One Day My Sister Died - chapter 33

**Chapter 33: The Second Sun of Yufrees**

Yuan stepped back a few paces and saw a small building attached like a lump on the far left of the mansion.

“No, I’ve only been to the eastern annex where we had the party last time. In fact, I haven’t even explored the main building fully…”

“That western annex used to be Claude’s hideout.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“This mansion was originally a retreat for the late Emperor and his wife. That space over there was his, and afterwards, Apollini grew up there…”

Lancelott’s voice suddenly trailed off.

Yuan turned her gaze from the small, dark building to look up at him.

For a brief moment, the despairing light in her face was quickly replaced with a bright facade.

As she blinked in surprise at the sudden change, Lancelot smiled at her as if to say he had never done that.

Yuan discreetly shifted the topic.

“I saw a dog living in that annex from a distance.”

“That dog is one Claude picked up and raised when he was a child.”

“Did he really do that? Ah.”

Yuan hastily covered her mouth with her hand, surprised by her own honesty. The dark expression on Lancelot’s face disappeared completely.

“Yes, Claude was quite cute and kind when he was little.”

“I thought it was a dog raised by the servants. I’ve never heard him mention or look for the dog. Did he grow to dislike dogs after being so young?”

Lancelot stared at the western annex for a while before whispering softly.

“…If he didn’t like it, he wouldn’t keep it, right?”

His tone sounded somewhat lonely, prompting Yuan to look up at Lancelot, who was adjusting his clothes for a while.

“I’ve been talking too much. It’d be nice to have conversations more often. I see now why Claude has become so talkative.”

Lancelot elegantly bowed his head in greeting. Yuan returned the gesture while quietly observing his gaze lingering on the western annex and then back to her.

“I’ll be waiting to hear that Claude has come out soon.”

After Lancelot left, Yuan watched her figure disappear on horseback before turning her attention to the western annex.

She scrutinized the small annex Lancelot had mentioned, along with the hurried steps of the servants.

And then…

– Whoosh!

Of course, her gaze fell automatically upon the curtains of the second-floor bedroom that closed when she looked at them.

It seemed that Lancelot had given her a significant hint.

If she wanted to bring Claude outside, she needed to figure out where to poke around.

Yuan kept her hands modestly clasped in front of her and stared intently through the gap in the curtains.

***

Meanwhile, at the Felice Mansion.

More than six massive four-wheeled carriages had already turned back empty-handed from the entrance.

Among them, a few particularly extravagant carriages pushed into the mansion entrance and eventually met Count Felice.

“The efficacy has noticeably decreased; do you even intend to take responsibility?”

“There are essential herbs I need to obtain, but it will take a long time to gather them.”

“How much money have you been given in the meantime? What can’t be solved with money? It’s already been a month. At this point, the common headache remedies aren’t even working!”

Princess Celetina shouted with a shrill voice.

In reality, the headache medicine was doing its job.

Yuan was not there to immediately alleviate the pain, so she merely thought the effects had worn off.

“I will prescribe more than the usual dosage. If you take it and close your eyes to sleep…”

“Hey, Count Felice.”

Princess Celetina raised her sharp eyes and crossed her arms.

Her husband was a close aide to the Emperor, so Count Felice folded his hands politely.

“I acknowledge that Felice’s medicine works better than others. If I didn’t have that, I would have stopped trading long ago! But I can’t drink the same medicine that Felice sells to others; it’s a bit special, don’t you think?”

“You are absolutely right, Princess.”

“I’m a VIP. Because I’m a special guest, I paid a lot of money. I might as well have built two pillars of this mansion.”

“Of course, madam.”

“What I expect from Felice is more than just medicine that works a little better than others, do you understand?”

***

Count Felice, who looked pale as if all energy had been drained from him—yet still had his chin folded in three layers—barely managed to soothe and send off the special guests before heading to his laboratory.

As soon as he opened the door, he paused for a moment at the sight of the mess and then shouted energetically.

“Frederick—!!”

In the already stagnated laboratory, where no one could be trusted, a demon had made a mess, grinning with a “What do I do now?” smile.

At the sudden commotion, Regina ran up to the laboratory.

As expected, the foolish Frederick had been caught sneaking in and out of the laboratory again.

“Frederick, you muscle-brained idiot! How many times do I have to tell you that doing nothing is helping your father?”

“But didn’t you tell me to catch these beasts, Father?”

“Catching them to just throw them in the stable! Who told you to bring them to the laboratory?!”

