33. The Second Sun of Euphris

2023.11.02.

Yuan stepped back a few paces and looked toward a small building attached like a growth to the far left of the mansion.

“No, I’ve only been as far as the eastern annex where we held the party. To be honest, I haven’t even toured the main building completely yet…….”

“That western annex used to be Clade’s hideout.”

“Oh, really?”

“This mansion was originally a villa used by the late emperor and empress. That side was his space, and afterward, Apollinia grew up there…….”

Lancelot’s voice suddenly trailed off.

Yuan turned her gaze from the small, pitch-black building and looked up at him.

His face, which for just an instant had shown a look of despair, quickly donned a bright mask.

Blinking in surprise at the astonishing transformation, Yuan was met with Lancelot’s smile, as if nothing had happened.

Yuan tactfully changed the subject.

“I saw from afar that there’s a dog living in that annex.”

“That dog was one Clade picked up and raised when he was little.”

“He actually did something like that? Ah.”

Yuan hastily covered her mouth with her hand, startled by her own unintentional honesty. Lancelot, who had completely shaken off the dark expression, raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, the brat Clade was quite cute and kind when he was young.”

“I thought it belonged to the servants. I’ve never heard anyone mention the dog or call for it. Maybe he disliked dogs from such an early age?”

Lancelot stood beside Yuan, gazing at the western annex for a long moment before whispering softly.

“……If he didn’t like it, he wouldn’t have kept it around.”

There was something slightly lonely in his voice, and Yuan stared up at Lancelot, who was adjusting his clothes.

“I’ve talked too much. It would be good to converse more often. Now I understand why Clade has become so talkative.”

Lancelot elegantly bowed in farewell. Yuan reciprocated the greeting, quietly watching as his gaze lingered first on the western annex, then on her.

“I’ll be waiting for news that Clade has come out soon.”

After Lancelot left, Yuan watched his retreating figure ride away before turning her eyes toward the western annex.

She carefully examined the small annex Lancelot had mentioned, as well as the hurried footsteps of the busy servants.

And…….

—Flick!

As always, the curtains in the second-floor bedroom automatically closed the moment her gaze reached them.

It seemed Lancelot had given her a big hint.

She now knew exactly which spot she needed to touch to draw Clade out.

Yuan continued to glare through the gap in the drawn curtains, her hands still respectfully clasped in front of her.

***

Meanwhile, at the Pelliese mansion.

Already, more than six massive four-horse carriages had turned back empty-handed from the entrance.

Among them, a few particularly ornate carriages pushed their way into the estate, eventually securing a meeting with Count Pelliese.

“The medicine’s effect has noticeably weakened—do you even intend to take responsibility?”

“There’s a certain essential herb needed, and obtaining it will take a very long time.”

“How much money have I poured into this in the meantime! Where’s something money can’t fix? It’s been a whole month now. Even ordinary headache remedies don’t work anymore!”

Duchess Celentina shrieked in a shrill voice.

In truth, the headache medicine was performing its function perfectly.

It only seemed ineffective because Yuan, who could instantly relieve pain, was no longer present.

“I’ll prescribe you a stronger dosage. Take it, close your eyes, and try to sleep…….”

“Hey, Count Pelliese.”

Duchess Celentina raised her sharp eyes and crossed her arms.

Since her husband was one of the emperor’s closest confidants, Count Pelliese respectfully clasped both hands.

“I admit Pelliese medicine works better than others. Without it, I’d have ended our dealings immediately! But I’m not someone who should be drinking the same medicines Pelliese sells to the general trade association. I’m special, aren’t I?”

“Absolutely, Your Grace.”

“I’m a VIP. A special guest, which is why I pay special amounts. Two pillars of this mansion might as well have been built by me.”

“That’s correct, my lady.”

“You understand I expect more from Pelliese than just a medicine that works slightly better than others, don’t you?”

***

Exhausted as if all energy had been drained—though his chin still folded into three layers—Count Pelliese barely managed to soothe and appease his special guests before heading to his laboratory.

The moment he opened the door, confronted by the chaotic mess inside, the count held his breath for a moment, then shouted forcefully.

“Frederic-!!”

The demon who had turned the already disorganized lab—where research dragged on due to lack of trustworthy assistants—into utter chaos wore a mischievous smile that said, “What now?”

Startled by the sudden commotion, Regina rushed up to the laboratory.

As expected, the foolish Frederic had once again sneaked into the lab and been caught by Father.

“Frederic, you muscle-headed fool! How many times must I tell you that doing nothing is how you help your father?”

