The Duke observed me silently for a moment, his intense gaze piercing through me. In his eyes, I could discern a multitude of unspoken words and unexpressed emotions. I sensed that he was not yet ready to reveal all of this. Finally, he broke the silence and spoke with a calm but determined voice, "You have fulfilled your part. You may return to your family now."

A pang of despair coursed through me. There was no way I could just leave like this. Not only would it be revealed that I was still alive, but my magic would also be exposed. That had to be prevented at all costs. My voice trembled slightly as I replied, "But what about the other sick people? What about those who still need help?"

The Duke pondered my words for a moment, his expression indicating that he was considering it, but then he shook his head slightly. "We will manage the rest on our own. Your help is no longer needed."

Panic surged through my body. This was not part of the plan. I couldn't give up now. "But I can help them. I can heal them!" I retorted, my voice growing increasingly shaky.

The Duke seemed surprised by my persistent reaction. He silently scrutinized me for a moment as I fought inwardly for a chance. Finally, he said, "I will consider it. You may leave now."

Before I could say anything more, the door behind me already swung open. I was gently escorted out as I cast one last glance toward the Duke. Wolfram entered the room and closed the door behind him, and I stood in front of the closed door for a moment longer.

From Wolfram's perspective:

Hikaru's face was pale as a sheet when he returned from the audience with the Duke. I could sense that something must have happened. Curious and concerned at the same time, I wondered what he had discussed with His Grace. "Your Grace, may I speak openly?" I asked. He nodded solemnly.

"It was strange that Duke Aurelius agreed to the contract without further conditions," I began hesitantly. "It makes sense that he sent his illegitimate son... but there's something about it that seems peculiar."

"Go on," he urged.

"His powers..." I started, "I have never seen anything like it before. I know the Aurelius family is renowned as the most powerful healers, but the way he healed the young prince... it was as if he performed a miracle right before my eyes. Why would they provide us, whom they only have contempt and scorn for, with such a powerful healer?"

The Duke fell silent for a moment, and I could see that my words occupied his thoughts. His face displayed clear signs of contemplation as he finally replied, "Duke Aurelius is someone you can't blindly trust. Perhaps he sent his son as a spy to gather information about our weaknesses and plans. Furthermore, we still don't know who is behind the outbreak of the disease. We cannot rule out that all of this was planned well in advance." Mistrust tinged his voice as he uttered these words. I understood that the Duke had to be cautious.

"Find out everything about him," the Duke commanded, emphasizing his determination. "Assign an experienced knight to keep an eye on the healer. We must ensure that he poses no threat to us."

"Yes, Your Grace," I responded respectfully, bowing deeply. The task was of great significance, and I was ready to undertake it. I set off to gather more information about the enigmatic healer and find a knight whom we could entrust with the important duty of surveillance.

Again from Haru's perspective:

I found myself back in my chamber, still shocked from the conversation with the Duke. My thoughts revolved incessantly around the question of how I could convince him to keep me by his side. Perhaps I should tell him the truth and explain why I am indispensable to him. I had to quickly come up with a plan. With that thought in mind, I sent the nature spirits to gather information about the estate, the staff, the land, and the residents. Every little piece of information could help me find a way to convince the Duke that he needed me.

My heart was still racing with excitement as I imagined different scenarios in my mind. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door, and I startled. It was Ryota, accompanied by Isabella. "As promised, I am here to guide you through the estate," he said somewhat shyly and excitedly at the same time. I hadn't even thought about it amidst all my thoughts. "I'm glad," I replied, my voice still somewhat subdued.

Together, we began our tour through the corridors of the estate. Ryota explained the structure of the estate in detail and pointed out various rooms. After a while, we stopped in front of a huge family painting. "Those are the previous Duchess and the previous Duke Drakonov - my parents," he explained with a solemn and slightly saddened tone. My gaze examined the painting, and I could sense the sadness in Ryota's eyes.

Apparently, he noticed my sympathetic gaze because he added, "I didn't know them. They died when I was still a baby. So, I don't remember them." I felt compassion for him and his lost childhood. "My mother also died when I was a baby. I hardly know my parents," I replied understandingly.

