Chapter 248: Hermione Doesn’t Like Ceres

An awkward silence followed as the three girls walked through the Estate corridors.

Their footsteps echoed softly over the floor.

Ceres continued ahead, one hand brushing the wall whenever the lingering weakness in her body made her unsteady. Esther walked near her with open curiosity. Hermione remained slightly behind them, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Hermione was upset.

She did not fully understand why.

If she had tried to explain it, she might have said that Ceres was an unnecessary addition. The three sisters had only just returned to the Estate. They had only just repaired things with Ulrich. Everything still felt fragile.

And now there was another girl.

Another witch.

A girl Ulrich had apparently known for some time.

A girl he had hidden from them.

That part bothered Hermione the most.

Why had Ulrich never told them about Ceres?

If she was important enough for him to keep safely in a mansion in New Ruben, then why had he kept her separate from them? Why had he given her resources, protection, and attention without ever mentioning her name?

Hermione’s expression darkened.

Esther, on the other hand, did not seem upset at all.

If anything, she was curious.

She glanced toward Ceres.

"Um... your name is Ceres?"

Ceres nodded.

"Yes."

Esther smiled faintly.

"How did you meet Lord Ulrich?"

Ceres slowed slightly.

A small smile appeared on her lips.

The memory was clear in her mind.

It felt almost like something from a fairy tale.

She remembered the beasts.

The fear.

The Thornbreath Curse drawing creatures toward her and Mark until they were surrounded. She remembered being overwhelmed. She remembered believing that there was nowhere left to run.

Then Ulrich had appeared.

He had saved them.

And the moment she remembered most clearly was when she fell from the cliff.

The rush of wind.

The terror.

The certainty that she was going to die.

Then Ulrich had jumped after her.

Without hesitation.

He had caught her in his arms before they struck the water.

Ceres could remember every second of it.

The strength of his hold.

The way he protected her through the fall.

The feeling of safety she had not known she could feel beside another person.

"He saved my life," Ceres said quietly.

Esther’s eyes brightened.

"Oh! Lord Ulrich saved us too."

She giggled softly.

Ceres glanced toward her.

"It is strange, isn’t it?" she asked. "Count Rubenhart saving witches."

"A little," Esther admitted.

Her expression became thoughtful.

"I was scared of him at first. But then I understood that Lord Ulrich is kind."

She smiled.

"He is caring too."

Ceres nodded.

"Yes."

Her voice was softer now.

"The Count is good."

She remembered the time he had spent treating her Thornbreath Curse. Ulrich had taken time from his own duties to examine her condition, research the curse, and stop it whenever it threatened to consume her.

He had never treated her like a monster.

He had never looked at her with disgust.

He had been careful and patient.

Strangely gentle when she needed him to be.

Ceres knew what kind of person Ulrich was.

Not because he spoke kindly.

He rarely did.

But because he helped people even when he did not need to.

"Why did Ulrich save you?" Hermione asked with a sharper tone.

Ceres turned slightly.

Hermione’s ruby eyes remained narrowed.

"Fabian told us you were staying in a mansion in New Ruben," Hermione continued. "You had servants, resources, protection. He made sure you had somewhere safe to live."

Her arms tightened across her chest.

"What does Ulrich gain from that?"

Esther looked toward Hermione.

Ceres fell silent.

It was a fair question.

Hermione understood Ulrich better than most people did. At least, she understood the version of him who first took the sisters in. He had not adopted them from simple kindness. He had seen their potential. He had known that the daughters of Anna-Maria carried extraordinary magic.

At first, Ulrich must have expected something from them.

Only later, after two years, had their relationship changed.

Only later had he begun treating them like something precious.

So Hermione wondered what Ceres was to him.

What did he see in her?

Why had he taken her in?

Why had he protected her?

Ceres thought about it.

Then she shook her head.

"The Count saved me," she said. "I do not think he had a reason."

Hermione’s eyes narrowed further.

Ceres continued.

"He has been kind to me from the beginning. He wanted to help."

A small smile appeared on her face.

She truly did not know why Ulrich had gone so far for her.

Ceres carried the Thornbreath Curse.

She had elven blood.

Both facts could have made her dangerous. Both facts could have made her valuable to the wrong people. Ulrich could have sold her, used her, imprisoned her, or simply abandoned her.