“But didn’t you order me to bring those beasts in?”

“I told you to catch them and lock them in the stables—did I say bring them into the laboratory?!”

The incident stemmed from Frederic capturing two stray dogs and releasing them inside the lab.

Two ink-stained strays were now dirtying the entire laboratory floor and sofa. One limped; the other was missing an eye.

“Father, what are you planning to do with these strays?”

Regina’s sudden interjection startled the count, who then yanked the leash Frederic had tied to the dogs.

“I said bring them—they’re needed for something!”

“Father. Surely you’re not planning to experiment on these dogs?”

Count Pelliese was taken aback and turned to face his daughter.

Regina narrowed her eyes, scanning the central table and desk in the lab, both lined with various medicines.

“Both of you, out!”

Count Pelliese hurriedly shoved both Frederic, who cried out in protest, and Regina, who couldn’t hide her suspicious gaze, out of the room, then shut the door and wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

Since Yuan’s departure, the Pelliese business had been swiftly and smoothly heading downhill.

Having returned to the Pelliese household only in middle age after a long absence, he was incapable of overseeing all family affairs.

Without Yuan—their greatest asset—and without the knowledge she possessed, the count was no better than a lost wanderer.

Compared to Yuan, who could recite medical texts flawlessly and precisely mix medicines, Count Pelliese had to painstakingly check every book even for simple recipes.

Moreover, all of Pelliese’s unique formulations existed solely in Yuan’s mind.

These were optimal combinations developed through years of research using the original methods—formulas Yuan and the count had discovered together through joint effort.

Previously, the count would deliberately harm himself, then have Yuan absorb the pain.

He would then observe how she cured it, using that process to refine the formulations.

This method had been chosen because direct human experimentation required imperial approval and thus had to be conducted in secrecy.

But without Yuan to eliminate pain, the count’s research had stalled. With no choice, he resorted to gathering ownerless animals for experimentation.

“What on earth is keeping that Yuan tied to that monstrous crown prince? If she stayed, she could have prospered our family. To waste her talent on a discarded, worthless wretch—what a disgrace!”

Frederic was too foolish to help and only caused more damage; Regina, though greedy and shrewd with numbers, had an eye for valuables but would never achieve academic excellence that could bring honor to Gerret Pelliese at the academy.

“If only she were still here, we wouldn’t be struggling like this!”

He needed just a little more—a definite opportunity to firmly bind and retrieve her.

If it had once been Louise, now that she was gone, he needed something else.

For his pitiful, foolish nephew, blindly clinging to that black mansion without knowing it was a death trap, he had to do whatever it took.

“Damn it! Everyone’s such an idiot!”

—Crash!

“Ack! Damn, damn it……!”

In a fit of rage, Gerret Pelliese kicked one of the strays, causing the other dog to clamp its jaws tightly onto his leg.

“Ack! Yuan! Yuan, quickly, quickly…….”

Habitually calling for Yuan to relieve his pain, the count, face flushed red, crawled to ring the bell summoning a servant.

If Yuan were here, such trivial pain would mean nothing.

“Damn it! Yuan Pelliese!!”

All of this suffering was because Yuan had left the household.

***

While servants hurriedly entered to support their master, Regina downstairs had to listen to her father’s voice, still shouting the name of Yuan Pelliese.

Standing before Priscilla, the countess who sat in the parlor having her nails tended to by maids, Regina began to grumble.

“I don’t even know who the real daughter is anymore.”

“What’s wrong now, Regina?”

“Because he keeps shouting Yuan’s name. Didn’t you see at the last party how that girl completely ignored us?”

“An ungrateful wretch.”

Priscilla dismissed her without mercy.

But even if Yuan had acknowledged her, Priscilla would still have been displeased, so she quickly dismissed the matter.

The cold atmosphere between the two women brightened suddenly, not long after.

“What is this?”

The steward had abruptly brought a large, ornate box into the parlor.

Startled by the commotion, even Count Pelliese, who had just been treated for the dog bite, came downstairs.

Inside the opened box, surrounded by the entire family, lay a dress rich and red as blood.

Regina couldn’t tear her eyes away from the luxurious case, which also contained perfectly fitted shoes and gloves.

“Where did this suddenly come from?”

Then, a man half the height of an average person, previously hidden behind the steward, bowed deeply. The small man spoke briefly, raising one index finger and reporting in a low voice.

“From the Second Sun of Euphris, sent in secret.”

The Second Sun of Euphris! This meant it was sent by the first prince, Bollonico Euphris.

“For whom?”