A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father - Chapter 45

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 45

 

“Kyaa…!”

 

Marie covered her mouth and let out an exclamation.

 

“Oh my, Lady Viola! It suits you so well! How should I put it, you look like a princess hiding her identity!”

 

“Ah, couldn’t you keep wearing your hair down from now on? How can you be so beautiful even without makeup…”

 

“That’s right! How can you overflow with such elegance even in casual clothes? Are you perhaps really a princess?”

 

“Be, Becky! What if it’s true? We, we agreed to pretend not to know…!”

 

“Ah, right!”

 

Just from listening to them, it seemed like in both their minds I had already been confirmed as a princess hiding her identity.

 

‘Where on earth does such specific flattery come from?’

 

Like girls in their late teens, both of them had rich imaginations.

 

My face heated up and I fanned myself with my hand.

 

Ugh, how embarrassing.

 

But seeing their excited faces, I didn’t feel bad about it.

 

After quite some time passed, the clothes organizing was finally finished.

 

“Thank you both so much! You saved my life.”

 

“Not at all! It’s something we should naturally do.”

 

“There’s nothing natural about it. Hmm, I’d like to give you some snacks or something…”

 

There weren’t just one or two outfits, there were so many. If I had done it alone, I would have died from overwork. I can’t just send them back like this.

 

But unfortunately, all I had in my room were medicines, not even snacks.

 

“I don’t have anything with me right now. Should I give you some nutritional supplements? Something that makes you less tired.”

 

“Wow. There’s something like that?”

 

“Yeah, it should be quite effective? It’s my secret weapon that I made staying up all night.”

 

Both of them seemed quite interested as their eyes lit up.

 

“Wow, I’d love that!”

 

Becky answered immediately, but Marie hesitated for a moment before carefully raising her hand.

 

“Um, excuse me, Lady Viola. I’m sorry, but instead of nutritional supplements… do you perhaps have any ointment that works well for cuts or bruises?”

 

“Ointment?”

 

I had plenty of that kind of thing.

 

“Of course I can give you some. But why? Are you hurt somewhere?”

 

I didn’t see any injuries earlier… Just in case, I quickly examined Marie’s condition, but there didn’t seem to be any particular problems.

 

Then Marie answered in a barely audible voice.

 

“Well… actually, there’s an apprentice knight named Eric who’s a friend from my hometown. He said he needs some medicine.”

 

“The knight order?”

 

At this unexpected mention, I tilted my head.

 

* * *

 

Marie had a childhood friend named Eric.

 

They grew up in the same village and came to Winterwald together, and after Marie became a maid in the Count’s household first, Eric followed and joined the knight order.

 

The two relied on each other and lived like siblings.

 

But recently, Eric’s expression hadn’t been very bright. Also, whenever they met, he had bruises somewhere or small cuts.

 

‘He’s not getting beaten up, is he…?’

 

Marie asked with serious concern, but fortunately that wasn’t the case.

 

However, Eric’s answer gave rise to other worries.

 

“Are you looking down on me too much? I’m an apprentice knight of the Silver Dragon Knights, you know.”

 

“Then…”

 

“It’s just that the knights’ personal healer suddenly quit two weeks ago. But there’s still no news about finding a replacement.”

 

Eric just laughed cheerfully as if he didn’t understand what the problem was, but Marie couldn’t help but worry.

 

It was because of Knight Commander Morden Barns.

 

He was a knight commander appointed by the previous Count, and was one of the top skilled individuals in the empire.

 

But regardless of his skills, his personality had somewhat eccentric aspects.

 

Was it because of his excessive loyalty to the dragon bloodline?

 

He acted like someone whose wish was to die working for the dragon bloodline.

 

The problem was that he forced this on others too.

 

Marie recalled a story she had heard from Becky before.

 

When the previous Count was alive, the Silver Dragon Knights had gone out to subjugate monsters.

 

It was a serious battle. Many knights returned barely alive, completely battered.

 

Treatment was naturally needed in such a situation.

 

What Morden did then was something no one could have imagined.

 

He used his authority to fire the knights’ personal healers.

 

The reason was absurd.

 

“Delaying missions because of treatment… The priorities are wrong. Are you going to stop fighting just because the paint on your shield has peeled off a bit?”

 

“Co, Commander.”

 

“It seems you’ve forgotten your duty. You are expendable supplies for the dragon bloodline. You should consider it an honor to fulfill your purpose when you break and get damaged.”

 

When the seriously injured knights after the subjugation asked to delay the next mission for recovery, he fired the physicians so they couldn’t even receive treatment.

 

Simply to show loyalty to the dragon bloodline.

 

‘…I heard he’s been restraining himself lately though.’

 

After the previous Count died and Cain inherited the Count’s position, Morden’s madness had somewhat subsided. As if he was gauging the current Count’s tendencies and being cautious.

 

‘Eric said it was nothing serious, but… what if something else is happening?’

 

Thus, Marie finally made up her mind and made a request to Viola.

 

“The knights’ personal healer quit recently and everyone seems to be in trouble. Treatment isn’t going well either. So…”

 

Marie, who had been rambling on, belatedly covered her mouth.

 

‘What should I do? I think I said something unnecessary after all.’

 

Lady Viola was officially Young Master Jayden’s personal healer.

 

Asking her to do something outside her duties, especially a personal request from a mere maid, was clearly rude.

 

“I, I’m sorry. You must be busy, but I bothered you with such a request… Please just pretend you didn’t hear it…”

 

As Marie hurriedly tried to take back her words, Viola’s eyes sparkled.

 

She got up from her seat without saying anything and walked briskly toward the drawer.

 

Huh? While Marie and Becky blinked, Viola returned carrying an armful of something.

 

“I brought everything I could think of. Will this be enough? Or do you need more…”

 

Clatter. What spilled onto the table were top-grade ointments, painkillers, bandages, and such. Marie’s mouth fell open.

 

“La, Lady Viola? This is too much…”

 

“Knights get injured a lot. Hearing about it made me worry too. Wouldn’t it be good to take plenty and share?”

 

“Oh my…”

 

Marie almost teared up.

 

She hadn’t expected such consideration.

 

“Th, thank you, Lady Viola!”

 

“I hope it helps. Here, take all of this to the knight order.”

 

Viola, who had already organized and packed the items, held out a bag. As Marie happily received it, Viola held out something else.

 

“And this is for you, Marie.”

 

It was the same nutritional supplement that Becky had received earlier.

 

“Huh? These medicines are enough for me…”

 

“Those are for the knights. They’re not yours.”

 

Viola smiled brightly and gently grasped Marie’s hands.

 

“You worked hard too, so I should take care of Marie as well.”

 

“…!”

 

A corner of her heart filled with warm warmth.

 

She was already grateful just for the Knight Order’s portion, but to think she would even take care of her separately like this….

 

How could she be so thoughtful.

 

“If the knight order members ever lack medicine or medical supplies, tell me anytime. I’m worried. To think there’s no healer.”

 

“Oh, no! I know perfectly well how busy you are. I couldn’t cause you trouble again….”

 

“What trouble. It’s fine. Okay?”

 

At the gentle smile, Marie found herself nodding without realizing it, but inwardly hoped such a situation wouldn’t arise.

 

But things in the world don’t always go as expected.

 

A few days later.

 

Bang, bang!

 

With urgent knocking sounds, Marie came running into Viola’s room, her face pale as a sheet.

 

Her tear-stained face was frozen with terror.

 

“V-Viola! *sob* Something terrible has happened!”

 

“Marie? What’s wrong?”

 

“At the training grounds… at the training grounds someone got s-seriously injured… please, just once, please help…!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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