“Why didn’t you come home last night?”

While Lianna was preparing oatmeal porridge in the kitchen, Joel suddenly asked a question.

Startled, she almost jumped when she tasted the porridge with a ladle.

The hot porridge went down her throat too quickly, causing her to cough violently for a few moments.

“Cough—! Cough!”

“Lianna, are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah! Of course I’m alright!”

Lianna drank some water slowly.

Eventually, the coughing stopped, but the heat rising to her face did not fade so easily.

She lightly slapped her cheeks with her palms.

After putting the oatmeal porridge in a bowl, she sat down beside the bed.

As she tried to cool the steaming porridge so that she could feed it to Joel, he shook his head.

“I can eat on my own.”

“Ah… right. Okay.”

Lianna withdrew her hand awkwardly, a faint smile still on her lips.

In her eyes, Joel was still a child in need of constant care and attention.

But he was fourteen years old now.

He was at an age where he would naturally become sensitive about such things, and she realized she should have been more careful.

Perhaps he didn’t want to be treated like a little boy by his older sister anymore.

“I’m sorry, Joel. I wasn’t thinking.”

“…It’s not that. I just… didn’t want to become a burden to you.”

A shadow settled in the grey eyes of the boy.

Lianna knew exactly what was worrying him.

She quietly reached out and took his hand.

“How could you ever be a burden to me? That’s not true at all.”

“It is true.”

Even though Lianna always insisted everything was fine, Joel knew the truth.

He knew just how heavy of a burden he truly was to his sister.

‘It’s all because I’m sick.’

What a pathetic Joel!

Useless Joel!

He forced himself to swallow spoonful after spoonful of porridge.

It tasted excellent, but he had no appetite.

Slowly moving the spoon, Joel spoke quietly with a gloomy expression.

“More importantly, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Hmm? Ah, well…”

Lianna had been watching her frail younger brother with concern when he suddenly asked her a question, taking her by surprise.

Exhausted, she had completely forgotten to tell him where she had been last night.

Doing her best to hide her discomfort, Lianna hurriedly pieced together an awkward excuse.

“Well, the Countess suddenly gave me some urgent work to finish. I stayed up very late finishing it and, by the time I had finished, it was too late to come home. So I ended up spending the night at the castle.”

There was no way she could tell Joel the truth about what had happened with Calix.

Her younger brother was still far too young.

The truth would undoubtedly shock him deeply.

Fortunately, though, Joel seemed willing to believe her clumsy lie.

“Still… don’t work too late next time.”

Even if he did not say it outright, it was obvious Joel had been worried about her.

Lianna smiled softly.

“Okay. I won’t.”

After finishing his porridge, Joel suddenly announced that he wanted to go outside.

Lianna understood better than anyone how suffocating it must have been for him to be stuck in bed in the same room for days on end.

But it was still winter.

“The cold air isn’t good for your health.”

“But today I feel lighter than usual. I don’t know when my condition might worsen again, so I want to take a walk while I still can.”

Despite Lianna’s attempts to stop him, Joel refused to change his mind.

Usually, he eventually gave in once she persuaded him gently, but today he remained strangely stubborn.

‘Though we’ll be leaving on a long journey soon anyway…’

As soon as Count Chester handed over the money, Lianna arranged for a carriage to take her to the royal capital.

She had been feeling uneasy after hearing rumors that bandits had started targeting travelers in the area recently.

However, now that she finally had enough money to take Joel to see a proper doctor, there was no reason to delay their departure any longer.

They were due to leave for the royal capital in a few days’ time.

However, as Joel had spent nearly all his time confined to the house, Lianna was concerned that suddenly forcing him onto a long journey might worsen his condition.

Perhaps it would be better to allow him to adjust slowly beforehand.

‘And Joel wants to go outside that badly…’

“Then only for a little while.”

The moment she finally agreed, the gloom that had clouded Joel’s face disappeared completely.

Was he really that happy?

Seeing him like this made Lianna feel sorry for him and break her heart.

With a bitter smile, she helped him into his coat and tied a scarf tightly around his neck.

She didn’t forget the gloves or the hat, either.

“There, all done.”

Lianna placed both hands on her hips proudly as she admired her work.

Joel tugged the scarf down slightly and complained,

“Lianna. I’m not a snowman, you know?”

“What are you talking about? This is the bare minimum.”

Joel shook his head helplessly.

With a satisfied look, Lianna told him to wait a moment before hurrying up to the attic on the second floor.

