Hmmm...I slowly opened my eyes after a deep sleep only to see a lady with pink hair and glasses sitting on a chair in front of me.
Her hair was braided to a side and she was dozing off. She looked tired and not too old. Maybe she's in her thirties. She was wearing a white gown with golden trims and had a symbol of Royal crest on her.
I was staring at her and tried to get up slowly without alerting her.
Judging by her attire she looks like a priestess. Is she from the palace?
"Ah! Mylady you are awake!. How was your sleep? How do you feel now? Do you feel any pain?" Mary's shrill voice came piercing through my ear drums.
Before I could process anything she asked. Mary came dashing towards my side and was looking at me worriedly.
"Now now Miss Mary I understand your concern for your master but you shouldn't bombard her with questions just after she has woken up like this. You are making her feel burdened"The pink haired woman said looking at us while smiling.
Her pink hair reminds me of Mirabel. Well even if she's the heroine she's not the only woman in this world with pink hair I guess.
"I apologise, mylady" Mary said with a small pout.
"It's fine. Actually I'm surprised that I don't feel any pain" I said and looked at the pink haired woman.
"Ah-forgive my rudeness, your ladyship. My name is Cecile Gardener. I am a holy priestess from the palace."
So she is from the palace. Did father ask for her? I looked at her again and she seemed to understand my question without asking.
"His Majesty, the emperor ordered me to be here until the lady fully recovers" She answered.
I nodded at her.
"What's my health status right now?" I asked her.
"I haven't healed you completely although I did cast a pain subsiding spell so you won't feel any discomfort. For the rest of the treatment I have devised a thorough remedy by giving you divine power every day for two weeks" Cecile said with a smile.
Two weeks? .. Hmmm not bad
"Then I'll be in your care, priestess Cecile" I smiled at her.
"You can call me Cecile,mylady and yes I'll take care of you without any mishaps" Cecile gave me bow and did a quick checkup before hurrying out to report to father.
Father... He even cried for me. I smiled bitterly thinking about that memory.
Mary quickly brought me some soup and told me to cheer up.
"Mylady, I heard priestess Cecile is a prodigy and an outstanding apprentice of the Royal physician Sir Gilbert. Sir Duke went to the imperial palace late at night to bring her here" Mary said smiling and refilling my bowl with more soup.
"Father went late at night?" I asked surprised.
Mary took the bowl and went back. I was left alone in my room. What have I done all this time?
Truly... I always made my own decisions and even at the imperial ball all I did was embarass him in front of the nobles by wearing pants and dancing with Mirabel.
I stopped attending social parties and associating with the nobles.
I never stepped into the high society even though it's crucial to maintain political power.
All I did was for myself and I did nothing for father. Yet, father didn't scold me. All he had declined was this stupid whip and electricity idea which I went against him so blatantly and for what?....to be burnt into crisps?
It's obvious I never really saw him as my father. For me my papa will always be my father but I won't mind having the Duke as my father too.
From now on I will be a filial daughter.
"Booo" A creepy voice sounded beside me.
"Ahhh!!" I shreiked.
"Rina, it's me! Don't shout!" I turned my head to see blue cerulean eyes staring right at me.
Elixir? I was surprised.
"Mylady!!" I heard vigorous knocking from outside and it's the sound of guards.
"It's nothing. I just saw an insect"I said calmly.
Elixir pointed at himself and quietly mouthed 'insect' with a traumatized face.
I ignored him.
"Mylady, can you open the door? We just wanted to make sure-"
"I said it's fine. Could you let me rest now?"
"Apologies.. Take care mylady"
I didn't reply and looked at the ravenette in front of me.
"What are you doing here?"I asked arching my eyebrow.
I was actually happy to see him.
"To check on you obviously"He gave me a light smile and started to analyse me from head to toe.
"Good. They healed you" He said with relief and sighed.
"Can you do the healing trick as well?" I asked skeptically.
"Well if I do it you can't call it healing.. it's more like reversing. I'll reverse your body to how it was before.....healthy" He said with a shrug while I looked at him with starry eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Haha?" He scratched his cheek and gave me an awkward smile.
"It's because you are the OP here! I always wanted to be the OP but it's good to know that my best friend is one!" I said while smiling brightly at him.
"Hahaha... best friend.. yeah" He said with a shrug.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous" I said honestly.
Elixir has cool powers but hey look on the bright side. I , Salvarina Salvair, has a cool worm.
"Now why would you be jealous?" He asked stepping close to me and paused while taking a deep breath.
"When me and my powers belong to you, Rina?" He finished while looking at me with those same cerulean eyes and slowly twirled my hair.
I suddenly began to feel hot. Damn what is this?
I gulped and avoided his eyes.
It's too hot. I'm even sweating. Why is he saying these cheesy stuff?! I get it that he's my best friend and I can always ask for his help and to say he belongs to me.. Isn't that too much.?
"Elixir-that-you shouldn't-" I was trying to form the right sentence but my mind became foggy because of our close proximity.
