Chapter 46

Chapter 46

He had been her only child, and health had never been something she needed to worry about with him.

So when that son collapsed right before her eyes, the Grand Duchess felt her heart sink all the way to the bottom.

But she was the Grand Duchess.

Slowly lowering both hands, she took a deep breath.

"......?"

Her gaze met a pair of fresh green eyes that looked almost like summer had arrived in a residence where only winter existed.

"W-who is that?"

The butler turned and followed her gaze toward Kanter.

Looking at the tightly hunched child, he looked just like a lost kitten.

"Ah, he's the young lord who came with Young Lord Melance."

The Grand Duchess tilted her head and studied Kanter.

He looked no older than six.

His small frame was far more childish than Melance's.

And with his pale cheeks that still carried baby fat, gently drooping eyes, and neatly combed blond hair, he looked like an adorable little noble boy.

What was such a child doing all the way out here at the remote northern Grand Duke's residence?

And this was almost the first time Melance had ever brought anyone home.

"Aside from the young ladies who used to follow the Grand Duke's heir around... I suppose this is the first time he's brought a friend."

The Grand Duchess smiled faintly and beckoned Kanter closer.

Kanter hurried over in tiny steps and bowed.

"I greet Her Highness the Grand Duchess. I am...."

His words suddenly stopped.

He couldn't bring himself to say that he was the eldest son of Duke Cartes.

"My name is Kanter...."

It wasn't exactly a proper formal introduction.

But if Melance had brought him here, the Grand Duchess decided he must be trustworthy.

His innocent face helped too.

"Kanter.... That's a very fine name."

The Grand Duchess smiled kindly and slowly sat up from the bed.

"Madam! You still shouldn't be moving around!"

"This much is fine. Just bring me my outer robe."

With no other choice, the servants brought it and draped it generously over her shoulders.

She slowly rose and extended a gentle hand toward Kanter.

Kanter stared at the offered hand for a moment, unsure.

Could he really just take the Grand Duchess's hand?

Wouldn't that be improper?

"Go on."

At her warm urging, Kanter carefully took her hand.

"Young Lord Melance! What are you going to say when His Highness the Grand Duke finds out you did this again? Hm?"

"......"

"It's only been one year since you promised never to do something like this again. Please... take better care of yourself."

"There are things worth saving, and things that aren't."

His mother's life was fading right in front of him.

What child could simply stand there and watch?

The head maid could say nothing more.

Melance apparently didn't want to hear anymore either.

He turned away and pulled the blanket up to his ears.

Click.

"Oh my! Madam! You shouldn't already be walking around!"

"Young Lord."

"!"

Melance's shoulders jumped in surprise.

Still, he pretended not to hear and remained completely still.

As though she'd expected that, the Grand Duchess sighed and silently sat on the edge of the bed.

"Everyone leave. Except Young Lord Kanter."

The servants immediately left the room.

Kanter clasped both hands near his mouth and silently stared at Melance.

The Melance who always seemed so strong and perfectly composed had collapsed.

Even seeing it with his own eyes, Kanter could hardly believe it.

He wanted to check every part of Melance's condition right away.

But he couldn't.

The Grand Duchess looked displeased.

"Melance, take back the mana you forced into me."

Her tone was fiercer than the northern cold.

Melance didn't move at all, the blanket still pulled up to his ears.

Her bony fingers gently brushed through his black hair.

"...Please never do something like this again."

Without turning around, Melance caught her hand.

He held it warmly, careful not to squeeze too hard as though it might break.

"......"

"You know it doesn't truly help...."

Injecting pure mana into someone might improve their condition temporarily.

But the more often it was done, the more resistance the body developed.

Worse, it directly damaged the person providing the mana.

Some had even permanently lost the ability to control mana because of it.

The side effects could be devastating.

There was no way Melance didn't know that.

If anything, he knew better than most.

A heavy silence filled the room.

The Grand Duchess's fingertips kept calmly stroking Melance's hair and shoulder.

Kanter fidgeted as he watched them.

Then he finally spoke.

"I-if Your Highness permits it, I'll take care of Young Lord Melance while he's sick...!"

Melance's half-lidded eyes snapped open.

His entire body ached as though dozens of needles were stabbing into him, and his heartbeat pounded painfully in his ears.

But his gaze alone remained icy.

He expected the Grand Duchess to reject Kanter's ridiculous offer for him.

Just as he was about to close his eyes again....

"Then I'll leave him to you, Young Lord Kanter."

"W-what are you saying...!"

Melance immediately tried to sit up.

But it felt as though every organ in his body swelled at once.

His breath caught, and he fell back onto the bed.

"Y-Young Lord Melance!"

Melance struggled to calm his breathing, then glared coldly at Kanter.

"Get...."

He was just about to tell him to get out.

Then he met the Grand Duchess's eyes.

