IFAHWIPUTML Chapter 18

Verasielle was serious.

Chayston seemed unaware of how dangerous tetanus was. If it got infected like that, he might have to have his hand amputated.

"Tetanus? What's that?"

Chayston asked about the unfamiliar term.

"Ah, anyway. If you want to use your hand properly, you need to treat it."

"I'll handle it myself, so just go."

Annoyed by Verasielle's persistence, Chayston leaned back against the chair again.

This time she'd decided to pretend to worry about him instead of Raphel, it seemed.

He maintained a stiffly hardened expression, as if to say that tactic wouldn't work on him.

"Tia!"

Whether Chayston liked it or not, Verasielle called out to Tia in the distance.

"Yes! Lady Verasielle. Oh! I greet Your Grace."

"Tia, where's Raphel?"

When Tia came alone, having been playing with Raphel, Verasielle asked.

"A knight is playing with him for a moment."

"Then could you bring some disinfectant and bandages right now? Please."

"Huh? Ah, yes!"

Receiving the request, Tia hurried off to fetch the disinfectant.

Verasielle sat down on the bench where Chayston was sitting, as far away from him as possible.

Since Tia would just hand him the medicine box, she didn't really need to stay here—but judging by his attitude now, even if she brought the medicine box, he clearly wouldn't treat it.

Verasielle didn't want to feel indebted. Especially not to Chayston.

If that wound festered, she'd feel terribly uncomfortable.

Plus, if he later blamed her for leaving a scar, that would be exhausting.

So she needed to watch him treat it with her own eyes.

Even she thought this meddling nature of hers was a problem, but what could she do? He'd gotten hurt trying to help her.

"Hah."

Chayston sighed, looking at her settling in.

Benches weren't only located here, yet she had to choose a spot close to him.

He straightened his posture, thinking it would be better to leave.

"Your Grace, you're not the kind of coward who'd run away because I make you uncomfortable, are you?"

Immediately, Verasielle's voice flew to his ear.

Coward... His brow furrowed sharply.

"Of course not."

He pressed his back firmly against the bench again. Even knowing she was deliberately provoking him, he didn't want to be called a coward.

"Right? As expected."

Having already figured out his personality, Verasielle easily got him to sit back down.

Hating to lose, he reacted immediately when his nerves were even slightly pricked.

"The medicine box you requested."

Soon Tia came running with the medicine box.

When Verasielle held out the medicine box to him, Chayston reluctantly extended his hand to her as if he had no choice.

"You didn't think I'd treat it for you myself, did you?"

Verasielle asked, looking puzzled at his extended hand.

"..."

When she placed the medicine box beside her as if telling him to treat it himself, Chayston's ears turned bright red.

He hastily withdrew his awkwardly extended hand.

Embarrassed that he alone had misunderstood when the other person hadn't thought about it at all, his ears ripened further.

"Huh? Really?"

Seeing his ears, Verasielle asked in surprise. He really had thought she would treat it for him.

"No."

"You wouldn't want me to treat it anyway, Your Grace."

"I never wanted that."

His ears were bright red, yet he kept pretending otherwise to the end.

"Yes, yes. I understand, so hurry and treat it."

"I'll handle it myself, so please leave now."

Chayston spoke, exhaling deeply from embarrassment. His heated ears were burning.

"Really? I brought the medicine and everything, so make sure you do it. Make sure."

Veras stood up.

She'd originally planned to watch him treat it completely, but since he seemed quite embarrassed, it seemed better to give him privacy.

She chuckled at his unfamiliar reaction, picked up Raphel's ball, and left.

"Hah..."

Alone now, Chayston hung his head. Even the back of his neck was hot with embarrassment.

Accustomed to receiving, he'd naturally assumed she would treat it for him.

But when he realized he'd misunderstood alone, heat somehow rose to his face.

In his embarrassment, he pushed away the innocent medicine box beside him, then gathered it back and treated his wound.

A few days later.

Verasielle went out with Raphel for a walk.

The spacious ducal estate had everything, but she wanted to breathe the lively air.

Also, she wanted to give Raphel many experiences from a young age.

If he was acknowledged as the duke's nephew, he wouldn't be able to wander around freely like this.

Etiquette, swordsmanship, heir management classes—he'd surely spend busy days. Until then, she wanted to let him play like a child.

She'd thought Chayston wouldn't allow it, but surprisingly he gave permission easily.

Instead, there was a condition: knights had to accompany them.

At Verasielle's request, the knights were guarding from a slight distance.

"Wow..."

