I Cured the Mastermind and Failed to Run Away - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 18

Anyone looking at this would think I’d never had a friend before… or had I?
“It’s not that she and I are friends exactly. We’re about the same age, so I just called her a friend.”
“About the same age? You mean a friend of your age group? Lebelin, the fact that you even used the word ‘friend’…”
Father savored his emotion. It seemed whether Lebelin was patronizing someone was outside his area of concern.
He would have been pleased even if she’d brought someone helpless and called it sponsorship.
Still, it would be good to explain how remarkable Sophia really was.
“I’ve heard she can distinguish between poisonous and medicinal herbs at a glance—something even active herbalists find difficult—and she’s never been wrong.”
“Yes, yes, that’s wonderful. When is she arriving?”
“…I’ve also heard she knows the compatibility of poisonous and medicinal herbs that haven’t even been documented yet.”
“Father, this is Lebelin’s friend’s first visit. Shouldn’t we prepare a welcoming party?”
“That’s right! Arent, what a splendid idea. That’s exactly what we should do! Lebelin, let’s prepare everything in time for when that friend arrives!”
To Father and Arent, Sophia’s talent already seemed unimportant.
Lebelin sighed quietly. But if Sophia did receive a welcoming party upon arrival, she might actually appreciate it more.
“…All right, then.”

* * *

Late at night.
The lights remained on in Count Ethelyion’s study.
“So there were no suspicious signs?”
At the Count’s question, Lebelin’s escort nodded.
“No suspicious persons, nothing unusual to report.”
“Lebelin is such an innocent child, trusting people far too easily. You must always watch her surroundings carefully. Understood?”
“Yes, Count.”
Lebelin’s escort bowed his head. Arent, who had carefully reviewed the background information on Sophia that the escort had investigated in advance, set down the documents.
“Father. As you instructed, I contacted the household’s dedicated herbalist, and she’ll arrive at the Residence before dawn.”
“Good work, Arent. Confirm whether this girl that Lebelin is sponsoring truly can distinguish poisonous from medicinal herbs, and watch carefully for anything suspicious.”
“Yes, Father.”
“If there’s any sign of trouble, let her enjoy the welcome party without Lebelin’s feelings being hurt, then have her leave of her own accord. But if she truly has the talent Lebelin claims, then keep observing her for a while longer.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll stay by Lebelin’s side tomorrow.”
The Count nodded, studying both Arent and Lebelin’s escort in turn.
“Lebelin must never know about any of this. Not a word.”
Both men nodded with practiced ease.

