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Chapter 28: Don’t You Think This is Strange?
Sir Handsome was continually conversing with Letty.
He was not a talkative person.
The fact that he was talking passionately was proof that he was attracted to the person he was talking to.
Linzel thought back on why she (the original Linzel) and Sir Handsome had broken up. It was a memory that lingered in her mind.
Sir Handsome’s greatest flaw was his attraction to women.
She loved his appearance, yes, but she couldn’t stand his weakness for women. So, she broke up with him first.
It was after she sensed the slightest hint that Lord Handsome had a crush on another woman.
‘You…… have been seeing someone else besides me, have you not? We shouldn’t be seeing each other anymore.’
What did Sir Handsome say in response to Linzel’s declaration of breakup?
Linzel concentrated a little harder, trying to remember his response.
It didn’t take long for her to remember.
‘Have you…… really heard from her?’
That person.
Sir Handsome thought I had heard from someone else that he was seeing another woman.
She tried to think of what happened next, but that was as far as her memory went.
All she could remember was his face, which somehow had a look of panic on it.
Who was ‘she’?
What did they talk about next? Was it actually Letty that he was referring to?
“……Linzel? Are you okay? You don’t seem well.”
Linzel forced a smile at Hernan.
“I’m fine, I’m perfectly healthy.”
“…….”
Hernan didn’t answer, just stared down at her. He didn’t seem to believe what she said.
“Now that Letty is gone, let’s go into the apothecary!” Linzel shouted energetically, trying to avoid his suspicions.
Letty and Sir Handsome, who seemed to be on good terms, had completely disappeared.
* * *
The apothecary was very interesting.
The colorful herbs were all different, and the smell of the herbs tickled Linzel’s nose. She observed the apothecary like a child who had never seen the world before.
Hernan just looked at her with a smile on his face. His smile never faded as she pestered him with questions about this and that.
He watched her every move as if he were watching a little child. His eyes were filled with concern, anxiety, and warmth.
Linzel understood from this that one thing was certain. If she were to marry this man, this man would never leave her alone.
And that made her happy.
It wasn’t so bad to have someone who would never want to leave her alone – someone who would only have eyes for her.
She picked up a small glass bottle with a pinkish liquid that resembled the color of her hair.
“This is a very pretty color. What is it supposed to be good for?”
Hernan, standing next to her, tilted his head slightly to the right.
“I don’t know. I’ll ask the staff if you’re curious.”
Hernan gestured toward the clerk, who was standing a few feet away, as Linzel removed the stopper from the vial and sniffed the liquid.
The liquid didn’t smell like anything. It was the opposite of what she was expecting, which had been a fragrant, floral smell.
Before long, the clerk approached them.
“What are the effects of this liquid?”
The middle-aged man looked at us alternately before answering.
“This liquid is specially formulated to replenish your energy.”
Oh my. Just what she needed.
Linzel was contemplating buying some of those vials, but then the clerk interrupted her.
“……By the way, Lady Letty came by a little while ago, and immediately afterwards, Lady Linzel came by as well.”
The clerk’s tone was welcoming. It was definitely not the kind of vibe you give off when you meet a stranger.
This clerk. Did he know her……?
The thought came out as a question.
“Do you know me?”
The clerk’s head moved up and down quickly.
“Of course. You are an established customer of our apothecary, Lady Linzel.”
He looked rather puzzled as to why I would ask such a question, but there was not an ounce of falsehood in his words.
“You haven’t been coming in for a while, and we were wondering if we had made a mistake. Or did Lady Letty visit on behalf of Lady Linzel? I was even considering it.”
“The part about Letty. Tell me more.”
“It was said that the time when Lady Linzel stopped visiting our pharmacy and the time when Lady Letty started visiting here were almost the same.”
‘So you’re saying that when I stopped coming to the apothecary, Letty started coming here?’
Linzel wasn’t sure if she should attach any significance to that fact.
It was possible that because she was possessing Linzel, she was no longer visiting the apothecary.
Or maybe Letty had come to the apothecary in search of it for her and their father.
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“Yes, Lady Linzel.”
“And please don’t inform Letty that me and a handsome man were here today.”
