Chapter 145: Realization Always Comes Abruptly
“But are you okay? No trouble with Sir Vandemir, I hope?” Paula asked, her voice tinged with concern.
“Us? No, we’re fine,” Aracila replied without hesitation, her expression betraying a hint of confusion as to why Paula would even worry about such a thing.
Paula’s face softened with relief. “Good. I was just a little worried that, since Frederick acted so rashly on his own, Sir Vandemir might have misunderstood and said something to you.”
“Damian’s not like that. He trusts me,” Aracila said, her response so brimming with certainty that even Paula couldn’t help but look at her anew.
Aracila began to recount to her friend all the things Damian had done for her—the way he’d worked with the younger knights to uncover the true culprit behind the incident, how he’d lifted her up when she was crumbling under the weight of it all. Paula’s eyes widened, and she let out a soft, “Oh my, oh my,” clasping her hands near her mouth in delight.
“Sir Vandemir is far more romantic than I expected,” Paula said, her voice warm with admiration.
“He does have a surprisingly thoughtful side,” Aracila admitted, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“It’s just so heartwarming to see how much your husband loves you,” Paula teased, giving Aracila’s shoulder a playful nudge.
Aracila, who had been sipping her tea with a contented expression, flinched ever so slightly. Love? She thought. It’s more about loyalty and trust with Damian… isn’t it?
Or is that how it looks to others?
Paula, oblivious to the subtle shift in Aracila’s expression, beamed and pressed on. “Honestly, I was worried at first about whether you two could make it work, but that was all just my overthinking. You’re clearly a couple who genuinely care for and love each other.”
“…Do we really seem that way?” Aracila asked, her voice quieter now.
“Absolutely. Both Sir Vandemir and you—it’s obvious you’re quite fond of each other, no?”
Aracila couldn’t muster a rebuttal. Her eyes darted around, rolling restlessly in their sockets. The thought of Damian liking her didn’t feel awkward or unpleasant—on the contrary, a strange warmth crept up her cheeks, as if they were catching fire.
That’s odd. Why doesn’t it bother me? It’s a breach of our agreement, and it could complicate things…
Unable to pinpoint her own feelings, Aracila was left in a whirl of confusion. Even after wrapping up her conversation with Paula and climbing into the carriage to head home, her mind remained tangled. The knotted threads of her thoughts refused to unravel, and she couldn’t figure out where to begin tugging.
But… Damian doesn’t actually like me like that, so why am I even worrying about this?
Damian had never spoken a word about his feelings, so there was no reason to assume complications would arise. Yet why was she so fixated on what he might think of her?
A sudden question steered her thoughts in a new direction: What do I think of Damian?
I… about Damian…
Aracila couldn’t finish the thought. A storm of countless words swirled in her mind, only to scatter and vanish. Deep down, she could sense the answer. If there hadn’t been some spark, Paula’s words wouldn’t have left her so unsettled. But what to call this feeling, how to define it—she didn’t know.
Before she could sort it out, the carriage rolled to a stop at the estate. Aracila stepped down, her unfinished sentence still tucked away in her heart. Damian, who had arrived just moments earlier, paused at the central entrance, turning to face her.
“Well, isn’t this a pleasant coincidence, my lady,” he said warmly, waiting patiently as she approached. His eyes crinkled gently, and his lips curved into a bright, welcoming arc.
That smile again.
The same radiant smile she’d seen before the courthouse now lit up Damian’s face, and just like then, her heart began to race.
“Did you have a good day?” he asked. “How was it?”
“Oh, yes,” she replied, caught slightly off guard. “Everyone was congratulating me on my reinstatement, so it was nice. And going back to the lab after so long—it was exciting, actually.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Damian said, his voice soft with sincerity. “I was worried all day that you might have had a tough time.”
“…You were?” Aracila’s heart seemed to lift, floating somewhere above her. The thought of Damian thinking of her, worrying about her all day, sent an inexplicable wave of joy through her.
It was strange. When Paula had said something similar, it hadn’t stirred her like this. Why was it different with Damian? Why did his concern feel so much more… welcome?
Lost in her thoughts, her expression growing serious, Aracila didn’t notice Damian glancing at her. He extended his hand with a gentle confidence. “Shall we go in together?”
His large hand reached out to her, steady and sure. Aracila took it, her gaze lingering on his face—still smiling, still warm. Could a smile alone, no matter how striking, make her heart flutter this much?
Or maybe it’s because I…
Like a bolt from a clear sky, a sudden realization crashed over her. The incomplete sentence from the carriage finally took shape. Aracila’s lips tightened into a thin line.
It was her who had broken the terms of their agreement. Paula’s praise of their marriage had been spot-on, at least where Aracila’s feelings were concerned.
Unconsciously, she gripped Damian’s hand tighter. Sensing the pressure, he tilted his head slightly, peering at her with a curious expression. “Is something wrong, my lady? You look a bit flushed.”
“…No, I’m fine,” she said, averting her gaze. “It’s just the sunset.”
The rosy glow of dusk seemed to have settled exclusively on her cheeks and ears, but Damian accepted her explanation without question. If she says so, then so be it. Instead, he held her hand firmly and escorted her inside.
