Unfortunately, the jewelry box was locked. It was a small and fragile lock, so small that it could easily have been broken, but if it truly belonged to the former Grand Duchess, it wouldn't have been possible.
I put the jewelry box on my lap and walked around the garden before heading back upstairs. Even on the way up, the caretaker and attendants were struggling, leaving me with a cold sweat.
"Oh my, I don't think I'll be coming down tomorrow. I'm so sorry, I don't know what to do."
When I spoke with a sigh, the manager looked even more surprised and said:
"Then you'll feel depressed and frustrated. If the person you're serving is depressed, we have to be very careful. Just think of it as making them exercise once a day."
I couldn't help but smile and agree with that natural, innocent remark.
Returning to my room and looking out the window, I saw Duke happily rolling around in the garden. I was worried he might feel lonely because there weren't many people around, but in a way, it seemed like a more playful environment for Duke. There was no one to stop him, and even the servants passing by could easily admire him.
Perhaps it was the same for young Julian. Growing up in this peaceful villa would have been far more comfortable and enjoyable than growing up surrounded by peering servants and a father who didn't hide his dislike. And that experience likely shaped the affectionate Julian he is today.
I laughed self-deprecatingly as I naturally thought of Julian. All day, I tried to banish him from my thoughts, but he kept popping up in my head every now and then. The servants seemed to notice, too, as they were at a loss for words if I lost my mind even for a moment.
Even now, Anna came up to me and started talking to me for no reason.
“Madam, it’s chilly. Would you like me to close the window?”
I smiled and nodded, pretending nothing was wrong. While Anna closed the window, I maneuvered my wheelchair over to the bookshelf.
The former Grand Duchess's bookshelf was filled with a mix of fairy tales and poetry. The poetry seemed to have been read by her herself, and the fairy tales seemed to have been read to Julian. I absentmindedly leafed through the fairy tales, thinking of young Julian.
"Anna, look at this. It's Cinderella. Did Julian read Cinderella?"
Anna seemed taken aback by the name Julian coming out of my mouth, but soon smiled calmly.
"Your Highness, His Highness was once a child. Of course, he read it."
"But it's so cute to imagine. Julian, his heart pounding when the twelve o'clock bell rings."
I chatted with Anna and looked through several books. Here and there, I saw the former Grand Duchess folding the pages or leaving small notes.
Among them, the note I liked most was the phrase, "Jul really liked it." Julian loved stories with happy endings, which suited his affectionate personality.
As I was looking through the storybooks one by one, it became night before I knew it.
“Madam, go to sleep now. You’ll have plenty of time tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I’ll just look at this.”
As I said that, I pulled out a storybook from the lowest shelf. At that moment, I heard a very light, scraping sound from inside the bookshelf. As I was about to lower my head, Anna approached.
“Oh my, that’s dangerous. What are you looking for?”
“Something fell inside. Can you take a look?”
Anna crouched under the bookshelf and reached into the shaded space.
“Huh?”
Anna seemed to realize what she was holding in her hand. She pulled her hand away, revealing a small object mixed with dust. Brushing the dust away, she discovered it was a small silver key.
We locked eyes and covered our mouths simultaneously, as if we knew what this key was for.
“Bring it quickly, quickly!”
Anna, perhaps thrilled, hurriedly brought the jewelry box. I placed it on my lap and inserted the key into the lock. What a coincidence.
Click.
The key fitted perfectly into the lock. The refreshing sound made us feel our hearts pounding.
But when I actually tried to open the jewelry box, I hesitated.
“Is this perhaps Her Highness the Grand Duchess’s belonging?”
"I suppose so. What could it be? A gift? It must be very pretty."
Anna seemed very curious about what was inside. And so did I. But I ended up locking the jewelry box without opening it. Anna asked, startled.
“Why are you locking it again? You’ve been wondering since daytime.”
“I want to open it together with Julian.”
Anna looked disappointed, but soon nodded in agreement.
"Madam, you're right. Then I'll take care of this. Now, Madam, you should go to bed quickly. You'll get better quickly if you sleep early."
"Yes, yes."
As I lay down on the bed, Anna turned off the lights and left the room. In the dark room, I peered out and stared at the jewelry box on the desk.
