Chapter 108 – Ether Oversensitivity

“It’s still a little cold. You should have brought an outer coat.”

A warm presence wrapped around me, and I heard an unexpected voice close by.

The Duke jumped in surprise.
“Your Highness! How did you…?”

“With so much power spilling out, how could I not notice?” Cedric replied.

“That is—”

“Shh. Will you keep talking loudly like this? It looks like Viola just fell asleep.”

Cedric gently turned me toward him and carefully tied the strings of a cloak around me.

While doing so, his eyes checked me everywhere, as if I were someone he had to protect. Seeing him act like that made me let out a small laugh, even though the situation was serious.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“Truly?”

“You’re here, Cedric. So it’s fine.”

His cloak carried the smell of the wind. I pulled the collar closer and buried myself inside it, and my heart felt a little calmer.

Our eyes met. Cedric lightly placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

I smiled back.

Finally, I had someone on my side. That felt good.

The Duke, who had been watching us silently, let out a sigh.
“…Follow me.”

The Duke guided us to his study. Ian was already there and looked shocked when we entered. The Duke gave him a familiar smile and gestured for him to sit.

Everyone took their seats quietly, but no one spoke at first. A heavy silence filled the room.

I was also deep in thought, comparing what I had seen and experienced.

The first to speak was Geron.
“No need for private talk. Let’s do it here and now.”

“Then please speak,” I said.

“You. Why did you go there?”

Unlike most nobles who always spoke in roundabout ways, Geron went straight to the point.

That was fine with me. I didn’t want to waste time either. I sat straight and answered.
“Lady Viola seemed unwell. I wanted to check.”

“Why you?”

“Because I am a healer.”

“You didn’t think the Duke’s other physicians had already examined her?”

Of course I had thought of that.

But if I hadn’t seen Geron rushing there with a wine bottle, I might have looked for another way.

“You were carrying a bottle of wine when you went to her room,” I said.

“…What?”

“Anyone could see you were going to a sick person, while drunk, and with another bottle in your hand!”

Another wine bottle and glass were now sitting in front of him.

“You—you think I’d hurt my sister just because I was drinking?”

“I didn’t think that far. But I wanted to be sure…”

And now, I knew the bottle didn’t just hold alcohol. My eyes flicked to the wine at his side, and I read his status window.

-3
+1
-7
+8

Each time he drank, his condition clearly improved. Narrowing my eyes, I turned to the Duke.

“May I ask you something now?”

I took a deep breath. The Duke had been silently staring at me since we arrived. That gaze was more frightening than words.

“Your Grace,” I said.

“Speak.”

“Does Lady Viola often refuse food, and suffer terrible pain even though she hasn’t eaten anything sharp?”

“What?”

The Duke’s eyes widened. Ian, sitting quietly at his side, looked the same. Their reactions told me I was right.

“So it’s true.”

“H-how did you…”

“I already said I know this illness. She sometimes hears things that aren’t there too, doesn’t she?”

“Yes. That’s right,” Ian answered quickly.

The symptoms in her status window, what I had just confirmed, and even Geron’s request for “saltless soup” all pointed to one illness.

I let out a slow breath.

So this disease appears here too… what a strange feeling.

“…It’s Ether Oversensitivity, isn’t it?”

Ether Oversensitivity. A very rare sickness that only appeared in people with too much innate ether inside them. Sometimes it was inherited. The Aurelia family, being a house of strong mages, was at higher risk.

Because those with too much ether often died young, no real treatment existed. Like the saying “beautiful people die young,” these people also had shorter lives. Most called it a curse.

“H-how did you know?”

Everyone froze. Ian was the first to speak again, his voice urgent.

“Because I suffered from it too,” I said with a sigh. “Me, and my… my old friend.”

The word fiancé almost slipped out, but I bit it back.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you ever say so? You never showed any sign of illness. Are you cured now?” Cedric asked, his brow furrowed.

I shrugged.
“Of course. I already overcame it.”

“Overcame it?”

“Yes. I cured this disease.”

It had started back when my ether first awakened. My own ether, long buried, suddenly surged out. At the same time, the oversensitivity appeared.

But after that awakening, I could feel not only ether, but also the power of nature itself. It was a strength worthy of being called Awakening.

The price I paid was Ether Oversensitivity.

I remembered clearly:

“No seasoning in my food. I can’t eat it. Just give me enough to not die. Change all my bedding to the softest.”

“Yes, but, my lady…”

“Even your voice feels too loud. I think this is also part of the illness. What does the temple say?”

“They said they’ll send something. Can’t you wait just a bit longer?”

It was the body’s vessel cracking under the weight of growing ether. That was Ether Oversensitivity.

The temple had sent me a holy artifact. More likely, they didn’t want the world to see their “hero” suffering from such a disease.

Wearing it made the pain vanish as if by magic.

But I knew—it was just a leash.

If I relied on that artifact, I’d never escape. One day, without it, the disease would return worse than ever. Then I’d truly be chained to it forever.

“I can’t allow that.”

“Then what will you do, Violetta?”

“Didn’t I say? I’m a genius. Wait for me. I’ll make medicine. Then we’ll return this artifact together.”

“…All right. I’ll trust you.”

I had once made that promise.

From then on, I threw myself into research, even while enduring harsh training as a “hero.”

It was exhausting.

But I succeeded. That success is standing before them now.

I straightened my back proudly and looked them all in the eye.