Instead, he had protected her.

He had given Mark and her a place to live.

He had treated her curse.

He had continued helping her even when the Thornbreath put him at risk.

"Y—You are lying," Hermione said.

Ceres looked at her.

"I am not."

"The Count does not do things without a reason."

"He helps me because he wants to," Ceres replied.

Her tone remained calm.

But a faint smirk curled her lips when she saw Hermione’s expression.

Then Ceres added, almost thoughtfully, "Perhaps he had a reason to take you."

Hermione stiffened.

"But I do not think he needed anything from me when he saved me."

The smirk remained.

"He did not need to protect me."

Hermione’s glare could have burned holes through stone.

"There is no way that is true," she muttered.

She refused to believe it.

Ulrich doing something purely benevolent?

For a witch?

It was impossible.

There had to be a reason.

There always was.

He must have seen something valuable in Ceres. Some use for her strange magic or whatever other secret she carried.

But Hermione could not identify it.

And the most irritating part was that Ceres herself seemed not to know either.

Hermione took a slow breath.

She needed to calm down.

There was no point arguing with Ceres in the corridor. If Ulrich truly had a reason for protecting her, Hermione would ask him directly. She would not let Ceres’s calm answers and faint smiles provoke her into saying something foolish.

So she remained silent.

The three girls continued through the Estate.

Eventually, they reached Ulrich’s room.

Hermione stepped forward first.

"Wait."

She raised her hand and knocked against the door.

A moment later, Monika’s voice came from inside.

"Who is it?"

Hermione smiled faintly.

Then she opened the door.

"Lady Hermione?"

Monika blinked in surprise.

Hermione, Esther, and Ceres looked into the room.

Ulrich sat upright against the headboard, looking more awake than earlier. He still appeared tired, and the fresh bandages around his left arm and chest remained visible beneath his loose shirt, but the color had returned slightly to his face.

Monika stood beside him.

She had just handed Ulrich a glass of water, which he took in his right hand.

Ulrich glanced toward the doorway.

His eyes moved from Hermione to Esther.

Then to Ceres.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Ulrich looked back at Monika.

"How is she?"

Monika understood immediately.

"Oh."

She straightened slightly.

"She is asleep at the moment, my lord. She has been given food, fresh clothing, and medicine. The healers checked her condition as well."

Ulrich listened.

"Her Veins have been sealed, as you instructed," Monika continued. "She is guarded, but she has not caused any trouble."

She was speaking of Shana.

The witch had been moved from the underground cell into a guarded room after agreeing to serve House Rubenhart. Her body had been cleaned. Her injuries had been treated. But her mana remained carefully suppressed until Ulrich decided she could be trusted.

Ulrich nodded.

"Continue taking care of her."

"Yes, my lord."

Monika lowered her gaze.

Then Ulrich added, "You are doing well."

Monika froze.

Her eyes widened.

For a moment, she looked as though she had not heard correctly.

Then a bright smile appeared on her face.

"Thank you, my lord."

She bowed deeply.

The praise clearly meant more to her than Ulrich expected.

Before leaving, Monika glanced toward Hermione, Esther, and Ceres.

"Do not bother the Count too much," she whispered.

Hermione gave a small shrug.

Then she entered the room, followed by Esther and Ceres.

The door closed behind them.

"My lord, how are you feeling?"

Ceres stepped forward immediately.

Ulrich looked at her.

"Well enough."

Then his gaze shifted toward Hermione and Esther.

"Leave us."

Hermione blinked.

"What?"

Ulrich’s expression did not change.

"I need to speak with her alone."

The room went quiet.

Ceres’s face brightened.

A wide smile appeared on her lips.

Hermione stared at Ulrich.

Then at Ceres.

Then back at Ulrich.

Her expression slowly twisted.

"Hmph."

She caught Esther’s hand.

"Come on, Esther."

Esther looked uncertain.

"But—"

"Come on. Looks like the Count Rubenhart needs to speak with his new witch alone."

Hermione said and pulled her toward the door.

Esther looked back at Ulrich and Ceres once before allowing Hermione to lead her out.

Hermione opened the door.

Then she shut it behind them with slightly more force than necessary.