I could smell his scent. It was so soothing but at the same time it's making me nervous.
"I shouldn't what?" He asked inching his face closer to mine that I could feel his breath on my neck.
"You-" Before I could complete Mary came barging in.
"Mylady, sorry for locking you in like that. Anyways- look I brought some tasty- wait who is this?" Mary looked at Elixir then looked at me and she looked at both of us while furrowing her eyebrows.
Then suddenly her eyes widened and she gave me a bright smile.
"Mylady, I didn't know that you already had a lover!" She smiled while placing the basket she carried on the table.
"He must've been worried to be sneaking in like this. Don't worry I won't tell the Duke! I promise!" Mary smiled again and stood near the table.
"Mary it's not what you think. He's not my lover." I said sternly and walked away from Elixir to keep some distance between us.
"Hmm? Then he's?" Mary asked while tilting his head.
"He's my friend. I met him accidentally in the market" I said quickly.
"It's nice to meet you miss Mary. I'm Elixir" He introduced himself with a smile.
"It's nice to meet you Sir" Mary bowed.
"Now then.. I brought some roma berries from the kitchen. Why don't you both try it?" She opened the basket.
"Roma berries?" I murmured.
"It's like raspberries" Elixir whispered beside me.
"Oh.. Sure let's all have it!"I exclaimed.
Soon after that Elixir left and told me that the whole aristocrats knows about my condition. When I asked how he replied it was because of his Majesty's order. His Majesty the emperor send a Royal priestess to treat me, who's not a royal. This caused an uproar among nobles. After all I'm the ex fiance of the crown prince. Why would the emperor give me such a special treatment? The nobles don't know why.
But I know. It definitely has something to do with father. Who knows he might've threatened the king.
When Elixir heard the news he rushed here. It's good to know that there are so many people caring about your well-being.
But why is he acting so strange almost as if he-
"Mylady, are you thinking about Sir Elixir?" Mary asked while arranging the bed.She had a coyish smile on.
"What-No! Not at all" I waved her off.
"Right. Here you go mylady. Please drink your tunic and get some sleep. The physicians arrived this morning and they together with the priests are working on your treatment" Mary said while taking a bowl.
"Priests and physicians working together?" I asked baffled.
Those two have always been picking a fight with each other. When the temple wanted to team up with the imperial family the hospital association also went ahead. In the end the emperor hired priests as divine power is quick and more effective but for the physicians his majesty decided to support them thoroughly. That's how the empire's health sector became so developed even though the financial sector is weak.
I drank the tunic and it tasted so much bitter. Is this medicine or poison I can't really tell apart.
I felt sleepy and crawled back on bed. Mary tucked me in and I slowly drifted off into my dream world.
Elixir... why are you acting.....as if you almost like me?
****
Ugh...
It's been two weeks since I have been bedridden. And for two weeks the mansion was swarming with holy priests and physicians.
Yes I'm grateful for the concern and treatment that I've been receiving.
And yes I'm just as much as annoyed being imprisoned on my bed even though I could walk properly.
It's due to the holy priests's divine healing abilities that I'm able to quickly recover. There's also a problem... the physicians are asking me to take rest for two months. A quarrel broke out between the holy priests and Royal physicians.
Yes Royal physicians. My father, the Duke asked the emperor to lend him the physicians which the emperor gladly did. It's not like he gave me the whole physicians there are like fifteen physicians in the palace and among them only five were send and those five were of course talented.
I sighed thinking back when the quarrel broke out. The holy priests cured me and asked me to rest for two weeks but that wasn't enough according to the Royal physicians. The Royal physicians claimed that the holy power only stabilised my life force and it wasn't gonna heal my internal injuries so they asked me to rest for two months.
In the end father had to make a decision and he decided to confine me for two months for the sake of treatment. I mean it's good too as during this time I can practice sword.
Also... from what I've heard the nobles think I got heavily injured due to the sword fight... and not the ahem.. shock from whip.
It's good that nobody knows this.
Now what's next on my agenda? I was humming while looking outside the window. It wasn't raining instead the sun was shining brightly.
"Mylady, Miss Cecile is here to see you" Mary spoke up.
"Let her in" I declared while turning back.
The pink haired woman with specs came in wearing the same white robe I saw her in at first.
"Mylady, How are you faring?" She asked with a polite smile.
"I feel really good even though father asks me to rest for two months"I said with a shrug.
"Healthy is not just a term used in physical aspects it also speculates mental well-being as well" She replied politely.
"Right..I heard you were leaving?"I asked.
"Yes. The priests are departing this afternoon and so am I"
"Have a safe journey and thank you for your efforts"
"It is only my duty, mylady" she smiled.
And just like that she left...
"Mary, prepare my training outfit and also arrange some dressing catalogues when I'm back"
"Dressing catalogues.. by any chance mylady are you?"
"I've been absent from the high society far too long"I replied with a smirk.
"I'll arrange everything mylady"Mary exclaimed while rushing out.
My business, the investigation and my successorship ....I sighed..
Let's get started!
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