Chapter 135

As she awoke one morning, she discovered blood in both openings of her earlobes. Taking notice, she sanitized and gently wiped the area, only for it to scab anew. The timeline for complete healing was unclear, but meticulous attention was a must if she wished to prevent her pierced ears from closing. Especially if she intended to adorn herself with earrings for the upcoming opera event.

“Haah…”

Liv heaved a heavy sigh and raised herself. Her conviction that he would shield her turned out to be no sturdier than a sandcastle without a solid base. A grain of sand so weak it could easily crumble under the froth of the wave. However, could it not also signify its resilience against crumbling?

If the sand castle was going to crumble anyway, did she need to crumble it down herself?

Liv decided to accept her swelling greed.

Even if it would keep growing recklessly and ultimately explode, leaving only fragmented, tattered pieces, all she needed to do then was to gather those remains and throw it away.

***

A report had been submitted that Coryda’s condition was improving faster than expected.

It was in a separate report that Demus received, in addition to the one for Liv. Without doubt, he wasn’t checking on Coryda’s condition because he was worried about her condition. He was checking because he wanted to get Coryda away from Liv as soon as possible.

Since the incident that made him impulsively bring Liv to the Lanxess manor, Demus had become more focused on her.

He had never forgotten the moment he’d seen Liv in the basement, standing among his prized collections. She was a woman who fit right in with the Lanxess manor.

But as long as Coryda was by her side, it would be difficult to get her to the manor. It might be easier if he were to welcome Coryda as well, but all Demus wanted was only Liv Rhodes.

As her sick sister was a nuisance to him, Demus was happy to help her get well. The cost for Coryda was only a few pennies, and if it would earn him Liv’s favor, it was no different from an investment.

Thus, he readily decided to go out today.

“We’re so honored that you made the trip down here, my Lord!”

Demus, who had been looking at the bowing owner of Hyslop, glanced around the room. As anticipated from a pharmacy, a hint of grassy fragrance lingered in the air. However, the scent leaned more towards the subtle end rather than overpowering, indicating meticulous care in maintaining the interior ambiance.

“I heard there’s a new medicine.”

“Yes, my Lord. It came in at the crack of dawn today!”

New medicines were distributed through official routes. No exception was made in Buerno, and if Demus wanted to obtain a new medicine, he would have to go through Hyslop, which was authorized to handle new medicines.

Moreover, this was the first distribution. Naturally, there were limited quantities. So it was better to move in person, as a warning not to think about buying the new medicine for a while, and a warning not to think about passing it on to someone else.

The owner, realizing at once the implications of Demus’ visit, cleared his throat and spoke softly.

“But, my Lord, as you know, the quantities are not large. If you could show a little mercy, more people would have a chance.”

Glancing at the door that led to the back of the pharmacy, Demus asked in a cold voice.

“Are any of these people waiting for this medicine going to die right now?”

“We don’t know that either. Our main duty is to provide the best possible medicine to those who need—”

“In that case, you just need to stay true to your duty.”

Demus continued without giving the pharmacy owner a glance.

“Why are you blabbering too much when the customer who needs the medicine is buying it?”

He had managed to secure the list of individuals keen on procuring the new medicine. Among them, not a single person suffered from a critical illness or had ties to such conditions. Instead, they were individuals ready to lavish money for the allure of exclusivity and rarity that the “new medicine” offered, rather than genuinely requiring it.

How desperate his situation was compared to theirs. At the very least, it would have been much more meaningful in his hands than passing it on to others.

The pharmacy owner broke into sweat as the Marquis made no secret of his intention to buy the new medicine exclusively for a while. The owner was quite troubled with Demus’ attire as he had to deal with a variety of aristocratic clients. However, Demus was not the kind of man to consider every detail of the pharmacy owner’s dealings.

The owner couldn’t say a word, but just circled around like a dog with its tail on fire. Demus, who was casually ignoring him, suddenly turned his attention. There was a commotion at the entrance of the store. The owner frowned and approached the entrance.