Sweat beaded on Aracila’s palm—a rare occurrence for someone who seldom perspired, even in the height of summer. When they parted at the top of the stairs and she reached her bedroom alone, her maid, Audrey, tilted her head in concern.
“My lady, are you alright? Your face is as red as an apple.”
“…Audrey, my heart’s racing so fast,” Aracila murmured, leaning against the doorframe and pressing a hand to her chest.
“What? Really?” Audrey’s eyes widened.
Aracila nodded, her head bowed. The storm of emotions stirred by her newfound awareness surged from her heart, rippling through her entire body.
Unaware of the deeper cause, Audrey examined her mistress with worry. “Is it an irregular heartbeat? I’ll fetch a doctor right away.”
“No, no… it’s not that,” Aracila said, grabbing Audrey’s sleeve tightly and lowering her face. This wild, trembling pulse wasn’t some medical condition.
It was because she…
Because I love him.
Swallowing the words that lingered on her tongue, Aracila bit her lower lip. This sudden realization—what consequences would it bring? The uncertainty gnawed at her, impossible to ignore.
Philip unraveled the enchantment on Monica’s jewelry box with a single deft motion. His prowess as a great wizard was part of it, but there was a more practical reason behind his ease.
“…You mean to tell me you made this, Master?” Aracila asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Ho ho ho, indeed,” Philip chuckled. “It’s one of the limited-edition pieces I crafted and sold years ago.”
Aracila’s eyes widened, round as moons. To think that the intricate locking spell on the jewelry box had been woven by none other than her own mentor. Philip, having effortlessly undone his own magic, ran his hand fondly over the box’s surface before continuing.
“It was designed to safeguard highly confidential and precious items. I heard they were all sold to nobles at auction. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen one myself.”
Aracila lowered her gaze, fixing it intently on the jewelry box. No wonder the spell had been so difficult to break. Knowing it was her mentor’s creation made it click, but it also sparked a flicker of frustration. It was a stark reminder that her skills still fell short of Philip’s.
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Philip’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. “Still a long way to go before you catch up to me, ho ho.”
“Just you wait,” Aracila shot back, her voice firm with resolve. “I’ll become a wizard who surpasses you, Master.”
“Go on and try,” Philip replied, his tone light and jovial. Nothing delighted him more than seeing his apprentice burn with ambition to outdo him.
As Aracila gathered the jewelry box to leave, Philip watched her quietly for a moment before speaking up unexpectedly. “By the way, Aracila, there might be some good news coming your way soon.”
“What kind of good news?” she asked, curiosity piqued.
“Well, you’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you? Ho ho ho.” With a cryptic chuckle, Philip waved her off. Aracila, puzzled but polite, returned the gesture and stepped out.
For now, her eagerness to examine the contents of the jewelry box took precedence. Back at her laboratory, Aracila settled at her desk and carefully opened the box. Inside, she found what looked like a diary, a small glass vial, and a folded note.
She picked up the vial first, turning it over in her hands. What’s inside? Tea leaves? The vial was half-filled with something resembling dried, dark-red leaves. Aracila, who had little interest in teas, couldn’t identify them and set the vial aside.
Her attention shifted to the diary, its rich brown leather cover exuding an air of elegance. But as she tried to open it, her brow furrowed. What’s this? Another spell?
This enchantment was different from the one on the jewelry box. It was a fusion spell, one that required specific conditions to unlock. When she channeled her mana into it, a message materialized: “To read the contents within, you must —.” Aracila pressed a hand to her forehead in exasperation. Even Philip would struggle to crack this one. Reluctantly, she gave up on the diary for now and reached for the folded note.
Hoping for a simple message, she unfolded it to find just five words scrawled across the paper: Sian Mondor.
Aracila tilted her head, puzzled. Who was this person, and why was their name tucked away in the first duchess’s jewelry box? Maybe Damian would know. I should show this to him.
The thought of seeing Damian after work lifted the corners of her mouth into a soft smile. Her heart quickened, a flutter of excitement stirring within her. Ever since she’d realized her feelings for him, even the mere thought of him made her lips twitch upward involuntarily.
The funny thing was, when she was actually in front of Damian, things felt… off. She could barely meet his eyes, and she’d fidget for no reason at all. Just like now.
“Um, Damian,” she began, her voice catching slightly. “I managed to unlock the spell on Mother’s jewelry box. W-want to take a look?”
Why am I stuttering? It’s not like I’m saying anything complicated. Aracila wanted to bite her tongue but forced herself to stay composed, casually holding out the jewelry box.
Thankfully, Damian didn’t seem to notice her awkwardness. He took the box with an easy nod and began examining its contents. Aracila stood beside him, tilting her head to match his as she explained.
“The diary has another spell on it,” she said. “It only unlocks under specific conditions, but I haven’t figured out what they are yet.”
“I see,” Damian replied, his tone calm and thoughtful.
“And this vial—looks like tea leaves, maybe? Do you know what they are?”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ✧: *. ꕥ .* :✧ﾟ. ───
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