“Of course, Lady. I will do that for you.”
The clerk asked if she had any more questions, to which she shook her head.
He went back to his desk, leaving Linzel with a reminder to ask for him again if she needed him.
It was at that moment that Hernan’s large hand rested on the top of her head.
“Don’t you think this is strange?”
He already seemed to know what she was thinking, so Linzel meekly admitted it.
“Yes. A tiny bit? But I doubt that there’s any hidden story. I mean, if there was, Letty would have told me.”
“It’s just…… that I’ve been feeling so unwell lately, maybe that’s why Letty came to this place?”
“You don’t think it’s possible that Lady Letty could be hiding something, or lying to you?”
“I don’t think that,” Linzel answered resolutely.
“Why are you so certain that she has never lied?” Hernan countered. The words were sharp, cutting to the chase.
You may know the waters of ten rivers, but you never truly know the depths of  a person.
Hernan’s question reawakened her suspicions about Letty.
Linzel thought she knew Letty pretty well. But unless she was her, Linzel couldn’t know exactly what she was thinking.
Just as Letty never revealed to her anything regarding Sir Handsome.
“Linzel. I had no intention of disparaging Letty, or of making things worse between you and Letty. I only wanted to…….”
Linzel looked up at him.
“……I was just worried about you,” Hernan continued. “Betrayal is something I’ve seen too many times on the battlefield. Spies exposed our plans to the enemy.”
His hand, which had been stroking her hair, slid down and touched her cheek. Hernan gently patted her cheek a couple of times.
“But at the same time, I want to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
The look in Hernan’s eyes was sincere. It was the kind of look that made you want to trust him without limits. Linzel wanted to believe in him.
“It’s not hard to be trustworthy,” she said with a weak smile. “Just don’t hide anything.”
“…….”
“No matter what questions you ask, I will answer them honestly,” Linzel continued.
“I will not let your faith be wasted.”
“Your Highness…….”
“Can you have faith in me?” Hernan asked.
Linzel didn’t have to think about her answer.
Hernan was honest, and she knew that better than anyone.
“Of course. I’ll trust you. I mean, I already do.”
Her heart fluttered at his simple declaration. Hernan was a fascinating man the more she got to know him.
“Thank you.”
“But is this a proposal?” she teased.
“I don’t think it’s a proposal, not in this place…… and certainly not in this way.” Hernan rubbed his brow thoughtfully. “I confess. I’m not as sophisticated as Izekiel in this area. But I will do my best.”
Again, again!
Hernan was bringing up his brother and painting himself as someone who wasn’t good enough.
Linzel turned his words into something positive.
“There’s no reason for His Highness Hernan to be like His Highness Izekiel. I find your simple words charming.”
“Linzel…….”
Hernan, obviously touched, hugged her gently. His hands on her back were warm.
Despite the pleasure of Hernan’s declaration and the ticklish warmth of that hug, Linzel was still thinking about the questions she had about Letty.
‘Letty…… What kind of secret do you have?’
* * *
Hernan had bought what they were looking for – herbs that would help restore strength – and had them delivered to the duke’s residence.
Linzel said that there was no need to buy so much, as there were plenty of medicines at the duke’s residence.
But Hernan insisted.
‘I bought them because I really care about you, so I hope you’ll accept them.’
She couldn’t help but accept.
He then escorted her to the ducal residence and then returned to the palace.
Part of Linzel wanted to keep him with her longer, but he was not an idle person like her.
Linzel flopped down on the bed in her room as soon as she reached the ducal residence. Her whole body felt like jelly.
Mini helped her into bed.
“Ugh. Mini. There isn’t a spot on me that doesn’t hurt. Did you have a hard time following me around today, too?”
Mini had been quietly following her all day, looking after her.
Linzel stroked her soft hand.
She didn’t even flinch, as if she’d grown accustomed to her mistress’s excessive touching. In fact, she even helped Linzel get a better grip of her hand.
Such a quirky, adorable girl.
Linzel dragged Mini’s hand closer and rubbed it against her cheek. Mini made an embarrassed noise.
” Ah, Miss.”
…… Maybe that was a little too much.
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