A few days later, Cordelia was visiting Leonard’s bedroom as usual, engaging in idle chatter, when the door suddenly burst open without warning.

“Craig!”

“Madam.”

There was only one person in this castle who could behave so rudely.

Cordelia immediately stood up and gave a light bow toward Helena.

Of course, Helena ignored Cordelia, pretending not to see her, and went straight to Craig.

“Are you able to stand and move around now?”

“…”

“Ah, Craig. Seeing you alive and moving like this, I really… I’m so relieved. Do you know how worried I was?”

Helena forced out tears. She stretched out both hands to embrace her son, but Leonard subtly avoided it.

Before the atmosphere could become more awkward, Cordelia hurriedly intervened between the two.

“He’s really improved a lot. He’s quite active in his movements now.”

“Craig, do you remember anything?”

“Well.”

He tilted his chin, acting extremely arrogant, but surprisingly, Helena was pleased to see this.

“Oh my. Even if you can’t remember the past, your personality is exactly the same. I think your memories will return soon.”

Thanks to his uncooperative attitude, she became less suspicious.

After all, how many people would suspect that a different soul resided in that body after coming back from the brink of death?

“You’ll be able to handle it well when Gerard comes, right? Hm? I’m counting on our Craig.”

“Gerard?”

“Ah, he’s your cousin. Gerard Abrams.”

“One of the jackals drawn by the scent of blood.”

Helena cut off Cordelia’s explanation and quickly interjected. She pretended to wipe away fake tears as she spoke.

“Craig, you can’t let Gerard take your title of Count.”

“Well, whatever.”

“You must get up quickly and show that man your good health. Only then can this mother’s heart be at ease.”

After that, Helena continued to pour out endless nagging disguised as concern.

Of course, Leonard didn’t even pretend to listen.

“I’m tired.”

He had maintained an indifferent expression throughout, but when Helena’s words dragged on, he tossed out a single remark.

“Oh my. Cordelia. What are you doing? Hurry and let Craig rest.”

“Yes.”

Helena blamed Cordelia naturally, as if she had completely forgotten that it was herself who had been holding onto him all this time.

Cordelia supported Leonard and moved him back to the bed.

“Then rest well.”

Helena looked Leonard up and down, seeing how much he had recovered, and left the bedroom with a rather satisfied expression.

As soon as the door closed, Leonard frowned deeply.

“Were we originally on good terms?”

“No. In the past, your relationship wasn’t particularly good. But after the previous Count’s sudden death, you’re the only one she can rely on, so she’s acting affectionate.”

“I see.”

He glared at the spot where Helena had left with eyes full of contempt. Cordelia awkwardly smiled and changed the subject.

“By the way, your body is really recovering quickly. I heard you went to the garden alone yesterday?”

“Even so, I couldn’t walk for even an hour before coming back.”

“The physician said it’s a miracle that you can even stand on two feet right now.”

“If it’s a miracle, it’s a miracle. A living soul entering a dead body, moving without rotting.”

Leonard replied grumpily. At the words ‘dead body’, Cordelia looked at his body intently and asked.

“Does that mean… Craig was completely dead?”

“This body? Yes. It was already a body whose soul had departed, so I was able to enter it.”

“Ah, really.”

“Really?”

“That’s a relief.”

An unexpected word popped out of her mouth. Cordelia smiled with relief and said.

“I was afraid that the master might return to his original self after you returned to your original body.”

“…”

“Knowing he’s really dead is reassuring.”

Leonard stared intently at Cordelia’s profile in response to her excessively honest reaction. His gaze was quite persistent.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Coldblooded.”

“Oh come on, what are you saying? The coldblooded one is the master.”

Cordelia laughed like a child with clear eyes. Leonard made a deflating sound and said incredulously.

“You’re saying it’s a relief that your husband is dead, but I think he might have redder blood than you.”

“Oh my. I can’t be compared to someone so heartless that he turned away a poor woman who lost her husband, even when she begged and cried to learn even a scrap of magic.”

“Blood and tears? Ha, do you think magic is some child’s play? That if you throw a tantrum, you’ll get everything?”

“You said I had talent, didn’t you? Don’t you think that talent is wasted? I might be someone who could make a mark in the world of magic.”

“Anyone who hears that might think you’re some amazing genius. Listen, being able to see magical power and being able to use it are completely different matters.”

“But it’s true that I have an advantage in learning magic compared to others, right?”

Of course, that’s not wrong. If she had met Leonard when she was five years old, he would have taken Cordelia as his disciple without a second thought.

“You’re too old to learn magic. Even at the latest, you need to start before ten years old to expect any achievements.”

“It’s not like I’m trying to become some great magician. Just something small, enough to be called a magic teacher somewhere, you know? Please?”

“That, I can’t allow. Even if they’re my disciple, they should be able to achieve at least one star! Where do you get off…”

“Star? What star?”

