Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki

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Chapter 9

“Let me go!”

The little girl’s violet eyes gleamed in the darkness. Anger and fear rose like a blue flame and soon enveloped her whole body.

For a moment, she thought her fingertips were burning….Then, suddenly, a fire broke out on the hand of the count.

“Arggh!”

As soon as the blue flame touched his flesh, he staggered backwards. At the same time, April also stumbled down as she lost her balance.

As she suddenly felt a twinge spreading around her nape, she became breathless. At that time, only one thought came to her mind.

‘I have to escape.’

Count Gridler, who was shocked, couldn’t stand up properly. This was her chance.

April managed to stand up as she exerted force onto her feet. She quickly picked up her mother’s notebook and ran towards the large gate.

***

That was her last memory of Carleva.

“And then again……”

Shutting her eyes closed, April sprawled on the sofa.

The blue flames that ate up the arm of a man were like the jaw of a monster from the Southern Forest of Carleva. The fragments of memory of the day of her escape strangled April’s mind.

“Rill! What’s wrong?”

Did she scream while she was having that nightmare?Dahlia passed her a glass of water. April drank it at one gulp as she felt breathless.

“I had that dream again.”

“You must be tired, dear. You also haven’t slept well for a while. Is it because of the letter that you received today?”

“I think so.”

“Hey, Rill. Why don’t you accept the Marquis’ offer?”

Dahlia cautiously asked April, who was currently patting her face dry after she washed it. She thought that she might be a heavy burden to Dahlia because Dahlia never seemed to have interfered with her business.

So, April couldn’t reply whether she liked it or not.

“You said you wanted something back. You also said you wanted to earn and help a lot of people simultaneously. Like your mother.”

“…..Yes.”

“Look on the bright side. You can earn a lot more than what you can do by working here.”

“But if I leave, what will you do, Dahlia? What about the pharmacy?”

“I’ll start having more daytime visitors. And it’s not like we’re going to lose our connection.”

Dahlia comforted April, who was looking at her with wide eyes. But April couldn’t tell if she was really giving her advice or if she was just bluffing so that April could make a little advantageous choice.

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“Since you’re already a professional, I think you’d be able to easily support your research now. Moreover, he desperately needs you as much as our other visitors.”

“I guess so. That’s why he was so honest about himself….”

“So what do you think you need the most now?”

Dahlia asked. It was the first time anyone had ever asked her such a question. April thought of Dahlia’s different tactics of earning money and what she had built up. The answer came up easily.

“Time and money.”

“That’s your answer.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes, April. Go, live your life. As soon as you can.”

Her last words swayed April, which made Dahlia’s eyes shine up in an instant.

***

Exactly a week later, April went to meet the Marquis. Ian’s face, which was looking forward to her visit, filled up with joy as soon as he saw her.

“I know it wasn’t an easy decision. But, thank you very much.”

“No, I’ll be responsible for the research.”

“That feels reassuring.”

Ian retorted with a smile. For some reason, April smiled awkwardly because those words somehow touched the guilt in her heart.

“Um…Marquis. Could you just take a look at this? I organized it yesterday.”

April handed him a piece of folded paper. After opening and scanning the paper from top to bottom, he said.

“Ah, pre-contract conditions. Do I need to verify them?”

“I really want to include some of the parts that I wrote down in the contract.”

April said cautiously, alternating her gaze between the paper and his face. Ian slowly read down the neatly written requests.

《 -Allowing visits to the pharmacy and customer requests once a week. -Allowing visit to the Mansion of Debussy, if necessary. -Providing the newspaper of the Northern Carleva once a week. -Providing a place for growing medicinal herbs. -Permit for a place for personal research and for the purchase of supportive manuals. 》

As he read each sentence silently, the corners of his mouth gradually rose up. April was staring at the smiling man with a puzzled look on her face.

Soon after he had finished reading all of them, he put down the paper, which made April gulp. She wondered if she had put too many conditions on the subject of employment.