What could be inside? Was it a wedding gift? A portrait of Julian from his childhood would be so cute. When will I ever meet Julian again? When will I finally be able to control my heart?
That day, Julian finally appeared in my dream. Julian and I were lying side by side in bed, and he was reading me a thin, large storybook. The scene was so cozy and warm, I wanted to stay in that dream forever.
The next morning, I was sitting in bed eating the breakfast Anna had brought me. I was munching on toast dipped in egg wash when I heard a knock on the door. I took a sip of my bitter coffee and spoke.
“Come in.”
The manager appeared. For some reason, he had a bright smile on his face. Seeing a smile so early in the morning was a relief, so I smiled back.
“Madam, do you know who has come?”
At that remark, someone came to mind, but I deliberately ignored them and mentioned someone else.
“Who? Oh, I see the gardener is back.”
"Oh, right! He's back, too. He asked if he could thank you later."
"What's there to be thankful for? Then who came?"
“I am here, madam!”
The source of this loud voice was Dr. Tien. He had been running so fast that his glasses were crooked.
I was surprised by his sudden appearance, but even more surprised was the laughter. I covered my mouth with my hand and laughed secretly.
"Tien, what's going on here? Your glasses are crooked."
“Oh, is that so?”
Tien set his medical bag down on the floor and hurriedly adjusted his glasses. He was a brilliant doctor and researcher, but his words and actions didn't suggest otherwise. Tien spoke in a lively voice.
“You were eating. I came too early.”
“No. I’ve been a bit lazy since I came to the villa.”
“Haha, resting like that is also very good for your health!”
Tien seemed happier than the day I first saw him. He'd already finished his meal, so I asked Anna to clear the table. Tien sat down in the chair next to the bed and took out an unusual-looking object from his medical bag.
It was an octagonal metal plate with an intricate circular pattern etched upon it. Though I was unfamiliar with magic, I'd seen such patterns engraved on magical tools. In the center of the pattern was a small mineral, seemingly a rare magic stone.
“It’s a magic tool?”
“Yes, that’s right. I can’t tell you how much I sweated borrowing this.”
Tien wiped his forehead with an exaggerated gesture. Being around him made me laugh. I didn't bother to hide the smile that escaped my lips.
“Thank you for your hard work. How do you use it?”
Tien opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for those words.
"This is it. It's a metal made from a mineral found only in the Kingdom of Bisca, a country across the sea. It's called Viscario! If you draw a magic circle over Viscario and place a rare magic stone in its center, it will automatically read the magic circle and activate. Oh, you know that other magical tools do the same thing, right? But unlike other minerals that temporarily store magic power, this Viscario makes its effects more semi-permanent..."
"Tien, stop. Stop. I'm not interested in that."
"Ah, now for the really interesting part. I'm sure Madam will enjoy it too. How does Viscario retain its magical powers..."
“I’ll catch it and hold on to it.”
“How can you say that? Aren’t you excited?”
Tien looked utterly displeased. I waved my hand, holding back a laugh. If I just accepted him out of pity, I'd probably spend the rest of the day listening to him talk about that mineral called Viscario.
"I'll listen carefully later. More importantly, I'd like to hear how this magical tool can heal me."
At those words, Tien looked a little sorry.
"I'm sorry, madam. This magical tool won't cure you immediately. However, it will allow us to determine whether your illness is truly a pure disease or something related to magic."
"I'm sorry I've been such a burden. I'm more than happy with that. Once I know the cause, my doctor, Tien, will take care of it."
At those words, Tien had an embarrassed yet proud expression on his face.
"Of course. Leave it to me. Since you trust me, Madam, I will do my best."
Tien placed his hand under the magic tool and manipulated something. Then, with a clicking sound, a blue light began to flow from the rare magic stone through the gaps in the magic circle. It was a rare sight, so it was quite a novelty.
“Now, put your hands on this.”
Tien held out his magic tool to me. I hesitated, fearful of magic, but quickly placed my hand on the magic circle. Then, starting from where my fingertips touched, the circle's color began to change.
“...It’s black.”
Tien's expression darkened. But that wasn't what mattered to me. I gritted my teeth against the headache that gnawed at my head.
