Episode 16
“Miss?”
I was deeply immersed in contemplating a problem that seemed unsolvable no matter how much I thought about it when I heard Lia calling me.
“Yeah?”
I turned my head to look at her and replied.
“Why are you going to the Blighton Duchy again? Uh… Is everything okay?”
With a mix of concern and curiosity in her eyes, Lia asked me.
Not only nobles but also people from the entire empire avoided and shunned the Blighton family, so Lia was no exception. However, despite her continued anxiety, she persistently stayed by my side, loyal to her role as my maid.
“Yeah, it’s okay. And Lia, I have something to tell you. I’m going to marry Lord Lloydin Blighton.”
“What? You’re marrying Lord Lloydin Blighton?”
“Yeah, that’s what’s happening.”
Therefore, it was somewhat natural for me to discuss the decisions I had made and the future with Lia, who was my maid and had been faithfully accompanying me.
“But, Miss…”
“I’ll soon become the mistress of the Blighton family, and I’ll be staying there from now on. However, Lia, there’s no need for you to follow me just because you’ve served me until now.”
“…What?”
Lia seemed shocked by my words, staring at me as if she had seen a ghost.
“I’ll never force you. I’ll let you work somewhere else starting from tomorrow, no longer as my maid.”
No matter how much the Blighton family claimed to be safe, it wasn’t easy to calm down the inherent distrust and anxiety.
‘I’ll gradually change things.’
I could have just told Lia to follow me, not explaining the real nature of the Blighton family, just like I did yesterday. However, I didn’t want that. Lia was as dear to me as family. Therefore, I didn’t want to force her to follow me against her will, even if it meant giving her an order.
“So, just accompany me until today. I’m sorry, Lia.”
I apologized to Lia, smiling faintly with a sense of remorse.
However, as she silently listened to me, tears suddenly welled up in Lia’s eyes.
“How can you say that?”
“Lia?”
“It’s not like that.”
Lia’s voice was soaked with moisture and trembling.
“I, I’m… I’m just scared that something might go wrong because you’re not feeling well.”
“What?”
“Why are you trying to separate me? Even if you tell me not to come, I’ll follow you wherever you go. I’ll stick by your side. So please don’t ever think of such things.”
Lia, with a tearful yet resolute voice, expressed her strong determination.
Seeing her like that, Lia’s feelings were vividly conveyed, and my eyes gradually turned red.
“Lia, do you remember what I told you yesterday?”
I managed to calm my throbbing heart due to the overwhelming emotions and opened my mouth.
“When I said that Lord Lloydin Blighton might not make me unwell but could actually make me better.”
“Oh, I remember.”
“That’s true.”
“What?”
Just like yesterday, Lia looked at me with puzzled eyes, seemingly unable to comprehend my words.
“He can cure my illness.”
“H-how? Is that really true?”
“Yes, it’s true. Lord Lloydin Blighton has magical powers within him. That magic can cure my illness.”
“Ah… Is Lady’s illness really going to be cured? Is my dream finally coming true?”
“What?”
“Your recovery has been my lifelong dream. But now, finally realizing that dream, I feel so happy that I could fly to the sky!”
Fortunately, we were in the carriage now. If we were outside, Lia might have really jumped and bounced as if she could fly.
Another person here had the dream that Lady’s illness would be cured, along with my second brother. Oh.
How am I so loved by so many people?
Mother, father, brothers, and even Lia.
This overwhelming emotion that can’t be grasped, seen, or even guessed at, how can I possibly repay these feelings?
“Lia.”
I stood up in the carriage and tightly embraced Lia, who was sitting across from me.
“Lady, please don’t worry anymore. I’ll take care of you even more diligently than I have been until now!”
“Thank you, really, thank you.”
After that, we discussed how we would spend our time in the Blighton Duchy in the future.
* * *
A little later, the carriage arrived at the Blighton Duchy.
Just like yesterday, Lloydin was there to greet me as I was about to get off the carriage.
“Lord.”
“Lady.”
We looked at each other for a moment.
But his face looked much paler than yesterday.
“This is not the time to waste like this.”
I grabbed his outstretched hand and quickly got off the carriage.
In the urgent situation, I couldn’t fully feel the strength he was exerting into my hand that flowed into me.
“Where is Lord Blighton now? Let’s go quickly.”
“I understand. Follow me.”
“Yes. Lia, wait here. I’ll be back after finishing the work.”
“Alright, Lady.”
We immediately entered the mansion.
But I kept feeling a surge of power, and when I checked, I realized that I had been holding onto his hand since I got off the carriage just now.
Maybe due to both of us being distracted, I had forgotten to let go of his hand.
“Um, Lord.”
When I cautiously called out to him, he stopped in his tracks and looked at me.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Well…”
As I spoke, I lowered my gaze.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
With a realization on his face, Lloydin quickly stepped away from me.
Feeling a bit disappointed, I awkwardly smiled.
“Let’s go now.”
“Yes, this way.”
Climbing the stairs and passing through the second-floor corridor, we arrived in front of a room.
Thinking we were about to enter, I tried to move forward, but Lloydin blocked my way.
“Before we go inside, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“The situation inside is too serious, so I’ve tied the child with a rope. So…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, but I understood what he meant.
He must have informed me in advance in case I was shocked by Ian’s condition.
“Okay. Let’s go in quickly then.”
After Lloydin nodded, he carefully opened the door.
With a creaking sound, as soon as the door opened, screams that were not heard from outside echoed loudly inside the room.
“Aaah!”
It was Ian’s screams, writhing in pain on the bed.
“Aaah! Ah!”
“Oh…”
Seeing the child screaming in agony while being pinned to the bed, even though Lloydin had warned me, the sight itself was too shocking.
“Ian!”
Lloydin hurriedly approached the bedside.
Instead of following him, I stood near the door and stared at the scene with a blank expression.
My feet were rooted to the ground.
“Ian! Snap out of it! You can’t lose consciousness!”
Lloydin, who I thought would act calmly no matter what happened, desperately held onto his brother.
“Ian!”
“Aaah!”
Whether he couldn’t hear his older brother’s voice or not, Ian began to convulse even more severely than before.
“Lady!”
When Lloydin called me, I finally regained my senses and rushed to their side.
“Here, this is the medicine.”
I took a small bottle from my pocket and selected one pill from several identical ones.
“Noah mentioned that you should crush the medicine and mix it with water before administering it. That way, the absorption will be faster, and the effect of the medicine will manifest quickly.”
“Understood. William!”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“Take this medicine, crush it, and bring it back with water, quickly!”
“Yes.”
The butler, who followed us, took the medicine from me and disappeared outside.
“If, after 30 minutes, the convulsions don’t stop, administer another pill. If, even after that, the convulsions persist, then there’s no choice but to directly inject it into the body.”
“Inject it into the body…”
“Yes, Your Grace is likely aware, but these seizures are caused by the heart not being able to withstand the magical flow in the body. It was said that we might have to create a hole in the chest and administer the medicine directly.”
I explained to Lloydin exactly what my brother had told me.
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