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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Gynophobia
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Camilla blinked, her face looking somewhat dazed.
"So... you mean you're afraid of women?"
Roselia asked cautiously, watching Camilla.
Her eyes still held doubt, as if she couldn't comprehend my condition at all.
This was exactly why I'd been so reluctant to speak up.
If it had been something like acrophobia or claustrophobia, there wouldn't have been much need to hide it.
But a fear of physical contact with women? How trivial would that sound? I'd always kept it buried deep inside, knowing full well I'd be mocked.
"Isn't that something boys usually go through?"
As expected, she saw it as a joke.
Roselia's lips curved in a mocking smile, a light laugh escaping her.
Even that smile felt beautiful, making me think once again how unfair her looks were.
Looking at her now, she seemed prettier than most heroines— even more than my favorite princess character.
"Has it been that way since you were born?"
Roselia asked carefully once more.
In truth, it was a condition carried over from my past life, but I couldn't exactly confess that.
"It developed while I was growing up at the orphanage..."
In the end, I chose to hide the truth and appeal to Roselia's sympathy instead.
Perhaps because of that, her gaze softened a little.
"I have... a lot of bad memories related to the director."
The director had been utterly useless in life. Might as well make use of her now.
If it was trauma from abuse, the shame felt a bit less crushing.
"...I see."
Did my sympathy ploy work? The smile slowly faded from Roselia's lips.
After a moment of deep silence, her red eyes fixed on me again.
"It's a mother's duty to heal her daughter's trauma."
"Huh?"
"Any trait unfit for the Rahel Tani family must be erased."
Her fingertip pointed at me.
"At least it's not androphobia. Thanks to that, I can help you like this."
"Help me?"
"Fear exists to be overcome. Let's conquer it together, my daughter."
Her unexpected words left me flustered.
Was she really planning to treat my phobia? If so, unfortunately, it seemed impossible.
This wasn't just some acquired trauma—it was closer to an innate nature.
"First, let's practice with a head pat."
Roselia's hand slowly approached my head.
My body began to tremble reflexively at the shadow of her fingers creeping in like darkness.
But her hand stopped just before my head. It didn't actually touch, merely mimicking a gentle stroke.
"...?"
Puzzled, I cautiously lifted my head. Roselia withdrew her hand with a serene smile.
"See? Nothing to it."
"...Pardon?"
I tilted my head, unable to grasp her intentions.
"...I'll head inside first."
Camilla, who had been watching us from the side, rose quietly from her seat.
"Already?"
"Yes, class is starting soon."
"I see. Then let's go in together."
Roselia stood, following Camilla, and tidied up the area.
In that settling atmosphere, Camilla's gaze brushed past me for a brief moment.
Her eyes were still emotionless, but they somehow seemed offended.
※
Sunset faded, and a heavy night settled over the mansion.
The room was filled only with cold night breeze and the faint glow of moonlight.
"...This is weird."
Lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, I murmured softly.
I replayed yesterday's and today's events one by one.
Bathing together and chatting about this and that. Picnicking in a sunlit field with tea and snacks.
No matter how I thought about it, these were things that didn't fit a villainous family.
They seemed more like something from a harmonious household.
"...Family."
I wondered if real family days would have been like this.
Laughing over simple tea, stacking even meaningless moments into cherished memories.
"...Get a grip."
I shook my head, swallowing the emotion rising in my chest.
Hadn't I learned enough from one life about the emptiness of lacking family?
I didn't want to invest my heart in such futile bonds again.
And hadn't I vowed to myself countless times after reincarnating?
That I'd make it on my own without family.
I'd succeed somehow and mock the parents who abandoned me to my face.
Even if I received help from someone, I'd repay the favor twofold.
I'd prove to the world I could achieve something with my own strength.
And Roselia's kindness toward me had a clear reason from the start.
It wasn't because she saw me as family.
It was the efficacy of my herbs.
She firmly believed only my herbs could heal her, and that's why she showed me this favor.
If it weren't for these herbs, would someone like Roselia have ever spared me a glance?
Without my divine power, I wouldn't have existed in her world from the beginning.
Probably dismissed as less meaningful than a passing bug.
So, it was wise to keep in mind that she'd discard me once I outlived my usefulness.
"I can do it alone."
I clenched my fists, reaffirming my resolve.
Suddenly, a knock came from the door.
Maybe Sierra? But the knock was softer than hers.
"...Come in?"
Before I finished speaking, the door opened.
And from beyond the threshold appeared someone I never expected.
"...Camilla?"
"You."
Her eyes held not a single spark of light.
She approached with light steps and looked up at me from the foot of the bed, opening her mouth.
"What did you do?"
Her voice was neither low nor high, dried of all emotion.
"What do you mean?"
"Picnic, bath. None of that ever happened before you came."
Her gaze pierced me deeply.
It was so intense, it felt like she was monitoring every breath I took.
"Mother's changed."
She seemed convinced Roselia's change stemmed from me.
"All I did was help the Countess fall asleep."
Camilla's eyes widened. It was the first time I'd seen them tremble like that.
"...You put Mother to sleep?"
"Yeah."
"How?"
Was it that shocking that Roselia had slept?
Come to think of it.
They'd called in many physicians, but none could cure her insomnia, or so I'd heard.
"My herbs seemed to help."
"Herbs? When no magic worked, just herbs?"
Her expression showed clear disbelief. It wasn't unreasonable.
Herbs usually just aided sleep at best; they didn't cure insomnia.
Unless rare ingredients were involved, something like silver flower herb wouldn't cut it.
"Want to try it? It's great for bedtime."
I got off the bed and headed to the magic tool in one corner of the room.
It was the item from that con artist before. The temperature control function seemed useful, so I'd kept it.
I took out a bundle of herbs from the magic tool and handed it to Camilla.
"This... made Mother sleep?"
"Yeah. Give it a try."
Camilla eyed the herbs suspiciously.
Soon, she tucked them into her pocket and turned her cold gaze back to me.
"And don't cause any more trouble from now on."
"...Yeah. I'll try."
Camilla watched me without a word.
I couldn't fathom what thoughts hid in those darkly sunken eyes.
But fortunately, she left the room soon after.
As she crossed the threshold, she paused, turned back, and said curtly,
"And I'm not a child."
"Huh?"
"I'm far more capable than you."
With that, she opened the door and left without lingering.
I stared blankly at where she'd been, then lay back on the bed and muttered,
"...I already knew that."
That you were far more capable than someone like me.
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