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Chapter 39
“I regret to inform you that he doesn’t leave the bedroom because he wishes to confine himself.”
Upon hearing the priest’s regretful voice, I glanced at Joseph immediately.
“Did you know about that?”
“Yes. He avoided people to hide the fact that he hurt his leg.”
Joseph nodded lightly and followed the priest into the monastery.
“I will tell him that His Highness the Grand Duke is here.”
The priest led us to the annex of the monastery and bowed politely before walking away
“What kind of person is he? I mean that priest.”
Humble attitude, well-groomed appearance and calm demeanor typical of a servant of God.
But he gives off unpleasant vibes for some reason.
“He’s the one who takes care of Carlo in this monastery. It seems Carlo also depends so much on him that he doesn’t even think about staying in Katan.”
I nodded at Joseph’s calm explanation.
Come to think of it, Carlo wasted his time in this monastery, abandoning his seat in the Imperial Palace and refused to rely on his brother, the Grand Duke of Katan.
“Your Highness,”
Waiting for Carlo on the sofa in the parlor, I shuddered at the gentle voice behind my back.
‘Ibelina.’
The woman running to Joseph with her soft pink hair fluttering like a spring breeze was none other than Ibelina.
Ibelina Einberg.
The saintess of the great temple and Joseph’s lover.
“Joseph!!”
Ibelina ran to Joseph’s arms with tears on her pretty face.
Tuk tuk.
The tears of longing were falling on Joseph’s shoulder.
“I’ve missed you so much, oppa.”
Standing next to me, he held her back with a bewildered look.
“It’s been a long time, Saintess.”
“Don’t be so stiff with me. Please call me Ibelina as before. When did you start being so formal with me?”
She was very lovely, smiling as she wiped her transparent tears with her thin fingers.
“Oh, my.”
Her big eyes sparkled as they found Joseph, and only after some time had passed did she finally find me. She was surprised, falling back into Joseph’s arms.
“Who are you?”
“Good morning, Saintess. I’m Rita Ca…..Katan.”
I almost said Rita Cardinale, but I quickly changed it to Katan.
“Hmm? Katan?”
Ibelina had been sticking too close to Joseph then opened her eyes as if to inspect my identity.
“I think I’ve seen you somewhere?”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“No way….”
I keep my lips shut, afraid that she might recognize me.
“Did Joseph have a hidden younger sister?”
I scoffed at her silly question. Because anyone could tell that Joseph and I didn’t look alike at all.
I was judged by society as someone who is ‘too glamorous’, but unlike me, Joseph was someone who had neat and delicate facial features.
‘Don’t people usually assume that I may be his wife?’
Of course, we didn’t have a fancy wedding, and our marriage was so quiet that I didn’t think the news even reached the capital.
But she was Carlo’s close associate, so there’s no way she hadn’t heard of our marriage.
“I’m his wife.” I said, deliberately facing the pink-haired woman who smelled like a sweet fruit.
“Oh my god! Pardon my rudeness!”
She bit her index finger with her voluptuous lips in surprise.
“You must be very uncomfortable seeing someone hugging your husband right in front of you!”
“It’s all right.”
“Please don’t misunderstand, Madam. Joseph and I are like real siblings.”
I shrugged my shoulders slightly at Ibelina’s rambling.
‘You guys are lovers. No need to fool me.’
Joseph didn’t need to be considerate because I will only stay with him temporarily.
“It’s really all right, Saintess.”
“Please don’t be so formal with me. Just call me Ibelina.”
Ibelina bent her eyes playfully and linked arms with me.
“If you were Joseph’s wife, then it’d be right to call you unnie!”
We are the same age, though?
Of course, I was seven years older than her current age when I returned to the past, so I was mentally older than her.
“May I call you unnie?”
Ibelina appeared way younger than me, perhaps because of her soft personality.
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“Do as you please,”
I didn’t really care how Ibelina addressed me. But then she smiled dazzlingly as if she was pleased by my nonchalant response.
“Thank you, unnie.”
Ibelina looked back at Joseph, nodding her head vigorously until her soft pink hair rocked up and down.
“Are you here to see Carlo?”
“Yes.”
A shadow clouded her face as soon she heard Joseph’s answer. She had the same reaction as the priest who had seemed reluctant to speak about Carlo.
“He gave permission to Joseph and I to enter his room, but…”
Her anxious eyes glanced at me.
“I’m sorry, Unnie. It’s because Carlo doesn’t know you very well. He’s very sensitive and shy, you see.”
I was a little taken aback that Ibelina addressed Carlo so casually without his formal title, but I calmly agreed to make it not so obvious.
“I see.”
I didn’t expect to see him immediately anyway. It was important to earn Carlo’s trust because it took at least a few months to fully heal his legs, and he had to take medicines regularly as well.
‘He won’t trust me if I make a hasty move.’
“I’ll be taking care of my business, so Your Highness should see the Prince first.”
I shrugged, recalling how to make the Neuronian potion and where to release the mermaid.
“Yeah, Joseph! Let’s go see Carlo!”
Even before Joseph could say anything, Ibelina was already cutting us off. But Joseph didn’t look so happy to see Carlo without me.
“….I wish my wife would come with me.”
He murmured softly and looked at me with a worried gaze.
“He’s my brother. So I’d like to introduce my wife to him.”
Joseph didn’t even take his gaze off me, trying to convey his feeling.
‘Why would you want to introduce me to Carlo?’
Carlo knew well that our marriage was just a deal anyway.
He held my hand with a forlorn expression. Perhaps he was afraid that I would reject his request.
“Sure. Let’s go together.”
I had no reason to reject my husband’s request. Looking at his flinching shoulders, I grinned widely and pulled him out of the parlor.
“Will it be alright? Carlo has been very sensitive lately.”
Ibelina, who quietly followed us behind, spoke loudly as if she was worried.
“Don’t worry. I’ll persuade him.”
“But….”
“Saintess. Carlo is not as weak as you think he is.”
Joseph shook his head sternly as he curtly dismissed her.
“Fine.”
Ibelina pouted and ran ahead of us like a rabbit, announcing that we had arrived at Carlo’s bedroom.
“Carlo, Carlo.”
It was such a soft voice like a bird chirping.
“Open the door, please. It’s me, Ibelina.”
Perhaps he paced around his room, or he recognized her voice right away, I could hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door.
Clack.
Along with the creaking sound, the old wooden door began to open little by little.
“Joseph Oppa is here, Carlo.”
Ibelina quickly slid her arm through the door gap before Carlo could even close it.
‘Do you close the curtain, too?’
I crumpled my brows, noting that there was a minimum amount of light leaking from the room.
‘There’s a reason why humans are active during the day, though.’
An alchemist discovered how plants use sunlight to absorb nutrients, and his hypothesis convinced me that humans also need sunlight.
‘Although his research will only be published in a few years…’
I waited for Carlo to leave the room while recalling the groundbreaking discovery of Dr. Fausto.
The door opened but Carlo didn’t enter the hallway.
“I think we should go in.”
“He’s quite fussy indeed.”
Ibelina looked troubled, sighed deeply, and then opened the door wider. Joseph and I followed her closely.
“C-Close the door!”
Perhaps Carlo was startled by the sudden sunlight, he shouted like a demon being exorcized.
“Ibelina! Sunlight!”
“Yes, yes.”
Ibelina closed the door again as if familiar with Carlo’s reaction.
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Bang!
The door closed again, and darkness enveloped the space.
I fumbled to find Joseph due to the darkness, such that I couldn’t believe it was midday.
“I-Ibelina! I was so scared!”
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