The Duchess sat on the edge of the bed, putting her hand over Ilya's.
"... Your past?" The woman asked as she began massaging the lady's knuckle with her thumb.
Truth be told, the Duchess was present during the assessment of the Memory Sphere. Of course, Marquis Benedict and Count Schatten also were. Together with the Chief Justice and the other judges, they were the very first group to have gone through Ilya's memories.
As for the Commander of the Eight Order, he became sentient of the sensitivity of the topic. Hence, he took his leave without informing the rest of his companions. Ilya did notice the Commander, but chose not to hold him up. She simply bowed her head inconspicuously and muttered a gratitude in her thoughts.
"I won't bother you with the details. But if you want to talk about it, I'll be here."
The Duchess' words motivated Ilya to speak. She beheld the purest of compassion on the woman's eyes, making her confused in the slightest.
"I promise, once the situation has calmed down, I will tell you my story, Duchess Simargl.'
"Nanny, please call me nanny."
Ilya crooked her head to the side, "... Nanny? I'll call the Duchess my nanny? But isn't that-"
"I'll allow it. You didn't have one right?"
The Lady lowered her head, letting out a soft moan of affirmation.
Even before time had reverted, Ilya didn't have someone to take care of her. She did become a noble, but she didn't trust someone enough to leave her personal needs to them. She grew up without anyone's help, and that lasted until her death.
Ilya's eyes were attracted by the Duchess' hand that warmly hugged hers. She couldn't utter a word. She didn't even know what to say. She just stared at their joined hands with a callous gaze.
"Do you not want to call me by that endearment? I won't force you to."
"Yes, Duchess. I will think about your offer."
"That's good enough. I will be waiting, alright?"
The Lady nodded her head slowly. The Duchess patted her head a few times before standing up. The woman then sat at the seat that the Commander vacated.
A whole minute of quietude came to pass inside the room. The four people were each doing their own thinking when the door was opened.
Four pairs of inquisitive eyes landed on the door, causing the interrupter to be bound on the doorway.
"Why did you enter without informing the maids prior?" Duchess Simargl asked, her voice velvety but stern.
The Countess immediately bowed her head and whispered an apology in repeat. Shortly after, the sound of several footsteps resounded from the corridor. One of the maids pulled pleaded for the Countess to step out for a bit while another addressed the issue to the Countess.
"Your Grace, we apologize. The Countess suddenly ran out of the guest room without our knowledge."
"I won't pardon you if this happens next time. Let her enter."
"Yes, Your Grace."
The maid bowed once more and took her leave. The Countess soon entered the room, her limbs shaking unbeknownst to anyone.
"I greet the Duchess of Simargl, the Marquis of Benedict, and the Count of Schatten."
The Duchess stood up and approached the Countess. She stopped a short distance away from the Orelia before responding, "I believe you're forgetting someone, Countess Hamlin."
"If-" The Countess clamped down her lips and debated on speaking up.
In the end, she decided on doing so. Her pride impacted her will, forcing her to set aside her reasoning.
"If I may be presumptuous, Your Grace, that woman hasn't undergone the Bestowal Ceremony yet. A dead person has no title."
Duchess Simargl became indignant at Countess Hamlin's rejoinder. However, she controlled her impulse to lambaste the woman. The Duchess took a deep breath as she stuffed her hands into fists.
"Raise your head, Countess. You believe that you're done with your greetings. Am I right?"
Just as the Countess lifted her head, the Duchess' palm landed heavily on her cheek. The pain rattled Countess Hamlin's skull and she blanked out for a brief while. The metallic taste of blood inside her mouth brought her back to her senses.
There was also a line of blood on her face, and it soon drew a few droplets that rolled down her cheek.
"How audacious must you be to be able to utter those words? You're not in the place to use the law to your favor, Countess Orelia Hamlin. One of these days, I might let my mouth slip and reveal all of your foolishness to the world."
As one would expect, the Countess had no retort for the Duchess. Teed off by the prolonged absentmindedness of the Countess, Duchess Simargl turned around and went back to her seat.
Seeing that the Countess had no plans of moving, Ilya gave the Marquis a look. The man understood her intentions right away. He rose to his feet and grabbed the Countess' arm, but with a lighter grip this time. He guided her towards the bed and urged her to take a seat.
"Countess Hamlin, please lend me your face for a moment."
The Countess hurriedly backed away upon hearing Ilya. She knelt on the ground and covered her face with both of her hands.
Ilya descended from her bed once more and went closer to the woman. She got down on her knees and lifted the Countess' face carefully with her hand. Countess Hamlin trembled at her touch, making her want to crawl away. Withal, Marquis Benedict blocked her path from behind.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you." Ilya reassured the woman, "Please stay still."
Ilya put the tip of her forefinger just below the wound on the Countess' face.
"Mica vindecare"
The Countess' eyes twitched as she felt the dullest of sting on her cheek. She brought her hand to her face and tardily tried to find traces of the wound. But she didn't find anything.
She looked at Ilya straight in the eye, and breathlessly she asked, "Did you just heal me?"