Again, something began to appear. To my dismay, this time it was a woman's naked back.
I put the jewelry box on my lap and walked around the garden before heading back upstairs. Even on the way up, the caretaker and attendants were struggling, leaving me with a cold sweat.
"Oh my, I don't think I'll be coming down tomorrow. I'm so sorry, I don't know what to do."
When I spoke with a sigh, the manager looked even more surprised and said:
"Then you'll feel depressed and frustrated. If the person you're serving is depressed, we have to be very careful. Just think of it as making them exercise once a day."
I couldn't help but smile and agree with that natural, innocent remark.
Returning to my room and looking out the window, I saw Duke happily rolling around in the garden. I was worried he might feel lonely because there weren't many people around, but in a way, it seemed like a more playful environment for Duke. There was no one to stop him, and even the servants passing by could easily admire him.
Perhaps it was the same for young Julian. Growing up in this peaceful villa would have been far more comfortable and enjoyable than growing up surrounded by peering servants and a father who didn't hide his dislike. And that experience likely shaped the affectionate Julian he is today.
I laughed self-deprecatingly as I naturally thought of Julian. All day, I tried to banish him from my thoughts, but he kept popping up in my head every now and then. The servants seemed to notice, too, as they were at a loss for words if I lost my mind even for a moment.
Even now, Anna came up to me and started talking to me for no reason.
“Madam, it’s chilly. Would you like me to close the window?”
I smiled and nodded, pretending nothing was wrong. While Anna closed the window, I maneuvered my wheelchair over to the bookshelf.
The former Grand Duchess's bookshelf was filled with a mix of fairy tales and poetry. The poetry seemed to have been read by her herself, and the fairy tales seemed to have been read to Julian. I absentmindedly leafed through the fairy tales, thinking of young Julian.
"Anna, look at this. It's Cinderella. Did Julian read Cinderella?"
Anna seemed taken aback by the name Julian coming out of my mouth, but soon smiled calmly.
"Your Highness, His Highness was once a child. Of course, he read it."
"But it's so cute to imagine. Julian, his heart pounding when the twelve o'clock bell rings."
I chatted with Anna and looked through several books. Here and there, I saw the former Grand Duchess folding the pages or leaving small notes.
Among them, the note I liked most was the phrase, "Jul really liked it." Julian loved stories with happy endings, which suited his affectionate personality.
As I was looking through the storybooks one by one, it became night before I knew it.
“Madam, go to sleep now. You’ll have plenty of time tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I’ll just look at this.”
As I said that, I pulled out a storybook from the lowest shelf. At that moment, I heard a very light, scraping sound from inside the bookshelf. As I was about to lower my head, Anna approached.
“Oh my, that’s dangerous. What are you looking for?”
“Something fell inside. Can you take a look?”
Anna crouched under the bookshelf and reached into the shaded space.
“Huh?”
Anna seemed to realize what she was holding in her hand. She pulled her hand away, revealing a small object mixed with dust. Brushing the dust away, she discovered it was a small silver key.
We locked eyes and covered our mouths simultaneously, as if we knew what this key was for.
“Bring it quickly, quickly!”
Anna, perhaps thrilled, hurriedly brought the jewelry box. I placed it on my lap and inserted the key into the lock. What a coincidence.
Click.
The key fitted perfectly into the lock. The refreshing sound made us feel our hearts pounding.
But when I actually tried to open the jewelry box, I hesitated.
“Is this perhaps Her Highness the Grand Duchess’s belonging?”
"I suppose so. What could it be? A gift? It must be very pretty."
Anna seemed very curious about what was inside. And so did I. But I ended up locking the jewelry box without opening it. Anna asked, startled.
“Why are you locking it again? You’ve been wondering since daytime.”
“I want to open it together with Julian.”
Anna looked disappointed, but soon nodded in agreement.
"Madam, you're right. Then I'll take care of this. Now, Madam, you should go to bed quickly. You'll get better quickly if you sleep early."
"Yes, yes."
As I lay down on the bed, Anna turned off the lights and left the room. In the dark room, I peered out and stared at the jewelry box on the desk.
