Thalia flinched and looked up and saw Tiuran's face wearing a pitiful expression.
She continued speaking in a low voice.
"If there is something you want to do, just do what your heart tells you."
Thalia instinctively shook off her hand. The moment she met the gaze filled with the light of understanding, an unknown fear overwhelmed her.
"Stop being so nosy. You're my healer, not my mom."
The healer flinched and withdrew her hand at the barbed voice. Thalia, burying her face in Khan's neck as if turning a blind eye to the sight, spat out coldly.
"You can leave now."
The woman, who had been standing motionless for a while, straightened the disheveled edge of the blanket and slowly stepped back.
"I will stand by in the next room just in case. Please ring the bell immediately if your condition deteriorates again."
Thalia did not say anything.
Soon, the sound of a door closing echoed. Listening closely to the receding footsteps, she slowly rose to her feet and looked around the room.
The fireplace, filled with fresh firewood, was emitting a bright light.
After staring blankly at the flame for a while, she shifted her gaze to the neatly arranged desk, the herbal tea placed on the shelf, and the scented candle emitting a faint lavender fragrance.
For some reason, the traces of thoughtful consideration left throughout the room made her increasingly restless. Biting her lower lip, Thalia soon pulled the blanket over her head.
She couldn't understand why she was so anxious. Why did the fact that she had become too close to someone feel so unpleasant?
How long had she been curled up under the covers? Feeling Khan, who was lying close beside her, tap her leg with his tail, she quietly lifted her head. Then, a pair of blue eyes, looking at her with concern, filled her vision.
Thalia, who had been quietly gazing into those eyes that bore such a striking resemblance to Barcas', carefully reached out and stroked the wolf's face.
"Don't worry, Khan. I'm fine."
Khan stuck out his tongue, licked her palm, and rubbed his head against the nape of her neck. At that affectionate gesture, the lump coiled inside her stomach slowly melted away.
Thalia tightly embraced the wolf's thick neck. At that moment, something that had been weighing down her chest for a long time flowed out of her throat.
"I've seen an abused dog before."
Khan looked up at the words that had suddenly been blurted out. Even though she knew that this wolf couldn't possibly understand everything she was saying, Thalia began to babble on as if pouring out a rant.
"There was a dog in the rear garden of the detached palace with one of its front legs severed. It was kept in the communal kitchen to dispose of food waste, but it was frequently beaten by drunk soldiers. As a result, it was always covered in wounds. Everyone hated that dog because it was becoming more and more unsightly with each passing day."
Sensing that her voice was sinking into sadness, Khan growled softly and licked her face. Thalia let out a small chuckle, stroked Khan's ear, and slowly continued speaking.
"One day, I approached the dog crouching in the corner of the yard and gently stroked its back. As soon as my hand touched it, the dog began to scream desperately. As if I had stabbed it with a knife..."
She could feel the wolf's body stiffening faintly.
Thalia took a deep breath of the faint scent of grass clinging to the gray fur and the warm body odor.
"I couldn't bring myself to touch that dog any further as it trembled and howled at the top of its lungs for a long time, so I just watched it silently."
The wolf's breath brushed against the nape of the neck. Thalia, who had been stroking Khan's face, whispered in a voice so small it was barely audible.
"...You know, when you're deeply wounded, even being loved feels painful. It feels like even a gentle caress is hurting you, so you can't bear it anymore."
Khan, who had been standing stiff, burrowed deeper into her embrace. Her eyes welled up with tears at his behavior, which seemed to convey that he understood everything she had said.
Thalia, tightly wrapping her arms around his fluffy back, muttered in a subdued voice.
"It’s okay being with you. Because you don’t hurt me at all."
Deep sorrow welled up in the wolf's eyes. Thalia, gazing blankly at it, pulled Khan closer.
"So please stay by my side forever. You must never leave me."
***
The next morning, Tiuran entered the room with a gentle face, as if nothing of the previous day had happened, and served breakfast.
Breathing a sigh of relief at the sight, Thalia, having finished all her food, cautiously opened her mouth as if glancing around.
"I thought about it carefully yesterday..."
Tiuran, who was pouring medicinal tea into her teacup, stopped what she was doing and looked at her.
Thalia cleared her throat softly and stammered as she continued.
"Right now, there is an abundance of servants at Raedgo Castle. How about utilizing that workforce to start a textile business?"
Even the maids, who were busily clearing dishes and folding the bedding, paused and turned to look at her.
Thalia continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
"I have diligently inspected various businesses in Kalmor over the past few weeks, and I heard that merchants from the southern region are buying up more than half of the wool produced on the estate. Instead of selling the wool to merchants from other regions at prices that are practically dirt cheap, if we process it into woolen fabrics ourselves and put it on the market, we could make a profit tens of times over."
As a strange silence fell, Thalia somewhat anxiously urged for an answer.
"What do you think about it?"
"I think it would be best to consult with Lady Areta regarding this matter. After all, she is in charge of the castle's overall affairs."
No sooner had Tiuran finished answering than Brisa stepped forward with sparkling eyes.
"I will bring the Head Maid right away."
Thalia frowned involuntarily. She was reluctant to bring up the business idea she had conceived on the spot to that incredibly fastidious and blunt woman. However, backing out now would have been a complete loss of face.
Thalia, who had been poking the well-grilled lamb with a fork, soon nodded.
"Okay. Bring her to the room right now."
A short while later, the head maid entered the room, led by Brisa's hand.
Thalia carefully observed her expression. A faint wrinkle formed between the eyebrows of the chief maid, as if she were displeased to be summoned during the busiest time. Nevertheless, the gesture of bowing respectfully was flawless and unwavering.
"I heard you were looking for me."
"I called you because I have a few instructions for you."
Thalia, having lightly moistened her mouth with the tea Tiutan had handed her, raised her mouth arrogantly and spoke.
It was based on the calculation that a unilateral notification would be more effective than seeking help.
"I want to set up a workshop by selecting maids who know how to operate a loom. Try to gather as many people as possible."
The head maid's eyes narrowed slightly.
"By 'workplace,' you mean..."
"I'm thinking of producing woolen fabric directly in the castle."
Thalia replied in a deliberately indifferent tone.
"Thanks to the knights going out on expeditions in large numbers, the amount of service required has been cut in half. Rather than just letting them do nothing, they should at least contribute to the castle's income."
"You are absolutely right, but there are only a few skilled artisans capable of producing fabrics good enough to be sold on the market."
The head maid, stroking her angular jaw with a pensive expression, spat out cautiously.
"There are only about three or four of us, including myself. With that kind of manpower, we won't be able to significantly increase the castle's revenue."
"I'm not saying I'm going to start something big right away."
Thalia rebutted in a somewhat impatient tone.
"First, gather only the skilled people and start on a small scale, and have the other maids learn the work by working alongside them. That is how you gradually increase the staff."
Deep wrinkles formed around the head maid's eyes. She appeared to be carefully considering her proposal. Thalia added as if doing a favor.
"I plan to pay the maid who participated in this work separately by setting aside a portion of the profits from the fabric she produced."
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