Chapter 6
I woke up to a sound like babbling murmurs.
Though I regained consciousness, my eyelids felt unusually heavy, making it difficult to open my eyes. I struggled to open them, blinking several times against the light that streamed in.
“Madam! Madam!”
It was Olivier’s voice. I raised my gaze to look at her.
Olivier was calling me with a frantic expression.
“I’m fine, Olivier.”
I leaned on Olivier’s supporting hand and staggered to my feet.
It seemed I had briefly lost consciousness. Given that I hadn’t been moved, it couldn’t have been for long.
I rested against Olivier, waiting for strength to return to my weak arms and legs.
I knew from previous episodes that this would pass after a short rest.
After several deep breaths, strength began to return to my legs.
“Are you really okay?” Olivier asked, her voice full of concern.
I managed a faint smile and nodded. “I’m fine. See?”
I stood on my own two feet, but Olivier’s expression remained skeptical.
It was understandable. I had been in this mansion for less than a month and had already shown symptoms like coughing up blood and fainting.
“Diarna.”
I heard someone call my name from behind. Of course, it was Richard.
As I turned slowly to face him, I saw his shocked expression.
“Just now…”
He seemed hesitant to speak, and I felt a pang of regret.
I had hoped to keep my illness hidden from him for as long as possible. How was I going to explain this?
“It’s nothing serious.”
As if fainting and then waking up couldn’t be nothing.
Richard looked like he had a lot to say but seemed unwilling to question me here and now.
Seeing him remain silent, I turned away again.
Olivier hurried to support me, making it easier for me to walk.
“Madam, perhaps we should cancel the appointment with Baron Lumière and see a physician instead?”
It was the sensible thing to do, considering my health. But I couldn’t miss the appointment with Baron Lumière.
I needed a new dress for the imperial ball, and Baron Lumière was a renowned designer in the capital. Rescheduling would be difficult.
“When is Baron Lumière supposed to visit?”
“Before dinner.”
“Then I’ll see the physician before that.”
“…Yes, Madam.”
Olivier reluctantly agreed. She seemed more concerned about my health than about the dress.
She instructed a maid to fetch the physician.
I lay on my bed, waiting for the physician to arrive.
Outside, I could faintly hear the knights’ shouts.
I wondered why Richard was so reluctant to let me watch the knights train. It wasn’t like I could steal any techniques or secrets.
The knights of Count Theodore’s household were Richard’s pride. Their skills were said to rival those of the imperial knights.
I had hoped to see them at least once, but I was turned away so decisively.
I felt so pathetic that I wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
Richard’s stern refusal kept replaying in my mind.
He was so infuriatingly firm that it was unbearable.
Just then, a light knock sounded on the door.
“Madam, the physician is here.”
“Come in.”
Upon my permission, the door opened and an elderly man entered.
He bowed and approached me.
“My name is Norman, a village physician. It’s an honor to meet you, Madam.”
“May I examine you, Madam?”
“Please.”
Norman asked me a few questions about my symptoms.
Since I already knew my condition, describing the symptoms was straightforward.
After listening to my explanations, he took out a stethoscope from his medical bag.
“I need to place this on your back for a moment. Is that alright?”
He asked cautiously.
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
He placed the stethoscope on my back and asked me to breathe in and out several times, then finally let out a sigh.
“How long has it been?”
I wondered if he could diagnose my condition with just a stethoscope, but his serious expression told me he had an idea.
He seemed to realize I had been suffering from this illness for a long time.
“It’s been five years.”
“Hmm…”
He carefully put the stethoscope back in his bag, hesitant to speak.
I knew what he was going to say.
“It’s Dannella’s disease, isn’t it?”
Growing impatient, I spoke up to the doctor.
He nodded as if he had already known.
“Yes, it’s Dannella’s disease. You’re aware of it.”
“How could I not know about my own illness?”
Despite my light words, the doctor maintained a grave expression.
“So, it’s been five years already.”
“Yes, five years.”
People who contracted Dannella’s disease had only about five to six years left to live. In truth, it was a miracle that I was still alive.
I was a character meant to contribute to the story through my death.
Fortunately, I had been allotted a year after marrying Richard, but who knew if it would really be a year?
I frequently had nosebleeds, suffered from headaches, and, when exhausted, coughed up blood, sometimes I even fainted.
