Late at night, when all things were asleep.
But the Duke’s study was still lit.
Duke Valencia stared quietly at the folders before him, recalling the conversation he’d had with Adrian.
—
“Brother.”
About a month ago.
Adrian had barged into the study without warning, slamming a stack of files onto the desk with an irritated motion. Then, in a sharp tone, he spoke.
“Someone’s been tampering with the supplies going to Sabina.”
“Seeing as you came to me directly, I assume you’ve found the culprit.”
The Duke continued reviewing the documents as he replied.
“Handle it as you see fit. Just make sure nothing hinders Miss Sabina’s research.”
“Of course. But there’s something you need to know.”
Adrian added, his tone cold.
“From the looks of it, the personal physician may be involved in the sabotage.”
The Duke’s hand, which had been writing busily, came to a sudden stop. He glanced up briefly.
“The physician?”
Within the Regalis Order, the Valencia household held a special status.
After all, it was their family that had produced the current generation’s Hero.
Perhaps because of this, the Order had taken a particular interest in the Duke’s family.
One result of that was the personal physician, who had been dispatched directly by the Order.
But if that very physician was the one meddling within the household…
“For now, that’s what I suspect.”
At that firm response, the Duke furrowed his brow.
“…How dare they.”
Though the Duke’s family and the Regalis Order had maintained a cordial relationship, this was clearly overstepping boundaries.
Even so, confronting the Order head-on was too risky.
So, he decided to resolve the matter by dismissing the supply manager.
Of course, Adrian had continued digging into the issue afterward.
And then—
Adrian suddenly collapsed.
Perhaps his worsening condition after catching the perpetrator was just a coincidence.
Still, the Duke couldn’t help but grow wary of the Regalis Order.
Have I been too lenient with them all this time?
His eyes gleamed coldly.
More than anything, Adrian’s words still lingered in his memory:
—
“Sabina saved my life.”
If not for Sabina, he would’ve died the day he faced that horde of monsters.
If she had truly intended to harm Adrian, she would’ve done it long ago.
That trust was rock solid.
So when the Duke had teasingly asked:
—
“You trust Miss Sabina that much? Enough to stake your life on her again?”
“Yeah. I do.”
Adrian had replied without a moment’s hesitation.
That resolute voice still echoed in the Duke’s ears.
And so, the Duke had decided to trust Sabina—for now.
—
It had already been several days since my sister and I arrived at the Duke’s estate.
My sister had been staying up night after night, doing everything she could to find a way to treat Adrian.
But she hadn’t found a clear solution yet.
“If only… I could consult with someone about this.”
Late at night, flipping through magic tomes and medical books, Sabina whispered with a sigh.
I watched her back with a heavy heart.
But it was nearly impossible to contact any other mages.
Most mages, including my sister, lived in seclusion.
Magic in the empire had once flourished, but after a certain incident, it had stagnated.
That incident was the destruction of the prestigious mage family—the House of Mercedes.
They had allegedly attempted to summon a demon, and the Regalis Order had condemned them for it.
As a result, the entire Mercedes family was wiped out.
Well… Whether they actually tried to summon a demon is still unclear.
Ever since the fall of the mage family, magic had steadily declined.
The biggest issue now was that mages themselves were extremely rare.
In contrast, the Regalis Order had grown immensely powerful…
—
“Are you still awake, sis?”
I quietly approached my sister.
Even with her tired face, she gave me a small smile.
“Why aren’t you asleep, May?”
“I couldn’t sleep… it’s hard alone.”
I pouted a bit, hoping to coax her.
If I didn’t act like this, she wouldn’t rest at all.
“I wanna sleep with you…”
I glanced up at her as I said that.
But she shook her head apologetically.
“Sorry. You go ahead tonight, okay?”
“But you haven’t slept for three days now. Please?”
I tried persuading her again.
Still, she drew a gentle but firm line.
“Adrian is sick, May.”
“Sabina…”
“If Adrian doesn’t wake up…”
Her words trailed off.
She clasped her hands together, trying to compose herself.
But I saw it.
Her trembling fingertips.
She’s scared too.
“It’s okay, sis.”
So I hugged her tightly, pretending not to notice anything.
“You’re doing everything you can for him.”
“May…”
“So he’ll wake up soon. I know it.”
I said brightly.
“He’s already doing better than before, right?”
It was true.
Thanks to my sister’s tireless treatment, Adrian was a little more stable now.
My words seemed to finally bring her back to herself.
She pulled me onto her lap.
“You’re right. I need to stay focused.”
She murmured softly, holding me close.
“No one else can heal Adrian but me.”
But even as she gently stroked my back…
Her hand still trembled.
—
“Duke, the second young master still hasn’t regained consciousness.”
About a week had passed since Sabina began treating Adrian at the Duke’s estate.
The personal physician once again visited the Duke, looking deeply serious.
“We cannot entrust Miss Sabina with his treatment any longer. He must be sent to the temple immediately.”
He pressed his point again, forcefully.
But the Duke’s reaction was lukewarm.
Without even sparing a glance, he continued signing papers.
“I’ll wait a bit longer. His condition has stabilized.”
“What? But—!”
“You’re dismissed.”
The Duke cut him off coldly.
The physician had no choice but to leave the office empty-handed.
Damn it.
Fuming, the physician stormed down the hallway.
That wretched girl, Sabina, had clung to the second son like glue lately—
—so he hadn’t been able to administer the “medicine” properly…
This won’t do.
His eyes turned icy cold.
It seemed it was time for a stronger dose.
—
That night.
Transformed into a cat, I slipped into Adrian’s bedroom.
He’s still asleep…
I jumped up onto the bed and looked down at him sadly.
There was no sign of him waking.
“Miaa…”
I called softly.
Adrian, my sister’s so worried about you.
So please wake up soon, okay?
I gently nudged him with my head.
That’s when I smelled it again.
That same bitter, awful scent.
Ugh… Why does he still smell like this?
Once again, the odor was in the room.
It had faded compared to the first time I visited, but it was still there.
I sniffed around, trying to find the source.
Then—
Huh?
My ears perked up.
There was someone outside the door.
