Chapter 21
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Chapter 21
If she saw me in this ghastly state—looking like a specter myself—Amelia would surely faint.
"So if you want to see Amelia, stop by the mansion first and get treated."
"...Understood."
"Just hold on a little longer. We'll arrive at the Bellomen Duchy soon."
Claude stared intently at Lucella, whose firm tone quickly gave way to a worried expression.
"It seems the burden of endurance falls on the young lady, not me."
"What?"
Claude placed his hand over Lucella's, which rested on his lap. She trembled at the sudden contact.
"Your hands are freezing. Like ice."
"Ah..."
Only then did Lucella become aware of her own condition.
Not only was my entire body rigid with cold, but my arms felt as though they might dislocate from the unfamiliar labor of digging. My hands and feet were frozen, yet strangely, my insides burned. It felt as though my organs were being warmed from within.
Claude moved his hand from hers to her flushed cheek. Her skin was hot with fever.
"You seem to have a fever as well."
"..."
"It appears both of us would benefit from proper rest and care."
With those words, Claude fixed his gaze on the Physician sitting beside him. Only then did the Physician recall that Lucella had battled the cold through this late night.
Moreover, she had even removed her outer coat to give to Claude.
"Goodness, you're burning up."
I hadn't felt ill until the Physician's examination, but hearing his diagnosis somehow triggered a splitting headache. My body began to tremble as chills set in.
'I have to endure this. I need to tell Amelia about her uncle.'
I poured all my remaining strength into maintaining consciousness. Amelia was waiting for news of her uncle, and Claude was injured far more severely than I was. I couldn't collapse here.
"We've arrived!"
Thanks to the carriage's swift pace, we reached the Duke's Mansion in no time. Servants who had been waiting to greet us helped Lucella and Claude inside.
"Heavens, Miss! What on earth happened to you!"
Riley gasped in horror at the sight of her.
"You're burning up... Come inside at once!"
Riley wrapped a blanket tightly around her.
As Lucella was led away by the maids' hands as though under arrest, she suddenly stopped. The dizziness from her rising fever had overwhelmed her.
'I can't hold on anymore.'
Sensing her limit had been reached, Lucella forced out her words through a tight throat.
"Riley, go to the Büsnie Orphanage for me. As quickly as possible."
"What?"
"Bring a child named Amelia to the mansion. Tell her her uncle has come. She must be waiting..."
"What are you suddenly talking about! Oh my! Miss! Stay with me!"
Those were the last words Lucella spoke. With that brief request, she lost consciousness.
* * *
At the commotion outside, Amelia rose onto her tiptoes and peered out the window.
A carriage bearing the crest of the Bellomen Duchy stood before the orphanage.
Not today either.
Amelia's face darkened as she realized it wasn't her uncle. But she quickly shook her head, dispelling the thought that threatened to surface.
It's okay if it's not my uncle. I like Sister Lucella too.
I should go greet her warmly.
Amelia stepped out of the playroom, picturing the face of the only adult she could truly trust.
But the person who descended from the carriage was not Lucella.
The woman standing at the entrance was one of the adults who had come at Lucella's summons on the day the Orphanage Director and staff were dismissed. Heidi, emerging from the staff room, greeted her.
"Riley, what brings you here? Where has the young lady of Rilprey gone?"
"She's not feeling well, so I came in her place. She had a task for me."
In that instant, Amelia's heart sank.
Sister Lucella is ill?
Did she fall sick because I asked too much of her? Or is the orphanage work simply too exhausting?
As worry consumed Amelia and she bowed her head deeply, a voice cut through.
"Who is Amelia?"
At the sudden mention of her own name, Amelia lifted her head.
"The child over there is Amelia. Why?"
"The young lady asked me to bring a child named Amelia..."
Riley's eyes widened as she looked in the direction Heidi had indicated.
"She really does look exactly the same..."
"Huh? What are you suddenly talking about?"
Riley approached Amelia, leaving the bewildered Heidi behind.
