Chapter 34
“W-Why are you saying that all of a sudden…?”
Claude’s blue eyes trembled violently. For some reason, his ears even seemed to turn red.
“Because Lucian really likes Amelia.”
I spoke in a serious tone, looking at him.
“That troublemaker has started to change ever since he met Amelia. And in a very good way. If he spends more time with her, I’m sure he’ll grow up to be a kind and good child. So, could you stay at the Duke’s mansion a little longer?”
“Ah…”
Claude sighed at my earnest request.
‘He’s stammering and can’t even meet my eyes properly. Maybe there’s something urgent that he has to take care of back at his estate?’
I must have asked him for something difficult.
“I’m sorry. That was a selfish request, wasn’t it?”
“Huh?”
“I was just saying it casually. You don’t have to worry about it.”
“No!”
Just as I was about to take back my words, Claude suddenly shouted and grabbed my arm.
“I’ll stay as long as you want me to.”
“But you can’t leave your estate for too long, can you?”
“There are many capable people handling things, so you don’t need to worry. I’ve also set up a way to manage things from a distance since I often have to leave.”
I suddenly remembered that Claude had been frequently leaving his territory to search for his missing niece.
If the estate was still running smoothly without him, then he wasn’t exaggerating.
“But still…”
“And honestly, traveling in a carriage with my injury is difficult.”
“Ah.”
It was only then that I remembered Claude was using crutches.
No matter how luxurious a carriage was, it couldn’t be as comfortable as a bed. Riding one in his condition would only put more strain on his body.
“I wasn’t thinking. Stay until you fully recover. It’s not my house, but still.”
“It might take a while for the bones to heal… Are you really okay with that?”
“Of course! I really don’t mind.”
Even as I said that, a small doubt crept into my mind.
In the original story, Marquis Agris had monstrous recovery abilities.
Thanks to his strong physique and healing powers, he could hunt magical beasts every day and remain completely fine.
‘So why is his recovery taking so long now?’
I glanced at Claude’s leg, which was wrapped in splints and bandages, then looked away.
Well, if he says so, I shouldn’t doubt him.
Shifting my focus, I turned my attention to the children.
Rona, Lua, and Edwin were fascinated by the toys, unable to take their eyes off them.
Amelia patiently explained how to use them, and though clumsy, Lucian followed her lead and spoke kindly.
‘I don’t need to step in.’
Watching the children sitting together happily, I smiled.
“Ugh…”
Just then, a groan broke the peaceful moment.
Turning toward the sound, I saw Claude clutching his head in pain.
“Marquis, what’s wrong?”
“The pain… in my injury…”
“Really? Let me see.”
I quickly pulled his hand away from his forehead to check the wound.
“It doesn’t look like it reopened.”
Contrary to my expectations, the bandages covering his forehead were completely clean.
“Well… It’s not the surface, but the inside that hurts.”
“Wait, could it be an infection?”
That would be serious!
“Hold on, I’ll call a doctor.”
“Wouldn’t it be faster if I go there myself?”
“That might be better.”
Even while in pain, Claude still managed to make a logical argument.
“It looks like you’ll have trouble going alone. Let me help you.”
Claude extended his free hand toward me.
“Of course, I’ll help.”
I firmly grabbed his arm.
‘They say he’s a natural-born warrior, and his arm feels like solid rock.’
“Riley, I’ll take the Marquis to the doctor. Keep an eye on the kids, okay?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Leaving behind the concerned maids, I stepped out of the playroom with Claude.
Luckily, the children were too focused on playing to notice.
“Are you in a lot of pain? Hang in there, I’ll get you there quickly.”
“I’m sorry… for the trouble…”
“Don’t say that! Just lean on me if you need to.”
“No, just supporting me is enough.”
“You don’t have to be so stubborn. I’m stronger than I look, so just lean on me.”
“Well… Alright then.”
After some hesitation, Claude finally leaned against my shoulder.
A shadow fell over me, and both my shoulders suddenly felt heavier.
‘He’s not as heavy as I expected.’
But weight wasn’t the important issue here.
“Marquis, why is your body so hot?”
“What?”
“You feel like a burning furnace.”
I placed my hand on his forehead.
“M-My Lady.”
“Hold still.”
“…”
Claude flinched and tensed up.
His eyes trembled slightly beneath my palm.
“You really do have a fever.”
His trembling eye muscles were proof that he wasn’t feeling well.
“We need to get you to the doctor quickly.”
Leading the feverish Claude, I rushed to the doctor’s office.
“Lady Lucella? And Marquis Agris? What brings you here?”
“The Marquis isn’t feeling well. He said his forehead wound reopened.”
“Oh dear. It seemed to be healing well when I last checked…”
The doctor furrowed his brows and immediately unwrapped Claude’s bandages.
But instead of a messy, bleeding wound…
“Huh?”
A perfectly healed injury was revealed.
“The wound is not only closed but has healed exceptionally well.”
His recovery was so fast that there wasn’t even a scab, just a faint red mark.
“You heal quite quickly, Marquis. At this rate, you won’t need bandages anymore.”
The doctor removed the remaining gauze and wiped the area with a disinfectant pad.
Under the light, the skin shone cleanly.
“That’s strange. Marquis, didn’t you say your wound had reopened? And that your head was throbbing?”
“I did…”
Claude nodded awkwardly.
His shifting eyes made him look like a guilty puppy caught in a lie.
“If your head hurts, it might not be the wound causing it.”
The doctor stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“You also had a fever earlier. Could that be the reason for your headache?”
“A fever could definitely cause headaches. Let me check your temperature.”
Hearing this, the doctor pulled out a thermometer.
“No need. I’m fine now.”
Claude quickly stopped him.
“The headache is gone, and I feel completely fine.”
For some reason, he seemed eager to leave.
I pressed his shoulders down and made him sit back down.
“What do you mean you’re fine? You were burning up just a moment ago.”
“I’m really okay now.”
“A fever doesn’t disappear that fast. Let the doctor check properly.”
At my signal, the doctor swiftly placed the thermometer in Claude’s ear.
The result was completely normal.
“No fever detected.”
“See? I told you I’m fine.”
Claude spoke with an embarrassed smile.
“This is strange. He was burning hot earlier.”
“Perhaps you imagined it, Lady Lucella?”
“That can’t be right…”
I placed my hand on my cheek. My skin felt cool—there was no sign of heat.
“Marquis, let me check one more time.”
“It will be the same result…”
Instead of using the thermometer, I pressed my forehead against his.
“…!”
Claude held his breath.
Through the contact, I could feel his warmth.
“You do have a fever.”
At first, his temperature just felt warm, but it quickly rose until it was almost burning.
“I’ll check again.”
The doctor, who had been standing back, placed the thermometer in Claude’s ear once more. This time, the reading was much higher than before.
“It’s true. It seems the previous reading was incorrect.”
“See? I told you he has a fever!”
I knew it—there was no way my own body would be wrong.
“U-um, my lady.”
“Yes?”
“Sorry, but… your face was really close…”
“Oh.”
I finally pulled back and saw Claude’s face—his cheeks were as red as a tomato.
