–I said she would wake up in about three days, so it should be today or tomorrow. Do you think I’m not that worried?
Ciello, lying in bed, had a peaceful expression as if she was deeply asleep. Her once pale appearance had regained its color and looked lively again.
“…It’s not that I don’t trust you.”
Estribal threw some firewood into the fireplace and returned to sit in front of the bed. The fire grew slightly, making a gentle crackling sound.
Unlike the current tranquility, that dawn, the mansion experienced the biggest commotion since Estribal became its master.
At Estribal’s emergency call, the flustered servants quickly gathered around Ciello and his room, and a blind healer who had rushed over in a month thoroughly checked Ciello’s condition several times. The healer diagnosed that Ciello had simply fallen asleep due to fatigue and stress, but…
[But if what you’re saying is correct, why hasn’t she woken up even 28 minutes after taking the supplement? Isn’t there another problem with her body? Yes. Let’s thoroughly check for other diseases this time and report. Of course, as you say, absolute rest is a priority, so the examination should be done without waking the patient. Ah. But why hasn’t she woken up yet?]
…Around that time, Serpiente, who couldn’t stand the floundering healer, secretly came out and stopped Estribal, allowing the healer to be freed. Since then, Estribal has been keeping vigil at Ciello’s bedside for several days with Serpiente, having dismissed all the servants.
–If you know, get some sleep. You’ve been up for days looking like a corpse, and when that kid opens her eyes and sees your face, she’ll think she’s in the underworld and faint again.
Serpiente clicked his tongue. However, Estribal, sitting in the chair, glanced at the clock as if waiting for something and just silently stared at the lying Ciello.
–Sigh. Do as you please. What’s the use of us worrying about each other? We’re just ill-fated.
Serpiente flew around above Ciello’s head.
–Well, at least this time the kid did a great job. That’s a relief.
Estribal frowned slightly, checked the clock again, and spoke to Serpiente.
“…Has that command really disappeared?”
–Yes. I was skeptical too… but for now, that command no longer works. Probably because, as this kid said, it has already been clearly fulfilled. And…
Serpiente flicked his tongue and raised the corners of his mouth strangely.
–As you know, the contact with this guy must have had an effect. The one who can resist a wrong command is ‘human’.
“That’s…”
Estribal closed his mouth.
–Yes. How does it feel to have been an ordinary human for a moment?
Estribal turned his head. Before he knew it, the tips of his ears were dyed a color similar to Ciello’s hair.
“…I must have been desperate enough not to care about the means. It was like artificial respiration. I don’t intend to attach too much meaning to such behavior.”
–Oh my…
As Serpiente circled around his head, there was a knock on the door.
“Duke, may I come in for a moment? It’s time for the young lady to take her medicine.”
“No. I’ll go out.”
Estribal glanced at the clock one last time and stood up as if he had been waiting. He took the medicine tray from the hand of the blind servant and spoke bluntly.
“You’re two minutes late. Be careful in the future.”
“…I apologize.”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
At Estribal’s words, the servant quickly backed away and disappeared.
Estribal, and also Duke Trepe, did not bother to hide the fact that they had imprisoned their lover from the beginning. Therefore, not only the blind servants, but also the few servants on the first floor knew this fact.
Therefore, the commotion that night naturally turned into a rumor that his imprisoned lover had tried to escape and was seriously injured and lost consciousness, and Estribal did not correct this. Therefore, this strange rumor spread far and wide beyond the walls of the mansion and onto the highway. Of course, this was also Estribal’s intention.
Thanks to this, the servants on the first floor, who were busy backbiting their employer, stealthily avoided him and treated him like a madman. The blind servants also had no time to spare to gauge his mood.
“…How can one be two minutes late for the patient’s medication? It’s so sloppy.”
Estribal muttered to himself, brought the medicine tray, and sat down at Ciello’s bedside in a familiar position.
–When you first brought her, hatefully lay in bed…
As he silently poured the medicine into Ciello’s lips with a spoon, Serpiente began to giggle while rolling around inside the bead.
–Is this also artificial respiration in your opinion? You’re really devoted.
“…Please, Lord Pien.”
He put down the spoon and sighed.
–Alright. Alright. Then do your best.
