I looked at Dr. Watt with wide eyes, wondering if there was something he needed.
“It’s not good to take the medicine in the drawing room. It would be better to take it in a bedroom where you can lie down and rest.”
His hesitation made sense now; he was preparing for any possible complications. I remembered reading that taking the cure for Trintz disease could cause extreme pain, making patients thrash about. In some cases, the pain was so unbearable that people fainted. Clearly, the bedroom was a safer option than the drawing room.
“I’ll show you the way.”
“Yes, Madam.”
I got up and led Dr. Watt to the bedroom. Rivet and a few servants followed us, carrying towels and water bowls in case of an emergency.
“Here is the medicine.”
Dr. Watt handed me a small packet containing the medicine. It was a small pill, almost black in color, with a strong herbal scent.
Taking this medicine would finally rid me of the persistent fear of death that had been haunting me. I was well aware that it would cause severe pain as the mana in my body slowly found its way, and that I would have to deal with the aftereffects. The immediate side effects were one thing, but the long-term repercussions of the disease worried me. The aftereffects could last until the mana fully settled in my body, which could take anywhere from 1-2 years or even a lifetime.
But living with side effects was far better than slowly dying in agony with my mind intact but my body paralyzed. At least with the medicine, I wouldn’t have to fear dying every time an attack started. Constantly thinking about death during each episode was slowly eating away at my sanity. The anxiety of possibly dying today and the desperate will to live had made me tremble with fear countless times.
Today, that fear would end.
I looked at the pill for a moment before putting it in my mouth. Rivet handed me a glass of water, which I used to swallow the pill more easily.
I had read that the pain would be so intense right after taking the medicine that it would feel like I couldn’t breathe. Knowing this, I was already tense.
But surprisingly, I felt no pain after taking the pill. Just as I was about to suspect that Dr. Watt had given me the wrong medicine, an excruciating pain started near my heart. The pain spread from my heart through my veins, reaching every corner of my body like electricity coursing through me. The searing pain made me forget how to breathe, and I began to shake uncontrollably.
For hours, I writhed and screamed as the pain crawled up from my fingertips and toes, like insects moving through my peripheral nerves. My head felt like it was splitting open, my eyes burned as if they would pop out, and every cell in my body twisted with agony.
Then, my body started to heat up. It felt like a burning flame was slowly consuming me, threatening to destroy everything. I screamed without knowing, desperately wishing for the pain to stop.
The pain that had started to torment me showed no signs of stopping, engulfing my entire body. I was left in a state of relentless agony, crying out in pain. I begged for mercy, asking to be saved, even though no sound came from my mouth. I was so desperate that I tasted blood in my throat.
The long hours of pain continued. The sun that had been high in the sky was now disappearing over the horizon.
* * *
At some point, the heavy pressure on my body lifted. My labored breathing became calm. It felt like a layer of something that had been wrapping around my body had peeled away. Slowly, I opened my eyes.
I saw a familiar ceiling. I blinked several times and then turned my head to look around the room.
“Madam?”
Rivet, who was wringing out a wet towel by the bed, saw me and called out in surprise.
“Madam, are you alright?”
“Yes… Can you help me sit up?”
My voice was rough and cracked.
With Rivet’s help, I sat up and took the glass of water she handed me, drinking it in one gulp. The water felt refreshing on my parched lips. I handed the empty glass back to Rivet.
“What happened? I remember taking the medicine, but…”
“Three days have passed since then. You were in constant pain after taking the medicine, and you just woke up now.”
“Three days?”
It was much longer than I had expected. The books were often exaggerated, so it didn’t feel real that I had been unconscious for days. Now, I realized it wasn’t just an exaggeration.
I sighed and raised my hand to my forehead. My head felt a bit heavy, but overall, I felt more energetic.
“How do you feel?”
“I do feel different. My body feels lighter and refreshed.”
“That’s a relief. I was really worried. I thought something had gone wrong…”
Rivet’s voice was filled with concern. I gently patted her shoulder to reassure her.
She looked up at me, then smiled softly.
“Now that you’re awake, I’ll call Dr. Watt. There’s another maid waiting outside, so if you need anything, just call.”
“Thank you.”
Rivet left the room to call Dr. Watt. Alone in the room, I lifted my now much lighter hand.
After taking the medicine, all my senses seemed sharper and more sensitive. I couldn’t tell if it was because my nerves had dulled due to the Trintz disease or if the medicine made from the Tieria flower had activated the mana in my body. What was certain was that I felt much better than before I took the medicine.
I lightly clenched and unclenched my fist. The color quickly returned to my once pale hand, making me realize I had come back from that horrific pain. I wouldn’t have to tremble in fear of dying from the Trintz disease anymore.
Knock, knock. Lost in thought, I heard someone knocking on the door.
“Madam, I’ve brought Dr. Watt.”
It was Rivet’s voice from beyond the door.
“Come in.”
Only after I gave permission did Rivet open the bedroom door, allowing Dr. Watt to step in with his medical bag.
“You’ve awakened, Madam. That’s truly a relief.”
“Thanks to you.”
“No, I was just doing my job. You were the one who procured the Tieria flower.”
Dr. Watt smiled warmly and sat down on a chair next to the bed. He then took out a small orb from his bag and placed it in my hand. It was a tool used to diagnose Trintz disease.
“Just hold this gently.”
Following his instructions, I held the orb lightly. A faint light began to seep from it. The light glowed for a while before slowly fading in my hand. Unlike before, when the light flickered erratically and shattered, this was a clear sign of improvement.
Dr. Watt observed the orb before taking it back and putting it away. He smiled warmly at me.
“It seems the medicine worked well. It looks like you’ve been cured of Trintz disease.”
“It’s all thanks to your efforts. I’m grateful.”
“Yes, Madam. However, before I leave, I’ll give you some medicine. Even though the disease is cured, there might still be some aftereffects.”
Dr. Watt handed me a transparent bottle filled with brown pills.
“This is an aftereffect reliever made from the Tieria flower you obtained. It will be effective when you need it. However, since it also contains Tieria flower, once it’s gone, we can’t make more until we get more flowers.”
“I’ll use it sparingly.”
In other words, I should only take it when absolutely necessary due to the difficulty in obtaining the ingredients. I nodded and carefully stored the bottle.
“But Madam,” Dr. Watt began, just as I thought we were done.
He hesitated, then spoke with a slightly bitter smile.
“The former Duke of Graham’s condition has worsened recently.”
“…My grandfather?”
His cautious words caught me off guard. Dr. Watt was not only my physician but also the physician of the former Duke of Graham. During the three days I was unconscious, my grandfather’s condition had deteriorated. He had always been quite ill, but hearing that he had gotten worse made my heart sink.
“I know it’s delicate given your separation from Duke Graham, but perhaps you should visit him?”
Dr. Watt gave an awkward smile.
“I apologize if I’ve overstepped, Madam.”
“No, thank you for letting me know. I was worried about him.”
“Well, it seems your condition has stabilized, so I’ll take my leave now.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
After Dr. Watt left the room, I fell into deep thought. Visiting the Graham estate because of Ains felt uncomfortable, but avoiding it out of fear of seeing Ains wasn’t an option either. There had to be a reason Dr. Watt was urging me to visit.
“Rivet.”
“Yes, Madam?”
“I’ll visit the Graham estate tomorrow. Please inform them of my intention to visit. Make it clear that I’m going to see Damon Graham, not Ains Graham.”
“Yes, understood.”
