TISND Chapter 26

Chapter 26

“As Father said, there’s no reason for Frantor to care about a mere doctor.”

Joshua had noticeably become more relaxed, perhaps influenced by Caligo. News that Aiden had finally arrived at the mansion reached them, and Helena and the children were heading down the central staircase.

“Why does the mansion look so fancy all of a sudden? Is it just me?”

“This is the duke’s residence. Of course, it’s fancy!”

The golden chandelier, which was usually turned off, was now lit, and red carpets were laid out in every corridor. Just as Joshua was wondering if the mansion had always been this splendid, they finally arrived at the front entrance.

“Why is there such a crowd?”

It was customary for the staff to greet guests, but today, an unusually loud commotion filled the air. Tilting his head curiously, Joshua, as Frantor’s eldest, decided to step forward with a dignified demeanor.

“Welcome, traveler from the West…”

Joshua, who had intended to speak in a detached tone, froze mid-sentence. Although he had seen a rough likeness in the portraits, the reality was far more overwhelming.

“Ah.”

Surrounded by staff, Aiden finally noticed Helena approaching him and gave her a bright smile.

“Duchess.”

Helena’s face lit up at his warm smile, and she stepped forward to greet him.

“Wait, wait a moment.”

Just as she was about to take a step, Jeremy hurriedly tugged at her sleeve.

“What is it?”

“Hold my hand.”

“Why are you doing something so strange?”

Her casual question made his face turn red. Embarrassed, he huffed even more furiously.

“Do you think I want to hold your hand? It’s cold! Warm it up for me right now!”

“Oh, is that so?”

“It is!”

Well then, she might as well hold his hand. While Helena held the child’s hand, Joshua regained his composure. With Caligo away on an inspection, he thought it was up to him to take the lead. With a determined expression, he stepped forward, catching the young doctor’s attention.

“You must have traveled a long way from the West.”

Joshua tried to greet him boldly, like his father, but the words came out rather curtly.

“Yes, I have.”

“What brings you all the way from the far-off West to Frantor?”

“Of course, a doctor goes wherever there are patients.”

“Are there no patients in the West?”

What annoyed Joshua even more was that no matter how suspiciously he treated Aiden, it didn’t seem to faze him at all. His sharp questions were met with an unshakable, perfect smile.

The more Joshua looked at him, the more he disliked him. Just seeing his even teeth and gentle eyes made his insides churn.

“There are, of course.”

“Then why don’t you return to the West? Frantor isn’t in urgent need of a doctor.”

“Well, from my perspective, it seems otherwise.”

“What did you just say?”

Even as Joshua’s composure waned, Aiden continued to smile softly.

“With a patient right in front of me, how could I possibly leave?”

“Are you saying I’m sick?”

“It seems your nose is congested. Your voice sounds hoarse, and your complexion is quite flushed. Don’t you feel any heat? If you’d allow it, I’d like to examine you.”

No matter how mature Joshua was for his age, he was still just a child.

“Don’t bother. I don’t need your help.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate. In that case… May I now offer my greetings to the duchess?”

Aiden’s impenetrable wall of a smile couldn’t easily be broken. After all, he was well-practiced from dealing with all kinds of difficult patients.

“Do as you please.”

Grumbling, Joshua stepped aside to make way.

Jeremy, however, snorted and positioned himself in front of Helena, blocking her path. Unfortunately, the boy was far too short to effectively stand between her and Aiden.

Moreover, Aiden, despite his slender build, was exceptionally tall—comparable even to Caligo, a man of remarkable stature.

Frustrated, Jeremy clung to Helena’s waist, glaring daggers at Aiden.

“It’s been a while, Senior.”

“You should drop the formalities now.”

Aiden forced a faint smile, unable to hide the concern in his eyes. She seemed even thinner than the last time he’d seen her.

“It’s been so long. Would it be alright if I checked on the Duchess’s health?”

“What? Are you sick?” Jeremy exclaimed in surprise.

“No. I’m not sick.”

“If you’re not sick, then there’s no reason to be examined!”

“An illness isn’t always visible.”

The children, ever protective, immediately jumped into the conversation as soon as Aiden spoke.

“The most dangerous illnesses are the ones you can’t see, young master.”

“Hmph.”

Jeremy snorted again.

But deep down, Aiden was desperately hoping she could leave this place as soon as possible. He wanted to treat her before the poison completely consumed her body.

“For the examination, may I escort you to a private room?”

To prevent the poison from spreading further, he needed to assess her condition without delay.

