Only for Your Well-Being - Chapter 9

 

 

 

“Hey, hey…!”

 

It didn’t take long for him to realize that the situation was completely wrong.

 

The moment Gauner felt that the sword was out of the ordinary, the boy’s neat clothes caught his eyes.

 

He had to be the son of a noble family.

 

Gauner quickly realized that the boy with the sword meant what he said and surreptitiously let go of Ruelli’s wrist.

 

Then the men who stood behind Ethan stepped forward. It was the Knights and O’Connell, escorting the firstborn of the Bertrand family.

 

Some of the people who gathered at the noisy scene recognized Ethan.

 

“Oh my goodness, it’s the Young Master of House Bertrand.”

 

However, immediately, the people retreated and lowered their voices. Everyone knew that if they spoiled Ethan’s moods, they would not return home safely.

 

“I’m…I’m sorry, Young Master.”

 

Gauner apologized breathlessly, but the cold tip of the sword on his neck remained in place.

 

“Why are you making so much noise?”

 

O’Connell came out and asked,

 

Gauner was struggling with whether he should kneel or speak up in his defense, he finally spoke with difficulty.

 

“It is not me that made the fuss, but because this little one lied to me……!”

 

“No, I didn’t lie!”

 

Gauner figured that the reason Ethan had his sword on his neck was because he caused a commotion.

 

Searching for a way to escape, Gauner shouted as he shoved Ruelli forward.

 

“Young Master, this heinous thing is using a clever ruse. She’s making and selling unauthorized medicines to mislead people!”

 

Gauner’s words made Ruelli’s face turn pale.

 

She hurriedly looked over at Ethan, but couldn’t make out any meaning from his dry expression.

 

Ethan shook his head lightly, and O’Connell, who was standing right behind him, asked again.

 

“Unauthorized drugs?”

 

“Yes, that’s right. It’s not safe to climb the mountain every day, but she takes the grass there to make medicine.”

 

O’Connell looked at Ruelli.

 

She was the girl he had met at the mountain the other day, the one who had read all the monastery’s medical books.

 

Of course, she was not like a normal child when he first met her. O’Connell didn’t know what to make of the expression on her face.

 

“Is it true?”

 

Ruelli’s lips turned blue as she trembled.

 

“I’ve never sold it for money. Not even once. I just know how to make medicine and distribute it to people who need it.”

 

“What kind of medicine did you make?”

 

It was not easy to understand how such a little girl could make medicine. However, considering the commotion that was caused by it, it seemed that Gauner’s words were not entirely false.

 

‘They say it’s a good ointment to use on someone who gets cut by tree branches or injured from climbing the mountains. It helps the wound to heal.

 

O’Connell was well aware of the fact that lately, the farmers were in a difficult situation, there was no food, and even went up into the mountains to hunt. Those who were not used to walking on rough mountain trails were likely to get hurt or get hit by wild boars.

 

Ruelli continued on weakly.

 

“Most people here can’t buy medicine even if they’re sick. How can they get medicine when they don’t have anything to eat? That’s why I copied what the medical books say. It just so happened that it worked……and I distributed it to those who needed it. That’s all.”

 

Ruelli was trying hard not to cry.

 

Gauner, on the other hand, was getting more frustrated. A child crying is dangerous. Furthermore, the whispering of Ruelli’s supporters began to catch his ears.

 

“If it wasn’t for her, I might have suffered for quite a while.”

 

“Thank God, her ointment healed my wounds quickly and I can walk again.”

 

If he couldn’t reverse the mood here, he could be in big trouble.

 

Gauner jumped up and raised his voice.

 

“No! She is a very wicked girl. I have heard clearly that she makes drugs to sell for money!”

 

The buzz thickened at Gauner’s words.

 

“Drugs?”

 

“Oh my God!”

 

“Fadenos must be in on it.”

 

Ruelli wasn’t exactly a meek girl who always obeyed her father, but she would never do anything to shame her father’s name.

 

Ruelli clenched her fists and shouted at the voices that were attacking her from behind.

 

“That’s ridiculous! I swear to God, I would never do such a thing!”

 

“Lies! You’re old enough to be clever and cunning! She’s a witch!”

 

Gauner protested loudly and harshly with his bloodshot eyes. Ruelli, who was trying to find her own voice, couldn’t say anything more because of Gauner’s momentum.

 

As soon as she heard the word witch, she remembered that her father had insisted that she had to hide her ability no matter what.

 

“She looks like a child, but she’s a witch. Unless….!”

 

It was a foolish decision, however, Gauner kept making excuses.

 

Ethan could not stand the noises any longer.

 

“O’Connell, get him out of here.”