What could be inside? Was it a wedding gift? A portrait of Julian from his childhood would be so cute. When will I ever meet Julian again? When will I finally be able to control my heart?
That day, Julian finally appeared in my dream. Julian and I were lying side by side in bed, and he was reading me a thin, large storybook. The scene was so cozy and warm, I wanted to stay in that dream forever.
***
The next morning, I was sitting in bed eating the breakfast Anna had brought me. I was munching on toast dipped in egg wash when I heard a knock on the door. I took a sip of my bitter coffee and spoke.
“Come in.”
The manager appeared. For some reason, he had a bright smile on his face. Seeing a smile so early in the morning was a relief, so I smiled back.
“Madam, do you know who has come?”
At that remark, someone came to mind, but I deliberately ignored them and mentioned someone else.
“Who? Oh, I see the gardener is back.”
"Oh, right! He's back, too. He asked if he could thank you later."
"What's there to be thankful for? Then who came?"
“I am here, madam!”
The source of this loud voice was Dr. Tien. He had been running so fast that his glasses were crooked.
I was surprised by his sudden appearance, but even more surprised was the laughter. I covered my mouth with my hand and laughed secretly.
"Tien, what's going on here? Your glasses are crooked."
“Oh, is that so?”
Tien set his medical bag down on the floor and hurriedly adjusted his glasses. He was a brilliant doctor and researcher, but his words and actions didn't suggest otherwise. Tien spoke in a lively voice.
“You were eating. I came too early.”
“No. I’ve been a bit lazy since I came to the villa.”
“Haha, resting like that is also very good for your health!”
Tien seemed happier than the day I first saw him. He'd already finished his meal, so I asked Anna to clear the table. Tien sat down in the chair next to the bed and took out an unusual-looking object from his medical bag.
It was an octagonal metal plate with an intricate circular pattern etched upon it. Though I was unfamiliar with magic, I'd seen such patterns engraved on magical tools. In the center of the pattern was a small mineral, seemingly a rare magic stone.
“It’s a magic tool?”
“Yes, that’s right. I can’t tell you how much I sweated borrowing this.”
Tien wiped his forehead with an exaggerated gesture. Being around him made me laugh. I didn't bother to hide the smile that escaped my lips.
“Thank you for your hard work. How do you use it?”
Tien opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for those words.
"This is it. It's a metal made from a mineral found only in the Kingdom of Bisca, a country across the sea. It's called Viscario! If you draw a magic circle over Viscario and place a rare magic stone in its center, it will automatically read the magic circle and activate. Oh, you know that other magical tools do the same thing, right? But unlike other minerals that temporarily store magic power, this Viscario makes its effects more semi-permanent..."
"Tien, stop. Stop. I'm not interested in that."
"Ah, now for the really interesting part. I'm sure Madam will enjoy it too. How does Viscario retain its magical powers..."
“I’ll catch it and hold on to it.”
“How can you say that? Aren’t you excited?”
Tien looked utterly displeased. I waved my hand, holding back a laugh. If I just accepted him out of pity, I'd probably spend the rest of the day listening to him talk about that mineral called Viscario.
"I'll listen carefully later. More importantly, I'd like to hear how this magical tool can heal me."
At those words, Tien looked a little sorry.
"I'm sorry, madam. This magical tool won't cure you immediately. However, it will allow us to determine whether your illness is truly a pure disease or something related to magic."
"I'm sorry I've been such a burden. I'm more than happy with that. Once I know the cause, my doctor, Tien, will take care of it."
At those words, Tien had an embarrassed yet proud expression on his face.
"Of course. Leave it to me. Since you trust me, Madam, I will do my best."
Tien placed his hand under the magic tool and manipulated something. Then, with a clicking sound, a blue light began to flow from the rare magic stone through the gaps in the magic circle. It was a rare sight, so it was quite a novelty.
“Now, put your hands on this.”
Tien held out his magic tool to me. I hesitated, fearful of magic, but quickly placed my hand on the magic circle. Then, starting from where my fingertips touched, the circle's color began to change.
“...It’s black.”
Tien's expression darkened. But that wasn't what mattered to me. I gritted my teeth against the headache that gnawed at my head.
Again, something began to appear. To my dismay, this time it was a woman's naked back.
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