Mana reversal.
The phrase suddenly crossed Rose's mind.
'…Could it be.'
A new hypothesis began forming rapidly in Rose's head.
This unique mana waveform kept catching her eye. Her instincts warned her that something was hidden here, that she shouldn't casually dismiss these readings.
"Your Excellency."
Rose tore her eyes from the instrument panel and turned around.
Click.
Dane was rubbing his wrists, now freed from the restraints.
"Are you done?"
"Yes. To give you the results first, there's no poisonous herb I know of that produces a clear reaction."
"Hmm."
Dane frowned and leaned back against the backrest.
"Then is this examination over as of today?"
"Um… Yes. I don't think we need to continue anymore."
"Good."
Dane let out a long breath of relief.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His complexion was worse than when he had first entered the room.
"You've really been through a lot. It was hard, wasn't it?"
Rose quickly grabbed the kettle she had boiled in advance. She mixed water into the honey already in a cup and offered it to Dane.
"Drink this."
"What is it?"
"Honey water. It's good for hangovers."
"Do you take me for a drunkard?"
Even as he said that, Dane obediently reached out. The moment his hand gripped the cup, his firm fingertips brushed the back of Rose's hand.
"……."
In the past, she would have flinched or tensed up. But now, Rose had grown(?) enough to be unfazed by this level of contact.
'When did I ever hit my wife? Why on earth is she so afraid of me?'
Dane's face, brows furrowed as if indignant.
She had told him she would show him a changed side of herself. And she fully intended to keep her word.
'Well, I did do worse things than this.'
Compared to being held tightly in bed, this was nothing. She was definitely getting used to being with Dane.
Glug, glug.
For someone who had grumbled, Dane downed the honey water remarkably fast.
"Give me another glass."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Rose poured fresh honey water into the empty cup Dane held out. Seeing him ask for another glass right away, she figured he must be thirsty and poured generously this time.
That was the root of the problem.
"It tastes quite good, doesn't it? Here you go."
The moment she enthusiastically held out the cup, the water sloshed.
Splatter.
Golden liquid spilled and soaked the front of Dane's trousers.
"Oh my!"
Rose hastily grabbed the cloth from the table.
Wipe, wipe.
She quickly crouched down in front of him and wiped the spilled liquid from his trousers. She figured if she wiped it quickly enough, she could at least prevent the stain from setting.
The moment Rose's hand pressed firmly against the front of Dane's trousers.
"Wait."
Dane suddenly grabbed Rose's wrist. His grip wasn't tight, but it was firm.
"Yes?"
Rose reflexively looked up and found Dane's face right in front of hers.
His expression was slightly troubled, brows faintly furrowed. His gaze seemed to linger somewhere behind Rose.
'…Wow.'
She had always thought he was handsome, but every time she met his eyes, it struck her anew. She wondered how even a frown could look so appealing.
Rose, who had been unknowingly absorbed in Dane's face,
"My wife is quite bold."
was jolted back to reality by Dane's uneasy voice.
One of her hands was resting on Dane's thigh, and the other—still clutching the cloth—was wiping his… that area.
"S-sorry!"
She startled and quickly pulled her hands away.
Good heavens. Of all places, why there….
'I must be crazy!'
While Rose stared in horror at her wicked(?) hands, Dane watched her with a fixed gaze.
He looked like a hungry lion smacking its lips.
"Hand me the towel."
"Ah, yes."
After receiving the towel from Rose, he finished wiping down his trousers. Then he casually crossed his legs.
Rose, who didn't understand what that gesture meant, could only blink.
"So, can I take it that there's nothing wrong with my health?"
At Dane's question, Rose quickly collected herself. She organized the thoughts she had been working through earlier and answered.
"For now, yes. But we're not at the stage where you can let your guard down. I found some abnormal readings."
"Mm."
"So I came up with a hypothesis… I'd like to discuss it with Andersen-nim."
A faint smile crossed Dane's lips. It was a satisfied smile, as though she had guessed correctly.
"Your Excellency?"
"Go ahead. So you won't be able to relax until that hypothesis is confirmed?"
"Yes. Until then, I'd like you to keep being careful."
"Understood."
Taking the towel Dane handed back, Rose continued what she had been saying.
"And I'm also curious about the request we entrusted to Arsil Orphanage. I need a few more clues."
"Ah, that."
Dane nodded and gestured with his chin toward the area behind Rose. Rose followed his gaze and was utterly startled.
"Hello, master. And, my lady."
Helena was leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed. An inscrutable smile played at the corner of Helena's mouth.
"Was I interrupting?"
Even in her shock, Rose instinctively checked for the research room key in her pocket.
"How did you get in?"
"The first thing I did when I entered the castle was secure the keys."
Helena flashed a grin and waved her hand. A bundle of keys that she had seemingly conjured from nowhere jingled.