The word died in his throat.

"If you restore the mana to where it belongs, there would be no need for Young Lord Kanter to get involved."

She deliberately spoke loudly enough for him to hear.

As expected, Melance immediately turned his head away.

That stubbornness definitely came from his father.

"Your Highness, just trust me!"

Kanter patted his small chest and smiled brightly.

As though he couldn't bear hearing another word, Melance irritably pulled the blanket all the way over his head and wrapped himself up like a caterpillar.

He always acted so grown-up.

But seeing him like this made him look exactly like the boy he really was.

The Grand Duchess watched the two of them with a satisfied smile.

The pattering sound of Kanter's footsteps was perfectly suited to getting on Melance's nerves.

For days, Melance had repeatedly thought,

Does that damned young lord never sleep?!

Yet Kanter showed absolutely no sign of tiring.

If anything, the healthier Melance became, the more happily Kanter smiled like a proud mother while caring for him.

Melance hated that smile and irritably pulled the blanket over his head again.

"Young Lord Melance~ Would you like some pumpkin soup? It's reaaally delicious...."

Kanter happened to meet Melance's violet eyes.

They were full of murderous intent.

It almost felt as though he were being cursed at with nothing but a stare.

Kanter's frightened green eyes trembled weakly.

"I'm well enough now. Why don't you return to the Imperial Palace?"

But the moment Melance suggested going back, strength returned to Kanter's eyes.

"I can't...! If I return to the Imperial Palace like this, Her Highness the Crown Princess will be shocked, and Her Highness the Grand Duchess will be disappointed in me."

"Hah."

What an absurd answer.

Had he always been this assertive?

Melance closed his eyes in exhaustion, then opened them again.

"That's not it. You simply can't return on your own, can you?"

"Th-that too, but I'm not going anywhere until Young Lord Melance recovers!"

"Fine. Since the two of us are trapped at the northern residence, I suppose Young Lord Ruth must be delighted."

Kanter tilted his head innocently.

Melance gave a crooked smile and continued.

"I'm saying Ruth is the only one left beside Her Highness at the Imperial Palace."

"......!"

Kanter nearly dropped the bowl of pumpkin soup.

His whole body froze as though his tiny feet had been nailed to the floor.

Ruth was gentle and kind.

And when he smiled, his warmth was so obvious that it made anyone looking at him feel comfortable.

He was a wonderful young man.

And he's much taller than me... much stronger too....

Kanter's gaze dropped to his tiny feet.

They were unmistakably the feet of a child.

His shoes looked nothing like the large, sleek adult shoes worn by Ruth and Melance.

They were little children's shoes.

Tiny, toddling shoes.

"I can send you back to the Imperial Palace, at least. Say the word, and I'll send you immediately."

Kanter's eyes trembled at the offer, sweeter than a devil's whisper.

So that was why!

His whole body had been aching for days, and nothing tasted good no matter what he ate!

It was all because he hadn't seen Riena for days.

Kanter swallowed hard.

"This is your only chance. The servants are away, so no one is here to stop us."

"...B-but if you use mana again in your condition...."

"That's not something you need to worry about. I'll recover as long as I rest afterward."

Melance pushed himself upright and leaned against the large cushion behind him.

A crooked smile appeared on his lips as he looked at Kanter.

Kanter swallowed dryly and rolled his eyes.

Melance looked almost like a living devil.

Naturally, Kanter meant the temptation of his offer.

His thoughts became tangled.

His heart pounded.

After fidgeting for a long time, Kanter finally made a miserable face.

"...Ugh, don't ask me things like this! I'm staying beside you, Young Lord Melance!"

"Is that so...?"

Melance tilted his head halfway with a strange smile.

The little laugh made it look as though he had nothing to lose either way.

It was almost maddening.

The kind of maddening temptation that made Kanter feel like he should immediately beg to be sent back to the palace.

"I'm very grateful that you're worried about me, but even at this moment, Her Highness the Crown Princess and Young Lord Ruth are probably becoming closer."

"!"

Kanter had been about to flee the room to escape the temptation.

His steps froze.

Ruth was warm and kind.

His smile was gentle enough to make people feel at ease.

And he was a truly admirable young man.

He's much taller than me too... and much stronger....

Kanter looked down at his tiny shoes again and sighed.

They were little children's shoes.

Nothing like Ruth's or Melance's long, large shoes.

Just tiny baby steps.

"I'll give you the parchment. Take it with you and return to the Imperial Palace. I'll come back after I've recovered enough."

Melance slowly rose from the bed.

His unusually disheveled appearance betrayed how impatient he was.

As Melance approached, Kanter suddenly spun around.

His green eyes were filled with determination.

"N-no!"

"?"

It was a powerful refusal.

Melance stared blankly at him, his violet eyes wide.

No?

No?!