Our shared experience created a bond between us. I began to realize that we both had grown up with the loss of our parents and yet had remained strong. Perhaps Ryota could help me establish a connection with the Duke and prove my indispensability.

As we continued through the magnificent rooms of the estate, a new determination sprouted within me. I would not give up and would do everything in my power to convince the Duke of my importance.

"Young Prince, Mr. Hikaru, it seems that lunch is already prepared. If you could continue your tour later, the Duke is surely awaiting your presence," Isabella said. I wondered how she knew that since she had been with us the whole time. We followed her into the dining hall, which was illuminated by large windows and a huge chandelier. A long table was lavishly set. The Duke was already seated at the head of the table. His face showed surprise when he saw me and Ryota entering together. Ryota bowed politely and then sat down to the right of the Duke. I also bowed and took my place across from Ryota. Wolfram entered with some servants who served the food.

But something was not right. I felt a threatening atmosphere. My gaze wandered nervously, and suddenly I realized that Ryota's food was poisoned. He had already lifted the fork to take a bite when I reflexively stood up and knocked the fork out of his hand. Immediately, swords were pointed at me, including the Duke's sword. "Explain what this means?!" he said angrily. "The food is poisoned," I replied calmly. A sudden silence filled the room, and shocked faces turned towards me. One of the kitchen servants stammered in horror, "That can't be possible, Your Highness." The Duke looked at me sternly and then at the servant. "If you are so sure, then you can take a bite," the Duke challenged him. The servant hesitantly took a bite. "See, I told you that everything is ..." His words were interrupted by a sudden fit of coughing. He curled up in pain and spat out blood. Immediately, I rushed to him and healed him with my powers. The onlookers were shocked by what had just happened.

The Duke let his anger run wild and ordered Wolfram to immediately summon the knights and bring all the kitchen staff and anyone who had come into contact with the food to the dungeons. He wanted to interrogate them promptly. The Duke's anger and disappointment were palpable because this assassination attempt could have had fatal consequences. It was evident that someone within the estate harbored treacherous intentions, and these had to be uncovered and stopped by any means necessary. The Duke was determined to hold the culprit accountable and restore the security of his house.

Ryota looked at me with surprise, his eyes widening in astonishment. "How did you know?" he asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice. I felt his curiosity rising and was ready to give him an explanation. "That's part of my special magic. As a healer, I have the ability to detect poison and perceive dangers," I explained calmly, while maintaining eye contact with him. The Duke watched us skeptically, not taking his attention off us.

Wolfram returned with a few knights to the hall, and in the midst of the tense atmosphere, Isabella tried to lighten the mood. "It's really beautiful weather today. How about I prepare something new for you and we serve it on the terrace?" she suggested, trying to redirect the focus to something more pleasant. Ryota was obviously still shocked by the incident, narrowly escaping the poison and witnessing the servant's suffering. I felt his tension beside me and decided to calm him.

I turned to Ryota and took his hand in mine. All eyes were on us as a bright light emanated from our joined hands. A fascinating hieroglyph-like symbol appeared on Ryota's palm and slowly faded away. Ryota stared at his hand, hardly believing his eyes. "What was that?" he asked, surprised and amazed at the same time.

I briefly considered how best to explain it. "This symbol will protect you from all evil that could harm you," I said. Isabella interrupted us in shock, "You don't mean a Holy Blessing, Mr. Hikaru, do you?" I nodded as I noticed the reactions of everyone in the room. Surprise and disbelief filled the air. Wolfram stepped forward and explained the meaning of this blessing, "A Holy Blessing is extremely powerful, Ryota. It safeguards its bearer from any kind of harm. Neither poison nor curses can harm him. The symbol lights up to warn the bearer of potential dangers or to repel attacks. It is a blessing of great rarity, and the last bestowal was over 100 years ago."

Perhaps this could convince the Duke to keep me here. I felt self-assured and determined as I spoke the words, "Your Highness, I can also bestow a blessing upon you." Before the Duke could react, the elf who had already been present at our previous meeting entered the room.

"Your Highness, we have gathered all the employees in the dungeon," he reported. The Duke nodded curtly and turned his gaze to me. "We will continue this conversation at a later time," he said, still slightly surprised by the events. It was clear that my proposal and the discovery of the poisoned food had stirred his thoughts.