Chapter 49
“Where’s the ice? Has the doctor arrived yet?”
“The ice is on its way. We’re trying to contact a doctor, but since we’re in a small village far from the city, it’s been difficult to find one.”
“What about the hotel guests? Did you check with them?”
“I didn’t think of that. I’ll look into it right away.”
Even in her half-asleep state, Yulia could feel the heat rising in her body again. It wasn’t exactly painful, more like she was soaking in hot water, leaving her feeling limp—almost pleasant—but the surroundings were oddly noisy.
“You said the young lady’s been getting fevers at night… I should have been more thorough in checking her condition. Please forgive me, Count.”
“This isn’t the time for apologies! The ice!”
“Here’s the ice, sir!”
“Do whatever you can to bring down Yulia’s temperature!”
“Yes, sir!”
The idea that it didn’t feel too bad was clearly mistaken—once towels wrapped in ice touched her skin, her breathing eased significantly. Still, she didn’t think it was anything serious. But Lucy kept sobbing, and Cayente’s footsteps paced back and forth.
“Henry! Did you find anyone?”
“Well… it’s the middle of the night, and the hotel staff are afraid they’ll be scolded for waking other guests. No one wants to step forward.”
“Money is no object. If they lose their jobs over this, I’ll compensate them—just get moving!”
Yulia had no reason to worry, but even in her dazed state, she could hear the growing anxiety in Cayente’s voice, which puzzled her.
Was a fever really such a big deal? Could it somehow interfere with pregnancy?
While Yulia’s foggy mind swirled with questions, the doctor finally arrived.
“You say the fever is quite high? Is this the first time it’s happened?”
“Lucy, when did Yulia first start getting fevers at night?”
“A few days ago, um… right…”
Lucy, who had been wiping Yulia’s limbs with a damp towel, suddenly remembered something.
“The family doctor came by that day!”
“You mean the fever started after that visit?”
“Yes, Mr. Henry.”
Thanks to Lucy, the mystery of Yulia’s nighttime fevers was solved rather quickly. The only thing that had changed since then was that she had been diligently taking the medicine the doctor had prescribed.
“Medicine to aid conception?”
“Yes, that’s what he said.”
“It appears the medicine was the problem. It’s meant to warm the body, but a side effect can be excessive heat.”
“You mean this all happened because of the medicine?”
“That explains it. She was fine in the morning but feverish at night… it was only while the medicine was active.”
“She should be fine once the effects wear off.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Still, we should get her some fever-reducing medicine, just in case.”
“I have a few emergency doses with me. I’ll bring them.”
“I’ll go with you. Lucy, make sure the Count and the young lady can rest comfortably.”
“Yes, Mr. Henry.”
As Henry’s voice faded, following the doctor, and Lucy busily cleaned up the ice bags—
“Did she keep taking the medicine even though she knew it gave her a fever?”
Even though they had figured out it wasn’t serious, Cayente’s voice still hadn’t returned to normal.
“Maybe she didn’t know it was because of the medicine? She said she felt fine in the mornings. It’s my fault. I should’ve asked the doctor more carefully when he mentioned side effects. He brushed it off, so I didn’t press him.”
“She would’ve taken it anyway.”
Even Lucy’s attempt to comfort him didn’t stop the long sigh from escaping his lips.
The fact that he was thinking in terms of “even if she knew…” showed Cayente hadn’t knowingly sent medicine with side effects. But even if he hadn’t known, the level of concern seemed excessive—whether it was for her health or their disrupted plans.
“Still, since it’s nothing serious, please don’t worry too much, Count.”
“Worry?”
“You look troubled.”
Even Lucy noticed it. Once she finished tidying up and left the bedroom, the bed dipped heavily. Yulia thought Cayente must be lying down again, but that wasn’t it. She soon heard the sound of water and then felt a cold towel on her forehead.
“How could you possibly think of shouldering all this alone in such a condition?”
Cayente’s hand, colder than the towel, touched her cheek. Yulia found it strange. For someone who claimed to want her to suffer, his hand and voice now held even more sighs than before. In that moment, it seemed Cayente was just as tormented by her pain.
He doesn’t seem like someone who would enjoy my suffering completely. So why does he say he wants it?
“Then again, I guess that’s just like you.”
Yulia had dismissed his twisted actions as meaningless contradictions, but now she was genuinely curious. If her pain sometimes hurt him too—why did he go out of his way to cause it?
