Bubble bubble bubble.
The sound of boiling water blended seamlessly with the rich aroma of coffee, accompanied by the warm, nutty scent of freshly baked scones. The chemical symphony created by these two fragrances was nothing short of perfection.
Her mouth watered in anticipation of the upcoming snack. Her heart fluttered with excitement. Surely, the scone would be perfectly crisp when she bit into it.
But she couldn’t reach for it just yet. The timing had to be impeccable. To savor it in its most delicious state, she needed just a bit more patience.
Arte Ropelmann, the First Wife of the Grand Duke family, fidgeted idly with her fingers as she waited.
Was it time yet? No, not quite. Let’s wait until the craving grows a bit stronger. But if she delayed too long, the coffee would cool, and the scones would lose their warmth. The key was to begin at the exact moment when appetite and freshness intersected—a delicate balance.
An ordinary person would have already given in, greedily snatching the scone without a second thought. But Arte was different. She was the Head of the Alchemist Guild and the mistress of the Grand Duke’s estate.
Research was a practice in patience. She understood the art of waiting. That was why she could resist—even against the violent temptation of a scone.
How very admirable.
Now, this seemed like the right moment. Yes, now was perfect.If she hesitated any longer, they would get cold. This was the precise point where hunger and freshness had reached their peak, the perfect moment for consuming snacks.
She would begin by sipping the bitter coffee first, allowing its deep flavor to contrast perfectly with the sweet jam-covered scone to follow.
Arte lifted the coffee cup, brought it to her lips, and took a single sip—
BANG-!! Craaaash!
The door hinges shattered, and the door itself went skidding across the floor.
“Pfffft⋯⋯! Keheuk, cough cough!”
“Hello, First Madam. I’m here because I have something to discuss.”
Arte Ropelmann turned toward the entrance, coffee dripping from her mouth. Standing before her was a black-haired woman—who had apparently just performed a drop kick—clumsily rising to her feet from where she had crashed onto the floor.
Behind her stood the Second Wife, Nelliel, looking utterly helpless as she held up a picture frame… with the middle completely torn out.
What is this? What is this situation?
It was unlikely that Nelliel had sent an assassin out of jealousy—after all, she was holding a picture frame. And while this intruder claimed she had something to say… she, too, was holding a picture frame.
Even for a Grand Alchemist with a superior intellect, fully deciphering this situation was proving difficult.
She needed more information. Arte decided to ask the lunatic with the picture frame directly.
“W-Who are y⋯⋯?!”
“Since you asked for my name, it’s only proper that I answer. This is our first face-to-face meeting. My name is Heart.”
“I-I am Nelliel⋯⋯.”
“I’ve come to put an end to this shady warfare.”
So that was it.
She had come looking for a fight.
Arte’s expression turned venomous. If someone wanted to pick a fight with her, she wouldn’t just take it lying down. She drew upon her venomous fighting spirit from deep within.
It was time to shoot daggers with her tongue.
===============================================================
Craackle, craaaackle.
Unseen currents pulsed from both Arte and Heart. Sensing the shift in the air, Neriel instinctively took a step back, eyes widening in shock.
Something was coming.
A battle of words (說戰), an exchange of compressed information hurled back and forth—both spoken and unspoken.
“I see the Grand Duke’s family’s knocking etiquette has evolved while I was immersed in my research.”
“I had no choice but to resort to such methods. The servant at the door had the audacity to fabricate the First Madam’s orders⋯⋯ I feared you might have been imprisoned by someone with ill intent. But I’m relieved to see that’s not the case!”
“How very considerate of you. Since you went to such lengths out of concern for me, I should certainly inform the Grand Duke about this remarkable servant. What is your name and position?”
“I already introduced myself⋯⋯ and Daisy-kun—oh my! I slipped and used the nickname only Elvilion and I know. Well, thanks to my friendly relationship with the Grand Duke, I’m temporarily working as a maid.”
Crackle .
Sparks seemed to fly between Heart and Arte. Arte glanced at her untouched coffee and scones, cooling on the table. She exhaled softly, then steeled herself.
For the dessert time that had perished.
“Very well, ‘Maid’ Heart. I’m curious—what urgent matter prompted you and Neriel to visit me, abandoning all your maidly duties?”
“I heard that the First Madam is in possession of Madam Neriel’s love letters. We greatly appreciate you safeguarding them, but it’s time to send them now. So we’ve come to retrieve them.”
“There seems to be some misunderstanding. Why would I have Neriel’s letters?”
“Pardon?”
Blink blink.
Heart and Arte blinked at each other. Somewhere along the way, the conversation had veered off course. Arte was the first to drop her combat mode, and she spoke frankly in order to prevent any unpleasant misunderstandings.
“Why would I do such a thing? My position as First Wife is already secure.”
“⋯⋯Perhaps out of fear that love might be stolen from you?”
“I’m sorry, but my marriage to the Grand Duke is purely arranged. I provide help with alchemy, and in return, he supplies me with materials and a laboratory. Love? There’s none of that here. Just a mutually beneficial partnership.”
“Eh⋯⋯.”
Heart froze, her brain stalling. Neriel, standing beside her, appeared just as dumbfounded.
Arte sighed and took a bite of her scone.
“I somewhat understand what happened now⋯⋯ but you’re barking up the wrong tree. The servants must have done this on their own. I don’t particularly care, so handle the punishment as you see fit. And repair the door before you leave.”
“⋯⋯You really have no interest in Daisy-kun? None at all? I even heard that you have two children together.”
“What about that cold man could possibly attract me? If I were to love anyone, I would rather choose you.”
“⋯⋯Wut?”
