Chapter 60
Haven asked as if he could not understand. Being the king’s child, he had received a high-level education across various fields, including medicine. Yet, in all the books he had studied, he had never come across anything about Dunfer’s disease. Even the royal physicians who had taught him had never mentioned it.
“It is a disease that was last discovered a long time ago, about five hundred years ago. Since then, it disappeared, and everyone simply forgot about it. I… have an interest in the history of medicine, so I came across it. I apologize, Your Highness. Nevertheless, I failed to recognize the Princess’s illness in time.”
The royal physician bowed his head in apology. He had no excuse; not knowing the Princess’s illness had allowed the situation to worsen.
“That’s fine. It’s a disease that vanished so long ago… How could you have connected it to the child’s illness?”
Instead of blaming or venting anger at the physician, Haven spoke calmly, though his expression was utterly grim.
When his eyes met those of the child, who lay in bed anxiously listening to their conversation, Haven forced a small smile and held Flita’s hand tightly.
“Do not worry, Flita. I will make sure you get better.”
“Y-yes… cough!”
Even as Flita gave her brief reply, she coughed and made a pained expression. Seeing that, Rose gripped the hem of her dress, struggling to hold back tears.
At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside, and the door burst open.
“Your Highness!”
“Sir Pedwin, please—quietly…”
Haven tried to warn Pedwin, who had burst in calling my name, but Pedwin, pale and out of breath, spoke first.
“A letter has arrived from Midlfion! Count Burel sent it personally, and… uh… Your Highness, you must see it immediately. Children suffering from a disease similar to the Princess… uh…”
Out of breath from running, Pedwin’s words kept breaking, but it was clear what he was trying to convey. Haven, expression grim, took the letter from him and unfolded it.
“…They’re dead.”
Reading the letter, Haven instinctively muttered under his breath but quickly shut his mouth. Rose, anxious, looked at him and then noticed the letter in his hands. The letter from Count Burel was crumpled mercilessly in Haven’s grip.
Even from that, it was clear how shaken he was. Moreover, the words he had almost spoken were…
“Your Highness.”
Rose called to him in a trembling voice. Haven looked up from the letter, meeting her gaze. In the depths of his blue eyes, despair spread like ink.
“…No, this can’t be… our Flita, our child…”
“The royal physician needs to examine her again. Everyone else must leave.”
Haven’s low voice echoed through the room. He then bent slightly toward Flita and spoke.
“I will step out for a while, Flita. If there are too many people around, the physician’s attention will be distracted… Is that alright?”
“…You’re leaving? Rose too?”
Flita looked at Rose with eyes full of fear. Rose quickly approached, taking the child’s small hands in hers.
“I’ll step out for a moment. While the physician examines her, there are preparations I must make. To stay by the Princess’s side, there are things I need to get ready.”
“I- cough! Stay by my side? cough! Stay by me?”
“Of course.”
Rose restrained the tears threatening to fall. Flita, reassured, faintly smiled and nodded.
“Alright… cough! Alright. Will you come back quickly?”
“Yes, Princess. I’ll be back soon.”
After making that firm promise, Rose stepped back. Haven looked at her and then turned away. Pedwin and the other staff in the room followed him out.
Rose stayed behind until the last moment before leaving the room. Before stepping into the corridor, she glanced back. The child’s small body, left alone with the physician, was curled up in pain.
Taking a deep breath, Rose stepped outside. Haven was standing alone outside the door. Everyone else had apparently gone somewhere.
“Your Highness, what did the letter from Midlfion say?”
Rose asked immediately. It was not a question a mere maid should ask her master—inquiring about the contents of a letter sent to him. It was a significant breach of etiquette.
But Rose had no energy to worry about that. Right now, Flita’s wellbeing was her priority. Haven seemed to understand her concern and did not scold her; indeed, he likely would have told her the contents even if she hadn’t asked.
“They say a deadly disease has spread in Midlfion. Count Burel didn’t realize it was Dunfer’s. Of course, ordinary physicians would not have been able to recognize a disease long forgotten. I had never heard of it before either…”
“And? What happened to the children who caught the disease?”
Anxious, Rose cut him off, demanding an answer. Haven pressed his lips together tightly. Seeing his hand, veins standing out from tension, she fell silent.
Seeing that hand, Rose understood perfectly the man’s inner torment. His pain was no different from hers.
It was the heart of a parent with a sick child.
Parents could only hope the treatment would succeed.
Moreover, he was alone. To Flita, Haven was both father and mother. He had to bear the responsibilities of both alone. The weight of his pain must have been unbearable.
Rose gripped her own clothes as her chest tightened. Haven spoke slowly, in a voice heavier than before.
“…There are no survivors, as of now. Even the boy we took to the physicians seemed to improve, only to worsen suddenly and die.”
Rose tightly shut her eyes, trembling at the devastating news. Haven added with a sigh, glancing at her.
“It seems Count Burel sent the letter hoping for some hope… He must have heard somewhere that Flita had been near the deceased child.”
Disguised in ordinary clothes, they could not have avoided attention completely. At this moment, it was impossible to tell whether this was fortunate, unfortunate, or meaningless.
The letter alone could not provide a way to save the child.
A heavy silence fell, broken only when the physician emerged from the room shortly after.
“Ah, Your Highness.”
“And the child?”
“I have given medication to reduce her fever and alleviate her pain. She seems a little more comfortable and has fallen asleep.”
“Ah… thank goodness.”
Haven and Rose shared expressions of relief. Though immediate treatment was difficult, at least the child’s suffering had been eased.
“However, Your Highness, there is something I must say.”
“…?”
Haven exhaled in relief but turned his attention to the physician, who looked hesitant and frowned. Eventually, he spoke reluctantly.
“You cannot leave the Princess here.”
“…What?”
Haven’s expression stiffened. Rose also widened her eyes, puzzled.
“Since this disease is contagious, the Princess must be isolated elsewhere.”
“Isolated?”
“Yes, Your Highness. One attendant may accompany her, but she must not leave the isolation until fully recovered.”
“You mean… lock up a little child?”
“That is the only way to prevent the disease from spreading further. It may already be spreading within the palace. Even you, Your Highness, may be at risk, as well as this maid.”
The physician glanced at Rose, then firmly addressed Haven again.
“Identify those showing cold-like symptoms and isolate them separately. And…”
Haven’s face contorted as he ran his hands over his dry face. His neatly combed hair fell across his forehead.
He knew logically that the physician was correct. They needed to act immediately. But emotionally…
Isolate the child.
Where would they send her?
Is it right to confine a sick child, even with an attendant by her side?
He gritted his teeth. The words he had to speak caught in his throat.
“…I…”
“I will go with her.”
Before Haven could speak, Rose interrupted. Haven looked at her, and the pale-faced woman repeated firmly.
“I will go with the Princess. I will care for her… please allow me, Your Highness.”
“Your arm may be inconvenient, yet it is not necessary for you to go. A maid assisting the physician or the child’s nanny could be more effective…”
“My arm… is somewhat inconvenient, but not enough to prevent me from helping. Besides, I am the one who accompanied the Princess to Midlfion, Your Highness.”
Rose cut him off.
“Thus, it is better for me to enter. It reduces the risk of exposing another person unnecessarily. Don’t you agree, Doctor?”
