Witch vs. Fool (7)
I don't wear perfume. Even the scents that people rave about are just unpleasant to me.
So I didn't know.
'I didn't know there were so many perfumes of similar series.'
Out of 178 perfumes, twelve were finally chosen.
After smelling those twelve scents countless times, I finally found the one I was looking for.
Even though I was shivering and ventilating the room, I still felt like the scent lingered in my nose.
I sat up in bed and brushed my teeth. My stomach was upset from throwing up so many times yesterday. A moment later, Vivian and Nadia entered the bedroom.
"Miss, there's a lot of snow outside. Weren't you cold last night?"
"Good morning, Young Lady."
I wrapped the blanket around my body and watched Vivian and Nadia move busily. My head was dizzy, perhaps because I was too sleepy.
"Are you feeling okay? Would you like to lie down a little longer?"
"No, please wake me up."
Nadia lifted me up, sat me down on the sofa, and wrapped a blanket around me.
Meanwhile, Vivian, who had been examining the fireplace, handed over a glass of water and some powdered medicine.
"It's a stomach medicine. Since it was made by Rahon, it will be effective."
Vivian doesn't know what I did yesterday. But she gave me medicine.
"Why are you giving me this?"
"Young Master said to give it to Young Lady."
"...I see."
Tail went to my room only after I found the perfume I wanted.
I thought he was watching me because he just silently stood there, but he gave me medicine.
'As expected, he's kind.'
I swallowed the medicine and waited a bit. My stomach felt better right away. As expected from a medicine made by a 'savior', it was effective.
"Vivian."
"Go ahead."
"I'm talking about the perfume I bought. Give it to whoever you want.
"... Is that all?"
"Yeah, except for the ones I left on the table."
Vivian looked up at the table. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the elegantly shaped perfume bottle.
"Don't tell them that I gave it to you instead. Some people might be offended."
"...All right."
Since I didn't have an appetite, I ate a light breakfast.
When I went out at the appointed time to meet Rahon, the snow was piled up thickly.
Everything was white. I hadn't seen snow since I was sixteen, so I didn't know it was this pretty. It was a time when I was lost in the enchanting sight of nature.
Someone put something fluffy on my head.
It was a pure white fur hat. Soon, the familiar smell of soap wafted past my nose.
"Your Highness?"
When I turned around, Ian was standing there in his white uniform. He took off his gloves and tied the ribbon on the end of my hat tightly. His fingertips, exposed to the cold, quickly turned red.
"Can you skip patrol today?"
"When it snows, the monsters are hardly active. Starting today, I will also help out in the containment area."
"Isn't it dangerous? What if you catch a disease?"
"Isn't that something that the Young Lady does too? It's okay."
You really don't rest even for a single day.
As I was secretly admiring him, Ian put something in my hand.
A neatly folded handkerchief.
I knew it the moment I saw it. It was a lucky charm from Chevio.
I clearly remember when I fell into the water. I was unable to grab the handkerchief that was slipping out of my arms and just stared blankly at it.
But how does Ian have this?
"What is this?"
"It's Young Lady's handkerchief. It fell into the carriage."
"...I didn't even realize I dropped it."
"I should have returned it right away, but I was late because I was doing laundry."
I unconsciously grabbed the handkerchief tightly. I didn't even expect that I would be able to get it back.
Did Ian even take a handkerchief with him when he saved me?
Even though it was a great thing, he covered up his actions by saying that it fell off the carriage.
'He's afraid I'll feel sorry..."
What do I do with this person? Why does he touch me so much?
Yet there was only one thing I could say to him, for I had to match what he had said in the carriage.
"...Thank you."
"Never mind."
I unconsciously covered my mouth and laughed at the indifferent answer. Then, suddenly, I realized something new.
'Lies... are quite natural?'
Then wouldn't the answer that there was no scar on the back also be a lie?
I thought about it carefully and then shook my head.
I guess I really hoped he was my benefactor more than I thought. Seeing how much of a regret I have left.
"Can I ask what happened yesterday?"
"I'll tell you when he comes, Rahon."
"Oh, you're already out."
Just then. Rajon arrived.
Shabby but neat clothes, black hair blowing in the wind, a face that stands out clearly even in the pure, white scenery. He was dazzlingly beautiful today as well.
"Ian, why are you here?"
"I'm going too."
"Oh, that's good. I needed someone to push through."
"Father Nicholas?"
"Ra, Rahon! Please wait!"
As soon as Ian finished speaking, a priest who looked to be in his 30s came running towards him, calling out for Rahon at the top of his lungs.
He looked quite burdened, carrying a large bag in one hand and holding his dangling priestly robes shut with the other to keep them from getting wet in his eyes.
"Gasp, gasp! Oh my God!"
Nicholas stopped in front of Rahon, bent down and panting. The round zucchetto hung precariously on his smooth crown.
He had an innocent appearance and a slim build, and he had the kind of look that made you want to help him just by looking at him.
But Rahon's eyes were cold.
"I told you not to chase after me. I can't go out with a traitor."
"I really said no! I didn't tell anyone!"
"Oh, really? But how did he know? You didn't even open your mouth."
"Who on earth is that person? Let me have a three-way meeting!"
"Be quiet. Be quiet. Traitor, get out."
"Rahon. I feel so wronged..."
I quickly lowered my head. I thought I knew what he was talking about.
When Rahon asked me how I knew that he had a flower tattoo on his back, I told him I heard it at a party.
So this was the assistant priest that Rahon had suspected at that time.
I felt so sorry that I interrupted quietly.
"Rahon, it's cold outside, so how about we get on the carriage? The person who just arrived can also get on."
"No, he's a traitor."
"Rahon..."
Nicholas grabbed Rahon's sleeve with tearful eyes.
Then, Rahon sighed in annoyance and turned around. Nicholas, who noticed the silent permission, greeted me with a smile.
"You are the defender of the empire. Thank you for your help."
Ian, Rahon, and Nicholas took a carriage and set off for the blockade area. Nadia and Vivian followed in another carriage.
“Rahon, how is the treatment?”
"The apothecaries are busy making it now. They taught us how to make it in advance so we can start making it as soon as Montpain arrives."
"So can we say that the treatment problem has been resolved to some extent?"
"Yeah, we should be able to secure a sufficient quantity in about ten days."
I guess I'll have some free time once the cure wears off. I offered Rahon a bottle of perfume.
"If you spray this perfume, you can avoid low-level monsters. I wish I knew exactly which fragrance has this effect."
The inside of the carriage became quiet in an instant.
The three of them looked at the perfume bottle with wide eyes, knowing only too well how much help it would be if they did as I said.
Rahon smiled seductively and took the perfume.
"Then the problem is not finding out the fragrance, but processing it so that it can be carried around. It's not cost-effective to wear expensive perfume."
"Yes. I will pay you a sufficient amount. Is that possible?"
"Once you figure out the spices, processing them is easy."
"Then I ask you to do so."
Ian, who had been silent the whole time, finally opened his heavy lips.
"So you bought 178 bottles of perfume?"
"You must have heard it from Tail. Yes, that's right."
"Then the warning that Young Lady gave to the Golden Tree manager must also be related to this perfume."
"It's information I learned while looking into their future."
Rahon raised his eyebrows.
"What are you talking about?"
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