MHM 16

 That evening, Iana stood by the window in her room, lost in thought.

"Am I not feeling any pain because I gained magical powers?"

The truth was, Iana had been waiting for Liel to poison her because of her illness.

She intended to seize the decisive moment since she couldn't confront things properly due to her health.

But if she wasn't feeling sick, there was no reason for her to stay at the Ditrian household.

"First, I need to check if I have magical powers and if those powers are related to my illness."

The problem was Liel.

Leaving behind a trusted servant like Liel required a justifiable reason.

"The Count said he would lock me in the storage room."

"I’ll visit Ervin while Liel is confined."

Using Liel’s suggestion to ask for Carion’s forgiveness.

---

Iana headed straight to Carion’s office.

"Why is it so hot?"

She placed her hand on her forehead. She felt a slight fever.

Anxiety surged at the thought that her illness might be starting again.

"I need to see Carion and then call for a healer."

Knock, knock.

Iana, having arrived at the office, knocked on the door.

"Carion, it’s me."

The door swung open, and Carion walked out with a scowling face.

"After stabbing me with a hairpin and running away, why have you come here on your own?"

"I have something to say."

"You suddenly have something to say because I mentioned punishing the maid you brought? Come in first."

When Carion arrogantly gestured with his chin, Iana entered the office.

They walked to the sofa and sat facing each other.

An awkward silence filled the room. Iana broke the silence first.

"Carion, I’m here to ask for your forgiveness."

"Forgiveness? That maid must be very important to you."

Carion reclined deeply on the sofa and sneered. Ignoring him, Iana continued speaking.

"It was wrong of me to stab your hand with a sharp hairpin. I’m sorry."

"That’s not the only thing you did wrong, is it?"

As soon as Carion finished speaking, Iana abruptly spoke.

"I’m going to visit my family."

"What?"

"People are gossiping about Chloe’s matter, and it’s too hard for me."

"..."

He leaned towards her slowly, suspicion in his eyes.

"I thought my condition was improving, but because of that matter, I’m getting sick again. I’ll go to recuperate until the gossip about Chloe dies down."

Carion disliked hosting Charles, who was despised by the emperor. Therefore, he certainly wouldn’t allow Iana to visit his estate.

Iana planned to go to Ervin under the guise of visiting her family.

She would stay at the Lachels household for a day and then head straight to the Grand Duke’s territory to check if she had magical powers.

While Liel was confined in the storage room.

"You’re the one who confidently told me to take an official mistress. Was that a lie?"

"Yes, it was a lie. What woman would want her husband to have a mistress?"

Iana pretended to be angry out of jealousy.

"In any case, no."

His voice had softened, though he said no.

He seemed quite satisfied with himself for being right and with his wife’s show of jealousy.

Iana then laid down her prepared words as a gambit.

"I’ll take some time to think at the Lachels' house. And then, I’ll explain everything..."

"Explain what?"

"About the broken statue."

She spoke meaningfully as if she were about to reveal the whole story.

Tension filled the room.

But Iana knew well.

She wasn’t in a position to be reprimanded just for breaking a statue.

Her Lachels family possessed the magic corps that Carion desperately wanted.

Instead, Iana made it seem as if she would admit her faults, giving Carion a reason to forgive her.

This allowed Carion to maintain his dignity as the head of the household and made him more likely to permit her visit to her family.

Iana continued with her prepared words.

"The matter of punishing Liel..."

"..."

"I’ll follow your decision. I’m sure you have a plan, Carion."

Carion looked at Iana for a long time before asking in a suspicious voice.

"Surprising. I thought you’d say not to punish the maid who grew up as your childhood friend?"

"A maid is a maid, even if she grew up as a friend."

"So?"

"Strictly adhering to hierarchy is the tradition of the Ditrian household, so shouldn’t I follow it?"

It was an indirect statement that she would obey him from now on.

After staring at Iana intensely for a while, a smile spread across Carion’s face.

"I like that thought. Fine. Ten days should be enough?"

Iana felt his slow gaze scrutinizing her.

"Yes, I’ll leave as soon as the rain stops. Good night."

As she stood up and moved towards the door.

"Iana, come here."

Carion called her with a languid voice, extending one hand.

His eyes were filled with a deep lust.

"...Why?"

"Come here. I have something to check."

