“Why, professor?!”

Lucas said with a shocked voice. He was a little disappointed that everything was much different from what he expected. But seeing Raquel's expression, he immediately calmed down before asking the old man in a weak voice.

“Doctor, can you explain to me why you can't help me?”

Raquel turned to Lear for a moment, then sighed and walked over to the sofa filled with piles of papers. He swept away the pile of papers with his hand and sat down with a serious expression on his face.

“Because I have already stamped this young lady’s health certificate.”

As soon as Lucas and Lear heard this, they were shocked by what they heard, especially Lear.

“Excuse me, professor— you said you had already stamped my health certificate. What do you mean?"

Lear asked Raquel in a nervous tone staring at him with very curious eyes. Raquel was also staring at Lear too. He underestimated her for a moment before speaking up.

"Looks like you don't remember me, right?"

"Yes?"

“Two weeks ago, I was invited by Draven to help assess your physical and mental health and issue a stamped health certificate. Then examined your body and mind and found that you were sick and had a mental state of insanity. So, I have already stamped on your health certificate…”

Lear was shocked at what she had just known. She had no idea that Dr. Raquel was the one who issued the document himself. She indeed was a lunatic, but now she's not.

“Then why can't you stamp my health certificate again? You can see that I'm not crazy now…”

At this moment, Lear felt that her emotional regulating glands were starting to function abnormally because of her equanimity that was before it began to disappear.

“Because in the health certificate documents that are submitted to the court process, the same doctor cannot certify the document to prevent unfair judgments.”

Lucas repaid his doctor's teacher with a serious expression on his face. If so, the only way to solve this problem would be to find another Master Doctor to stamp it instead, but...

“So the only way to counter Draven's request right now is to get another professor doctor to stamp it instead?”

Lear muttered with a thoughtful expression. She had never imagined that every step of hers would have obstacles waiting in every patch of grass. But no matter what, she only had to overcome it.

“It can't!!!”

Lucas suddenly objected to what Lear thought. This caused Lear to be shocked at Lucas's expression.

“Why?”

“If you do that the professor will…”

He just stopped there. Then he made a pained expression before turning his gaze away. This caused Lear to be puzzled. After that, he turned his gaze to Raquel instead.

Raquel knew what his disciple was thinking. He walked over to Lucas, patting him on the shoulder lightly, and said in a gentle tone.

"It's okay Luke- If it has to be like that, then let it be.”

Then he turned toward Lear with gentle eyes before speaking to her.

“You don't have to worry. Even if I can't seal it for you but I'll recommend another professor doctor to stamp it for you instead. Don't worry…”

Finished speaking, he calmly walked over to take Lear's health certificate that Lucas had prepared on the table.

“Professor!!”

Lucas tried to stop Raquel with a pale face. But it couldn't because Raquel had already kept that document. Lucas's expression made Lear very curious, it had doubted her.

‘Why is Dr. Lucas acting like that?’

While Lear thought that to ask a question to clear her doubt. Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door and a young man's voice sounded through the door.

“Sorry, Professor. The afternoon seminar is about to begin.”

“Um— I will follow.”

"Yes sir"

At the end of the word, Lear heard footsteps walking away. When she turned toward Raquel and Lucas, she saw Raquel preparing some papers in an old leather bag, which she guessed he was leaving for the seminar. So, she thought it might be time for her to leave.

“Don't worry about your document. I'll arrange it within today. Maybe after the seminar ends in about three hours. Can you wait?”

"It's okay, I can wait. I've already disturbed the professor a lot."

"It's okay, it's my responsibility."

Raquel said that and he immediately left the room. Left Lear and Lucas just the two of them in a messy office. When she turned to Lucas, she still saw that he had a worried expression on his face, so she spoke.

“Dr. Lucas. I think we should leave first."

Lucas was drowning in his thoughts. When hearing Lear's voice, he was slightly startled before smiling at her.

“Yes, then let's go. I know many cafes around here.”

He spoke, but his eyes were still worried. Lear was noticeable but she pretended not to see before following him out.

'Let's ask him later.'

----------

Lear and Lucas decide to walk to the café instead of riding in a carriage. Because Lear wanted to explore the commercial district of Zeros, that described in the novel as the busiest. Moreover, it is a popular district and an important economic center of Arbane.

Even so, she could feel Lucas's anxiety well. Although she enjoyed the sights of the streets adorned with interesting shops, she was also worried about Lucas too. However, Lear couldn't help him because she didn't know what Lucas was worried about. So she turned her attention to the bustling atmosphere in front of her instead.

Luckily Lear was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a mesh covering her face. This made her could express her facial expression without hiding it.

