She’s Not Our Daughter! - Chapter 48

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 48 – A Skilled Physician Appears At The Imperial Palace

The next morning, the Godmother’s maid visited Sierra, telling her that the older woman was calling her. Along with that, the maid also told her a lot of good news.

‘Very good things keep coming.’

The Godmother had already written a recommendation letter for Sierra so that she could enter the Imperial Palace as a pharmacist. And only a few hours later, good news came once more about how she was already being summoned to the palace to work.

This was all thanks to the Godmother vouching for her—that was the only reason why she could enter the palace as easily as this. Unfortunately though, Sierra knew that there would be considerable twists and turns before she could really work there.

As Sierra followed the maid towards where the Godmother was now, she sighed internally.

‘Cassius came in like a raging storm.’

Cassius seemed to have only been carefully monitoring Sierra’s movements. His poor complexion proved this fact.

’Sierra, I heard about it. What do you mean you’re going to become an Imperial pharmacist?’

‘Yeah, I’m going to enter the palace as a pharmacist. Cool, right?’

‘You can’t. It’s dangerous.’

She had a hard time convincing Cassius, who was more stubborn about it than she expected. However, even as Cassius was firm about this, Sierra also learned a lot about how she could hit the weakest spots of the Ideos family members.

’Um… But it’s always been my dream to become an Imperial pharmacist…’

Cassius immediately felt guilty, thinking that Sierra couldn’t achieve her dream before because he had abandoned her. Of course, in truth, these two things weren’t related at all…

’…Right. So, I’ll contact you.’

After Sierra said this, Cassius had no reason to oppose anymore. However, on Sierra’s part, she wasn’t comfortable about this situation either. Because she had guilt-tripped Cassius, she also felt sorry for doing it.

‘Ah, let’s not think about that anymore. I’ll just buy him a present when I get paid later!’

She was near the Godmother’s room now. As the older woman called her early this morning, Sierra had been dressed to the nines, looking beautiful and much like a noble.

Carrying a fancy potion bottle full of holy water filled with sacred power, Sierra was dressed in a white robe that had gilded edges. This pharmacist’s robe looked far more expensive than most dresses…

“I’ve already heard from the maid, but child, the Imperial Palace has already sent your summons.”

“…Ah.”

“Now, here you go. I also wrote your recommendation letter already. Oh, our Sierra just can’t go anywhere without standing out from the rest. Oh, and…”

The Godmother stepped forward and tucked a small magic tool in the inner pocket of her white coat.

“It’s a magic tool for recording.”

“Huh? Recording?

The Godmother nodded, seeing Sierra’s curiosity.

“If any of the patients insult you, we can use this. Ah, and another thing.”

“……”

“Regardless whether it’s a young nobleman, a fellow pharmacist or anyone else approaching you, you must turn on this recording tool right away.”

Sierra looked up at the Godmother, and she looked as if she could kill anyone right now. In response, Sierra nodded reluctantly, but inwardly, she vowed never to turn on the magic tool if a good-looking guy approaches her.

Of course, Sierra’s obstacles to going to work did not stop at the Godmother.

After receiving the letter of recommendation, she planned to take a carriage to work, and the head maid went off to prepare one. As she headed to the Ducal estate’s main entrance, Sierra saw that Hanael was there to see her off.

But then… While she was looking to spot an ordinary carriage that would bring her to work, what Sierra saw was an overly fancy red carriage that had the Duchy’s insignia emblazoned blatantly on its side.

Even the coachmen who came with the carriage were wearing impeccable uniforms, and the four black horses pulling the carriage all looked so shiny…

‘Isn’t this a carriage that only the Duke of Ideos could use?’

Sierra was shocked. And even before she could process all these, she came face to face with Cassius Ideos himself poking his head out of the carriage’s window. As he held the curtain to the side, Cassius beamed at her.

“Let’s go together, Sierra.”

“…Huh? Cass—no, Your Grace where the he… No, where are you heading?”

While Sierra was struggling to speak formally, Cassius came out of the carriage and walked towards her, stopping only when he stood in front of her. With a gentle smile on his lips, he offered an outstretched hand as though he was going to escort her.

“Let’s go together. For work at the Imperial Palace.”

What a juxtaposition this was. She was only an ordinary pharmacist, and yet she was vouched by both the Godmother and the Marchioness of Mails, and she was going to be escorted to work by the Duke of Ideos himself.

‘There won’t be any reason that the people there would ignore me, but… This is extremely dangerous…’

As Sierra thought this, she went inside the carriage while holding Cassius’ hand for support.

Would this Duchy be alright…? Perhaps if she asked for it, they might give her the entire Empire even…

After riding the carriage with Cassius, they finally arrived at the Imperial Palace, and Sierra headed into the pharmacy inside. In a way, this was her debut as a pharmacist in the capital.

“I’ve heard about you.”

The statement itself wasn’t of favor nor malice, but most people here seemed to hate people who entered through connections. Even so, since she was vouched by the Duchy, no one would dare say anything to her.

A girl whose lips were pursed reached out to Sierra for a handshake.

“Hello.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’m Lily! Since you’re new, I’ll show you around the formulation lab.”

Sierra smiled, her eyes bent like crescent moons. She would have to win Lily over, and this might be easy since the girl seemed to be the one tasked with helping Sierra settle here.

“Ah, yes.”

Listening to Lily on their way to the formulation room as they walked along the corridors of the Imperial Palace, Lily had an unnatural smile on her lips. With that, she also showed where patients stayed next to the infirmary of the palace.