Anyone could see I wasn’t in a normal state.
“Don’t worry too much, Madam. Although Dannella’s disease has a high fatality rate, it is not incurable.”
“If you take the root of the bloomed Rosier flower, it works, right?”
I interrupted Dr. Norman before he could mention the treatment.
“But how could I get that rare flower? Even with money, it’s difficult to obtain the Rosier flower.”
It was a rare flower that might bloom once every hundred years.
Dannella’s disease could only be treated with the root of a bloomed Rosier flower.
However, even if one found a Rosier flower, it was impossible to predict when it would bloom.
My family had tried to acquire a Rosier flower too.
…Or did they really try?
Now, I wasn’t sure.
Above all, my family was more inclined to wish for my death.
Anyway, the treatment for Dannella’s disease was something even wealthy people couldn’t obtain.
The fact that a treatment existed at all was nearly a miracle.
“If this diagnosis is about Dannella’s disease, I don’t think we need to continue.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Dr. Norman agreed readily.
Even he couldn’t treat this disease.
“Then, Madam, I will prepare a palliative and have it sent by tomorrow.”
“Please do.”
The doctor bowed politely as he had when he entered, then left.
In the end, all I was left with was a reminder of what I already knew.
That I had only a year left.
“Madam, is Dannella’s disease… the one I’m thinking of?”
Olivier hesitated but finally spoke after confirming the doctor had left.
Dannella’s disease wasn’t well-known, but those who knew about it, knew. It wasn’t strange that Olivier knew about it.
“Yes, it is.”
Olivier sighed heavily.
“Then, Madam, you have an incurable disease…”
I looked at Olivier’s face, contorted in pity.
“I’m not sure if you heard earlier, but it’s not incurable. Technically, it’s classified as difficult to cure. At least there’s a known treatment for Dannella’s disease.”
Of course, the problem was that the treatment, the Rosier flower, was almost impossible to find.
Despite my clarification, Olivier’s expression remained troubled.
She seemed genuinely concerned for me.
Not realizing how she looked, I suddenly thought of something and spoke up.
“Olivier, as I mentioned before, I’ll tell Richard about my illness myself.”
“Madam?”
“So, don’t tell him yet.”
Richard already saw me as a nuisance. If he found out about my illness now, he’d likely treat me as a burden, just like in the original story.
“No, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
For once, Olivier, who always obeyed me, resisted.
“Count Richard needs to know about your health. You and the Count are married.”
Olivier was right. If I were in Richard’s shoes, I wouldn’t understand if he hid such an illness from me.
But I didn’t want Richard to know about my illness.
I didn’t want him to see me as defective.
Call it pride if you will.
“He needs to know soon to find the treatment.”
“Treatment? Richard finding a Rosier flower for me?”
“Yes. Even though it’s rare, perhaps he can get it. After all, he is the Count…”
It was a dream.
In this world, Richard’s coldness was highlighted through my character.
I was a terminally ill patient, and he had only taken me from the Duke of Tristan’s house for money, realizing I was nothing but a burden.
The original Diarna’s pleading for the medicine without him making any effort showed his coldness.
Knowing this, should I beg Richard for the treatment?
Finding a blooming Rosier flower by chance seemed more realistic.
Perhaps if I became important to Richard, I could ask him to find the Rosier flower.
…Could I do that?
Though I doubted myself, it was better to try and create that opportunity than to give up without trying.
Just as he used me, I could use him.
“No, I don’t want to go that far. And Olivier, the Duke of Tristan is also looking for the Rosier flower. Don’t worry about that.”
“…Understood.”
If I didn’t say this, Olivier might not be convinced and would tell Richard.
It was better to wait until I had more of Richard’s attention before revealing my illness.
I didn’t want Richard to see through my intentions just yet.
“Of course, even if I try to hide it, it won’t last long. I know this better than anyone, having had this disease for five years.”
My mouth felt dry.
“So, I’ll have to tell him soon. But until then, I don’t want to be seen just as a patient. Can you give me some freedom?”
Olivier had no choice but to agree.
I took her hand.
She was one of the few people who genuinely cared for me despite having known me for only a short time.
Meeting someone like her after marrying into this household was a stroke of luck.
“Thank you, as always. And please, continue to help me.”
Olivier nodded with a dark expression, taking in the meaning of my words.
Thanks