Yulia awoke before noon feeling surprisingly refreshed for someone who had run a fever all night. After washing up from the sweat, Henry offered her a meal.
“I didn’t know what you’d want, so I asked them to prepare a variety of energizing dishes.”
When she entered the dining room after roughly drying her hair, Cayente was already seated, sipping tea with a newspaper in hand. Feeling guilty for delaying their plans and disturbing his sleep, Yulia apologized first.
“I’m sorry I scared you. I didn’t know the medicine had that side effect.”
“I wasn’t scared.”
Cayente set down his teacup and replied in a flat tone. Yulia didn’t argue. Instead, she unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap.
“Miss, how do you feel? Any nausea or dizziness?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Even so, start with something light. I’ll cut the meat into smaller pieces for you.”
“Thank you, Lucy.”
He said he wasn’t scared, but Cayente had clearly been panicking last night, running around for ice and a doctor. She had thought he never said things he didn’t mean—but it turned out he could lie too.
Now, Yulia could finally see what had been invisible before.
Though Cayente’s eyes were fixed on his newspaper, his attention was entirely on Yulia as she sipped her soup. It wasn’t necessarily out of concern for her, but perhaps impatience—aware they didn’t have time to waste.
“How long will it take to get to the island?”
“Two hours to the port, one hour by boat.”
“Then we can arrive today.”
What happened last night didn’t make Yulia foolishly hope for anything. But she began to think that maybe Cayente’s words and actions didn’t always reflect his full thoughts.
“Do we still have any of the medicine?”
“Medicine? Oh, yes. There’s enough for three more days.”
“Throw it out.”
“Yes, sir.”
That was enough for her. If Cayente’s heart wasn’t entirely filled with hatred for her, then even without love, she might be able to breathe just a little easier.
Without saying much, the group arrived at the port and boarded a ship to Hilden Island. Yulia had wondered how they’d get there, but it turned out several large boats, capable of carrying multiple carriages, ran between the island and the port daily.
After an hour-long boat ride, Yulia’s eyes widened upon arrival. She had assumed it was a tiny private island since it belonged to the Clu family—most noble-owned vacation islands were small, with a manor right at the dock. But Hilden Island was different.
“I didn’t think a resort island could be this big.”
“Hilden wasn’t originally meant for leisure. The Count changed its purpose after the accident.”
Even the harbor was large in scale. She had wondered what all the cargo on their ship was for—but it was all for the island.
“Are all those people servants?”
“No, Miss. They’re residents. The Count limited access to outsiders, but allowed the original inhabitants to remain. It was better that way for Lady Maria, who wanted minimal outside contact.”
No wonder there were so many people—it didn’t feel like a servant-only area. Near the harbor were small but functional shops: a clothing store, a grocery store, and more. Further inland was a small farming village.
Just as Henry said, this was enough to live without ever leaving the island.
“Henry, what’s that black box-shaped thing over there?”
“That’s called a car, Lucy.”
“A car? The machine that can move without horses?”
“Yes.”
Yulia hadn’t seen any sign of Maria’s mansion, and was puzzled—until Henry explained it was on the other side of the central mountain. Since the road was too rough for carriages, a car had been specially transported to the island.
Seeing a car in person was fascinating. The Duchy of Esacudia, in the northwest, with its many hills, already had more people using cars than carriages.
“Let’s go.”
Cayente urged the group forward and climbed into the driver’s seat. According to Henry, Cayente usually drove himself in the duchy—it was more convenient for spontaneous travel.
“This is amazing!”
As the car climbed the winding mountain road, Lucy—seated next to Yulia—gasped repeatedly. Yulia, though quiet, felt just as awed. Watching Cayente skillfully steer past dangerous cliffs was impressive.
“It feels different up here.”
“This is Lady Maria’s space. Even the islanders aren’t allowed here.”
At the mountain peak, the opposite side of the island came into view. If the harbor side had a cozy, village-like feel, this side was quiet and secluded. Aside from a grand mansion in the distance, there was nothing else.
Tall grasses swayed in the breeze below the hill, and the tranquil atmosphere finally made it feel like a true retreat.
“It’s like a painting. So beautiful.”
The light-brown brick mansion near the sea blended perfectly with the ocean waves behind it, creating a serene and peaceful sight.
“Lady Maria!”
As the car descended the winding road and reached the mansion entrance, Maria—having heard the news—was already waiting in the garden to greet them.