As Iana rolled her eyes, contemplating how to escape this situation.

Carion warned her in a cold voice.

"If you run away again, there will be no recuperation."

She had no choice but to move towards Carion.

As she approached him.

Swoosh.

Carion grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his lap. He then wrapped his arms tightly around her slender waist.

"What are you doing?"

Iana frowned and struggled.

Carion whispered, close enough that she could feel his breath.

"You’ve gained some weight? And your complexion has improved..."

"...!"

He lightly pinched her cheek.

"Your cheeks have become quite plump. Beautiful."

"This is swelling because I’m sick."

Iana spoke nonsensically, flustered.

In her previous life, she hadn’t met many people due to her illness. Therefore, she was a bit awkward in dealing with people and didn’t know how to skillfully escape such situations that required quick thinking.

Carion slowly caressed her cheek with his hand.

"You have a bit of a fever."

"I told you I’m not feeling well."

As she tried to move away, Carion tightened his grip on her waist.

"Stay still."

‘I hate this. I have to say something.’

Just as his lips were about to touch hers.

"I want to keep a dog!"

"What?"

The passionate look in Carion’s eyes seemed to shatter.

"I want to keep a dog. Not a small one that goes yip yip, but a big one that goes woof woof."

She imitated a dog to break the amorous atmosphere.

No man in the world would want to kiss a woman imitating a dog.

"Iana, what are you doing, acting so indecently?"

Carion scolded her with a frown.

"I really want to keep a dog..."

Iana mumbled with an innocent face, pretending to be the clueless and childish woman Carion despised most.

"Sigh..."

Was he disgusted? Carion’s arms, which had been tightly holding her waist, loosened.

Iana seized the moment to stand up.

"Please think about it. Whether I can keep a dog or not."

As she walked towards the door, relieved. Carion unexpectedly spoke behind her.

"Go to the bedroom first."

"...!"

"I’ll be there after I take a bath."

---

Back in her room, Iana’s fever began to rise rapidly.

Although the healer had examined her, they couldn’t determine the cause of her fever.

Iana ordered Liel to bring her some medicine, seeking time alone to think.

"Could my illness be starting again?"

Iana felt fear, bordering on terror.

If she became ill again, there was nothing she could do but lie in bed, just like in her previous life.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and the head maid entered. Iana had asked her to inform Carion that she was seriously ill.

"I told him that you have a high fever..."

The head maid spoke with a troubled expression.

"And?"

"He still wants you to come to the bedroom."

After delivering the message, the head maid bowed and left.

"Sigh..."

Iana let out a dry laugh.

It wasn’t that Carion thought she was pretending.

That was just the kind of man Carion was.

A person who fulfilled his desires regardless of the situation. Even in her previous life, he lacked consideration.

As she pondered what to do, she noticed strawberries among the fruits on the table.

Iana remembered Khan eating strawberries.

"I’ll hide in the storage room."

[Carion, I want to be alone tonight.]

Leaving a note, Iana wrapped some strawberries in a handkerchief and left her room.

Dragging her aching body, she avoided people and made her way to the storage room on the first floor.

Creak.

As she opened the iron door of the storage room, Khan, sensing her presence, barked.

Woof! Woof!

"Khan, no! Don’t bark."

As Iana approached, Khan stopped barking and wagged his tail.

"Here, eat this. I brought it for you."

Iana put the strawberries wrapped in the handkerchief into the cage.

She heard the sound of raindrops falling steadily through the small window.

‘I’m cold.’

Her fever had spiked, but the chilly wind made her feel a shiver.

Iana crouched in front of the cage, huddling her body.

The multitude of thoughts weighed heavily on her mind, like the falling raindrops.

Liel, who had destroyed her, and her husband, Carion, who had cruelly abandoned her.

Facing them indifferently was more difficult than she had imagined.

As if sensing her feelings, Khan whimpered.

Iana wiped away her tears and spoke in a deliberately bright voice.

"Khan, you’re not lonely because you have me, right?"

Woof! Woof!

Khan barked in response, leaving the strawberries to answer her.

Iana found Khan’s behavior endearing and wanted to pet him.

‘Will I faint if I touch him?’

As she slowly reached into the cage.

"Don’t touch him!"

Startled, Iana turned around to see a man emerging from the shadows.

It was Charles.