I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 85

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

Chapter 85
I need to visit Lloyd House.
Claire opened her eyes early in the morning, watching the sunlight seep through the window, and her thoughts drifted to Rozina.
‘I haven’t seen her since we parted in the chaos of the ball.’
I felt guilty for not reaching out while investigating Umbra and Grant.
‘Her calves were definitely…’
The marks of punishment that had ravaged her slender legs. The crimson stains left by blood droplets kept gnawing at my mind.
“I would like to visit Lloyd Mansion.”
When Theodore heard Claire’s words, he nodded with a composed expression as if he had anticipated it.
‘I can’t avoid this forever.’
I had already met Grant, a blood relative from my mother’s side. It was only natural that I wanted to learn more about Lloyd, my paternal family.
‘And I’m deeply concerned about Rozina, her adopted daughter.’
Claire possessed a nature that could not ignore or pass by those who suffered in isolation. Whether she was aware of it herself or not, more than one person had been captivated and drawn in by that steadfast light.
“Let’s go together.”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
“Hmm?”
“This time, I would like to go alone.”
Theodore blinked at the unexpected words.
“But—”
They were people who had exploited Ian to the bone while wearing the mask of kinship. He worried that if Claire saw them up close, she might be hurt. Noticing Theodore’s hesitation, Claire continued.
“They don’t know that I possess an ability. And since they know I’m under House Voltier’s protection, they won’t dare treat me carelessly.”
From just that brief encounter, I could tell that Hector Lloyd was a man of cowardice masquerading as strength. A man whose only concerns were his own safety and wealth was actually easy to handle.
Theodore realized from Claire’s expression that she had already made her decision.
‘Ugh. At this stage, there’s no point in saying anything.’
“Understood. Then go carefully.”
Theodore decided to take comfort in the fact that Claire was at least telling him before she left.
* * *
So tired.
Four hours. Or even just two hours of peaceful sleep—this desire consumed Rozina’s mind entirely.
“Sleep is for the dead! In times like these, we need to rake in money!”
The catastrophe that occurred at the Hunting Festival Ball. As investigation results revealing that illegal drug use was the cause spread through whispers, those who had experienced consuming similar substances fell into panic.
‘Could I become a monster too?’
Seized by fear, they flocked to Rozina, who possessed the purification ability.
“Hehe. So you finally have a use after all.”
Thus, Hector, now sitting on a mountain of money, grinned so widely it would be strange if his gums didn’t dry out.
When he brought his hand to his nose, feeling something flowing from it, blood dripped onto his palm. Hector stared at the nosebleeding Rozina with a hardened expression.
It wasn’t a look of concern, but rather the anxiety of someone who had already lost a goose that laid golden eggs once before.
“Tsk. Complaining over something so trivial. That’s enough. We’ll stop here for today.”
She was saved.
The moment those longed-for words left his mouth, Rozina sighed with relief, clutching her bleeding nose.
Dragging her exhausted body back to her room, she barely managed to collapse onto the bed before consciousness slipped away. Before she could even lament her circumstances, her body—pushed to its limits—surrendered to sleep like a person losing consciousness.
“A visitor has arrived.”
The moment she awoke, she made a weary face at the servant announcing yet another guest, and he quickly waved his hand.
“Not a patient—an actual visitor.”
“An actual visitor?”
“Yes, Miss Claire from House Voltier.”
Ah.
In that instant, Rozina recalled Claire’s retreating figure as she rushed out to protect her. The only person who had ever truly worried about her.
“Tell her I’ll prepare myself and come down.”
“Yes, but Hector is currently meeting with her, so you may take your time preparing and descend whenever you wish.”
‘Hector?’
Seized by an uneasy feeling, Rozina quickly changed her clothes.
* * *
“Claire! How delighted I am that you’ve come to visit.”
Hector welcomed Claire with obvious pleasure. At the ball, he’d found her somewhat cold and thought her difficult to win over, but seeing her come of her own accord made him wonder if she simply yearned for the warmth of blood relations.
