached the main gate of the mansion, a shadow appeared in front of her. A familiar fragrance hung at the tip of her nose. The scent was much stronger than it was a few days ago. When she looked up, she saw a man she had already met before.

“Ah, Marquis Reykis…..!”

He was sitting on his horse with his back erect, looking down at April with a rather perplexed expression. April seemed to have suddenly popped out of nowhere and blocked the Marquis’ attempt to pass the main gate.

“I’m sorry, Marquis.”

April hurriedly stepped back, clearing the path for him. But he stood still, his eyes fixed on her.

“Last time, you….”

“Oh, well, I was helping Miss Lianna with her research.”

When Ian stayed silent, April hurried to explain even when he didn’t ask for it. It was because she was worried that he would misunderstand the situation because someone who was not an aristocrat walked out of the Duke’s mansion.

“I know.”

“…..Pardon?”

“It’s because I heard it from the Duke.”

She only wanted to avoid the embarrassing situation and did not expect an answer. But, Ian just left after replying with a straight voice, just like when they first met. But April kept enjoying his afterimage, unable to step back.

‘It’s like a body odor.’

The identity of a rare fragrance that rose sharply, and the overwhelming energy that made shivers run down her spine. It was another brief encounter that tickled her mind again.

Suddenly, Ian turned his head back and when their eyes met for a second time, April turned her head away quickly. No matter how close she was to the Debussy family, she did not want to get involved with a man who was the center of attention.

“Surely somewhere…..huh?”

Extraordinary energy, peculiar body odor, nobility…. She quickly matched up the words like jumbled pieces on her mind. April knew the family who was the closest to this condition.

“Then, the Marquis….!”

The name that she had desperately tried to erase came to her mind clearly. The Liszt family. It was one of the Carleva’s fallen aristocratic families that had accused her mother, Elise Witzer, of being a murderer.

But what was more important was that the Liszt family was a distant descendant of the werewolves, the Langs. They quickly grew into a powerful family thanks to their unique military strength, but fell into a state of debauchery.

“Then, is it possible that he is one of the Langs, too?”

She was so shocked that it came out of her mouth. April got startled and looked around, covering her mouth. Fortunately, no one was present there.

‘The Langs were a species who used to become weak whenever they were in heat. They also used to become uncontrollable.’

April knew about their characteristics well because she had studied at the institute with a student who was one of the last descendants of the Langs. She had to avoid this situation at any cost. So, she ran in a hurry, faster than she did when she ran away from Carleva. Arriving at the pharmacy, she noticed a carriage standing in front of the door.

“Why is there a carriage here….?”

She stood there in a daze, trying to figure out why an aristocratic carriage was standing in broad daylight. Then she noticed Dalia, who was snooping out of the window and waving her arms at her, gesturing to her to go towards the back of the pharmacy. This was to keep April hidden from the unknown “night guest” who had just arrived.

April hurried to the back of the pharmacy, opening the door that led to the lab.

“Count Rose is already here.”

“Oh my God, why is he so obstinate? Really, that man!”

“Maybe it’s an emergency. What am I supposed to do when he just came in broad daylight? He is also making the other guests feel uncomfortable.”

April opened a shelf that she had locked before and took out two glass bottles. One contained a red dim colored liquid while the other one was empty.

“From now on, I’m going to make a fever reducer.”

“What?! It wasn’t even scheduled, so why?”

“Just an intuition. The potion that was requested can cause side effects.”

“Why would your drugs have side effects?”

“Oh, by the way. Can you give this to him first and tell him to wait for half an hour?”

There was no explanation in detail. So Dalia, after noticing April’s impatience, quickly returned to Count Rose. April hurried back to her work. The procedure didn’t take much time because the reagents, that were required, were fresh and new.

“This will do.”

It was on the premise that the purpose of this medicine was Ian. She was going to ask him to use it if anything happened. The moment the fever reducer was completed, Dalia hurriedly opened the door and came in.

“Rill, the Count, he’s already gone.”

“What? Why!”

“He couldn’t wait for half an hour because of his schedule. But he said he would come back if he faces a problem.”

Dalia handed over the envelope to April that contained the rest of the money. April tried to figure out the situation by looking alternately between the fever reducer in her hand and the envelope.

“Didn’t we already get it separately?”

“I took it for granted, but he said that he would come here again. So, can we just wait for now?”

“…..When this gets over, you’d better think twice before doing any business with Count Rose again.”

April was forced to return to the lab. Dalia did her best, but she could not just ask the old nobleman to come freely.

‘It would be too presumptuous to ask the Duke.’

She couldn’t just force anyone to get involved. April fiddled with the envelope before throwing it to the drawer as usually. Now, there was another reason for her to go to Laritte’s birthday party.

***

Ian was sitting alone in the spacious drawing room of the house of the Duke, holding his chin and thinking about a certain silver-haired woman. He forgot that his tea was getting cold.

‘Who was that lady?’

Whenever he touched her, he felt her fingers go numb as if her hands were soaked in cold freezing water. The calm light of her violet eyes continued to haunt him. Being one of the Langs’ descendants, his unique sharp sense had taken every short detail of her so intensely that it was imprinted on his mind.

“I’m sure I will meet her again someday….”

It was not much of a big deal to be surprised by a touch. Anyone with a low status would have the same reaction. But she was somewhat different. The moment he reached her, she seemed to be shocked and ready to defend herself. But after the split, her eyes were still lingering on him. Her curious look and spirit kept bugging him.

“You must be thinking of something, right Ian?”

Suddenly, Ian, who was in the midst of his thoughts, turned his head in surprise at the voice that called him. Fabian, who had come to meet the Duke of Debussy, was standing behind him.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry.”

When Ian got up in a hurry in order to be polite, Fabian smiled and shook his head. It meant that Ian could be at ease. Both he and Fabian sat down. Soon, there were two cups of warm tea in front of them.

“I didn’t even know you were here. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

“That’s a relief then. I was worried about your situation.”

Fabian replied in a worried tone. It was because of the “heat disease” that was peculiar to the Langs, whose blood became thicker and hotter whenever the time came. That’s why Fabian did not allow Ian to stay by the side of the Grand Duke for a longer time. The main reason for hastily returning from the war was because of the severe situation after the outbreak a year ago.