Frederick had brought two wild dogs into the laboratory.

The two wild dogs, covered in ink, were making a mess all over the laboratory floor and the sofa. One was limping, and the other was missing an eye.

“Father, what do you intend to do with these wild dogs you brought here?”

At Regina’s sudden interjection, the Count flinched, and Frederick yanked the leashes of the wild dogs he had caught.

“I told you to bring them because they would all be useful!”

“Father, you’re not planning to experiment on those dogs, are you?”

Count Felice was taken aback and looked at his daughter.

With her eyes narrowed, Regina scanned the central table of the laboratory piled with various medicines and the desk where he worked.

“Get out, both of you!”

After hastily sending out Frederick, who was screaming in indignation, and Regina, who did not hide her suspicious gaze, the Count closed the door and wiped his cold sweat.

Since Yuan left, Count Felice’s business had been rapidly heading downhill.

Having returned to the family in middle age after a long absence, he could not oversee everything regarding the family affairs.

Without Yuan, the greatest strength of Felice and the knowledge she possessed, he was no different from a lost wanderer.

In contrast to Yuan’s precise medicine formulation ability, which he could recite flawlessly, Count Felice had to painstakingly go through each book even for the simple methods of making medicine.

Moreover, all of Felice’s unique formulations were stored in Yuan’s mind.

The methods had been developed by continuously researching and advancing existing techniques, with the formulations in Yuan’s mind being the optimal combinations they discovered while working together.

Previously, he had injured himself and then had Yuan absorb the pain.

Yuan treated it and had developed the formulation.

Conducting direct experiments on humans required the Emperor’s permission, so it had to be done secretly, which was why he had chosen this method.

However, the Count’s research had stagnated without Yuan to alleviate the pain. Thus, he was left with no choice but to collect ownerless animals for experimentation.

“Why the hell is that brat Yuan sticking to that monster, the abandoned prince? If he were here, he could at least help the family prosper. It’s like he’s clinging to worthless trash, committing a disgraceful act!”

Frederick was too foolish to help him; instead, he would only ruin things. Regina was greedy and shrewd, with a good eye for objects, but it was impossible for her to produce academic achievements that would shine Garette Felice at the Academy.

“If only that brat were here, we wouldn’t be in this miserable state!”

He needed something more, something that could firmly bind that brat and pull him up.

If that had been Louise in the past, then after that brat’s death, something else would be needed.

He had to do anything for his poor and foolish nephew, who didn’t even know he was heading toward his own demise, clinging to the dark mansion.

“Ugh! Everyone’s so stupid!”

*Yelp!*

“Ugh! This damn…!”

Garette Felice kicked one of the wild dogs in anger, and the nearby dog bit his leg hard.

“Ow! Yuan! Yuan, hurry, hurry…!”

Habitually looking for Yuan to alleviate his pain, the Count rang the bell to summon a servant with a red face.

If only Yuan were here, this pain would be nothing at all.

“Damn it! Yuan Felice!!”

All this suffering was because of Yuan, who had left home.

***

While the servants rushed in to help their master, Regina, who was downstairs, had to hear her father’s voice calling for Yuan Felice.

Standing in front of her mother, Priscilla, who was sitting in the parlor with her nails in the care of maids, Regina began to complain.

“I really can’t tell who my father’s daughter is anymore.”

“What’s wrong this time, Regina?”

“It’s because he keeps calling Yuan’s name. Didn’t you see that girl act like we don’t exist at the last party, Mom?”

“What an ungrateful girl.”

Priscilla remarked without any hesitation.

However, even if Yuan pretended to know her, the discomfort was mutual, so Priscilla lost interest there.

The cold atmosphere between the mother and daughter brightened significantly shortly after that.

“What’s this?”

The butler suddenly brought a large, extravagant box into the parlor.

Amid the sudden commotion, Count Felice, who had just finished treating his wild dog bite, came down as well.

Ultimately, the whole family gathered around as the box was opened, revealing a dress that was as red and luscious as blood.

Regina couldn’t take her eyes off the luxury box, which even contained perfectly matched shoes and gloves.

“Where on earth did this come from?”

At that moment, a man, half the height of an average person, who had been hidden behind the butler, bowed slightly. Without further ado, the small man held up a finger and reported in a low voice,

“This is a secret gift sent by the Second Sun of Yufrees.”

The Second Sun of Yufrees! This meant it was sent by Crown Prince Bolonico.

“To whom?”