“Is that it?”

“Yes. Is that too much?”

“They’re just too simple.”

Ian was confused. He thought that she had a strong attachment to money. So, why were the conditions so simple?

“Miss Quen, I didn’t call you here to lock you up and make you work only for me. So, make yourself at home. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re signing a contract inside one’s mansion or in a pharmacy.”

“…..Thank you.”

Ian just laughed it off, but all of this was an unexpected favor for April. He spread out two contract papers and put April’s note under his own, accepting it.

“Would you like to have a read? I didn’t know how much would be good, so I roughly estimated it.”

“Ah, yes.”

As her eyes fell on the amount, she almost screamed in surprise. She wondered if she had misread the number because of her tired eyes due to lack of sleep. However, the number looked exactly the same every time she checked.

“Is this really the right amount, Marquis?”

“Do tell me if it’s not enough.”

April shook her head. Ian’s payment was so high that she could get back some of the property of the Witzer Family, combined with the money she had earned in the pharmacy. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t reply to him readily.

“I’m fine with this if the Marquis doesn’t mind.”

“Glad to hear that. I’ll support you with everything while you’re here, so feel free to ask me for anything.”

April nodded eagerly at his every word, repeatedly checking the amount. Noticing her sparkling eyes, he was having a hard time trying to hold back his laugh.

‘She’s so mysterious.’

Looking back at April while signing the contract, he recalled what she had been through. Even though she was scared and trembling, she came to offer a helping hand towards him in his most dangerous condition.

“When should I move in, Marquis?”

“You can come tomorrow. The preparations are almost finished.”

“You’re so great.….”

April mumbled. Ian, who thought she was just being cautious, did not know that she would accept his offer right away without hearing about any of his opinions about the contract.

Whether she knew it or not, Ian smiled contentedly.

“It wasn’t difficult because an original room was converted into a research place.”

“Then I’ll be here in three days. I have some things which are needed to be sorted out.”“All right, let’s do that. I’ll send someone to escort you. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“Thank you, Marquis. I’ll be in your care.”

She left the drawing room while holding a copy of the contract in her arms. She refused anyone to see her off.

‘Will I be successful?’

Ever since she had started working as a pharmacist, she had never made medicine for anyone that was based on her own research. The prescribed work of the pharmacy was very ordinary, even the medicines that she used to make at night were far easier than this.

***

“Go ahead, April. Earn a lot and get rid of all the blame.”

Dahlia welcomed her with a hug. They were standing beside a cart full of her clothes and all kinds of necessary items.

April hugged her, burying her face into her shoulder. The fact that Dahlia, who had always been by her side until the day before, became the person whom she could see once in a week, made her realize the slight aching of her heart.

“Don’t act as if I’d never see you again. I’ll definitely visit you often.”“I’m just saying it because I’m worried. Now, don’t skip your meals, and please get some sleep.”

Dahlia’s voice trembled a little. April was not sure if she was just patting on her back or trying to hold back her tears.

“By the time you get there, we will be finished with your luggage, Miss Quen.”

“What a surprise!”

April, who was staring at the window, was stunned by the voice that came from behind her.

The polite voice belonged to Klaus. Dressed in all black, it seemed as if he was buried in the darkness of the night.

“I’m sorry if I surprised you.”

“No, it’s just that I didn’t expect that Mr. Klaus would come.”

“We will be seeing each other more often, so please call me Klaus.”

April, who was still feeling burdened to be with him, limped under the pretext of fatigue. In the meantime, the carriage ran fast through the darkness and arrived at the mansion.

Even though it was late, the mansion appeared like an island of light. Under the lanterns shining brightly in the garden, Ian himself greeted April.

“I have been waiting for you.”

“Thanks to the Marquis, I feel comfortable.”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, would you like to take a look around the place that you’ll be using? I can show you myself.”

“Okay.”

Ian himself took April to the new detached house. The house had a large window. One could see the whole capital from it if they climbed to the top floor.

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