Raphel kept rolling his eyes around, busy taking everything in.

Watching Raphel exclaim in wonder, Verasielle smiled. The innocent child's reactions were adorable whenever she saw them.

"Look at this, Raphel. Candy."

Verasielle picked up a cane-shaped candy from the display and showed it to Raphel.

The colorful colors were pretty to look at too.

"Candy!"

Raphel stretched out both arms, wiggling his fingers. At the strong demand for candy, Verasielle placed the candy in Raphel's hand.

"How much?"

"100 shillings."

Verasielle opened her pale pink leather purse and, after rummaging with her fingers for a while, finally found 100 shillings and handed them to the owner.

This is bad.

No money. She only had 1,000 shillings left.

Enough money to buy exactly ten pieces of candy. A cold sweat suddenly trickled down her spine.

She didn't need money at the ducal estate, but on days like this when she went out, money would definitely be necessary...

"Candy, yummy!"

Toward Raphel smiling brightly while sucking on his candy, Veras replied with an awkward "Ha ha ha" laugh.

Her mind was running calculations like crazy.

Though not a large sum, she needed to have some emergency funds.

She couldn't exactly ask her parents for money when they were already struggling because of Verasielle's debts...

Verasielle fingered the emerald necklace around her neck.

Should I sell even this...

Though the stone was only as big as a pinky nail, if she sold it, she could get something for it.

The ring on her ring finger was a family ring, so she couldn't sell it. Then all she had was this necklace...

After possessing Verasielle, this necklace was the one item among her many belongings that had caught her eye.

That's why she hadn't put it out when reselling items to pay off debts. But with circumstances being what they were, she had no choice.

Having made up her mind, Verasielle looked around. To see if there was a jewelry shop that might give a good price.

She'd worried about money sickeningly enough in reality, and now the same in this place too. What truly unlucky fate.

"Th-thief!"

With a voice ringing out loudly, chaos erupted in an instant.

Verasielle instinctively hid Raphel behind her.

The knights who'd been far away at Verasielle's request were pushing through the crowded masses to reach them.

With multiple footsteps, a loud voice swept through the market once more.

"Someone catch the thief!"

Everyone startled and searched for the source of the sound.

Then, from far away, a large man was stumbling forward, pushing people aside.

The thief charging forward like a bulldozer emanated a fierce aura. As if he wouldn't leave alone anyone who blocked his path.

Verasielle backed away to avoid colliding with the man as much as possible, worried Raphel might get hurt.

She wanted to help, but she couldn't catch that boar-like man alone.

While she was distracted by the thief, Raphel might get hurt.

Raphel, absorbed in eating candy, obediently followed where Verasielle led him.

Thud thud thud. The sound grew closer.

People nearby couldn't bring themselves to step forward and just stamped their feet. Not knowing what trouble they might face if they intervened.

Verasielle tried her best to get away from the thief to protect Raphel.

But why did the footsteps seem to be approaching her?

"Wh-what..."

Verasielle's eyes widened in shock.

Why is this crazy guy coming toward me?

She'd finally moved to a corner, and the man presumed to be the culprit was running straight at her.

"Lady Verasielle!"

Knight Kay also startled and sprinted toward them.

Verasielle wanted to flee elsewhere, but both sides were blocked by stalls.

She hugged Raphel to protect him. The thud thud footsteps in her ears grew more violent.

She squinted, peeking at the situation, when the rapidly approaching man suddenly stumbled despite no obstacles—and missed his footing.

Crash.

The man flailed and fell spectacularly right in front of Veras.

Acrid dust rose up.

Verasielle stared at the man who'd fallen with quite the painful sound, her face utterly dumbfounded.

Tripping and falling on his own like some comedy sketch. Right in front of her, too.

The situation seemed so deliberately staged that Veras just blinked.

"Damn it!"

The thief who'd face-planted dramatically on the ground grimaced viciously, irritated.

He'd fallen so hard that blood was flowing through his torn pants.

The thief didn't give up—he glanced at the woman before him, then scrambled to his feet.

And fled.

"Hey!"

Verasielle shouted at the escaping culprit. He should at least take the handbag rolling on the ground...

He'd gone through the trouble of stealing that bag and even got hurt falling—why leave the bag behind? What a strange thief.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine, so could you help clean this up?"

To the knight asking with a worried face, Verasielle told him she was fine and helped clean up the chaotic stall. Then she looked down at the ground where dust still swirled.

On the messy ground lay an elegant wine-colored handbag, left behind.

From over there, the handbag's owner, who'd been shouting desperately, was running their way.