“…Forget it. I’m arguing with someone who doesn’t even know what a star is. Just go now. I’m tired.”

Leonard, who had unknowingly raised his voice in excitement, stopped when he saw his reflection in the window.

A sneer escaped him. Suddenly, he felt the full weight of how far he had fallen. If he were his original self, he wouldn’t have had such a nonsensical argument with her.

“Already? It hasn’t been long since I came here… Alright. From now on, I won’t even mention the ‘m’ of magic.”

“I said get out. Why can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

Despite Leonard’s cold rebuke, Cordelia stubbornly persisted. She forced a smile and changed the subject. Fortunately, he didn’t try to chase her away anymore.

“Oh, did you hear? They say Lily is coming soon.”

“Who’s that?”

“Craig’s half-sister. She’s also Lady Helena’s biological daughter. Now she’s married into the Dahlia Count family and is the Countess of Dahlia. And she likes you very much.”

“I see. What useful information. I’ll give her a hug when I meet her.”

Leonard replied in a very indifferent tone. Cordelia covered her mouth with her hand, chuckling lightly as she spoke.

“And she hates me terribly. Probably the most in the world?”

“Why? Did you call her over saying you had something to say and then stab her with a knife?”

“You too?”

He then patted his stomach. Only then did Cordelia realize that was what his younger brother had done, and her mouth opened slightly.

“Wow… No. I’ve never done such a terrible thing, but she hates me the most in the world. Suddenly I feel a bit wronged. I’ve never even stabbed her with a knife.”

“So what did you do to make her hate you so much?”

“Nothing. To be precise, she hates the very existence of Craig’s wife.”

Cordelia shrugged. Although the time spent with Lily wasn’t long, it was enough to make even the patient Cordelia cringe.

“But why did the master’s younger brother kill the master? Was it really to inherit the title?”

“Well. I’ll have to ask him that when I meet him again.”

Leonard’s voice sank instantly. When he first opened his eyes, there was only hatred toward Maximilian, but as time passed, other questions began to pop up one by one.

Why Maximilian made such an extreme choice, why he tried to end the life of a brother born from the same womb.

“But the council isn’t stupid. If the circumstances of the murder are clear, they won’t recognize the succession, right?”

“No matter how much the council doesn’t recognize it, they can’t leave that position empty forever.”

“Couldn’t they choose another heir to the title?”

“There isn’t one. Even if there were, Maximilian wouldn’t have left them alone.”

“I suppose they can’t leave the position of head of a family like Atilei empty for long. In the end, time is on his side.”

“Yes. That’s why I need to reclaim it before then. My position.”

He clenched his fist with a serious tone. Cordelia, sitting in a chair next to the bed, nodded solemnly along with him.

“It’s such a shame. I wish I could be of help to you, master. For example, helping you by your side as your disciple…”

“What?”

“Well, I can see magical power, you know. Who knows? If an assassin uses magic, I might fly my body and save your life?”

He didn’t know where to start pointing out the flaws in her logic.

While he was having a serious conversation. Moreover, the way she subtly tried to insert herself as his disciple made him laugh helplessly.

“Oh? You’re laughing. You’re laughing now, right?”

“Shut up.”

“You must be laughing because imagining me as your disciple makes you feel so reassured?”

“I said be quiet.”

“Don’t you need one reliable disciple?”

* * *

“Rotti. What should I do?”

Cordelia was crouched in a corner of the stable. In front of her, a dirty and unsightly gray dog was hurriedly eating meat.

“How can I get that man on my side, no, not even on my side. I just wish he would teach me even a scrap of magic.”

The dog, having finished eating the meat, was now sniffing and rummaging through the straw. It looked quite disappointed.

“You’ve already finished eating? I should have brought more.”

As Cordelia reached out her hand to pat the dog’s back, it flinched and stepped back. Seeing this, Cordelia pouted her lips, looking dejected.

“Even though we’ve known each other for over a year now, you still won’t let me touch your head.”

Despite giving it a name and often providing food, the dog still hadn’t opened its heart to her.

“It’s okay though. As long as you live healthily for a long time.”

Her first ‘Rotti’ had died from wounds inflicted by a beast while following her father on a fox hunt.

Her father only got angry, saying Rotti was too weak, and didn’t even give it proper treatment.

Young Cordelia tried to save the dying Rotti by staying by its side day and night, but in the end, it left her, cold and lifeless.

The only similarity between the second Rotti and the first Rotti was that they were both gray, but somehow it kept catching her eye.

“Wait a moment. I’ll go get some more meat.”

Grr. Rotti, who had been sniffing around looking for leftover meat scraps, growled lowly while looking at the empty space.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hello, madam.”

“Eek!”

A human voice was heard in the empty stable. Cordelia was startled and looked around. But no matter how much she looked, there wasn’t a single person in sight.

“Ah. Over here, Countess.”

“Over here?”

Above the water-filled feed trough, a pale object about the size of a palm was enthusiastically waving its hand.