Chapter 21
The Duke’s heavy gaze turned to Brown. Reflected in his dark violet eyes—so unlike Louisa’s bright lavender ones—was Brown’s visibly nervous face.
“If we’re going to show her to a healing priest, we’ll have to go to the temple in the Kilberg territory.”
His voice lacked enthusiasm.
Uncharacteristically for the expressionless Duke Kilberg, a deep furrow appeared between his brows.
Perhaps it was a sign that he couldn’t bring himself to take Louisa to such a cold, dangerous place. Brown wasn’t entirely sure if he had read that expression correctly.
To see the expression of such a hardened, iron-blooded duke beginning to crack—it was an unfamiliar and unsettling sight.
“W-why is that?” Brown stammered, thrown off by the unexpected response.
“When the High Priest assigned clerics to the northern temple, he considered the high concentration of monsters and sent the priest with the strongest healing power.”
“Ah… then would it be difficult for the young lady to travel north?”
Brown sighed in disappointment but carefully posed the question while watching the Duke’s expression.
“No. It’s out of the question. The North is too dangerous. Even though we’re holding the border, there’s been an abnormal increase in monsters. A state of emergency has even been declared. I can’t take Louisa to a place like that.”
“But the emergency was declared in a village on the northern edge. Technically, that’s far from the central region of the duchy.”
“…I’ll ask the High Priest if the healing cleric can be temporarily transferred to the capital.”
Duke Kilberg knew that Brown was right.
Under normal circumstances, he would’ve made a logical, efficient decision. But when it came to Louisa, things weren’t so simple.
He just wanted her to be safe and worry-free. If that meant lowering himself to plead with the temple, so be it. He’d do whatever it took to eliminate uncertainty.
A heavy silence fell over the group. The only sound came from the rustling leaves outside the corridor’s window, swaying in the cold wind—strangely chilly for a spring day.
It chilled them all.
“….”
At last, Damian, who had remained silent with a thoughtful expression, slowly spoke.
“Father. I think we should ask Louisa first.”
The Duke slightly raised an eyebrow at Damian’s melancholic gaze.
“Ask Louisa?”
“Yes. This isn’t something we should decide on our own. It’s only right that she makes the decision herself.”
As Damian finished speaking, his eyes sparkled with unwavering determination. Duke Kilberg, watching him curiously, slowly lowered his gaze in contemplation.
“…You’re right.”
His voice was tinged with regret—as if he were scolding himself for nearly making another mistake.
Making unilateral decisions, thinking they were for her benefit—that wasn’t really helping Louisa. That was just self-justification.
Why did he keep making wrong choices and creating distance?
His chest tightened.
The Duke clenched his teeth, then lifted his gaze.
“Let’s speak with Louisa tomorrow.”
Damian, meeting his father’s violet eyes that resembled his own, smiled in relief and turned his head away.
The Duke followed his son’s gaze and stared longingly at the closed bedroom door.
As if gazing upon Louisa, peacefully asleep beyond it.
***
Louisa sat glumly in front of her treasure box, frowning at the dwindling supply of holy water.
‘There’s still quite a bit left, but it’s making me nervous. I keep wanting to stock up more.’
She picked up one bottle and closed the lid of the box.
She hadn’t really needed to drink any today, since she had taken some yesterday. But after coughing up so much blood—and especially after breathing in that horrible, sickening air—she felt like she needed another dose.
What was that foul air? What did it have to do with dark mages or dark magic? Nothing made sense.
Still, there wasn’t much she could do about it. Stirring things up would only make it worse, so she forced herself to suppress her curiosity.
Not that she had plans to go out anyway—Damian had visited that morning, eyes brimming with tears, begging her not to leave the house. She had promised she wouldn’t.
On the condition that she wouldn’t drink that awful green juice again.
‘I wonder what Father wants to talk about when he visits this afternoon. There’s no real treatment for this illness yet…’
Louisa loosely draped a thin shawl over her shoulders and walked over to the window. Gentle raindrops pattered against the leaves outside.
‘Come to think of it, is there any update on the Rosé wine? It should be about time to hear from them. If I don’t get a message soon, I might need to arrange a meeting.’
