Episode 8
Everyone had the same thought.
Ilia had just handled all of Ruel’s whining, crying, and refusing, and somehow even got him to take his medicine. It took quite a long time, but this tiny 12-year-old spoke so maturely afterward.
“Ma’am… you worked so hard. Should I bring you something sweet? The chef baked some delicious cookies.”
“Oh! I’d like that! But um… first I should check on Lihil. They said he took his medicine, but I’m still worried…”
Ilia scratched her cheek and laughed shyly.
The staff all pressed their hands over their mouths, overwhelmed with emotion.
Ilia quietly opened Lihil’s door. The room was silent, and Lihil was fast asleep.
His complexion looked a little better—probably because of the medicine.
Thank goodness…
For the first time, Ilia felt glad she’d ended up inside this novel.
She could save Lihil and Ruel.
Not like her younger brother, Doyun—who she couldn’t save at all.
This time… I can save them.
The medicine was being developed.
Money could be made.
Everything was possible.
You can do it, Ilia.
She gave herself a small pat and sat beside Lihil. His pale face was half-buried in the blankets.
“Ugh…”
Maybe he was having a nightmare—he whimpered.
Ilia froze, then placed a hand on his forehead.
“Is he feverish again? …No, doesn’t seem like it.”
Feeling her touch, Lihil slowly opened his eyes.
“Oh—you’re awake? I didn’t mean to wake you…”
Lihil blinked.
A small pink-and-white squirrel was sitting beside his bed.
Round eyes. Puffy cheeks. Familiar somehow.
He squinted, then gave up thinking.
Where her hand touched his forehead, it felt cool.
It felt like the heat inside his body was draining out through her fingers.
Lihil exhaled in a tired whisper:
“…Keep touching me.”
“Huh?”
“Touch me more.”
He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Ilia gently stroked his forehead, just as he asked.
So cool…
And that soft, sweet scent coming from Ilia—it tickled his nose.
It was like all the pain in his body melted away.
“This feels… good…”
Ilia continued stroking his forehead for a long while.
Hoo… hoo…
Don’t get sick…
She whispered it over and over, barely audible.
Lihil listened, drinking in every word, wanting to remember this moment forever.
His breathing slowly calmed.
Relaxed.
Little by little…
His eyes closed again, falling into a much more peaceful sleep.
Morning
“Did you sleep well?”
Lihil blinked at the voice as soon as he woke up.
“You weren’t waking up today, so I came to check. You should take your medicine first…”
Her violet eyes swam with worry as she leaned closer—then moved away again.
The sweet scent faded with her.
Panicked, Lihil forced his eyes wide open.
Something inside him said he needed to hold onto whatever was leaving.
So he grabbed the first thing he could reach.
“Huh? Do you need something?”
The scent returned.
The warm, gentle touch returned.
He relaxed and closed his eyes again.
His limp little hand was clutching Ilia’s sleeve tightly.
“Lihil? Are you asleep?”
Ilia blinked.
Ruel had woken earlier, taken his dose, and fallen asleep again.
Sprout Lab had warned them—when patients start the medicine, they might sleep constantly for three to seven days.
But they still had to be woken daily for doses.
It was the process of separating the tangled mana inside their bodies.
Ilia didn’t really understand the complicated explanation.
All she cared about was—Lihil’s breaths sounded better today.
She hesitated, then slowly lay down beside him.
Carefully…
She couldn’t pull her sleeve away—he was holding onto it.
And sitting in a chair felt uncomfortable.
And… I’m sleepy…
“Yaaawn…”
Running around since early morning made her exhausted.
Ruel wasn’t as sick as Lihil was—Lihil’s condition had been much worse earlier.
Ilia shifted, closed her eyes…
“Yaaawn…”
Sleeping together should be okay, right…?
Her eyes fluttered shut.
I need to give him his medicine later…
Once today…
Before the day ends…
Just a little nap…
Ilia surrendered to the drowsiness.
Where is Ilia?!
“Ma’am?? Are you in here?!”
“She’s not! Where did she go? She didn’t go outside…”
“Could she have climbed the wall…?”
The head maid stared nervously at the tall stone wall.
…No way.
Ilia wasn’t a squirrel that could climb walls.
Right??
“What if… what if I saw her earlier?”
“Where?”
“I’m pretty sure I saw her going to the young master’s room…”
“And?”
“I didn’t see her come out.”
Oh no.
The head maid and the butler exchanged looks.
Ilia had entered Lihil’s room to give him medicine—but she hadn’t come out for an hour.
She was normally bouncing around the mansion like a tiny squirrel.
She even had an appointment with Norman—but wasn’t there.
Something was definitely strange.
“That must be it.”
The butler nodded.
He flared his nostrils dramatically and took the lead. The others followed him toward Lihil’s room.
Creeeeak—
“Open it gently!”
The head maid poked the butler’s ribs.
When the door opened wide…
“Oh my…”
Everyone’s heads tilted 45 degrees to the right in perfect unison.
The same soft, melted expressions spread across their faces.
How could anything be this cute?
Ilia was curled up like a tiny ball.
Lihil was holding her sleeve while sleeping beside her.
A round pink squirrel and a pale, beautiful boy.
It was… overwhelmingly adorable.
The head maid covered her mouth.
Just yesterday they had never seen Lihil sleep peacefully like this.
This was all Ilia’s doing.
And even Ruel—who usually woke up crying—was peacefully asleep too.
Pretty girl doing pretty things… how could anyone not love her?
“Let’s leave them.”
“But Norman is waiting—”
“He can wait.”
The butler said firmly, ushering everyone out.
“Children need lots of sleep to grow.”
“Then you should step out too.”
The head maid tugged the butler—who was still staring dreamily at the scene.
He coughed awkwardly and backed out.
The door closed carefully.
And the entire group tip-toed away like burglars.
Lihil wakes first
“Uh…?”
He’d never slept beside someone before, but there was warmth next to him.
He turned—
A pink round bundle lay beside him.
“Ilia?”
His voice cracked from fever.
But it was definitely her.
He hesitated, then lay back down beside her.
Ilia was warm… and cool at the same time.
And she smelled nice.
Plus…
Her mouth was moving.
What is she eating in her sleep?
Her cheeks puffed out, her lips moving like she was chewing something invisible—just like a squirrel.
Unable to resist, Lihil poked her cheek lightly with one finger.
His eyes widened.
So soft.
So squishy.
So… poke-able.
But she’d wake up, so he stopped.
He looked away—then noticed something.
His left hand was gripping her sleeve.
“Ah—!”
His face flushed red.
What was he doing?
Holding onto her like a baby.
He yanked his hand away—just as something rolled out of Ilia’s hand.
A bottle of medicine.
The medicine from Sprout Lab used for treating Kerita disease.
She must have come in to give it to him.
He looked at Ilia, then the medicine…
And drank it.
The bitter, spicy taste hit him hard as it slid down his throat.
His brows scrunched—but he stayed quiet so Ilia wouldn’t wake.
Norman had told him everything Ilia discovered about Sprout Lab.
Since he was six, Lihil had spent more time in the office with his father than playing outside.
At just ten years old, he knew exactly how incredible Ilia’s achievements were.
She handled things even adults struggled with.
Is it because she’s a princess…?
Or because she tried her hardest?
She managed the estate.
Chose investment projects.
Suggested foreign medical procedures.
She never forgot anything she heard.
She had a rare, amazing talent.
And she could read situations quickly…
All her secrets were helping the ducal family in enormous ways.
