Chapter 69

“Is a request like this even possible…?”

 

Nazlee lowered her head deeply. A tear dropped and soaked into her skirt.

 

“I love His Highness the Second Prince. But His Highness loves someone else.”

 

“…Lady Lilithia Baimery?”

 

Nazlee swallowed hard and nodded.

 

“I even had terrible thoughts—that if Lady Lilithia were gone, His Highness might look at me instead.”

 

She confessed through sobs.

 

“But that’s wrong, isn’t it? I shouldn’t be thinking things like that.”

 

Burying her face in her knees, Nazlee broke down in tears.

 

“Hic… but I loved him first.”

 

Seeing his daughter cry, the duke felt his breath catch in his chest.

 

“Nazlee.”

 

“Father… I don’t want to become a monster….”

 

“……”

 

“So please—so that His Highness the Second Prince can look at me—make it so Lady Lilithia can’t remain in the capital.”

 

Nazlee looked up at the duke with reddened eyes.

 

“If you truly can do anything for me… please.”

 

The duke’s body slumped into his chair. He could no longer bear to see his daughter in tears.

 

“I will do anything for you.”

 

He pulled Nazlee into his arms.

 

“If you told me you wanted to sit upon the emperor’s throne, I would start a war just to place you there. I am capable of that much—so do you really think I couldn’t keep Lilithia Baimery from ever setting foot in the Empire?”

 

Nazlee’s unsteady breathing gradually calmed in his embrace. The duke wiped the tears from her cheeks and spoke softly.

 

“So don’t cry. When you cry, my heart breaks. Please.”

 

“Father…”

 

Nazlee’s eyes gleamed brightly.

 

 

***

 

 

“…It’s so hot.”

 

My voice cracked from dryness, hot breath spilling out with each word.

 

‘Is it the fireplace?’

 

I wondered if too much firewood had been added, raising the room’s temperature. Feeling stifled, I slowly forced my eyes open.

 

The moment I did, dizziness washed over me like I was aboard a ship.

 

I struggled to look toward the fireplace, but only small flames flickered quietly.

 

“I’m dizzy.”

 

I squeezed my eyes shut again. From the tips of my hair to my toes, my whole body burned.

 

‘It was strange—being unwell without actual pain.’

 

There had been the accident during the Hunting Festival, and the healer had told me to rest properly. Perhaps the short walk and today’s events had finally taken their toll.

 

‘I really am weak.’

 

I’d thought the healer’s restriction on going out was excessive. I’d even suspected they might be incompetent.

 

‘I should’ve listened earlier.’

 

A hollow laugh escaped me. It was the moment I truly felt how dangerous exhaustion and mental stress could be.

 

Summoning all my strength, I yanked hard on the bell rope beside me, then collapsed back onto the bed.

 

Heat haze swam before my eyes. When I opened them, the room spun unbearably—like standing on the deck of a ship tossed by waves.

 

Bang—

 

The door opened, followed by heavy footsteps.

 

“…You came quickly.”

 

Enduring the dizziness, I opened my eyes. Light streamed in through the narrow gap. The light made Norman’s gray hair look almost silver. His face was blurred, as though shrouded in fog.

 

“…What? Norman.”

 

He murmured something, but the ringing in my ears drowned out his words.

 

“Ha…”

 

A deep sigh sounded. A cool hand rested on my forehead—trembling slightly.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

I grabbed his arm with one hand to reassure him. It felt heavy, as though weights were tied to my limbs, but I managed to pat his arm.

 

“I think I just overdid it today. If I rest a bit, I’ll be fine.”

 

“I see…”

 

“So don’t worry.”

 

He tightly held my hand. As I used up the last of my strength, my eyes slowly closed.

 

“…So don’t worry. Let me sleep a little longer, Norman.”

 

After reassuring him, I slipped back into sleep.

 

 

***

 

 

“Winnie. Are you alright?”

 

“…Yes. I’m fine.”

 

Norman gently comforted Winnie, whose eyes were swollen from crying.

 

“The young lady rang the bell earlier, but I think I was too late.”

 

“I’ll go check on her. You stay here and calm down.”

 

“No, I’m alright now. Let’s go together, Head Butler.”

 

Winnie stood up bravely. Just as they were about to head toward the young lady’s room—

 

Jingle—jingle—

 

The bell rope was pulled again and again, the bells ringing without pause. The sound echoed throughout the entire estate.

 

Winnie’s eyes widened.

 

“!”

 

Had it been a mistake to relax, thinking His Highness the Second Prince was with the young lady? Something was clearly wrong.

 

Without a word, Norman and Winnie rushed toward the bedroom.

 

“Miss! What’s wrong?”

 

“Miss!”

 

Inside, they found Freyer standing there, his expression heavy as lead. The bell rope was swinging violently from side to side.

 

“Your Highness, did you pull the bell rope?”

 

“Your Highness Freyer.”

 

Despite their calls, Freyer stared only at Lilithia. Norman and Winnie stepped closer to the bed and slowly blinked in shock.

 

On the bed lay the young lady, her face flushed red as she gasped for breath.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

When Norman raised his voice, Freyer slowly turned his head.

 

“Lilithia is sick.”

 

The hand holding Lilithia’s trembled violently. Winnie placed her hand on Lilithia’s forehead—then quickly pulled it back.

 

“She has a very high fever.”

 

“Winnie, prepare cold compresses. I’ll summon the healer.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Norman and Winnie moved in haste.

 

 

***

 

 

Lilithia’s breathing grew shallow and rapid. If Freyer hadn’t left briefly to confront Ophelia about her disgraceful behavior earlier, he might have noticed Lilithia’s condition sooner.

 

‘Please…’

 

Freyer tightly held Lilithia’s hand. At that moment, the healer and Norman rushed into the room.

 

“I’ll examine the patient first.”

 

The healer checked Lilithia’s pulse. Her fever was so high that heat rashes bloomed across her arms.

 

“…Ha.”

 

The healer let out a heavy sigh.

 

“What’s wrong?!”

 

The healer shot Norman a sharp glare.

 

“I believe I clearly warned you that this patient must not overexert herself.”

 

“You did…”

 

“Her mental and physical fatigue have accumulated beyond before, weakening her overall condition.”

 

Standing a step away, Freyer asked sharply,

 

“This is something she can recover from, isn’t it?”

 

“Of course. With sufficient rest, proper care, and medicine, she should recover quickly.”

 

Freyer clenched his teeth. If that red-haired woman hadn’t caused such a disturbance, Lilithia’s condition wouldn’t have worsened like this.

 

“Isn’t there a faster way to heal her?”

 

“Rest is the only answer.”

 

At those words, Freyer narrowed his eyes. He doubted the healer’s judgment.

 

‘A healer—not a priest or a mage.’

 

Perhaps the baron’s estate couldn’t afford the high costs of priests or mages.

 

‘She recovered instantly before after being treated by a priest.’

 

With servants caring for Lilithia, it seemed better to bring in a priest for another diagnosis. Freyer turned quickly to leave—

 

“If you’re thinking of calling a priest or a mage, that wouldn’t be a good choice.”

 

The healer saw straight through him. One of Freyer’s eyebrows lifted.

 

The healer glanced at Norman and asked carefully, “Hasn’t the patient collapsed often since childhood? And complained frequently of dizziness?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“And objects around her often break or shatter.”

 

Winnie, standing nearby, nodded.

 

“Yes. Even recently, things placed near the young lady tend to break…”

 

“What does that have to do with priests or mages?”

 

“I wasn’t entirely certain before, but now I am.”

 

After a pause, the healer spoke.

 

“The patient has a constitution that cannot discharge absorbed mana.”