Serpiente’s figure disappeared smoothly. Estribal sighed deeply again and rubbed his face.
Then, that is, that…artificial respiration. Just thinking about it gave him a headache. The headache was also a pain that couldn’t possibly exist, but he didn’t know why it was tormenting him so persistently.
It wasn’t just his head that hurt. He poured medicine into Ciello’s mouth again. Ciello’s parched lips were moistened by the medicine and glistened. The lips, which had regained their color and were rosy, slightly pressed when the spoon was removed and then regained their round shape…
“…I’m going crazy.”
Is this a thought that can be had in front of a patient? He wanted to wash his mind with cold water. He thought it might be better to have a servant hold the spoon, but he didn’t want to show this side of Ciello. The fact that they had their eyes covered and couldn’t see Ciello had long been deleted from his mind.
After feeding Ciello all the medicine, he wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. How thick the lips felt through a single handkerchief, and how thin his own insides were without gloves.
“Phew…”
He sighed deeply and crumpled the handkerchief into his pocket. And to clear his mind, he opened a thick book. But all his nerves were directed at Ciello, not the letters.
“Anyway, finding a way to temporarily escape from the emperor’s command is a big harvest.”
He spoke to himself coldly to divert his nerves elsewhere. As soon as Ciello woke up, he would first discuss this part and ask for cooperation. If there’s anything else he wants…
“Uh…”
“Ciello?”
At the small moan, his thoughts were cut off weakly. He put down the book as if throwing it, propped himself up on the bed, and bent over towards Ciello.
“Are you conscious? Do you recognize who I am? What’s your name?”
“Duke…? My name? Cello…”
Ciello mumbled with a dazed expression. Estribal’s forehead seriously wrinkled.
“No, that’s not your name. Don’t you remember?”
“Ah, right. Ciello…”
Ciello half-opened her eyes and nodded her head. Only then did Estribal continue speaking with a slightly relieved face.
“Right. We’ll have to check the memory gradually. How’s your body? I’m not sure if the nerves have all returned. It could be uncomfortable because you’ve been lying down for a long time. Start by moving your fingers.”
“Ugh…”
Ciello shook her head with a face that looked extremely annoyed. But Estribal urged her again.
“Come on. Ciello.”
Ciello yawned and got up. Estribal, surprised, stopped Ciello.
“Ciello. Don’t get up suddenly…!”
Ciello waved a handkerchief. It was the handkerchief that had been in his pocket just now.
“My hands are my livelihood, they’re perfectly fine.”
Ciello smiled with sleepy eyes. Estribal pressed his forehead hard.
“Sigh… Alright. I was unnecessarily worried.”
Estribal stood up from his spot.
“Since you’re okay, I’ll leave. It’s late today, so rest more.”
“Ah, Duke…!”
Estribal walked briskly towards the door connected to his bedroom, leaving Ciello’s voice behind.
But as soon as he left the room, he bit his lip lightly.
All the things he thought Ciello would ask as soon as she woke up were put aside, and he only asked unnecessary questions.
‘I need to go back in and check.’
He thought to himself as he grabbed the doorknob.
But just before he turned the doorknob, he hesitated. He was aware that he was trying to enter Ciello’s room on that pretext.
“…It’s not an excuse. Since she barely remembered her name, it’s right to check the condition again. But I’m not sure if it’s unnecessarily disturbing the rest. No, Lord Serpiente also said that having someone next to her would be helpful…”
He kept mumbling to himself and lingered in front of the door. But he wasn’t the only one standing in front of the door.
“…Did I joke too much?”
On the other side of the door, Ciello was rubbing the floor with her foot. She didn’t even know how long she had been down, but when she checked the date, it had been three days since the last day.
Of course, he wouldn’t have been in front of her bed all three days, but still, she fainted and as soon as she woke up, she played a prank…
“But there’s no need to leave right away.”
Ciello puckered her lips and crumpled and uncrumpled his handkerchief. After a long time of pondering, Ciello put the handkerchief in her pocket.
“Sigh. Just say you’re sorry.”
Ciello grabbed the doorknob forcefully. But just before Ciello turned the doorknob, the door suddenly opened.
“Huh?”
😏🤣🤣🤣🤣🇧🇷👋