Episode 40
It was actually right for me to handle Ian’s rejection issue myself.
If Lloydin intervened, there was a higher chance that Ian would harbor even worse feelings towards me, causing our relationship to deteriorate further.
But the previous attempt had failed.
So, although it was appropriate to leave it to Lloydin as the next solution, I was not inclined to do so.
‘Should I try once more?’
In truth, there was no need to make this much effort to improve relations with Ian.
The marriage was never at risk of me taking his brother away from him, as he feared, because it had a predetermined duration.
Furthermore, Lloydin still cherished Ian the most and always would, so to speak.
‘Still, let’s give it one more try.’
If this attempt failed too, then so be it.
“Duke, I think it’s better not to provoke Ian further for now. So, I’ll talk to Ian again after some time has passed. I want to get along with Ian while I’m here. I think it’s something I should handle, not you.”
“Are you sure?”
Lloydin asked with a worried look.
“Yes, I’ll be fine. If it really doesn’t work out, then I’ll ask for your help.”
“Understood. But if Ian behaves rudely again, please let me know.”
“Yes, I will. By the way, what did you tell Ian?”
Before speaking to Ian, I needed to know what Lloydin had told his brother about our marriage.
That way, I could decide what to say.
“Did you mention my illness?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Really? Then did you tell him about Ian using Noah’s power when he went berserk?”
“I didn’t mention that either.”
With the confirmation that nothing was said, I finally understood why Ian behaved that way.
Of course, just because his brother got married didn’t mean Ian had to understand, but the suddenness of the marriage meant Ian, as a young child, couldn’t possibly comprehend the situations that led up to it.
Especially if he relies a lot on his older brother emotionally, it would have been even more challenging.
“You haven’t told him a single reason why you’re marrying me.”
Lloydin nodded affirmatively, indicating the affirmative meaning.
“Ian shouldn’t know anything.”
He replied with a firm expression.
‘He doesn’t want Ian to know that he got married because of his outburst.’
In that case, Ian would blame himself.
With that thought in mind, I understood Lloydin’s reluctance to inform Ian, wanting to save his younger brother.
“All right. I won’t say anything either. But can I talk about my illness?”
Saying so might make it easier to convince Ian.
“While I prefer not to disclose information about the illness, if there comes a time when it needs to be told, I’ll tell Ian myself. However, for now, I’d appreciate it if only I knew.”
When is the right time to disclose? Is there a difference between telling then and telling now?
I briefly questioned, but since he wasn’t saying not to tell at all and would tell when the time comes, I simply nodded.
“Understood. I’ll leave that to you, Duke.”
While having a conversation with Lloydin, we arrived at the bedroom.
“Would you like to come in for a moment?”
“No, thank you. I have some external matters to attend to and must leave right away.”
“Oh, I see…”
Time spent talking with Lloydin was one of the most enjoyable moments for me.
So, I wanted to spend more time together, but he had to leave, and without realizing it, I replied with a slightly disheartened voice.
“I’ll finish work early and come back.”
“Really?”
Whether he sensed my disappointment, Lloydin asked, and I replied, my face slightly flushed.
“Yes, what are your plans for today?”
“Well, I’m thinking of exploring the mansion in detail. I want to know more about this place before starting work.”
“Compared to the Anaïs Duchy, this mansion is smaller, so you can explore it quickly. If you have any questions while surveying, you can ask the butler. William has worked here for a long time and should be able to answer almost everything.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
After nodding, I asked, “Will you finish work early and come back?”
He replied, “I’ll try my best,” and left.
* * *
After exploring the mansion with William, I had lunch alone.
As Lloydin had mentioned earlier, he was out due to external matters, and Ian said he would eat alone in his room.
After the meal, I received detailed information about the financial status of the duchy and various other situations from William in my personal study.
As I felt when I first came here, Blighton Mansion was relatively small in scale but very well-maintained.
Moreover, upon my arrival, some areas had already been attended to by the butler under Lloydin’s orders.
So, there seemed to be no particular aspect of the mansion that required my special attention.
“Is there anything else you’d like to know?”
After William finished his report, he asked if I had any additional questions.
I immediately spoke about something I had been thinking about for a while.
“About the personal physician, I heard from the Duke that no one wants to be the personal physician.”
“Yes, that’s correct. We tried to bring in a physician by any means, but no one was willing.”
“Even though you offered money?”
“Yes. We offered the same amount as other noble families, but no one supported us.”
“I’ve heard that the Duke frequently goes on military campaigns. So, how does he receive medical treatment? He might not always come back unscathed.”
“Well… Fortunately, he hasn’t been seriously injured so far, so the Duke has either treated himself or I have assisted him little by little.”
Upon hearing the butler’s words that Lloydin hadn’t been seriously injured, I breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, fear and worry surged.
What if, just what if, Lloydin were seriously injured and came back?
There wouldn’t be proper medical treatment available here without a personal physician.
“I’ll handle the issue of the personal physician after consulting with the Duke. He’s expected to return around evening?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Understood. I’ll see you out then.”
“Yes. I’ll take my leave.”
After William left, I pondered deeply on what to do about the personal physician.
In case a situation similar to Ian’s outburst arises again, a personal physician is absolutely necessary.
So, where and how should I find one?
The most important thing is that they must be trustworthy and keep secrets.
‘Should I seek help from Father?’
In the Anaïs family, there were several skilled and loyal personal physicians who had worked for a long time.
Perhaps it would be best to bring one of them instead of finding a new person.
However, since they were loyal to the Anaïs family, it was uncertain whether they would serve the Blighton family.
Still, because of my illness, I had interacted quite a bit with the personal physicians, so I felt I could give it a try.
‘Oh, maybe he’ll do.’
As I recalled one by one the personal physicians belonging to the Anaïs family, a suitable person came to mind.
‘I should go and persuade him in person, right? But first, I need Father’s permission.’
Getting Father’s permission wouldn’t be much of an issue.
‘So, I’ll discuss this issue with Lloydin later.’
Apart from the task of finding a personal physician, there were many other things to do for the Blighton family.
As time passed unnoticed while I pondered problems and solutions, it soon became dark outside.
When I went down to the dining room for dinner, as expected, only food was prepared at my place.
“Hasn’t the Duke returned yet? What about the young master?”
“Yes. It will probably be another two hours before he returns. And the young master said he would have dinner in his room.”
Upon the butler’s reply, I became lost in thought.
During lunch, I let Ian eat alone, but I hesitated whether to let him do the same until dinner.
‘Should I let him be alone a little longer?’
If I rushed things like today, it might have the opposite effect once again.
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