Chapter 58
So, that means you see me as your own child(?)
And that’s why you’re trying to protect me?
“Heren, I get it now.”
“No, it’s not that, so stop it.”
Heres pressed the corners of his eyes, frustrated.
“You fool. It’s because you’re precious to me.”
“Huh?”
Startled by his sudden answer, I widened my eyes.
His words were calm, but the gaze I met was ablaze with heat.
I drew in a breath.
“Because you’re precious. So don’t get hurt.”
When his hand brushed the hair from my cheek, a sudden warmth surged through me.
It wasn’t the usual painful heat he inflicted, but a strangely ticklish warmth.
‘What… is this… weird?’
I quietly turned my gaze away.
I couldn’t meet Heres’ eyes under this unfamiliar heat.
At that moment, Ban toddled over and placed his small hand on my forehead.
“Ah, hot, hot!”
Ban shivered and quickly pulled his hand away.
“H-Heres! This is serious! Siena’s body is really hot!”
Ban flailed, claiming he thought his hand would burn.
“It’s not that bad!”
I pushed Ban away and pulled the blanket over my head.
But Heres’ hand quickly pulled it down again.
“Do you want to die from suffocation this time? You’ll roast yourself like that.”
“No, it’s not that bad…”
“That’s enough. Don’t speak. You’ve already lost your voice.”
Heres let out a small sigh, worried that I wouldn’t be able to speak tomorrow, and warned Ban sharply.
“Ban, all magic is forbidden starting today.”
“What? I need to watch over him…!”
“I said stop.”
“Okay…”
Ban curled his tail obediently under Heres’ cold gaze.
“Siena, same goes for you. Stay put until your body recovers. If Ban catches you using your strength…”
Heres paused for a moment, staring intently at me.
His gaze was strangely chilling.
“Well, if you’re curious, you can try it.”
“I absolutely will not…”
Intimidated by Heres’ intensity, we both nodded obediently.
Perhaps thanks to a full day of rest, I woke up feeling much lighter.
Not completely recovered, but the fever that had boiled within me had dropped, and that alone made me feel alive.
Still, Noah and Heres remained concerned.
“It’s good that your fever has dropped, but don’t be complacent. It could spike again suddenly, so don’t push yourself. Stay put.”
Noah placed a hand on my forehead, checking my temperature, and exhaled with relief.
“I feel okay though…”
“That might be your illusion. It could hit you suddenly, like a dam breaking. So don’t go outside. Understood?”
“Yes, the young duke is right. I have to rest completely. Don’t overdo it, just trust the medicine. Have you taken today’s dose?”
The two of them, in perfect harmony when it came to my health, alternated in scolding me.
“I’ll take it now. I won’t even get out of bed, so relax.”
Just as I nodded obediently and reached for the medicine from Rina,
“Wait.”
Heres snatched the medicine from my hand.
Startled by having it taken, I grabbed his sleeve.
“Heren? Is there something wrong with the medicine?”
Heres glared at it with a serious look.
“This isn’t it. The medicine has changed…”
I tilted my head, seeing his face clouded with shock.
“Changed? What do you mean…”
“Siena!”
Drip. Drip.
A hot, wet liquid ran from my nose to my mouth, and down my chin.
‘Uh…?’
Something surged inside me. Feeling like I would spill it all at any moment, I desperately covered my mouth.
“Siena?”
“Ugh!”
Bright red chunks dripped between my fingers.
My palms were damp and hot. My chest throbbed as if stabbed with a knife, and my throat burned.
Suddenly, my vision darkened. Sounds faded.
I felt abandoned in a space where I couldn’t see or hear anything.
Crushing weakness and excruciating pain. The metallic smell of blood, gasping for air as it slowly choked me.
“Siena!”
A hand grabbed my shoulder, and distant sounds returned.
“Ah! Miss!”
“Doctor! Call the doctor immediately! Now!”
Through my blurred vision, I saw Rina screaming and Noah shouting at someone.
‘Ah… he was right.’
I wasn’t okay.
It had all been my illusion.
This damn illness had waited until I let my guard down and hit me hard in the back of the head.
The belated pain surged over my body like a wave.
I was helplessly swept away.
“Siena, stay awake. Don’t lose consciousness.”
Heres kept calling my name, but I couldn’t respond.
If I opened my mouth, I would spill the red chunks again.
‘…Now that I think about it, I haven’t been this sick since that day.’
And I realized.
Heres had been taking care of me all this time.
Thanks to him easing my pain and preparing potions, I had been the most comfortable during the worst times.
‘Right, it was supposed to hurt this much.’
Realizing this, I reached out to Heres, instinctively trying to survive.
As my weak hand trembled, Heres urgently grabbed it.
“Siena.”
“Heren… it hurts…”
I leaned toward him.
My eyelids slowly closed.
“Siena!”
Heres called my name desperately.
I collapsed into his arms, losing consciousness.
Siena had collapsed.
In his arms.
Realizing that, my breath caught.
Why? Why is this happening again?
I had sworn that this time, I wouldn’t let anything happen, that I would protect her.
Crackle. Crackle.
The sound of burning wood reached my ears.
The humid air, the metallic smell of blood, and the shallow breaths clung to his body.
“Siena.”
Heres shook her small body.
“Siena, wake up.”
With her body motionless, Heres buried his face against hers.
How did she survive that hell? Was I supposed to let her fall there again?
“Leaving me alone again…”
At that moment, a strong force grabbed his shoulders.
“Heres! What are you doing? Hand over that medicine immediately! You need to give it to Siena! Now!”
Heres finally realized he was holding the medicine.
“Because of this…”
The medicine crumbled weakly in his clenched fist.
Seeing the powder scatter on the floor, Noah grabbed Heres’ shoulders fiercely, panicked.
“Are you insane? Why would you—!”
“Where’s that bastard Frank?”
“What?”
“That damn guy…”
‘Lately, Frank has been too weak. I’m worried.’
‘Wouldn’t that medicine revive him? Whose medicine is that?’
Yes, that’s exactly what had been said.
Recalling Alfred and Zeneka’s conversation from last night, flames sparked in Heres’ eyes.
“Young Duke, take care of Siena.”
Until just a moment ago, Heres had been determined not to let Siena be taken, but now he suddenly handed her over to Noah.
“Heres? Heres!”
Panicked, Noah called for him, but he had already rushed out.
The destination was clear. Rushing to the room where Siena had been yesterday, Heres threw the door open.
“Ugh! Wh-what is this!”
Frank, napping on the bed, jolted upright in surprise.
Siena had stopped her nightmare, and he had been lazily sprawled out.
Seeing him, Heres’ vision reddened.
Just like that day, he felt like destroying everything.
‘Because of this bastard, Siena…’
Heres immediately lunged at him, grabbing his collar.
As if ready to strangle him to death.
“Was it you?”
Frank’s shirt was crushed in Heres’ grip.
Rank’s pale face struggled.
“What are you doing! Let go!”
“What do you think you’re doing!”
“Are you crazy? Everyone Siena carries around is completely insane!”
Alfred shouted, and Zeneka tried to pull Heres’ arm away, but he didn’t budge.
Their defiance only fueled his anger.
“Where’s the medicine? If you took two, there should be one left. Don’t tell me you ate it all?”
If he really had… then at that point…