 

“Oh, Young Master!”

 

“You say she’s a witch who sells strange medicines, but why would you want the medicine she makes?”

 

At Ethan’s cold voice, Gauner was dumbfounded and couldn’t say a thing.

 

“Didn’t you shout at her to go make some medicine for you?”

 

“That’s…”

 

“If it was true, why would you want a drug made by a witch?”

 

“No, that’s absolutely not …. …!”

 

“It’s enough that you make noise in the square, but you dare to tell me lies. O’Connell, take him to a labor camp.”

 

“Oh, Young Master. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

 

The buzz in the square and the stares that had gathered instantly went down. As the knights dragged the screaming Gauner away, Ruelli covered her mouth with her small hand.

 

The tears she held back were about to burst, but she knew she had to endure it. Otherwise, the harsh punishment could also be directed at her.

 

“Liote Lacinth.”

 

Ethan called Ruelli in a deep voice.

 

It wasn’t her name, but still she couldn’t bear the chill that rose to the top of her head.

 

“It’s illegal to manufacture or conduct sales of unauthorized medicines.”

 

Both of her legs were shaking and she couldn’t stand still. Ruelli dropped to the floor and knelt down.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The man who was screaming at her earlier was getting smaller into the distance. Meanwhile, Ruelli, who was lowering her head along the path where he disappeared, bit her lips tightly and stifled a painful breath.

 

“Ruelli!”

 

At that moment, she saw her father running towards her in the distance.

 

Ruelli, who was breathing precariously, stiffened like a statue at the moment her father called her name.

 

‘No, no, no.’

 

She lost the chance to be honest with her name. Ruelli couldn’t bear to look up at Ethan and bit her lower lip.

 

“Oh goodness, Ruelli.”

 

Fadenos rushed through the crowd and hugged Ruelli, without noticing Ethan and his knights that were standing there.

 

“What’s going on here, oh please……Ruelli.”

 

 

Ruelli’s face was pale but seemed to be safe regardless of the bleak scene. After confirming that Ruelli was safe, he noticed the men surrounding her.

 

“Be courteous.”

 

At O’Connell’s solemn voice, Fadenos quickly took off his hat and bowed his head.

 

“Young Master, this is Fadenos. Ruelli’s father.”

 

Ruelli couldn’t take it anymore, so she closed her eyes tightly. Her head was spinning.

 

Didn’t Ethan’s ruthless nature just come before her eyes? He would never forgive her for lying to him.

 

Ruelli, who gave up everything, lifted her wet eyes and glanced at Ethan.

 

Ethan didn’t speak, only thrusting his sword slowly.

 

When her gaze met his, Ruelli couldn’t stand the fear and bowed her head.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Ruelli knew it was a stupid idea, but she hoped Ethan would say something to her.

 

She wanted him to say that he would let the matter pass, or punish her for just deceiving him, anything at all.

 

Ethan, however, didn’t look at her as she sat on the floor and eventually walked out of the square.

 

“Ruelli, are you all right?”

 

“Father.”

 

Finally, the emotions she had suppressed burst. Ruelli wailed for a long time in Fadenos’s arms.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Fadenos cradled her head and patted her slowly on the back.

 

“Don’t say that.”

 

With the attraction gone, the people quickly lost interest and slowly began to scatter.

 

As Ruelli was held in her father’s arms, she finally understood what her father had been afraid of.

 

“Ruelli, it’s fine that you enjoy doing things, but I’m worried about you.”

 

“Why is that? You said it’s important to help people.”

 

“Where there is light, there is shadow. Sometimes it’s good to help, but sometimes it’s not.”

 

After crying for a while, Ruelli finally calmed down. She rubbed her reddened nose with the back of her hand and let out a soaked voice.

 

“Father, I want to go home.”

 

Fadenos nodded as he looked at Ruelli. From the murmur of people, he learned that Gauner was to be taken to a labor camp. However, the details of the situation were unknown.

 

“How did Gauner end up in this state?”

 

Gauner had no connection to Fadenos. He was short-tempered and foul-mouthed, but he wasn’t bad enough to be taken to the forced labor camp.

 

Fadenos tensed his lower jaw and helped Ruelli up.

 

“Let’s go, Ruelli.”

 

“I’m sorry, father. I should have listened to you.”

 

Ruelli was still trembling with anxiety.

 

Fadenos wrapped his hand around Ruelli’s shoulders.

 

“It’s all right now. Let’s go home and talk about the details.”

 

“I think I know how scary the dark can be. I will never act on my own again.”

 

Without saying a word, Fadenos swept Ruelli’s hair.

 

The stormy afternoon was drawing to a close.