“There’s not much a new pharmacist has to do.”

“Is that so?”

Sierra shrugged and only half-listened to Lily. It was clear that Lily was already underestimating Sierra, but Sierra wasn’t interested in other people’s opinions anyway.

Then, Lily suddenly grabbed Sierra’s wrist and pulled her.

“…Ha. I have something to say. Follow me.”

Sierra followed silently as they walked. They walked a long way, even going outside. Then, they stood at a deserted corner of the palace, Lily looked around furtively for anyone who might be listening. Seeing as there weren’t any, she let out a brief sigh, then she glared at Sierra.

“You!”

“……?”

It was better that she could hear this herself though, rather than knowing that she was being talked about behind her back. This was where information flowed the most, too.

As expected, Lily slammed a hand against the wall next to Sierra, then she pursed her lips and leaned down, then she muttered.

“How do you know Lord Ijiel?”

“Lord Ijiel?”

“Just why the hell is Lord Ijiel secretly calling me! And he’s only asking me about you? It feels terrible!”

“……?”

Sierra tilted her head to the side, perplexed. Lily scowled and looked at Sierra as though she was trash.

“You don’t know Lord Ijiel? He’s the closest acquaintance of Her Imperial Highness, the handsome wolf-like man who you can’t predict when he’ll next appear.”

Sierra answered firmly.

“Yeah. Don’t know him.”

‘Should I say it slowly so you understand?’

Lily stomped her feet as though she was incensed by Sierra’s calm attitude. She seemed to have struck a nerve with Lily, who didn’t even know how to speak roughly.

Lily stomped even harder and shouted.

“H-H-He told me to keep it a secret!”

Staring at Lily’s bright red face with a curious gaze, Sierra raised her chin.

“What secret?”

“I heard that Lord Ijiel drank a potion that you gave him. You really don’t know him?”

Sierra widened her eyes lightly.

‘If it’s someone who drank a potion she made, then it should be someone from the Supe village. But I’ve never heard of the name Ijiel before. And, well, there’s no such handsome man in Supe.’

Sierra was lost in thought as Lily continued to rage in the background, screeching loudly as though she was a whistling kettle.

‘I didn’t expect to find a lead this early.’

Perhaps this Ijiel person was the suspicious man Sierra saw through the carriage window back then. As she thought about just who he was, Sierra frowned.

“Kid.”

Gripping Lily’s shoulder tighly, Sierra muttered in a threatening voice.

“Get lost.”

Lily, who was still young, flinched when she suddenly heard a harsh voice coming out of the woman who had a gentle-looking appearance. Sierra was different from the young noble ladies who had gone through the elite course to become an Imperial pharmacist.

Even if she didn’t look like it, she was a commoner who had gone through all sorts of ordeals.

“I’m busy.”

“W-What?”

“Anyway, thanks for giving me information.”

“On what?”

Sierra smiled as she pushed Lily to the side, and the girl had no choice but to move away as though she was a branch in front of a boulder.

“You’re weak. You can’t even clench your fists. I’ll make you some herbal medicine later.”

“Whaaat?”

Weighing roughly sixty kilograms, Lily couldn’t stand her ground when Sierra pushed her away… because she was too strong.

As Sierra entered the pharmacy once more, she didn’t even give Lily a second glance. Lily watched Sierra’s retreating back with a complicated look, her mood terrible, as if she had been given an injection.

That day, Sierra had a happy pharmacist’s life. The job of a new pharmacist who only trimmed quality herbs kind of suited her. It was even a bonus that she got some useful information about a man named Ijiel from someone who confronted her first.

After the day’s work, Sierra was back inside the carriage that would return her from the palace and back to the Ducal estate. Sierra turned to Cassius and carefully opened her lips.

“Um, Cassius.”

At that time, Cassius was lost in thought, his expression slightly bothered. He was thinking about that suspicious person, Ijiel, who had been hovering around him lately. And right then, Sierra mentioned his name.

“Do you know someone called Ijiel?”

“…Ijiel?”

“Yeah.”

“Why do you want to know?”

Cassius’s face grew stiff right then, but Sierra leaned back slowly and carefully looked at him.

“No, it’s just that he seems popular among the pharmacists.”

Cassius’ expression hardened even more at Sierra’s words.

“I know him.”

Sierra was surprised by Cassius answering obediently.

“Who is he?”

“He’s the Princess’ acquaintance. They grew close at a secret social club, but that’s all I know.”

The Crown Prince and the Imperial Princess, the princess’ information source who was a suspicious looking man, her sister’s disappearance, and a secret social club.

“Hmm…”

Sierra’s eyes narrowed as she thought about this. Then, as Cassius watched her, he carefully asked.

“…Are you interested in that man?”

Seeing how Cassius was being cautious now, Sierra brushed away her curiosity and put on a mask of indifference. Even so, some information she knew about the man named Ijiel passed one by one through her head.

‘Come to think of it, it’s a man, right?’

Thinking only of how to save her sister, Sierra completely forgot that Ijiel was biologically a man.

“No, forget it. I know I don’t have the right to ask questions like this.”

Sierra had known Cassius for a long time, so she knew that he was trying to hide how hurt he felt right now. With the corners of her lips tugging up in an awkward smile, she made a hasty excuse again.

“He’s not really my type.”

“Really?”

“Yup, really.”

Sierra couldn’t speak anymore as she saw just how much Cassius’ face brightened right then. No, to be more precise, seeing him smile so brightly dazzled her.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────