“Wouldn’t it feel so fulfilling and wonderful?”

“Mmm, yeah. I guess it might.”

Ainberg always dressed neatly and properly. He was someone who rarely showed a disheveled appearance.

The image of him with a scarf I knitted wrapped around his neck.

A scarf with tufts of yarn sticking out everywhere, grimy from being handled too much—Ainberg wearing that!

“…I don’t think that would work.”

I simply couldn’t imagine it.

“You can do it quickly. When you knit, time passes quickly too.”

“No, Sabine.”

Of course that was one reason, but leisurely knitting in the middle of such an urgent situation wouldn’t be right.

I sighed lightly and continued.

“It might help organize my thoughts when my mind is in turmoil, but I don’t think I can do it now.”

“Oh.”

“With so many lives at stake, I can’t pick up knitting when I can’t even wield a sword.”

I put down the crochet hook I had been fidgeting with.

“I’m not blaming you, Sabine. Thank you for caring.”

“Miss.”

Sabine’s face looked like she might cry any moment.

I deliberately smiled brightly and stood up.

“Since I can’t go to the garden, I should at least walk around the room.”

“Miss, I’m sorry. Instead of comforting you when you’re struggling so much, I just kept talking about knitting.”

She covered her flushed face with her hands.

“No, it’s just that my mind has no room for it right now. When things calm down, be sure to let me know. You’re the only one who can keep me informed.”

“Yes, Miss. Of course. I’ll let you know.”

I began walking around the reception room, swinging both arms wildly.

Now that soldiers had stormed the Viper household, arresting Foil would only be a matter of time.

Though I believed everything would end well, my anxiety hadn’t completely disappeared.

This was partly because I still had things to do, and partly because I was worried about Ainberg.

What if Foil did something impulsive?

Compared to the problems ahead, what I needed to do seemed like child’s play.

‘I hope nothing goes wrong.’

I wanted to face Ainberg’s resolute expression.

Then this anxiety might subside a little.

‘I don’t think explaining everything up to now will make your heart completely mine. I also know it’s too early to ask about your feelings, how you think of me.’

His kind and warm embrace, his touch even warmer.

Suddenly, I remembered what happened in the artificial garden.

The atmosphere had felt precarious, as if something momentous was about to happen.

But Ainberg did nothing more than gaze at me tenderly and embrace me.

Even when the mood seemed intimate enough for a kiss, it was always Ainberg who stopped first.

…

I definitely know his feelings.

I don’t doubt them anymore.

But why doesn’t it seem to progress beyond that?

Why?

‘He said he would wait. Is he waiting for me to approach him first?’

How am I supposed to approach him first?

Does he like assertive women?

As I thought about this, my face suddenly began to heat up.

“Ugh, stop thinking about useless things. I just need to do what I have to do here!”

My breathing quickened as I walked in circles around the reception room.

People really do need to move around.

Walking seems to clear away some of these distracting thoughts.

“Let’s walk, walk!”

Just as I was walking vigorously with my arms raised high,

Knock knock—

I heard someone knocking on the reception room door.

Soniel, who had been sitting on the sofa, jumped up in surprise, and Sabine also stopped moving.

I swallowed dryly and gestured for everyone to stay calm.

Soniel picked up her book and sat quietly on the sofa again, while Sabine wiped her hands on her apron once and walked to the door.

‘I thought they wouldn’t come until late afternoon.’

Soon after, the door opened.

As I turned my head, a familiar face that entered first spoke in a gruff voice.

“You really can’t stay still for even a moment, can you?”

He seemed to have noticed I had been walking around the reception room just from my expression.

“High Priest.”

My voice rose at the unexpected encounter.

Wait, wasn’t only the physician supposed to come?

Why did Millean follow?

‘Seems he doesn’t trust me.’

“It’s been a while. Good to see you.”

After he made a disgusted expression, a man carrying a heavy bag followed him in.

He was an imperial physician I recognized from seeing him with Sir Jaber, Ainberg’s personal doctor.

“I heard you’re feeling unwell, Miss Chadmon.”

I smiled awkwardly and answered.

“Yes, I haven’t been feeling well for several days. The medicine I brought from home isn’t helping.”

“My, you do seem feverish.”

All that power walking paid off.

I went into the bedroom with a listless face and lay down.

The physician asked me various questions and began his examination.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly wrong, but how exactly are you feeling unwell?”

It’s nerve-wracking to lie when nothing actually hurts.

“I’m constantly tired. My body feels heavy.”

Without realizing it, I glanced once in Millean’s direction.

Millean muttered with a dry expression.

“Hmm, has it started again?”

The physician turned his head toward Millean.

“When you say ‘again’…”

“Are you familiar with Miss Chadmon’s condition, Sir Simon?”

“Yes, I’ve heard that she’s been sickly since childhood, and the Duke has tried everything.”

I sighed deeply, timing it appropriately.

Millean stroked his chin and began speaking.

“I provided significant help. That’s why the Duke entrusted Miss Chadmon to me.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of that too.”

Really now.

I almost pouted my lips unconsciously but managed to hold back.

Millean glanced at me lying down once more and spoke again.

“As I mentioned recently, there’s been an unfavorable energy circulating in the imperial palace lately.”

“Yes, how fortunate that we have you here, High Priest.”

“In the midst of this, Miss Chadmon, with her weak constitution, might have been affected.”

The physician looked down at me with a serious face.

Wow, lying here in this atmosphere almost makes me feel like I’m actually sick.

“Now my head hurts too. Since last night, my legs have been feeling weak.”

When I muttered weakly, the physician furrowed his brow deeply.

“Are you very uncomfortable?”

“Yes, do you think I’ll feel better if I keep lying down?”

The physician said nothing. He looked up at Millean once and then spoke.

“I think we should discuss this matter with the Duke.”

Oh, good.

The atmosphere is getting more serious.

Around this time, I slowly closed my eyes.

Then I gradually relaxed my entire body as if falling asleep.

“Miss Chadmon seems to need recuperation.”

As soon as the physician finished speaking, Millean opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.

“It seems she’s overexerted herself while attending to His Majesty. This shouldn’t have been entrusted to the fragile Miss Chadmon in the first place.”

“Yes, she must have been in a highly sensitive state while at His Majesty’s side. Now that he has recovered, her tension has probably eased.”

The physician continued speaking, dropping his shoulders.

“We should contact the Duke. We can’t let her lose her health again after barely regaining it.”

“Such a regrettable situation must not occur.”

Yes, good.

Things are going well.

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching my bed from a distance.

‘Is it Soniel?’

I was trying to keep my breathing even with my eyes closed.

“It seems the lady has fallen asleep again.”

The physician sighed deeply and asked Soniel.

“Does Miss Chadmon often fall asleep like this?”

“Yes, it’s happened a few times recently. When she falls asleep like this, she can hardly wake up.”

Soniel whispered softly, her voice trembling at the end.

She was probably nervous about lying.

Fortunately, the physician thought she was lowering her voice out of consideration for my sleep, so he also muttered quietly.

“Falling asleep during an examination. It really feels like the lady has exhausted all her energy while in the imperial palace. This is serious.”

Then he delivered the final words we had all been expecting.

“The Duke will be very concerned. We must contact him immediately. The lady needs to return to the mansion right away.”