~Chapter 28~
‘Is this… one of those obsessive male leads from romance novels?’
Something felt strange.
She wasn’t the main character, and in her previous life’s novel, Dane was just the gentle side male lead. So why was it turning out like this?
‘Let’s just calm him down for now.’
“Alright, I won’t do it again.”
If she took a wrong step now, Dane might awaken as a truly obsessive male lead. Camilla gently whispered as if she knew everything.
“Were you upset, Dane?”
“Yeah.”
Dane turned his head and muttered in a low voice.
“I told you I’d be your shield.”
‘Oh.’
“It meant I’d protect you from things like this.”
Camilla finally realized Dane hadn’t just been saying empty words. Her heart fluttered.
But it wasn’t a bad feeling—it was a happiness she hadn’t expected.
“But you didn’t tell me anything. Doesn’t that mean you don’t rely on me?”
“That’s not true.”
To Camilla, Dane was an important key to her escape.
And, more than that, he was someone who’d helped her feel things she’d never known at the Baron’s house.
“Dane, you’re my precious friend.”
Even if it started as just words, Camilla realized she truly meant it.
“…A precious friend?”
“Yes. You think so too, right?”
“That’s… strange.”
Dane’s face looked confused. Camilla was puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“Why do I feel bad?”
Camilla twitched her lips.
‘Does he not even think of me as a friend?’
“It feels… good, but also… not really.”
“That’s actually kind of disappointing,” Camilla said sharply.
She’d stayed up all night, eased his pain, healed him, and kept him company. And what? “Not really”?
“It’s not that you’re not precious. It’s just…”
Dane hesitated, then whispered,
“I just think there’s a better word for us.”
What word could that be?
‘Best friends? Soulmates?’
Camilla got up. There’s no point in hoping for a best friend spot—he’d probably replace her once he met Ian.
‘How unfair.’
“Don’t go, Camilla.”
“I finished my work. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
“What? It’s uncomfortable. Come here.”
“Or you can go back to your own room, Dane.”
After some bickering, Dane finally left through the window curtains and climbed back to his own room.
‘I should just say I’m busy during the day for a while.’
Camilla stomped her foot, unable to shake her irritation.
“Hmm, did you have a fight with Dane?”
“…No, I didn’t.”
That afternoon, Camilla worked in the research room by the greenhouse, with Carrie helping her.
‘It’s not the Grand Duchess’s private lab, but still…’
Camilla could never forget when the Grand Duchess first showed her the lab.
“There’s somewhere I want to show you.”
After the Marie incident was over, Camilla was called to the Grand Duchess’s room. She followed her slowly. One wall was filled with bookshelves, packed with medical books.
The Grand Duchess walked to the shelf. Her hand stopped at an old, faded book.
Click.
When she pressed the book spine, there was a metallic sound.
“……!”
Camilla’s eyes widened.
The bookshelf gently moved, and a wall slid aside. A stone wall opened, revealing a dark, secret hallway.
A cold draft came from the secret room.
“Go inside.”
The Grand Duchess gestured.
Behind the shelf was a surprisingly spacious secret room. Herbs were drying everywhere, and rare samples were stored in jars.
“From now on, our classes will be here. Most research will still be done in the greenhouse lab with Ain and your assistant, but important work will happen in this room.”
“Is it really okay to show me a place like this?”
All the equipment—flasks, cylinders—were the best quality for this era.
And the shelves of reagents made Camilla’s eyes sparkle.
“Actually, this place was built by the previous Grand Duke.”
“The previous Grand Duke…?”
“Damian Escalus. He had the same illness as our Dane.”
Camilla knew that name—it was the one she’d seen at the graveyard.
“I don’t know why he built it in the Grand Duchess’s room, not his own, but there’s nowhere better for research on Azure Sanguis.”
The Grand Duchess handed Camilla a scroll.
“Here. This is a research journal written by the Grand Duke’s personal doctor.”
“You kept something like this?”
“Yes. It’s precious. He never figured out the connection to body heat, though…”
Now that she thought about it, it was strange. If the previous Grand Duke suffered from the same illness, why didn’t he discover that another’s body heat helped?
“…He had a serious phobia of touch.”
“Oh.”
“He hated anyone touching him, so he never found out.”
The Grand Duchess nodded at Camilla.
“Alright. This is your first lesson. Learn all of this.”
Camilla’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
From then on, she spent her evenings taking secret lessons, then went to see Dane at dawn, and worked in the research lab by the greenhouse with Carrie during the day.
Dane, knowing her schedule, visited her whenever he could.
But today,
‘He said he was busy, and shut the door in my face.’
That’s why the Grand Duchess had asked if they’d fought.
‘I shouldn’t have shown it in front of her.’
As Camilla regretted it, the Grand Duchess watched her and smiled softly.
“Did Dane do something wrong? Boys are idiots at that age, and honestly, most men stay idiots even after they grow up.”
“…Your Grace?”
Even knowing she was talking about her own son, the Grand Duchess was brutally honest.
“Oh, yes, that’s really true.”
“Carrie.”
Startled, Carrie quickly explained,
“B-boys that age follow my little sister around, so… it’s true!”
‘She’s going to get herself in trouble like that,’ Camilla thought, fighting back a laugh as she poured herbs into a flask.
“By the way, you got a letter from the Baron’s house.”
“What?”
For a moment, Camilla almost dropped what she was holding.
“They asked about your recovery, and said if you’re well, you should return to the house after Dane’s birthday banquet.”
“Oh.”
Camilla felt her heart sink.
She liked the peace of the ducal house, and had almost forgotten this was just a temporary break.
Thump.
She remembered life at the Baron’s house.
The Baron. Ares. The Baroness.
All the days when she struggled to prove her worth through making medicine. The endless struggle to be treated like a person.
A gentle voice brought her back to the present.
“Camilla, dear.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“If you don’t want to go back, you can stay here as long as you like.”
Camilla’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Who can stop my student from doing research here?”
The Grand Duchess smiled.
She wasn’t just saying to stay until Dane was healed. She was letting Camilla stay as a student, as long as she wanted.
Camilla smiled softly.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
‘But I can’t stay here forever.’
Camilla decided her time at the ducal house would end once she finished making Dane’s cure.
There were still people waiting for her at the Baron’s house.
‘Sister!’
‘Miss!’
Even if she’d run away someday, that day wasn’t now. Camilla pictured Nina and Sonya’s faces and made up her mind.
Just then, the solution in her flask turned black.
“Your Grace! That’s the reaction we wanted!”
The medicine reacted.
‘Soon…!’
Dane could be cured soon.
Camilla felt her heart beat with joy.
After finishing her research, Camilla walked back and saw someone sitting cross-legged in front of her room.
“…What are you doing, Dane?”
“Hm? You’re back?”
He yawned and stood up lazily, making Camilla’s head hurt.
“Why are you sitting in the cold?”
Dane smiled sweetly at her question.
“Are you still mad?”
Camilla pressed her fingers to her forehead and answered grumpily,
“No.”
