My Second Engagement: Loved by the Duke’s Son and Thanked for My Healing Magic ~ My Selfish Sister Took My Fiancé, but Gave Him Back Because She Didn’t Want Him Anymore~ - Episode 26

“How about we have a meal at Mr. Bettom’s restaurant after this?”

“Yes! I was getting hungry, so that would be great. Today, I’ll pay for it.”

The other day, I received a reward from His Majesty the King.

I run the healing facility for free, not for money.

However, since more people have recovered and become healthier, the kingdom has become more active.

Because of that, I received a reward equal to a noble’s yearly salary.

It’s enough to buy a house…

“That reward belongs to you personally, Reina. Anyway, let’s hurry.”

I want to thank Lord Julite for giving me a place where I belong.

And this money exists thanks to the efforts of the patients who recovered at the healing facility. I want to spend it as much as possible at the shops and places connected to those who came to the healing facility.

What should I use it for?

After cleaning up the healing facility, we quickly got into the carriage.

When we arrived at Mr. Bettom’s restaurant, there was already one carriage parked.

There was enough space for our carriage, so we parked next to it.

The horses were playfully nudging each other. It was cute.

Inside the restaurant, there were only two customers.

And they were people we knew well.

“Mr. Julite? Lady Reina!?”

“As expected, it was you, Maria.”

Princess Maria greeted us with a smile.

She seemed to be dining alone.

“Oh my, Lord Julite and Lady Reina as well. In that case, let’s make this a private gathering.”

Without waiting for our response, Mr. Bettom removed the sign outside and locked the door.

“Now we can relax.”

“Are you sure about this?”

I asked because he had already closed the restaurant for us many times.

“Yes, around this time, even our regulars rarely come in.”

“Mr. Bettom, you don’t look well. Are you feeling alright?”

Since I interact with patients at the healing facility often, I’ve learned to tell how someone is feeling just by their complexion.

I asked him out of concern, but he smiled at me.

“Thank you for your concern! Yesterday, I had to deal with a troublesome group of customers, so I didn’t get much sleep… but I’ll be fine.”

“You haven’t seemed very energetic since earlier. Maybe you should take the day off?”

“In that case, we’ll leave as well.”

“No, no, there’s no need for that. I’ve already closed the restaurant, and since you’re acquaintances, I feel at ease. Please wait for your meal.”

Healing magic glows when activated, so I can’t use it secretly.

Mr. Bettom is a serious person, so he probably wouldn’t visit the healing facility just because of sleep deprivation.

I hope he’ll be okay…

He only starts cooking once orders come in, so he was preparing food alone in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, we drank and chatted at our seats, keeping an eye on him.

“When I introduced Mr. Bettom’s cooking to my father, he came here to eat.”

“Your uncle has been so lively ever since he recovered from his illness.”

“It’s all thanks to Lady Re… I mean, to you, Reina. We’re truly grateful.”

Everyone was so kind and kept praising me.

But all I did was heal them. The achievements after that were their own.

Still, I was happy to see that the people of Gress-grace Kingdom were becoming more energetic.

I’ll continue using healing magic to help as many people as possible.

“We’re also planning to invite Mr. Bettom to the royal palace soon.”

Among the royal family, Mr. Bettom’s cooking skills are highly praised.

But I heard he only does this as a hobby. If he gets busier, will he be alright?

“He’ll be teaching the royal palace chefs how to cook Japanese-style dishes and where to get the ingredients. This way, we can enjoy Japanese food at the palace too.”

“He already taught the chefs at the duke’s estate. The head chef struggled a lot, so he plans to come here for more lessons.”

“I hope Mr. Bettom takes care of his health.”

Princess Maria looked really worried.

But more importantly…

Something was off. The kitchen had gone completely silent.

I could still hear the bubbling sound of cooking and smell the delicious aroma, but there were no footsteps or other sounds from Mr. Bettom.

Then suddenly—

BANG!

A loud noise came from the kitchen.

“No way… Mr. Bettom!?”

Princess Maria turned pale and ran toward the kitchen.

Even though she was in elegant, luxurious clothing meant for going out, she didn’t hesitate.

Lord Julite and I quickly followed after her.

“Ahhhhhhh! Mr. Bettom!!!”

By the time we heard Maria’s scream, we were already there.

Mr. Bettom had collapsed on the floor, where oil and bits of food were scattered.

Princess Maria was desperately trying to wake him up.

“Maria, please step aside for a moment.”

“Reina…”

I immediately checked his pulse beside her.

He was still alive.

If I used healing magic, I might be able to save him.

I usually avoid using healing magic in front of people outside the duke’s household or certain individuals.

But this was an emergency.

I didn’t care anymore.

Just as I was about to cast the spell—

“Please, Reina! No, Lady Relele… Please save Mr. Bettom!”

“What!?”

“You kept it a secret, I know… but please…”

Before, when I received the reward from the king, I heard about Princess Maria.

I never told her I was Relele, so how did she know?

It was strange, but healing him was more important right now.

“Thank you!!”

“Heal!”

I placed my hand near Mr. Bettom’s chest and activated the healing spell.

The light gathered around his head.

That meant the cause was in his brain.

“Ugh…”

“Thank goodness… Thank goodness!”

Maria burst into tears and hugged him.

Her expensive clothes were now dirty.

She must have been really worried.

“My body doesn’t feel heavy anymore… What happened?”

Mr. Bettom sat up, looking confused.

Even if I kept it a secret, he’d be left wondering.

“Can I tell him?”

“I think it’s fine. He’s trustworthy.”

Lord Julite reassured me, so I decided to be honest.

“I used healing magic.”

“What!? Then… the one running the healing facility is you, Lady Reina?”

“I’m sorry for keeping it a secret. I had to hide my identity for safety reasons.”

“I see… Thank you so much for saving me! I promise to keep this secret.”

I finally felt relieved—

But then, a burning smell came from the next room.

“Oh no! The fire is still on…”

It happened in an instant.

The fire suddenly flared up, swirling into flames.

The oil must have caught fire.

As I stared at the flames, my whole body started trembling.

I was frozen.

It wasn’t just fire.

The thought of a spreading fire terrified me.

My past trauma came rushing back, and I couldn’t move.