She had tried not to rush things, but the situation was making it hard to just sit and wait.
Staring out the window, lost in thought, Louisa belatedly noticed a carriage approaching from afar.
“Hm? Who’s that?”
As she squinted and studied the carriage getting closer, her eyes widened.
“…No way. Raphael?”
She hoped she was wrong—but her fears were soon confirmed. The carriage, adorned with a six-pointed star emblem, came to a stop. A familiar silhouette emerged from it.
‘What’s with the box he’s carrying?’
Sure enough, the unexpected visitor was Raphael.
After brushing off his crisp white uniform, he stood straight and looked up toward the second floor.
Louisa’s shoulders stiffened. Strangely, she felt their eyes meet across the air—neither of them looking away.
Showing up unannounced at someone’s residence was a major breach of etiquette. And for someone like Raphael to make such a faux pas, it left the entire Kilberg household stunned.
The butler hurried upstairs to inform Louisa—but she was already stepping out of her room, having seen everything.
Since she had been resting due to her illness, she saw no need to dress up. She simply threw on a silk robe over her chemise dress.
“I apologize for my rudeness. I was so worried I couldn’t help but act improperly,” Raphael said, placing his right hand over his heart and giving a small bow when Louisa entered the parlor.
His eyebrow twitched ever so slightly at her casual attire, but he quickly masked his reaction and apologized gracefully.
His apology left nothing to criticize. Louisa offered a faint smile and gestured for him to sit on the sofa.
Truthfully, she had considered turning him away. But after what he had seen yesterday—her vomiting blood—it felt wrong to ignore him without at least hearing why he came. She couldn’t help but be curious.
“It’s a get-well gift.”
As soon as he sat down, Raphael placed a large box on the table with a heavy thunk. Whatever was inside, it was really heavy.
“Ah, thank you.”
Louisa had already been dying to know what was inside. She shot him an eager look, silently asking if she could open it.
Her silent plea was so obvious that Raphael nodded without a word.
Without hesitation, Louisa began untying the ribbon. The box was large, and she couldn’t begin to guess what it contained.
Normally, a box this size might contain shoes, hats, or accessories—but the strange part was that it came from Raphael.
‘The same guy who never even brought me a flower… giving me a gift like this? Makes no sense…’
That thought only made her more curious. Louisa quickly pulled off the ribbon and threw open the lid.
“Gasp…!”
She thought her heart might stop.
She couldn’t believe her eyes.
Covering her mouth with both hands, she stared back and forth between the box and Raphael.
‘He’s giving me this? Again?’
Apparently expecting her shock, Raphael remained calm. He gazed at her violet eyes—like the violets blooming in the Kilberg estate’s garden—before slowly opening his mouth.
“You seemed in need of holy water. I brought all that I had.”
“…All of it? You really brought all this?”
There had to be at least thirty bottles. She was too stunned to speak.
‘Stay calm, stay calm…! No, how am I supposed to stay calm?!’
She had been so upset to see her supply dwindling—and now, here it was, multiplied several times over.
Louisa tried hard not to seem too delighted—afraid she might look materialistic—but she couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from curling up.
“You’re really giving me all of this?”
“Yes. I’m sorry the quantity isn’t greater. But if you need more, I’ll bring whatever I can get, whenever I can.”
…That much?
Of course, it was wonderful, but… didn’t he dislike her? Why was he being like this all of a sudden? It felt suspicious.
Louisa lowered her trembling hands and cautiously asked,
“Thank you, but… why go this far for me?”
For a moment, Raphael’s blue eyes flickered. Instead of answering right away, he silently held her gaze.
His crimson lips parted, hesitated, and then opened slowly.
“…I’m no medical expert. But I do know that no one coughs up blood for no reason.”
“….”
“If your physician hasn’t identified the cause yet, I think you should meet with the palace physician and a healing priest.”
“Ah…”
A sigh escaped Louisa’s lips.
So now he was dragging in the palace physician and even the healing priest she had dreaded. Her joy immediately deflated.
‘Of course.