"And when did you get in here?"
"Not long ago."
Helena replied briefly, then offered a knowing smile.
"To be precise, since the moment my lady was eagerly touching the master's area?"
"Th-that's…."
Rose's face burned. It felt as if someone had pressed a hot coal against her cheek.
"Ahaha!"
Helena doubled over laughing, then approached with light steps.
"Why get so flustered over this? You've done far worse."
Helena's eyes narrowed as she looked at Rose, whose face had turned bright crimson.
"Our lady is just too innocent, isn't she?"
"Helena!"
Rose felt a pang of guilt, as though Helena knew something and was teasing her about it.
Sure enough, if she wanted to appear natural in other people's eyes too, she needed to become nonchalant about physical contact with Dane.
"Let's get to the matter at hand."
Dane raised a hand. Despite Helena's sudden appearance, his face remained composed.
'He already knew.'
Naturally, Dane must have allowed her into the room. From his vantage point, he would have seen Helena silently picking the lock.
"Well, I've tracked the physician Joel's movements first. He goes out every Monday, you see?"
Helena pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Dane.
"These are all the shops he visits when he goes out. Most of them are regular haunts he's been frequenting for years."
"Any suspicious activity?"
"Nothing on the surface. Just buying medicinal herbs, supplies, that sort of thing."
When Rose walked over, Dane passed her the paper he was holding. Rose quickly scanned the writing on it.
Guild, general store, apiary, post office….
"Right now I'm questioning the shop owners."
"Are there any among these that he started visiting relatively recently?"
"There is."
Helena flashed a grin and pointed to a spot on the paper. Rose's eyes followed the tip of Helena's finger.
"…The apiary."
Rose cupped her chin and fell into thought.
What reason would Joel have to visit an apiary? Was there some rare ingredient that could only be obtained from an apiary?
"And about the other thing the master specially requested."
Helena's eyes suddenly sharpened. From that, Rose instinctively realized that "that thing" was related to the assassination.
"Are you going today?"
"No. I'll go with Casto."
"Heeh, then what about me? Should I just keep doing what I was doing?"
Helena flicked her hands in a gesture of disappointment.
"My hands are itching for something to do. Give me a task. Something fun, preferably."
Rose watched Helena with a steady gaze.
'Why does she keep seeking out dangerous places.'
When Helena had first appeared, volunteering as Dane's shadow.
Rose had been quite relieved to see Helena safe and sound. And disappointed by the reason she had shown up.
In her past life, Helena had been her only (prison) friend. Watching such a person walk back into the jaws of death was painful to see.
'She could just live a new life now.'
Even so, Rose acutely felt the need for Helena that Dane had spoken of.
She had been thinking about suggesting to Dane that they let Helena live freely once this was all over, when—
"What about taking Helena on as a personal lady-in-waiting?"
Dane asked Rose. Before Rose could even begin to answer,
"Wow! That's our master!"
Helena threw her arms around Rose.
"What a wonderful idea! Working in the laundry was exhausting anyway!"
Then she hugged Rose and nuzzled against her. She was like a cat rubbing itself against its owner, demanding to be played with.
"My lady! Hurry! Say yes! I'll do a great job!"
Rather than answering readily, Rose looked at Dane.
"Can I really?"
It was what she had wished for.
She would be able to keep Helena nearby and look after her. Plus, she would have someone she could trust and rely on during lonely times.
"The promotion and reassignment of servants is entirely within your authority, wife. Do as you wish and inform Selma."
Dane answered easily, as though he had read Rose's mind.
"…I will, then."
"This is so exciting!"
Helena giggled and buried her face in Rose's hair.
"Hehe, my lady smells nice."
"Helena."
Rose gave in to Helena's affection, as if she had no choice.
"Stop squirming."
Dane, who had been watching the two of them quietly, rose from his seat. Earlier he had seemed unable to get up, but now his movements were light.
"Countess Holland's tea party, correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then I'll see you there. I'll drop by after finishing my schedule."
Rose watched Dane for a moment. She had a rough idea of what he meant by "his schedule."
"…Please be careful."
Dane looked at Rose and smirked.
"You be careful too, wife. Don't get bitten by those wolf-like ladies."
A few hours later.
"…What?"
Sonya, who had been helping Rose with her dress, suddenly scowled.
"Just like that? Weren't you going to the tea party with me?"
"I've decided to go with Lune, so rest assured."
Rose waved her hand dismissively, and Sonya backed down weakly. Then she glared at Helena standing behind Rose.
"Where did she suddenly pop out of—"
Sonya couldn't finish her sentence.
"What."
Helena, much taller and more slender than her, tilted her head to the side, and
"Got a problem?"
her blue eyes glittering coldly.
"-!"
sent a chill down Sonya's spine.