After walking for a while, Lucas brought Lear to a stop at a café. She looked up at the café's nameplate that reads the big 'Maron Sweet'. She surveyed the store from the outside, marveling at how big and luxurious it was.

'Hmm— there are so many people, so this restaurant is sure to be delicious.'

Lear thought to herself before following Lucas into the store.

Before entering the cafe, Lear was bumped by someone until she staggered backward. Lucky to have Lucas around her, otherwise she had fallen.

“Ah- I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't even look."

The tone of the opponent's voice made Lear speculate that he was a young man.

"Never mind because it was my fault for not looking the way.”

When Lear raised her head to look at the other side. Her eyes widened in shock at his handsomeness. Light bronze hair and brilliant emerald eyes made his personality look warm and masculine like a second male lead in the novel.

'Wait!! a second male lead!'

Suddenly, Lear seemed to remember something. And when she carefully observed and scrutinized the man in front of her, her brain felt as though it had discovered something.

'He is...!! Esh Boris, a second male lead in the novel!!'

As soon as she found out who the man in front of her was. There were so many different feelings that had no source flowing in her heart that she could barely breathe. She didn't know if these feelings were hers or that of the old Lear, but she did know that Esh Boris was the one involved in the pathetic end of Lear Cabares, the villainess of the novel.

Based on the storyline of the novel read by Lear, Esh Boris closed with Phenia, who helped Phenia with everything because he had been secretly in love with Phenia for a long time. But knowing that Phenia was in love with Draven, he sacrificed himself and backed away and keep Phenia from a distance.

When Phenia was sad or suffering something, she always came to Esh to unburden and talk. In fiction, Phenia often outlined the relationship between her and Esh as a sibling because Esh was three years older than Phenia.

Esh often visited Phenia at the Cabares manor, under the pretext of being Phenia's brother. Draven didn't even suspect that this Esh was secretly in love with his lover, Phenia. And it was Esh that was the key to Lear's life that led to the exile from the manor and going insane.

Lear breathed more and more forcefully as she tried to pull the netting cloth over her face so that Esh could not see her face. Lucas noticed her unusual posture.

“Miss. Lee…”

Before Lucas could say her name. Lucas seemed to sense her trembling hands that holding his arm tightly, so he tightened his embrace and turned to Esh instead.

“I'm sorry, but my lover was just a little shocked. You don't have to worry. I'll take care of her myself."

Lear's face flushed red when she heard Lucas' word. But she couldn't do anything until she had to pretend to be his lover like he said before that.

"But you're definitely okay, right? I'm really sorry.”

It seems that Esh was still worried. According to the story of the author, his character is gentle, kind, and compassionate...but those for Phenia, not Lear.

Thinking of this, Lear could only clench her fists. Why did the villainess have to go through such cruel things? And why does the heroine have only lovers? Can't a villainess like you have someone who loves you?

"Never mind I'll take care of myself. We'll leave first."

Lucas cut the lines in a polite tone before walking towards the store hand in hand with Lear. Without turning his attention to Esh, who was stared following them with a worried look in his eyes.

Seeing that the other party seemed normal and didn't want his responsibility. Esh walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

When could through the awkward situation, Lear let out a sigh of relief.

“Sigh- Damn it, the world is round.”

“Miss Liar— What's the matter? Your expression doesn't look good at all.”

Lucas said in a worried tone. He took Lear and sat at a table in the café, choosing a table on the second floor at the end, next to the balcony that looked the most private.

“I'm fine. Thank you very much, Dr. Lucas.”

“But is that young man your acquaintance or not?”

Hearing that question from Lucas, Lear paused before answering in a low voice.

“A- a little bit….um- Should we order food better? I'm always hungry.”

Lear immediately changed the subject because she wasn't ready to be questioned much. And Lucas seemed to have a talent for reading her mind because he just nodded and did as she was told without asking her a word.

When ordering food and drinks Lear turned to look at the scenery below with a relaxed expression. The aroma of sweets and tea pervades the shop causing all the emotions that had happened before that to gradually alleviate. But even then, she still had some things that fascinate her, and she have to find the answers to them.

Lear turned to Lucas who was sitting across from her with serious eyes before asking him in an equally serious tone.

“But Dr. Lucas- Can I ask you one thing?"

Lucas looked at Lear with a surprised expression.

"Hum?"

“Why at that time did you forbid me to give my health certificate to another professor Doctor to stamp instead of Professor Raquel?”

Upon hearing Lear's question, Lucas's expression immediately changed. His eyes rippled with concern until Lear could read the feelings.

She didn't know why he made that face. But she would soon hear that answer from his mouth.

To be continued...