‘Those arrogant nobles would never truly accept a country bumpkin as family! She’s probably treated as an unwanted burden at House Voltier.’
Having constructed this entirely mistaken fantasy, he approached Claire with an expression brimming with sympathy.
“With your uncle here, you need not worry about anything. With Lloyd Family behind you, you can become a true noble lady!”
“Yes, well.”
Claire’s face remained expressionless. She had intended to wait until Rozina woke up, but running into Hector had become an annoying complication.
‘He certainly does talk a lot.’
Claire could see clearly that Hector was greedily assessing her worth.
Noticing Claire’s lack of response, Hector’s expression grew somewhat anxious.
“Say, would you like to see Ian’s room? We’ve preserved it exactly as it was, thinking that perhaps he might return someday.”
“Father’s room…?”
Claire’s eyes widened at the surprisingly intriguing proposal.
“I would like to see it.”
More than twenty years had passed since Ian left Lloyd. Claire had naturally assumed there would be no proper information remaining, yet her eyes now gleamed with interest.
Following Hector, she arrived at the third floor where a white wooden door carved with antique patterns came into view.
“This is the room where Ian spent his days.”
The door, which exuded an antique charm and bore the weight of years, opened surprisingly smoothly.
‘This is the place.’
Claire stepped carefully into the space where Ian had spent his childhood. Yet contrary to her considerable expectations, the interior was an ordinary room. Refined furniture in coordinated tones befitting a young noble, a carpet bearing the house colors.
Even as an unused room, it appeared to be regularly cleaned, though naturally it bore no signs of habitation.
‘If he hadn’t told me, I would never have known this was Father’s room.’
“Since the day Ian departed, time has stood still in this room. My heart ached so deeply that I couldn’t bring myself to touch anything. But Claire, if you wish it, I can give you this room whenever you please.”
Hector spoke tenderly, as though expecting her to be moved, but his words barely registered with Claire.
‘How bleak.’
The father’s room, supposedly preserved as it had been, emanated a desolate and austere atmosphere. The interior contained only a few books on the shelf and several bottles of ink on the table.
The room contained not a single item that could be called Ian’s personal possession—one might even believe it was a guest room.
‘I was wise to leave Ian’s room as it was, thinking I could recapture him someday. His father is dead, but at least I found his daughter. This must be my good fortune.’
Hector’s covetous gaze settled upon Claire’s retreating figure as she surveyed the room. Ian’s chamber was little more than a sleeping quarters, after all—he spent the majority of his days confined to the Healing Chamber.
“…I shall give it consideration.”
Claire uttered the hollow pleasantry without conviction and departed the room without hesitation. At the doorway stood Rozina, who had apparently awakened and changed into neat attire.
“Rozina.”
“Claire!”
Between their exchanged gazes shone unmistakable warmth. Rozina’s wariness had long since melted away—she owed Claire her life, and she had come to understand that her concern was no mere pretense.
“Ahem, so Rozina has arrived.”
At Hector’s awkward greeting, Rozina bowed her head respectfully.
“Yes, Father.”
Had she addressed him thus under normal circumstances, she would have shown far greater deference. This was merely theater performed in the presence of outsiders.
“Now that Rozina is here, perhaps the three of us might dine together—”
“I have a request.”
Claire, standing beside Rozina, cut short Hector’s words.
“A request?”
“Yes. I wish to go out for a stroll with Rozina. Just the two of us.”
“Hmm. But in these unsettled times, venturing outside seems rather perilous, does it not?”
Hector struggled to suppress the displeasure that kept contorting his brow.
“We do not intend to venture far. I simply wish to savor this newfound sisterhood.”
“I see.”
Hector weighed the matter briefly in his mind.
‘Indeed, the girl is starved for affection. Perhaps encouraging her reliance upon Rozina would make her easier to manage.’
Having completed his swift calculation, he granted the two permission to venture out, along with a generous allowance as incentive.

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