However, Helena seemed unwilling to let others know about her health.

“What? Alone with him? Absolutely not.”

And with the children now actively interfering, it became increasingly difficult to conduct a proper examination.

“Why do you kids want to stay here too?”

“Then why are you trying to be alone with that doctor?” Joshua fired back sharply.

“You have to wear light clothing for an examination, don’t you?”

“So it’s fine for that doctor to see?”

“Then what, you two want to see me undressed? Go ahead, if you want.”

“Ugh! For the record, I never said I wanted to see!”

Jeremy, his face flushed red, quickly backed off.

Meanwhile, Joshua was trying to think of a way to navigate the situation.

It was bad enough that Helena’s ‘first love’ was involved; there was no way he’d let them be alone together.

Even if it wasn’t strange for a doctor and patient to be alone, ‘that man’ was an exception.

Why, of all people, did he have to be a doctor?

Still, Joshua knew the perfect weapon to handle the situation.

“Hey! Joshua! Where are you going, you coward?” Jeremy shouted when he saw him dash off somewhere.

“To get Father!”

“Hurry up and bring him!” Jeremy bellowed, clenching his fists.

—

Joshua was a remarkably perceptive child.

He was highly attuned to the thoughts and emotions of others—so much so that he often picked up on things even when he didn’t want to.

From the moment he first saw Aiden, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

It wasn’t just because he was Helena’s first love.

There was something between the two of them—a secret that no one else knew.

“Ugh, why am I even bothered by this?”

Riding on horseback, Joshua let out a small laugh as the thought crossed his mind.

No matter how hard he tried to ignore her, she was a woman impossible to overlook.

“Father!”

Fortunately, the place Caligo had gone for his inspection wasn’t too far. As luck would have it, Caligo was just stepping out of a building, having finished his work not long ago.

“That doctor is here! He’s at the mansion!”

Hearing Joshua’s shout, Caligo immediately mounted the horse his son was riding.

“Is it alright to leave without the others?”

“They’ll follow on their own.”

Joshua grinned happily, content to be held in his father’s arms.

“Father, the doctor came… and he seemed pretty close with Helena. And, and…”

He had to force himself to admit the fact he didn’t want to acknowledge. Lips pursed, he muttered under his breath.

“He’s really handsome.”

“……”

“But, to me, Father is much more handsome.”

For the first time, Caligo’s impassive expression twitched ever so slightly.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! Really!”

The horse carrying the two raced back to the duke’s mansion in no time.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.”

When Caligo met Aiden, he was calm and composed, which was exactly what Joshua had expected.

“Welcome to Frantor.”

Joshua smiled proudly as he watched his father greet the doctor, standing tall and dignified. The unmistakable aura of a warrior and the charisma of a ruler born to command radiated from him—everything Joshua admired about his father.

“It’s an honor to meet the duke I’ve heard so much about.”

Joshua was eager for Caligo to drive the doctor away. Even if he didn’t lash out like Jeremy, at least he could separate Aiden from Helena.

He eagerly wondered what clever and grand method his father would use to expel this man.

“I hope you’ll take good care of the patients here in Frantor.”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

But the problem was that Caligo showed no signs of hostility. Instead, he extended a warm welcome.

“…Why?”

Joshua knew his father’s true feelings. He had rushed to the mansion the moment he heard the doctor was there. Even if he wouldn’t admit it, he must have been bothered by the relationship between the doctor and Helena.

“Make sure he’s comfortable during his stay. He’s a guest from far away.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Grace.”

Yet, the polite reception was not just an empty gesture. Caligo genuinely seemed to mean it.

As the doctor followed the servants upstairs to his room, Joshua turned to Caligo.

“Father! Why aren’t you sending him away?”

“There are residents here who desperately need a doctor. I can’t just drive him out.”

“Don’t you remember what I told you? He’s ‘her first love!’”

“And what of it?” Caligo replied calmly.

“You know the reason behind this marriage. Helena herself knows that reason, too.”

“So… even if that doctor shows up, it doesn’t bother you at all?”

“Exactly. I have no feelings for her, so it doesn’t bother me that the doctor is here.”

With a faint smile, Caligo approached Joshua and gently ruffled his hair.

“So don’t worry about it. It really doesn’t matter to me.”

With that, Caligo turned and walked away.

Watching his father’s retreating back, Joshua muttered under his breath.

“…Liar.”

The perceptive child could sense his father’s emotions once again—even if Caligo himself didn’t realize it.