Chapter 50
Count Lyndon Payson entered Rubiana’s bedroom.
Rubiana was lying asleep in her bed, while Virginia and Justin sat beside her, their eyes swollen red.
“She’s sleeping after taking her medicine.”
“What happened?”
Lyndon, his expression stiff, examined Rubiana’s face as he asked.
“Stephanie stopped by to grab a quick meal before heading to night training. But she heard that Rubiana had gone out riding and hadn’t returned even after two hours, so she went to look for her, just in case.”
“……”
“They found her collapsed and unconscious by the lakeside. It was terrible, but also lucky. If it hadn’t been Stephanie, something serious might have happened.”
“Hm…”
Lyndon pressed his lips tightly together; his expression twisted into something harsh and grim.
The worry he felt for his daughter—suffering from an illness with no confirmed diagnosis—was overwhelming.
Sometimes she seemed fine… then suddenly collapsed like this again. It broke his heart.
Justin spoke through trembling lips.
“Ruby-noona can wake up, right? She’s not… she’s not going to be stuck asleep forever, right? I’m scared.”
“Let’s not worry too much. Ruby is stronger than she looks. She’s taken her medicine, so once she gets enough rest, she’ll wake up soon.”
Virginia wiped the tears from her young son’s cheeks, trying to soothe him.
Her own voice trembled, as though she were moments away from crying herself.
Lyndon gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Just then, a knock sounded, and the door opened as the head butler hurried in.
“The Grand Duke Clytemon has arrived. He heard that the young lady collapsed and came because he was worried.”
The news of Elion’s visit widened the Count couple’s eyes in surprise.
It suddenly felt real—that Rubiana and Elion were promised to one another.
Lyndon turned to Virginia and Justin and spoke calmly.
“Come now. Wipe your tears and let’s greet our guest.”
After exchanging brief greetings with the family, Elion went straight into Rubiana’s bedroom.
The moment he saw her pale face, his heart lurched—thudding unevenly, as if broken.
The instant he held her hand, he sharply felt his mana pouring into her.
Elion lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.
Now… now I can breathe again.
As the outpouring of mana left him, a cool, refreshing sensation filled its place.
His headache slowly subsided.
He remained like that for a long time, lips pressed to her hand—
“Uu… ahh…!”
Rubiana frowned painfully and tossed slightly in her sleep.
“Young Lady? Rubiana? Can you hear me? Rubiana!”
Elion called to her in desperation, but her consciousness had not returned.
Her pained whimpers grew louder, slipping from her small lips.
Elion hesitated briefly, then cupped her face with both hands and pressed his lips to hers.
He gently bit her lower lip before slowly sucking on it.
Mana flowed into her through the soft mucous membrane—and finally, the agonized moans stopped.
At the same time, Hailey, under Elion’s orders, had gone to find Omar.
Perhaps he sensed something from her tense atmosphere; Omar greeted her in an unusually subdued tone.
“…Something bad happened, didn’t it?”
“The young lady collapsed again. His Highness has summoned you. Could you come with me right now?”
“Ah…”
Omar did not normally make house calls.
He had more than enough work simply tending to the patients who came to see him.
However—if the patient was someone with a soul-body dissonance, a possessor…
That was a different matter.
His hesitation did not last long.
Omar stood up, pulling on his robe.
“Would you help me up?”
“Of course.”
Omar grasped Hailey’s offered arm with one hand and held his cane in the other.
The carriage carrying Hailey and Omar arrived at the Payson estate.
Seeing the Grand Duke’s personal physician and a robed healer arrive, the Payson family’s eyes shone with hopeful anticipation.
Elion, however, did not.
The moment Omar stepped into the bedroom, Elion grabbed him by the collar.
Hailey didn’t even have time to intervene.
Elion’s face flushed red with fury as he growled through clenched teeth:
“You—what on earth is this? Didn’t you say our bodies were in perfect condition? If we were in perfect condition, how could she suddenly lose consciousness and collapse?!”
“Well… I can only know after an examination…”
Omar’s calm tone seemed to bring Elion back to himself; the strength in Elion’s grip loosened.
But the suffocating tension in the room did not ease.
Hailey was stunned by what she had just witnessed.
To think that someone always so rational and cool-headed would act this emotionally…
If she told Fred about this, he would never believe it.
Has His Highness truly come to care deeply for Lady Rubiana? Is that why he’s so emotionally shaken?
While Hailey tried to steady her pounding heart, Omar took out a crystal sphere from his bag and approached the bed.
He placed Rubiana’s hand atop the sphere and then layered his own hand over hers.
After a while, he finished the examination and spoke.
“You may recall that I told you both your bodies are still incomplete until they are fully stabilized.”
“…Yes.”
“This case is the same. Even if your condition was at its best, it was still incomplete.”
“I’ve heard that explanation enough. I’d appreciate a different one—one that actually makes sense.”
Elion’s eyebrows twisted into a threatening scowl.
Despite the sharp hostility, Omar remained composed as he continued.
“My view on today’s event is this: yesterday, the young lady received an excessive amount of mana. If today she received significantly less, then such a drastic gap in a short time could have placed great strain on her body.”
“…”
“Or stress might have been the cause.”
At that explanation, Elion let out a deep, heavy sigh and dragged a hand down his face.
Given the possibilities Omar presented… the reason Rubiana collapsed came back to one person.
Him.
It was he who had pushed her too far with his overflowing mana the previous night.
It was he who ignored Omar’s suggestion today.
He who shut down the conversation without listening to her thoughts.
Damn it. This is all because of me…!
As Elion berated himself, Omar opened his mouth again, cautiously.
“I will repeat my suggestion. For one week only, I recommend exchanging a high amount of mana between the two of you.”
“…”
“I believe this method will certainly be effective for the young lady.”
“…Enough. Leave now.”
Elion waved his hand curtly, clearly unwilling to hear more.
But Omar still made no move to leave.
“Before that—may I examine Your Highness? Your mana seems highly unstable.”
“I’m fine—”
“Please, Omar.”
Hailey intervened before Elion could refuse.
Elion and Hailey’s gazes clashed sharply.
The look Elion gave her said, Don’t pull anything stupid.
Hailey ignored it completely.
“Please allow me to fulfill my duty, Your Highness.”
“……”
Elion could not turn away from her earnest plea.
Forcing down his anger, he placed his hand on the crystal sphere.
After examining him, Omar spoke gravely.
“As I suspected. Your mana is abnormally unstable.”
“What’s strange about that? Just like the young lady, my body is also incomplete. You said it’s normal for our condition to change rapidly.”
Elion replied in a cold, dismissive tone.
He no longer trusted Omar in the slightest.
To him, Omar was simply a quack who hadn’t even foreseen Rubiana collapsing hours later.
To think that this was the best healer in the Empire—Elion felt bitterly amused.
But Omar did not falter. He spoke clearly:
“That is true. However—unlike the young lady, Your Highness’s mana carries a distinctly artificial influence. It seems an external, artificial factor has destabilized your mana.”
“Artificial…?”
At those words, both Elion’s and Hailey’s faces twisted in shock.