"You're Amelia, right?"
"Yes."
Riley extended her hand to the nodding Amelia.
"Let's go see your uncle."
Amelia's head, which had been staring blankly at the offered hand, suddenly snapped up.
"Your uncle is waiting for you."
* * *
Amelia boarded the carriage of House of Bellomen without a moment's hesitation. Edwin and the children, awakened by the commotion, asked where she was going, but she had no mind to answer.
The carriage carrying Amelia moved swiftly and soon came to a halt before the Bellomen Duchy.
"This way," Riley said.
Amelia followed Riley out of the carriage.
After walking through interiors as grand as a palace itself, she arrived before a single door.
"Would you like to go in alone?"
Riley, understanding Amelia's situation, stepped aside.
Grateful for her consideration, Amelia stood before the door and took a deep breath. Beyond this threshold lay the uncle she had dreamed of meeting.
What if it's not my uncle?
If it's someone else, if the hope I've harbored crumbles away...
Amelia shook her head vigorously at the thought.
But this person was brought here by Sister Lucella herself, not just anyone.
So let me trust in this.
Lucella swallowed hard, her throat dry, and carefully knocked on the door. She planned to open it once she received permission from within.
But there was no sound from beyond the door.
'Why is there no sound at all?'
It was the moment Amelia was about to knock on the door again.
The door burst open!
The door swung open with a somewhat urgent sound effect.
As the door opened, what appeared were long, sturdy legs like an ancient tree. The owner of those legs had bandages wrapped around their right foot.
Amelia blinked several times, then lifted her head to gaze upward.
There was....
"Amelia."
...a face I had missed so terribly.
"Amelia, is it really you?"
"...."
There was so much I wanted to say upon seeing my uncle, but strangely my throat tightened and my voice wouldn't come out.
"...Uncle Claude."
Amelia forced the words out, putting all her strength into her voice.
"Amelia, my niece."
Eyes that resembled Father's twisted grotesquely. Claude, biting his lips, lifted the frozen Amelia up effortlessly.
"I'm sorry for coming so late."
"...."
"I missed you so much, Amelia. So very much."
"...*sob*."
Those words became the catalyst.
The Amelia who had been pretending to be a composed adult all this time was gone.
"*Sob*, *waaah*!"
Returning to being an ordinary seven-year-old, Amelia collapsed into Claude's embrace and released years of pent-up tears.
* * *
I couldn't tell how long I had been lying there.
I could only sense that considerable time had passed through the sound of the door opening intermittently and the sensation of the wet cloth on my forehead being changed.
"Aunt, you can't die! *Sob*!"
I often heard Lucian crying miserably.
I wanted to comfort him, to tell him that Aunt was fine, that I would never leave him by dying, but I couldn't move my body. My body was as limp as a water-soaked sponge, so even opening my eyes was difficult.
I fell asleep and woke up dozens of times. How much longer did I lie there after that?
"Miss, are you regaining consciousness?"
As I lifted my heavy eyelids, I saw Riley's face filled with worry.
"Riley...?"
"Yes, it's me. You seem to be doing better now."
"Mm."
As I moved my sluggish body, I suddenly remembered someone and immediately threw off the blanket.
"That's right. What about Amelia?"
"Sigh. The moment you open your eyes, you're asking for Miss Amelia."
Riley shook her head as if to say there was nothing she could do about it.
Miss Amelia. I realized through the change in how Riley addressed her that they had met.
"So they've found each other."
"Yes. You've met the Marquess of House Agris. He's currently staying at the Bellomen Mansion with her."
"Thank goodness...."
I exhaled a breath of relief. I was truly grateful that the two of them had been able to reunite safely.
"They embraced each other with tears streaming down their faces, and even watching them, my eyes grew hot. All the servants watching them were crying too.... I almost cried myself, I tell you."
As Riley recalled that moment and grew teary-eyed, she soon excused herself to fetch the physician. Before long, the House of Bellomen's physician came to see me.
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