Chapter 65
Screeech. With that unpleasant sound, the door creaked open, and I swallowed a tense breath.
I had barged in recklessly up to this point, but now, standing at the threshold of a room with three people suffering from an infectious disease, it was impossible not to feel nervous.
I unconsciously held my breath as I stepped further inside.
Then, something caught my foot. Looking down, I saw the man I had seen earlier in the square collapsed right in front of the door.
Startled, I almost screamed but hastily clamped my mouth shut.
I fully entered the room and closed the door behind me.
Looking around, I saw two people curled up on blankets in a corner, asleep.
One appeared to be the man’s wife, and the smaller one looked like his child.
The first thing that caught my eye was the red spots covering their skin, visible through their clothes.
Next, I noticed the harsh, pained breathing of all three, filling the space.
My heart began to race.
Whether fortunate or unfortunate, it was clear that all three were unconscious. The glass vial I had brought seemed useless in that case.
Originally, I had planned to make it look like holy water, use prayer as an excuse to close their eyes, and secretly heal them—but now, there was no need for such effort.
I roughly set the vial down on a nearby table.
“Start with the child first.”
I stepped around the man collapsed by the door and approached the bed where the child lay.
As expected, the child was around Rowin and Lin’s age. I quickly knelt and held the child’s hand.
The tiny hand burned with fever. I bit the inside of my cheek and closed my eyes.
“Please heal this child’s illness.”
A light, like I had seen somewhere before, flowed from my hands.
The light enveloping the child disappeared shortly after, and the red spots vanished completely.
I quickly moved on to the next. Holding the woman’s hand—presumably the mother—I prayed with all my heart.
An even brighter light covered her body, and I confirmed with my eyes that the illness had healed.
For a fleeting moment, the thought crossed my mind: could I heal all the people in other quarantine zones like this?
If only I could sneak in and conceal my identity, it might be possible.
Suddenly, however, nausea and dizziness hit me hard.
“I feel like I’m going to vomit.”
Fearing I might lose consciousness like before, I forced myself to stand.
Staggering, I approached the man lying by the door and prayed for his recovery. Just like before, a burst of light emanated from my hands and enveloped his body.
“I really can’t hold on much longer.”
Just as I felt I might lose consciousness, the red spots on the man’s skin slowly disappeared.
Feeling a presence behind me, I turned reflexively—and froze.
“…Angel?”
A little girl had woken up somehow and was staring at me with dull, lifeless eyes.
Flustered, I quickly withdrew my hand from the man’s arm, all the while checking that the hood I had pulled over my head remained in place.
“Ah, now it’s really dangerous…”
My vision blurred. Half out of my mind, I reached for the door handle.
With effort, I turned the handle, and immediately, Sir Rachel, who had been waiting nearby, appeared.
“Milady?”
Seeing me in this odd state, Sir Rachel hurriedly grabbed my arm and lowered his body.
Clinging to him like a lifeline, I struggled to speak.
“…Sir, take me… home.”
“Milady!”
I felt him lift me gently. Resting my head on his shoulder, I clenched my teeth, mentally repeating that I must not lose consciousness here.
“What’s wrong? Why are you like this?”
As Sir Rachel hurriedly carried me out, two guards approached in confusion, speaking to him. Naturally, he ignored them and continued past the fourth quarantine zone. Then he ran to the carriage, parked at a slight distance.
Even while being carried, I managed to gather my wits inside Sir Rachel’s surprisingly strong embrace. It was strange, but I could hold on if I tried.
After healing the three earlier, I had felt like I would collapse, yet now, a little time had passed, and I felt slightly better.
“Milady, are you alright? Shall we visit the physician, or would it be better to return to the mansion?”
Sir Rachel asked with concern as he gently set me on the carriage seat, even wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. I blinked slowly, thinking that if he were truly a man, I might have proposed right then.
“I… want to go home.”
“Understood.”
Sir Rachel informed the driver that we were returning to the Christener Marquisate, and soon, the carriage departed.
“It’s partly my fault for not stopping you, but what on earth were you doing there?”
Leaning my head against the carriage wall, I remained half-conscious, while Sir Rachel fretted beside me.
“…Sir Rachel.”
“Yes, speak.”
“We… are…”
I lifted my drooping eyes to look at him and smiled faintly.
“Accomplices?”
“….”
Sir Rachel was momentarily speechless, mouth agape, and I pressed the point further.
“What happened today… must remain an absolute secret from my brother. Understand?”
I felt the limits creeping in, my eyes closing sleepily as I spoke faintly. I even made sure to leave a convenient excuse for my brother, Michael.
“This time… tell him I got so distracted by the grilled meat skewers that I fell down the stairs.”
“Milady!”
As I slowly let go of consciousness, I remembered one more thing.
“But you know… this stays a secret from that brat.”
“…That brat?”
A sudden thought hit me—that I might have been in a similar situation before.
The blue eyes, frozen in surprise, and the man’s voice calling my name, all flashed through my mind like a panorama.
‘No… it can’t be.’
Please, let it be a mistake… I prayed, and then fell asleep with a start.
No matter when, this place was always unpleasant.
Rixion walked along familiar paths, thinking.
Even the grandiose splendor and opulence couldn’t hide the dark shadows and the faint stench of blood permeating the palace.
Others might see differently, but at least to Rixion, the imperial castle looked grim.
Every time he stepped foot here, the disgust would peak, furrowing his brow.
“Duke, this way.”
Walking down the long corridor to the central palace, the steward recognized him from afar and hurried over, face serious.
If the emperor personally summoned him, it had to be a matter of grave importance.
Rixion, annoyed at the likely troublesome task awaiting him, moved toward the audience chamber with a scowl.
As he reached the doors, the steward signaled them open.
The massive doors swung wide, and Rixion stepped inside.
“Duke!”
Emperor Alexis’s welcoming voice greeted him first.
Rixion, familiar with the scene, inclined his head slightly and entered.
However, today there was one unfamiliar presence.
In the center of Emperor Alexis and the surrounding guards stood a woman in a peculiar outfit.
Her hair and clothes were soaked as if she had fallen into water, and her exotic attire drew attention.
“Duke?”
Just as Rixion wondered who she was and why she looked like a drenched mouse, all eyes in the audience chamber turned to him, and the woman finally looked back.
Her small, pale face framed by wet hair, and deep black eyes like obsidian, caught Rixion’s gaze.
She looked younger than expected, and her exotic appearance matched her unique clothing.
Even across the continent, such black hair and eyes were rare, making her presence feel out of place.
“…Park.”
Realizing the summons concerned her, Rixion stepped forward, but the woman stared blankly, as if seeing a ghost. She raised both hands to her mouth and muttered something softly.
Even Emperor Alexis and Rixion leaned in to listen.
“Wow, so handsome.”
Though the words were barely audible, that was what she said.
