Chapter 11
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#11.
Arkid laid Rhoena on the bed and asked, "Did the lady have any chronic illnesses?"
"Pardon? Oh, no... She was always in perfect health...."
Hannah spoke haltingly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Arkid, having carried Rhoena here and broken into a sweat, spoke methodically.
"She was having difficulty breathing, so I administered emergency treatment... but she needs a proper diagnosis from the Physician...."
"Ahhh! Miss!"
Vivian, who had gone to change the bedding, let out a shriek upon seeing Rhoena writhing in discomfort.
She hastily set down the water pitcher on the table and rushed to the bed to examine Rhoena.
"H-how did this happen...."
"She collapsed suddenly, so I'm not entirely sure...."
Arkid was just beginning to furrow his brow when the Physician's lips parted.
"Where is the patient?"
The Physician opened the door and entered, immediately attending to Rhoena's condition.
Arkid exhaled in relief at the Physician's timely arrival, then collapsed into a nearby chair.
'Thank goodness.'
Only then did Hannah, having finally composed herself, notice Arkid's state and gasped again.
"Young Master, your shoe...."
"Ah."
Arkid glanced down at his feet upon Hannah's words and let out a groan.
He was wearing only one shoe—he'd lost the other somewhere.
'Was I really in such a panic?'
A wry smile crossed Arkid's face at his own unbecoming conduct.
One must not run, no matter how alarmed.
Never let your expression betray emotion.
Do not walk with a hunched back like a common street urchin.
These were the words Marquis Lorke had drummed into him relentlessly during his tutoring years.
And with them came subtle insults—that as a bastard, he lacked the bearing of true nobility.
He had lived carefully all this time, yet Rhoena's collapse had stripped away his carefully maintained composure.
When Arkid fell silent, Hannah cautiously spoke.
"I shall fetch another pair of shoes."
"Yes."
Arkid nodded as he splashed water on his face, and Hannah quickly disappeared.
Moments later, the Physician finished his examination and spoke.
"Fortunately, thanks to your prompt emergency treatment, her life has been saved."
"What caused her to collapse so suddenly?"
"It appears... to be an allergic reaction."
"What?"
Arkid blinked at the mention of an allergic reaction, and Vivian, standing nearby, spoke.
Arkid blinked at the mention of an allergic reaction. Vivian, who was standing beside him, then spoke.
"That can't be right. Our young lady has never had such an ailment...."
"However, these symptoms indicate acute allergic shock."
As the Physician answered with certainty, Vivian muttered in bewilderment.
"How strange. When she was at Count April's Estate, she moved about freely even during seasonal transitions...."
"Did she perhaps visit a place with heavy pollen in the air today?"
Vivian responded to the Physician's question.
"Ah, she went to the Seed Farm to see the seeds. But our young lady doesn't have pollen allergies?"
I paused at Vivian's words—that she had been fine at Count April's Estate and that she ordinarily had no pollen allergies.
'Could it be....'
In that instant, I recalled Rhoena laughing brightly in the Delus Flower Field.
Her cheeks had been unusually flushed, as though she were having a wonderful time.
"It appears her immune system has weakened since arriving in Hadelus Territory. I shall prescribe a tonic for her recovery."
Just as the Physician was about to withdraw, I rose from my chair and asked.
"Are there Delus flowers at Count April's Estate?"
At my abrupt question, Vivian blinked in confusion.
"Delus flowers at the warm Count April's Estate? That's impossible. We all saw them for the first time upon arriving here."
Vivian frowned, her expression clearly indicating she knew nothing of the matter.
I pondered her words before asking the Physician.
"Did Rhoena exhibit similar symptoms around this time last year?"
"Well, I would need to check the records...."
Just as the Physician was about to dismiss the question with a careless tone, Vivian clapped her hands.
"Ah! That's right—our young lady fell ill like this last year too."
"...."
"It seemed milder then... but her cheeks were just as flushed as they are now."
Vivian trembled slightly as she gazed at Rhoena with sympathy.
She appeared to be reproaching herself for not properly monitoring her mistress's condition.
I bit my lower lip firmly and asked.
"Was it the day she went out with Mother and returned alone?"
"Gasp—how did you know? The young lady made me promise to keep it secret...."
Vivian's eyes widened in shock as her words tumbled out.
Then I washed my face with my hands and spoke to the Physician.
"It's because of the Delus flowers."
"Pardon?"
The Physician looked back as though I were speaking nonsense, and I answered coldly.
