The Saintess Became the Northern Grand Duke’s Daughter - Chapter 34

If it was the usual Olivia, she would never do anything that could be blamed by others. She always followed the rules and set an example for ladies.

 

But…!

 

Olivia looked down at the Marquis of Nersa and said.

 

“Let go of your hand. Unless you want to face the wrath of the Duke of Windsor-Ice, which is colder than the winter wind.”

 

“…!”

 

Nersa flinched at the furious look of Olivia she hadn’t seen before, and relaxed her hand.

 

After shaking off Nersa’s hand, Olivia strode out of the prayer room.

 

She cried as she came outside in the bright sunlight.

 

“Where is the carriage!”

 

 

No matter how urgent Olivia was, she never moved fast. For it was a very rude act.

 

However, Olivia ordered the coachman to return to the mansion as quickly as possible.

 

The carriage started running towards the mansion at lightning speed.

 

Sitting inside the carriage, Olivia bit her lip.

 

‘Where and how much did you get hurt, Liriette?’

 

There wasn’t much danger in the mansion, but a child could get hurt at any time.

 

They could get burned by touching something hot out of curiosity, or they could fall from a high place.

 

‘Perhaps, a situation so serious that her life is in danger…’

 

It wasn’t something impossible to the extent she, who was attending the prayer ceremony, was called. Olivia’s face turned pale.

 

After a while, a carriage arrived at the mansion. Before the coachman could open the door, Olivia burst open the door.

 

And to her surprise, Liriette was standing in front of her.

 

Olivia opened her eyes and looked at Liriette. Her pupils moved quickly, scanning her from head to toe.

 

There wasn’t a single wound visible on her small, delicate body.

 

Liriette said to Olivia, who was taken aback.

 

“I’m sorry, Grandma. I lied. I wasn’t hurt in the slightest.”

 

“…!”

 

At that moment, the young emotion in Olivia’s eyes wasn’t anger at the lie, but deep relief.

 

Liriette, who had been staring blankly at Olivia, soon came to her senses and continued her words.

 

“Mello is gone.”

 

Olivia’s face contorted again, having briefly regained her composure.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Liriette explained the situation to Olivia.

 

She realized that Mello, whom she was napping with, has disappeared.

 

“I’ve been looking around the mansion as well as inside the mansion, but I can’t find it. What should we do?”

 

“…”

 

Olivia desperately held on to her flying soul.

 

Mello has been kidnapped. When it was a curious pup, she lost it several times.

 

So Olivia fitted a device in case of Mello’s disappearance.

 

Olivia took a green jewel from her bosom and cast a spell. Then she saw a long light leak from the jewel and pointed somewhere.

 

“If we follow the light, there will be Mello.”

 

To be precise, the green jewel on Mello’s leash.

 

It was a magic stone that could detect the location of the matching jewel.

 

It was one of the treasures passed down from the Duke of Windsor-Ice.

 

Would one put something like that on a dog? If people found out, it would be really ridiculous to criticize.

 

But at this moment, Olivia thought she was lucky to have a magic stone attached to Mello.

 

Both of them ran in the direction of the light.

 

A remote and dark place out of reach of those who manage the mansion.

 

Beneath the lush greenery lay a small, pure white Mello.

 

Without any sign.

 

As if dead.

 

“Mello!”

 

Olivia covered her mouth, her face pale. Liriette hurriedly approached Mello and placed her ear against its tiny body.

 

“It’s fine. Its heart is still beating.”

 

Oooh, my God.

 

Tears formed in Olivia’s eyes.

 

“But it’s not in good shape. It can’t even open its eyes and its breathing is feeble. Please call the veterinarian.”

 

At Liriette’s words, Olivia urgently called the veterinarian.

 

Until the veterinarian arrived, Liriette continued to touch Mello’s motionless body.

 

Please wake up, Mello.

 

After a while, the veterinarian arrived. He examined Mello with a stethoscope and said with a dark face.

 

“The sound of its heart is too weak. It doesn’t even have any energy. I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be strange if it stopped breathing right away.”

