Episode 007 — The World Mistakes Me for a Terminally Ill Patient
[It’s a side effect.]
“Could you explain that in a way I can understand?”
[It’s a side effect caused by forcibly attaching memories from the future onto a past timeline, which twists the surrounding mana.]
“It doesn’t hurt much for a side effect.”
[To begin with, it’s not an illness of the mortal world. It’s merely how the distorted causality of a twisted worldline manifests.]
To be honest, I didn’t even understand half of that.
[In any case, a dull human like you wouldn’t understand, so just remember it as a side effect— w-wait, don’t hit me!]
As I smiled sweetly and lifted the crystal hammer, Kaiseus flinched in terror.
“Anyway, it means there’s nothing wrong with my health, right?”
[Yeah. If anything, you should feel refreshed. It’s the process of twisted mana returning to its proper course.]
Come to think of it, I did feel lighter after coughing up blood.
Unlike how he clammed up when I asked why he showed me the original story, this time his explanation was rather kind. As expected, violence really was the solution to problems.
“Alright. Then when do these side effects appear?”
[Even I don’t know that.]
We stared blankly at each other.
“…Didn’t you warn me when I coughed up blood? You said I’d have to pay a price.”
[That was…]
Kaiseus’s cheeks turned red.
[I just wanted to look cool…]
Good grief. Looks like his “dark dragon phase” came early, fitting for a black dragon. I suppose I could understand that.
‘Still, it’s a problem if the blood coughing is random.’
It wasn’t just coughing blood—I had even fainted. Regardless of feeling better afterward, that was troublesome.
‘Well… it’s not like I’ll collapse in front of people again, right?’
I decided not to worry about things I couldn’t control.
[So, can I go back now?]
“Where?”
[Into the ring.]
Silence lingered for a moment.
“Come to think of it, even if it’s because of the pact, why a ring of all things?”
[Because it’s made from my magnificent horn. And since I’m not fully grown, I can’t enter the White Forest.]
When I looked at him with a seriously? expression, Kaiseus puffed up indignantly.
[I want to grow up quickly too!]
“Alright, alright, Lord Kaiseus the little one. Do as you please.”
[Ugh…!]
The baby dragon flapped his tiny wings in frustration before suddenly doing a forward roll.
Thud.
The ring that Kaiseus had turned into dropped onto the table.
I picked it up and slipped it onto the ring finger of my left hand.
A small laugh escaped me.
“Not a dog or a cat—I’ve picked up a dragon.”
Just as I was feeling satisfied with my rather useful “dragon acquisition,”—
Click.
I heard someone open the bedroom door. I turned toward the sound.
For some reason, his face looked more gaunt than before. Yet somehow, it only added to his fragile, melancholic aura—an oddly striking man.
“Shubel?”
At the sound of his name, Shubel—who had been entering the room with unfocused eyes—suddenly widened his gaze.
Blink.
His eyes slowly closed and opened again, as if confirming whether this was reality.
Then, like a scene from a film, everything sharpened vividly in his mind.
Life returned to his once lifeless eyes. A faint, fragile light appeared—then expanded as it fixed on me.
“Elisia…?”
His voice trembled faintly, as though he couldn’t believe it.
He hurried toward the bed where I was.
And from his eyes—
Plop.
A tear, like a gemstone, fell.
‘W-wait.’
…A tear? A tear?!
As I stared in shock, Shubel grabbed my arm with trembling hands.
“You’ve really awakened? You didn’t… leave me behind, did you…?”
What kind of line is that? You sound like a widowed husband.
Thanks to that, I snapped out of my daze and smacked the back of his hand.
“I’m perfectly fine, so let go. That hurts.”
“Ah… my apologies. I was just so happy.”
He released me carefully, his pale face showing clear signs of the emotional turmoil he must have endured.
It felt… strange.
‘We weren’t this close, were we?’
Perhaps because I knew the Shubel from the original story, this felt even more unfamiliar. In the original, Shubel had shown not even the slightest interest in me.
Complete indifference. A marriage in name only. That was what our relationship had been.
‘So what made him change like this?’
For some reason, I felt awkward, a strange ticklish sensation in my chest, and avoided his gaze.