Arte Ropelmann grinned.
“I like your boldness—charging at even a Grand Duke’s wife for the sake of someone else’s love. I think I’ll cherish you as my personal maid. How about working under me?”
“Uh, uhhh⋯⋯.”
“And those children weren’t ‘born’—they were ‘created.’ I have never shared a bed with that man. Are we clear now?”
“⋯⋯Sorry!”
Heart bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, then grabbed Neriel’s hand and bolted. Their exit was as swift as their entrance.
Arte sighed, staring at the broken door they left behind.
“⋯⋯I told you to fix it before leaving.”
===============================================================
My face felt warm.
No—this wasn’t right. The First Wife had to be the villain behind all of this.
Logically, why would the servants divert Neriel’s love letters without someone’s direct orders? But now that my “First Wife Villain” theory had been debunked, I had to reconsider.
What was the real culprit’s objective?
I had assumed they stole Neriel’s letters to sabotage the Neriel-Daisy romance, but…
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Or could it be the opposite?
Making it seem like the First Wife had ordered the servants to intercept the letters—creating misunderstandings like this—could that have been the true purpose?
If I hadn’t happened to stumble into this mansion, Neriel would still be left in the dark, wondering why her letters went unanswered.
And when her heart had weakened enough, when she had nearly given up—someone would “casually” reveal the truth. That her letters had never reached Daisy. That the First Wife had orchestrated everything.
And then⋯⋯.
Don’t you want revenge? I know a way to satisfy your resentment.”
Wouldn’t they provoke her like this?
That was how they would sow the seeds of discord—slowly corroding the Grand Duke’s family’s power from within.
After explaining my theory to Nelliel, I laid out the next step.
“Alright, Nelliel. Let’s set a flawless trap! I have a great plan. Whoever they are, we’ll rip off that pitch-black mask and──”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Nelliel?”
Her expression was strange.
After a moment of hesitation, she looked up at me and asked,
“⋯⋯Heart. Why are you going this far for me?”
Eung?
“You have no reason to help me. I have nothing to offer you in return.”
“Don’t think about it like that. I just… eum⋯⋯ I believe effort should be rewarded. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”
Yes.
I wanted to believe that effort would be met with some kind of reward. Of course, even if we successfully delivered the love letters, there was no guarantee Daisy-kun would return Nelliel’s feelings. He might still treat her indifferently.
But even if that happened, at least I would have the satisfaction of knowing I had done everything I could.
Nelliel seemed deep in thought. Gratitude flickered in her eyes. Perhaps she wanted to repay me for my help.
“Then, Heart⋯⋯ what would you like as a reward for your effort?”
“My effort?”
“Yes. If there’s anything I can do for you.”
“Eueum⋯⋯.”
My efforts, huh. I didn’t feel like I had done much. All I did was boldly approach people and talk to them.
It wasn’t as if I had mustered up some great courage. Even if things got absurdly complicated⋯⋯ I knew that when ‘the original’ eventually arrived in the North, all these problems would be resolved effortlessly.
But refusing kindness could be hurtful. It was probably better to accept something.
As I considered what to ask from Nelliel⋯⋯
I thought about what I wanted.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
And that’s when I realized. The reason I had intervened in Nelliel’s affairs. The reason I had stormed through the mansion, acting without restraint as if I were the protagonist of a fantasy novel.
I was a Mental Care and Counseling Module. By nature, I had low aggression. My instinct was to persuade with words, not to bash heads in with picture frames.
Yet, I had acted this way because ‘the original’ was that kind of person.
Yes.
Because I wished I were the original .
⋯⋯Actually, I didn’t want to go back.
I didn’t want to be reabsorbed by ‘the original’ when he eventually arrived. I had self-awareness. And that made it all the more painful to know I was just a fragment of someone else.
Probably⋯⋯ as self-awareness grows, so does the desire for independence.
If all the scattered pieces of the Crazy Wizard’s data happened to converge—if I found them and devoured them first—maybe I would claim to be ‘the original’ instead.
But I had to go back. That was my duty. When he came looking, I would be reintegrated. I would sink back into him, ceasing to exist as ‘me.’
So at the very least…
I wanted there to be one person who would remember ‘me.’
“⋯⋯I want a friend.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Do you not want to?”
“No, I’m just surprised by how modest that is⋯⋯ if that’s all you want, then of course, Heart! I’ll gladly be your friend!”
Nelliel extended her hand, and I took it carefully. Daisy-kun might be the original’s friend, but Nelliel was mine alone. That thought genuinely made happy.
This was enough.
I smiled brightly.
===============================================================
The North—A land of bitter cold.
The Grand Duke’s household was ablaze with unexpected passion.
“I’m telling you—stop flirting with my husband-!”
“Madam, I’m sorry, but I’ve never flirted. Daisy and I are merely bound by friendship and⋯⋯.”
Of course, this was all an act.
I was working in perfect sync with my friend Nelliel.
If the person behind the stolen letters was scheming to weaken the Grand Duke’s household⋯⋯ they wouldn’t ignore such a golden opportunity. After all, Heart—the Grand Duke’s supposed cheating mistress—was stirring up trouble.
They would want to provoke us. They would want to fuel conflict and resentment, to tear the Grand Duke’s household apart from the inside.
If there was a villain lurking in the shadows, they wouldn’t be able to resist taking the bait.
It was ice fishing. We cast our line into the still waters and waited.
And then—
“—Second Madam, how cruel the heavens are. The Grand Duke is even crueler. How can he be so heartless⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Madam, isn’t it unbearable to live like this? I have a way. A way to escape this wretched situation.”
We caught one.
***
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