 

Olivia was speechless at the shocking words. Liriette, who was standing next to her, also held onto Olivia’s hem with a pale face.

 

Olivia said in a low voice.

 

“Mello has had heart attack several times, but it has always survived. It will definitely be like that this time too.”

 

The veterinarian shook his shoulder at the terrifyingly cold eyes.

 

But he said with a cautious face.

 

“I’ve heard of dogs went missing and then were found. They were found in an obscure place.”

 

Olivia was sure. After Mello was mistreated by someone, it was abandoned out of sight.

 

That’s why its condition deteriorated like that.

 

However, what the doctor said next was completely different from what she expected.

 

“Even if they’re raised by humans, dogs retain their wild nature. So does this dog. Knowing that its life was over, it hid itself. It doesn’t want its natural enemy to see it die.”

 

“…!”

 

“No doctor, no matter how skillful, can heal an animal that has died… It won’t be able to last a few hours, so please be prepared.”

 

The doctor bowed and left the room.

 

Olivia looked blankly at the spot where the doctor had left, then she moved towards Mello.

 

Mello was breathing irregularly, its feeble breath barely noticeable unless she got close to it.

 

Olivia stroked the tiny body with her trembling hands.

 

“Mello.”

 

“…”

 

“Mello.”

 

“…”

 

No matter how many times she called its name, Mello didn’t open its eyes. Nor did it even wag its tail.

 

Tears began to form in her eyes.

 

She knew Mello was old. The fact that its life isn’t long now.

 

But…

 

“Not now, Mello. I’m not ready to let you go yet.”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t die, don’t die, please…”

 

There were still many things she wanted to do.

 

Taking Mello for a walk in the garden of their favorite mansion, taking a nap in the sun, whispering words of love…

 

Drop.

 

Olivia’s tears began to fall over its little body.

 

The noblest woman in the north, collapsed like a child.

 

Seeing Olivia sobbing without making a sound, Liriette grabbed her chest.

 

‘My heart hurts.’

 

She knew for the first time how the sorrow of others could hurt her heart.

 

After a while, Liriette approached Olivia and said.

 

“Grandma. Could you let me stay with Mello for a moment?”

 

“…?”

 

Olivia furrowed her eyebrows with her tear-stained face.

 

Mello was in a state where no one could know when he would run out of breath. For her to leave such Mello was a word that could neither be understood nor tolerated.

 

But it was strange.

 

The moment she saw Liriette’s light blue eyes, she knew that she would have to follow her words.

 

Thus, instead of asking why, Olivia nodded her head. She looked at Mello several times before leaving the room.

 

Only the two of them were left in the room, Liriette and Mello.

 

Looking at Mello lying dead, Liriet turned over in her arms and took out a small knife.

 

When she first came to Windsor-Ice Castle, she used to heal the Duke.

 

‘I took it with me in case there was an unexpected situation, but I tried not to use this knife as much as possible.’

 

To be precise, she didn’t want to use divine power. Because she was afraid of revealing this power to anyone.

 

But now, that resolution has been broken.

 

As Liriette placed the knife on her finger with a stern look on her face, she began to see bright red blood dripping from her.

 

Liriette brought the bloodied finger to Mello’s mouth.

 

‘Mello is so weak that it can’t respond to external stimuli. Can it drink my blood?’

 

Surprisingly, Mello started sniffing at her.

 

Even in the face of death, it reacted as if it had smelled a sweet scent.

 

Mello stuck out its tongue and licked Liriette’s fingers.

 

***

 

Olivia stood with her back straight in front of the door.

 

At first glance, she looked like a noble lady, but upon closer inspection, everything was unsettling.

 

A pale, bloodless face. Red eyes with tears. Fingers trembling restlessly.

 

How much time has passed like that, she wondered.

 

Click, the door opened.

 

In the meantime, Liriette came out holding Mello in her arms.

 

Surprisingly, Mello, who had just lost consciousness and was breathing thinly, opened its eyes.

 

Although it still looked weak, its obsidian-like round eyes twinkled. Most of all, its little tail waggled pleasantly.

 

As if it had been given life again.