It felt like something might happen if I kept looking at him.
“Milady?”
Come to think of it, hadn’t he called my name earlier?
“Are you perhaps unwell? Ah, after coughing blood, there’s no way you could be fine… I was foolish. I’ll summon a priest at once—!”
“I’m fine.”
“But—”
“Shubel, look at me.”
He looked ready to drag a priest here by the collar, so I hurriedly grabbed him.
Perhaps in my haste, I ended up grabbing his collar.
That only brought us closer.
‘Mm, this distance is dangerous.’
Not for me—for him.
Seeing his eyes widen in surprise, clearly overwhelmed, I offered a silent apology.
‘If you’re this naive, how are you going to survive in this harsh world?’
I completely forgot that on my first day in Lunein, Shubel had casually asked, “Shall I kill them?”, and instead worried about his future.
Before I return to my sweet home, I’ll have to give him some proper life lessons. Only then can I leave with peace of mind.
“I’m really fine.”
I said firmly.
“See? There’s nothing wrong.”
According to Kaiseus, even the blood coughing was just a side effect—there was no real health issue.
No matter how much they examined me, they wouldn’t find any illness.
At my words, Shubel lowered his eyes obediently, still held by the collar.
A shadow fell across his face as if deep in thought, making him look almost ethereal.
What a cheat character, I thought to myself.
Then he looked up at me again and spoke in a sorrowful tone.
“You don’t have to pretend in front of me, Milady.”
…Huh?
“I know you’re very strong. But at least in front of me… I wish you wouldn’t endure everything alone like that.”
What is he talking about?
I stared at him, baffled—this man who somehow made it feel like he was looking down at me even while I was the one holding him.
‘Wait, when did we end up in this position?’
This felt… questionable.
As I slowly tried to lean back, a soft cushion pressed against my back.
Ah. Right. This was the bedroom.
And we were… on the bed.
The moment I became aware of that, I saw something off in Shubel’s eyes and swallowed nervously.
For the first time, I realized—
He was my husband.
“You brat! What do you think you’re doing to my daughter-in-law?! With that size of yours, are you trying to crush a sick girl?! Move aside!”
It was clearly Bella’s voice, yet completely different from her usual refined tone.
Before I knew it, she had entered the room and was smacking Shubel’s back repeatedly.
Shubel’s expression turned blank for a moment before he smiled softly.
“Mother, I’m your son.”
“My gentle daughter-in-law is far prettier than an unlovable son!”
“…Well, that’s true.”
Why are you agreeing?!
In the end, Shubel reluctantly backed away.
I decided not to ask why he looked disappointed.
“Dear, are you alright?”
“Yes, Mother. I’m fine. Truly, there’s nothing wrong.”
Bella had already returned to her elegant noblewoman demeanor, clasping my hand tightly as she asked.
I smiled brightly to reassure her.
Yet for some reason, she only looked more heartbroken.
“She grew up too quickly… and only learned how to endure things.”
I felt dizzy.
‘No, I’m really fine?!’
Sure, I coughed blood.
And fainted!
…When you put it that way, I really do sound like a critically ill patient.
In the end, despite the doctor declaring me perfectly healthy, I found myself surrounded by my in-laws’ overwhelming overprotection.
“Milady, just in case, it would be best if I carried you.”
“…I’m just going downstairs.”
“That won’t do. You might feel nauseous.”
What kind of nonsense is that?
“This dishware should be changed to a different color— …Vikal?”
“I’ll carry it. Young Madam, please conserve your strength.”
After that, I picked up a single fork—only to have it taken away for the sake of conserving my energy.
“Cough!”
“Ahhh! Young Madam! Quickly, summon a doctor and a priest!”
One cough, and the entire grand ducal residence was thrown into chaos.
…Is this right? Seriously?
Finally, unable to endure it any longer, I declared in front of everyone:
“I’m fine.”
“……”
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“……”
“I’m healthy! Cough!”
“Raise the heating!”
“Dear, breathe! Breathe!”
“Milady… please don’t leave me…”
It’s just a cold, but my in-laws’ overprotectiveness is making things very difficult.