* * *

Five days had passed. It was the promised day.
Lebelin rose early and prepared to receive Sophia. The Ethelyion Residence hummed with excitement.
“The young lady’s guest is coming today!”
“A guest invited by our young lady!”
Since word spread that Lebelin was a tenth-rank Purifier, she had never invited anyone to the Residence.
After falling out of favor with Mila, there would have been no one to come even if she had invited them.
The first guest that Lebelin had invited since then!
It was natural that the Ethelyion Residence’s servants were thrilled.
“Let’s do my hair with this today.”
Lebelin finished her grooming with the Hair Band that Arent had given her for her birthday last year.
“The young lady must be in a good mood. That Hair Band is only worn on the Count’s birthday or at important occasions!”
“Shh. The young lady is wearing a Bracelet today too. She always complains it’s bothersome and refuses to wear one, but today she’s wearing a layered Bracelet!”
I can hear all of it, every word.
But the servants are misunderstanding. This isn’t because I’m excited! I just happened to notice this Hair Band today! I just happened to feel like wearing a Bracelet! Yes, I’m definitely not flustered at all.
“Young lady, your guest has arrived.”
The butler announced Sophia’s arrival just as I was finishing my rationalizations.
Lebelin jumped to her feet.
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
She walked briskly toward the Entrance Hall, where her father and Arent were already greeting Sophia warmly.
But beside them stood a familiar face.
“Miss Lebelin, it’s an honor to see you.”
“Huh? What’s Johanna doing here?”
Johanna, the Ethelyion Residence’s dedicated medicinal herbalist, stood with them. At this time of year, she made field expeditions every two weeks to distant regions to gather medicinal herbs, so she was often away from the household.
Even when she returned to the residence, she was usually tied up in the storage or manufacturing rooms drying and preparing her collected herbs. So what was she doing here?
At Lebelin’s question, her father smiled kindly.
“Our Ruby was bragging to Johanna about having a friend with talent in medicinal herbology, and she wanted to see her for herself, so she came first thing this morning.”
“Yes, miss. The Count told me you have a friend who can distinguish medicinal herbs that even practicing herbalists find difficult to tell apart.”
She’d been pretending not to listen while distracted by the word “friend,” but she’d heard everything!
When the praise for herself came up, Sophia’s face flushed. Johanna, seeing Sophia’s reaction, began rummaging through the medicinal herbs she’d brought along.
‘Is this a test?’
Though she presented a formal and friendly demeanor, producing the herbs in this moment really meant Johanna intended to test Sophia’s abilities.
But Lebelin wasn’t worried.
The protagonist, after all, never worried about such things.
Johanna deliberately pulled out several medicinal herbs that were easy to confuse, but Sophia didn’t make a single mistake, accurately naming each herb and describing its properties.
The smile gradually faded from Johanna’s face. When Sophia even explained how to distinguish between medicinal herbs and similar-looking poisonous herbs, Johanna’s jaw dropped.
“Count, you’re a genius!”
Just as Lebelin had predicted, Sophia was deemed a genius. Johanna grew excited, insisting she was talent that should be left to the scholarly world.
‘Truly, what a protagonist!’
Lebelin found herself puffed up with pride, though it wasn’t even her own accomplishment.
Johanna said that whenever she returned to the residence, she wanted to keep Sophia as an assistant, work together with her, and teach her directly.
Once Johanna gave her approval, her father cleanly agreed to the sponsorship, welcomed Sophia warmly, and then took his leave.
“Lebelin, you’ll do well, but you must always be cautious.”
Arent, finishing his conversation with the servants, approached. Having given Lebelin his advice, he turned his gaze to Sophia.
‘Oh.’
Now that she thought about it, this was the hero and heroine’s first meeting.
In the original story, there were three male leads: Arent, who was her brother, Crown Prince Jern, and Holy Knight Ranua.
In the original, Sophia met the Crown Prince first after becoming known as a second-rank Purifier!
But now it was our brother.
“Sophia, was it.”
Arent’s voice as he addressed Sophia was measured and cool.
“Remember always that it is Lebelin, not me or my house, who sponsors you.”
Arent swept his eyes once over Sophia’s shabby attire before continuing.
“When your name becomes widely known in the future and you hold fame in your hands, do well to remember that half of that weight is not yours to bear.”
Like a territorial cat hissing, Arent watched Sophia with clear wariness. There was no spark of mutual attraction between them, no electric undercurrent at all.
‘This is supposed to be the hero and heroine? No way. This is a disaster.’
This wasn’t what she’d expected.
“Since Johanna said she’d keep you as an assistant, mind yourself and behave accordingly.”
Arent delivered his words flatly and turned away, heading into the residence.
‘Did brother… plant a regret flag with that?’
Lebelin buried her face in her palms. Right—because of Arent’s blunt manner like this, Sophia had misunderstood him so many times in the original story!
“Sophia, that wasn’t him telling you to be wary. He was worried about you because Johanna can be emotionally volatile when she’s working, and he didn’t want you to get hurt.”
This wouldn’t do. She’d have to catch her brother and teach him how to communicate properly!
“Miss.”
Sophia, who had been quiet the whole time, watched Arent’s retreating figure until he was out of sight, then turned to Lebelin and whispered.
“Should I be wary of him?”
“What?”
At Sophia’s unexpected remark, Lebelin turned her head. Sophia’s gaze was still fixed on Arent’s departing back.
She’d already classified him as a rival.
“It seems the young master is wary of me because he fears your standing in this house will grow.”
Sophia murmured this gravely, unaware that in this residence cursed by over-protection, Lebelin’s position already dominated most matters.
“Though it began as a transaction, I am under your patronage, miss.”
Sophia clasped her hands solemnly and pressed them to her heart.
“If you wish to claim the position of family heir, I will do everything in my power to help you.”
Sophia was already calculating the household’s power structure.
‘It won’t matter if I deny it—she won’t believe me anyway.’
It didn’t matter.
After just a week in this residence, Sophia would figure out for herself that wasn’t the case.
Lebelin cleanly ignored everything Sophia had just said.

* * *

Sophia had completed her entire adaptation within two days of arriving at the residence. With her remarkable social grace, she’d quickly grown close to the household staff, and her deft hands had proven invaluable in assisting Lebelin.
Johanna, too, had been effusive in her praise, remarking on Sophia’s deep knowledge of medicinal and poisonous herbs.
‘I suppose I shouldn’t have worried about the heroine after all.’
And in less than a week, Sophia had discerned who wielded true power within this overprotective household.
Particularly after confirming that Arent was the sort of person who’d grant Lebelin anything she asked for—she’d graciously admitted she’d been mistaken.
Of course, that didn’t immediately improve the dynamic between the two of them.
‘I can’t force people’s feelings, after all.’
Fortunately, Sophia was adapting well enough that I decided not to fret over the relationship between them.
Besides, that wasn’t the real problem.
“The situation has only grown more dangerous.”

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