After quickly finishing preparing herself to go out, Lianna came back downstairs.

“Joel, sorry. Did you wait long—”

Her bright voice abruptly stopped as she descended the stairs.

In an instant, her violet eyes widened dramatically.

“Ugh—! Cough…!”

Joel collapsed to the floor as though his strength had suddenly given out.

Clutching his chest, he coughed painfully.

“Joel!”

Lianna turned pale immediately and rushed towards Joel.

Joel hurriedly covered his mouth with both hands, but it was too late.

Blood spilled from the corners of his lips.

Lianna’s eyes widened in shock.

She was about to run outside and call a doctor when Joel grabbed her.

“I’m okay. It was just… a brief coughing fit.”

Lianna wanted to run out and fetch the doctor straight away.

However, she could not bring herself to leave Joel’s side, terrified that something awful might happen while she was away.

Every passing second felt unbearably long.

Fortunately, Joel’s condition stabilized soon afterwards.

As soon as his breathing finally calmed down, Lianna went to fetch the doctor.

Fred, the only doctor in Chester Castle, spent a long time carefully examining the boy.

Eventually, he let out a deep, heavy sigh.

Lianna looked at him anxiously, waiting for his verdict. After a long silence, Fred finally spoke.

“I’ve told you before, but it’s difficult to treat this child here. His illness has progressed too far.”

“But these past few days, he seemed to be improving after taking the medicine. Joel even said his body felt lighter…”

“That can happen temporarily. But his condition is worse than it was even a week ago. At this point, I truly can’t guarantee anything.”

“Then…”

“He needs to go to the royal capital and receive treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise…”

Unable to continue, Fred trailed off, his expression darkening.

Lianna’s fingertips trembled faintly.

Even now, Joel was hanging on by a thread.

If they delayed any longer, he would… The thought of him leaving her behind was suffocatingly terrifying.

Losing her only family was an unbearable prospect.

‘There’s still time.’

After making up her mind, Lianna tightly held the boy’s hand.

“Joel. If we go to the royal capital, there’s a physician who can cure your illness.”

“Is that… really true?”

“Yes.”

Lianna forced back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

If she lost her composure now, what would happen to Joel?

She quietly held her brother’s small hand and forced herself to smile.

***

Guildford stopped his horse in front of a dilapidated house in the slums.

According to the map Count Chester had given him, this must be Lianna’s house.

He lightly knocked on the wooden door.

Knock, knock.

There was no answer from inside.

He knocked several more times, waiting patiently for an answer, but there was none.

‘Strange. I don’t hear anyone inside.’

Guildford glanced at the gloomy sky, which looked ready to snow at any moment, before lowering his gaze again.

His lord was not a particularly patient man.

Shing!

Drawing the sword at his waist, he struck the latch.

After several forceful blows, the old latch broke easily.

After pulling away the broken piece, Guildford opened the door.

“Excuse me.”

Although this was technically trespassing, he still added the polite greeting out of courtesy as he looked around.

“Is anyone here?”

As expected, there was no reply.

With no other option, Guildford began searching the house himself.

He started with the small room next to the kitchen.

Then he moved on to the attic on the second floor.

He searched every corner thoroughly, yet there was no sign of anyone.

According to the count, Lianna should have been home by now, looking after her sick younger brother.

Guildford scratched the back of his head in frustration.

Hoping to find some sort of clue, he stepped back outside.

Soon, his eyes met those of a woman from the neighboring house, who was pouring dirty water onto the street.

“Excuse me, my lady.”

Guildford approached her with a gentlemanly, polite smile.

At the appearance of a stranger, the middle-aged woman took a cautious step back.

“Would you happen to know where the woman named Lianna who lives in this house has gone?”

“Ah… you mean Lianna?”

The woman glanced over Guildford.

He did not seem to be from this area.

After studying him with suspicion, she finally spoke.

“She packed her things and got into a carriage, as if she were going on some long trip. She took that younger brother of hers too—the one who’s always lying sick in bed.”

“Did she say where she was going?”

“Not that I know of… She left in such a hurry that I barely knew what was happening.”

‘This is troublesome.’

Guildford’s expression darkened.

How exactly was he supposed to report this to his lord?

“Still, I wonder where she found the money to hire a coachman and even mercenaries…”

The woman said something else, but Guildford was no longer listening.

That young lady was the only person who could save his lord.

He had to find her, no matter what.

Guildford swiftly mounted his horse.

His grip tightened around the reins.