IMCUV | 006

Chapter 6

She couldn’t be sure. Did I hear that wrong? It sounded like someone groaning…

“…”

There it was again, a groan.

This time, it was clearer. Someone inside was struggling.

She could have ignored it and walked away, but that wasn’t in Dayna’s nature.

“…Sigh.”

Finally, she changed direction.

Turning, she crept toward the door, swallowing hard as she placed her hand on the knob.

Just the door! I’ll open it just a crack and leave.

It was probably Clian, unaware of Knox’s trauma, who had closed the Duke’s door tightly before heading to his own room.

In the original novel, Knox’s severe pyrophobia was kept strictly secret under Lady Hillary’s orders. Even a trusted aide like Clian wouldn’t likely know about it.

From Clian’s perspective, leaving the door open on such a cold night for a patient would seem stranger.

Right, I’ll just help this much! I can’t risk triggering the Duke’s phobia and twisting the original story even more while he’s staying here!

Reassuring herself, she silently turned the knob.

She intended to crack the door open and slip away, but a wave of intense heat poured out through the gap.

…No way?

Puzzled, Dayna peered inside. The fireplace on one side of the room was blazing brightly.

Is that really okay…?

“Ugh…”

It didn’t seem okay.

With the door open, the groans grew louder. A low moan from the bed reached her ears.

What do I do? He sounds so uncomfortable…

Ignorance would’ve been easier, but knowing made it hard to walk away.

Biting her lower lip, she stepped one foot into the room. Creeping cautiously to the bed where Knox lay, she looked down at him.

“…Ugh…”

Knox, his brow deeply furrowed and sweat beading on his forehead, was groaning in distress. Perhaps caught in a painful dream, he occasionally turned his head, breathing heavily.

This foolish man…

Dayna looked at him with pity.

He could’ve put out the fire himself and slept with the door wide open, but he probably didn’t want Stella to know his weakness.

Maybe he’d spent countless moments like this since childhood, enduring and hiding his pain alone. Thinking of those lonely times stirred sympathy in her heart.

I should at least put out the fire…

As she turned toward the blazing fireplace, Knox, still frowning intensely, muttered, “Hot…”

His faint voice made Dayna pause and look down at him.

“It’s hot…”

He mumbled again softly. After a moment of groaning, he raised an arm, flailing at the air as if fighting an invisible flame.

He’s going to hurt himself!

Without thinking, Dayna reached out and grabbed his hand firmly.

Her hands and feet were so cold people teased her about poor circulation, so at least in his dream, he wouldn’t mistake her touch for searing flames.

Knox’s hand flinched at her cold touch. As she gently stroked the back of his hand with her thumb to soothe him, the tension in his clenched fist slowly melted away.

Soon, his hand dropped limply. His trembling lips stilled, his furrowed brow relaxed, and his ragged breathing settled into steady, even breaths.

Phew…

Letting out a sigh of relief, Dayna gazed at his now-peaceful face.

His pyrophobia isn’t gone or lessened at all…

And groaning like that? His episodes seemed far worse than described in the original novel.

Perhaps the avalanche had left him physically and mentally vulnerable.

“…”

Was it just pity? Looking at his calm, sleeping face, she felt oddly unsettled.

Her mind was growing increasingly complicated.

* * *

The next morning, Clian, up early and ready, headed to the Duke’s room.

Peering through the open door, he saw Knox sitting against the headboard, staring out the window.

“Duke! You’re up early… Huh?”

Stepping forward to bow, Clian froze.

The room was freezing.

He was certain he’d left the fireplace roaring last night, but now it was stone-cold, not a trace of warmth left.

Shocked, he turned to see the fireplace, completely extinguished, without even a single ember.

“What happened… Did you put out the fire, Duke?”

I went to such lengths to light it without Lady Viviwood noticing! I even closed the door to avoid getting caught!

Recalling her stern warning not to touch the fireplace, Clian spoke in an aggrieved tone.

“Duke! Didn’t you hear the doctor? Even if you seem mostly recovered aside from minor scrapes, it could worsen later, so maintaining your body temperature is critical for the next few days!”

“I didn’t put it out.”

“Then who… Wait, did Lady Viviwood do it? Honestly, that’s too much!”

Fuming, Clian stomped toward the fireplace.

“No matter how rundown this mansion’s resources are, you’re a patient, aren’t you? All the rumors in the capital about Lady Viviwood were true. They said she’s immature and greedy beyond her station… Argh!”

Turning to grab the tongs, Clian yelped.

Dayna stood at the door, holding a thick, fluffy blanket, exuding the aura of a lion.

“Why so startled?”

“W-Well, it’s just…”

Did she hear me? Clian clamped his mouth shut, studying her. She didn’t seem upset or offended…

Visibly flustered, he watched as Dayna casually walked past him and plopped the heavy blanket onto Knox’s bed.

“The blanket I gave you last night was the thickest in the mansion, but I thought it might not be enough, so I worked on this overnight.”

Knox’s gaze shifted to the bulky blanket.

“Overnight?”

“Yes. Thankfully, even in this rundown mansion, we had some spare batting. I should’ve prepared it earlier, my apologies.”

Her pointed remark made Clian, standing behind, flinch and shrink. He nervously darted his eyes and quickly spoke.

“L-Lady, about what I said earlier…”

Dayna spun toward him, hands on her hips, and cut in.

“You’ll surely recognize my dedication and provide appropriate compensation, won’t you?”

“Y-Yes? Of course! That’s only natural!”

“It better be substantial and thorough compensation. Since I’m apparently immature and greedy beyond my station.”

“…!”

Clian bit his lip, unable to respond. Dayna brushed past his flushed face and continued.

“I’ll be stepping out. Let me know if you need anything else. And feel free to light the fireplace if you want.”

“…”

“Though I’m not sure if the Duke would want that.”

With that, she briskly left, slamming the door behind her.

Like a storm had passed, Clian, dazed, slowly spoke.

“…We should add that she has sharp ears and holds grudges to the rumors.”

“This time, you were clearly in the wrong.”

“But I didn’t say anything untrue!”

“You still think that after seeing this?”

Knox gestured with his chin. Clian followed his gaze to the blanket on the bed.

“This is…”

He’d thought it was just a regular quilt, but up close, the stitching at the corners was crooked and shoddy. Which meant…

“She made this herself? Overnight? For you, Duke?”

“It seems so.”

“Oh no…”

Clian clutched his short hair, staring at the blanket.