"She collapsed in the Delus Flower Field."
"But why...."
"If there had been no Delus flowers at Count April's Estate, we would never have known she had a Delus flower allergy."
"Ah."
Only then did the Physician recognize the oversight and let out an exclamation.
I seized the Physician's arm, displeased with his careless attitude.
"If you'd made a similar diagnosis back then, shouldn't you have conducted a thorough examination at least once?"
"At the time, it seemed minor, and allergies are notoriously difficult to pinpoint the cause of...."
The Physician sweated profusely, at a loss for words.
Arkid felt a flicker of anger at the Physician's negligent attitude.
I had always been acutely aware of my position within Hadelus Castle.
The moment the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess showed open indifference, the servants followed suit without hesitation.
I had grown accustomed to bearing that indifference. If anything, receiving attention felt uncomfortable and awkward.
But I never imagined Rhoena would be treated with such neglect.
'No. It was my mistake to expect her to be treated well, unlike me, simply because she's my wife.'
I let out a self-deprecating laugh.
They were so incompetent they couldn't even attend carefully to the young mistress's health.
Without realizing it, I clenched my fists.
'Just accept me as I am.'
Rhoena's words came back to me—spoken with that bright smile. I had thought I understood her well.
Proud, arrogant, utterly disrespectful to her elders—I had deemed her beyond redemption.
So I had made it my business to restrain her, focusing only on the bare minimum duties of a husband.
'Perhaps she didn't want it discovered that she had a Delus Flower allergy, given that she was to become the Grand Duchess.'
The Rhoena I knew would certainly be capable of that.
Rather than expose her weakness, she would have deliberately misbehaved and ruined things instead.
I sighed inwardly. I felt contemptible for failing to recognize her childish actions.
Of course, I didn't realize I was equally young.
'Youth' was no excuse when the position of Hadelus heir had always weighed heavily upon me.
Unaware of my own anger, I spoke sharply to the Physician.
"This matter won't be swept aside."
Then I kicked open the door and left. I intended to go straight to my father.
"Y-Your Highness...!"
As the Physician, flustered, tried to follow me, Vivian held him back.
"We're in the middle of treatment! Where are you going!"
* * *
My entire body tingled. When I opened my eyes cautiously, I found myself in my room. My body had been numb and prickly, but now it felt fine.
My head still felt heavy, but my condition wasn't terrible.
If anything, I felt refreshed after sweating it out. Then a familiar herbal scent reached my nose.
'Oh, I can smell again?'
My ears, which had felt muffled, now picked up even the small sounds of servants moving about.
'Wow, I thought I was dying.'
My body trembled at the sensation of all five senses being paralyzed—something I'd never experienced before.
Gripped by sudden fear, I tried to clench and unclench my hands, but one felt heavy. As if someone were holding it.
I slowly turned my head to the side and saw black hair.
"Arkid?"
At my startled words, he flinched. A moment later, his clouded gray eyes fixed upon me.
Unlike his usual clear and bright gaze, his eyes appeared somewhat hollow.
He looked like someone who had spent a long time nursing another back to health.
'What's this? Have I been lying here for quite a while?'
Arkid blinked drowsily, as if not fully awake yet.
Seeing the sunlight streaming down behind his back, it appeared to be morning. Arkid bathed in that golden light was nothing short of ethereal.
'Ah, could this place actually be heaven? And Arkid is the angel who came to greet me?'
My heart couldn't help but race at the sight of Arkid just waking up in the morning.
What fortune—to be granted the privilege of witnessing Arkid's face fresh from sleep, without any warning.
If opportunities like this came often, I wouldn't complain even if I fainted a hundred times, Lord.
Just as my fantasies were beginning to bloom, I suddenly realized that Arkid had spent the entire night in my room.
Arkid had nursed me through the night. Compared to when he used to bristle like a hedgehog, this was remarkable progress.
'My excuses must have worked rather well.'
I forgot all about my illness and couldn't hide my joy. I was so pleased to be acknowledged that I even greeted him brightly.
"Good morning. Um, it is morning, isn't it?"
"!!"
Only then did Arkid snap to attention, hastily sitting upright.
The hand he had been holding naturally slipped away, and I clenched and unclenched my fist in disappointment.
"Are you all right?"
At Arkid's concerned question, I nodded quietly.
"Is there anywhere that hurts?"
Well, my heart aches.
Because Arkid is far too handsome.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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