They had only met today, and yet in a state of barely any consciousness, the name she had called was his. One might expect her to call it at least once more.

“……”

In the end, Killian simply stood there watching Ines as she groaned and suffered, then turned away.

He left the bedroom, passed through the sitting room, and finally stepped out of the room entirely, and all the while he was aware of what lay behind him. Even so, that strangely tender call did not come again.

The sigh that rose at that fact, whether it was displeasure or something closer to disappointment, Killian found it genuinely difficult to say, even though the feeling was his own.

* * *

The first thing she felt was warm air. Then, in turn, a comfortable space, a soft warmth wrapped around her whole body, and an aching in her limbs.

Consciousness that had sunk to a deep place returned slowly.

“……”

Ines lifted her eyelids gradually. The heaviness was different from the kind that came from insufficient sleep, more of a gritty, throbbing ache. Perhaps because of that, even after blinking several times, her vision remained blurry.

Without thinking, Ines raised her hand to rub her eyes. But she stopped almost immediately.

“Ah……”

The moment she touched the skin, which felt slightly swollen, a sharp sting flared.

She pulled her hand away quickly, and a dull throb followed. Having felt that much, it was not hard to understand the cause.

‘……I cried.’

And quite a lot.

Her needlessly delicate skin would chafe easily even from a small amount of tears. So while she was awake she was careful not to touch the corners of her eyes, but what she did in her sleep was beyond her control.

Ines exhaled and slowly pushed herself upright.

Shush.

The grey duvet that slid off with a quiet sound was remarkably soft.

‘……Grey?’

The moment she registered the faint wrongness, her mind, which had been foggy until then, snapped awake as though doused with cold water.

Ines looked around quickly.

The graceful bedroom, with ivory-toned walls and dark brown wooden furniture, was neither the imperial palace with its blinding gold that prized ostentation above all, nor any of the lodgings she had stayed in along the long, tedious journey.

As she carefully traced back through her memories, the moments before she had fallen asleep came back to her.

After a journey spanning two full weeks, she had arrived in the North. She had taken in Rupert Castle standing firm on the all-white ground. She had met Killian.

“Killian……”

At the single name she murmured without thinking, the heart that had been beating uneasily settled. At the same time, her calmer mind drew out more hazy memories.

‘Hah, hah……’

‘The fever is too…… the medicine……’

‘……Your Highness, this is rice porridge. Just a little……’

‘It’s come down now…… rest well and you’ll……’

Her own voice, moaning in distress with a body burning up, and the voices of those who had cared for her.

Only then did Ines realize she had taken ill on the very day she arrived at Rupert. The fact that her memories after that were unclear was probably because of the high fever.

“……To cause such trouble from the very first day.”

A sigh-like murmur slipped through her pressed lips. Ines closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, reproaching herself, then pushed the duvet aside and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Just then,

Click.

The door handle turned slowly and the door opened. Ines registered the auburn hair at almost the same moment Cecile saw her.

“Your Highness……!”

Cecile’s eyes went round, and she came rushing toward Ines.

“Your Highness, when did you wake…… ah, no. First, are you feeling all right?”

Cecile set the tray she was carrying on the side table and asked with a face full of worry. It seemed she had come to wipe away Ines’s sweat, as the tray held a basin of water and a few clean towels. Touched by the thoughtfulness, Ines smiled faintly and nodded.

Her body still felt weak, but the fever had clearly broken.

“I woke just a moment ago, and I’m feeling fine.”

Unmistakable relief spread across Cecile’s face at Ines’s answer.

“Was I very ill? I’m sorry, but my memory isn’t clear……”

At Ines’s quiet words, Cecile rolled her eyes around carefully and gave a cautious nod.

“You were quite badly off. The fever was terribly high, and you couldn’t open your eyes for three whole days……”

Ines, who had been listening quietly, opened her eyes wide at one word.

“Three days? ……I was ill for three whole days?”

Cecile nodded at Ines’s startled question and even thoughtfully told her today’s date.

It had truly been four days since her arrival, and Ines was left completely stunned.

After that, the first thing she did was be examined by the physician Cecile had called. The middle-aged physician with salt-and-pepper hair smiled gently and told her not to push herself for today and tomorrow.

“Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. Please rest well.”

After the physician left the room, Ines immediately sank into the bath Cecile had prepared. Cecile seemed to have looked after her carefully throughout, so it was not too uncomfortable, but it was a matter of how she felt.

While Cecile was finishing drying the remaining moisture from her hair, Ines opened her mouth slowly.

“Thank you for taking care of me while I was ill, Cecile.”

It was nothing more than a brief word of thanks, but the Cecile reflected in the mirror blinked as though she had never imagined hearing it. Then she flushed shyly and smiled.

“Not at all. It was only what I should have done.”

There was not a trace of reluctance or resentment in the face that said it.

“……Is that so.”

Ines murmured with something like a laugh, and Cecile gave an energetic nod. Then Cecile made a small sound, as though something had come to her.

“What is it?”

“It’s just, I thought the master would be relieved now. He was very worried about Your Highness.”

The question had been asked lightly, but the answer that came back was unexpected. In this grand ducal castle, there was only one person Cecile would call master.

“……Grand Duke Killian?”

Her voice came out oddly constricted, but her throat was hoarse from the fever, so it was not too noticeable.

“Yes. He came by several times a day to check on you. He also asked to be told right away when Your Highness woke.”

The faint flush on Cecile’s face and her meaningful tone seemed almost as though she was trying to convey Killian’s kind nature. Of course, there was no need. Ines knew Killian’s kindness better than anyone.

“Ah……”

Ines let out a short, sighing breath and dropped her gaze.

“……I’ve caused trouble for so many people.”

The murmur, half a beat late, was nothing but an excuse to cover up a fluttering she had no right to feel.

‘How pathetic. After causing all this trouble, my heart still flutters at the news that he was worried about me. Have I no shame at all……’

Ines berated herself mercilessly, but even so, she could not slow her beating heart.

Fortunately, Cecile did not press on and quickly finished drying Ines’s hair. By the time those careful hands were done, a kitchen servant arrived with something to eat.

The meal the kitchen had prepared was a warm stew. The portion looked a little small, but after three days of nothing but rice porridge, this was exactly right. Too much and her stomach would not accept it and she would feel worse.

Clink.

Ines finished the bowl without difficulty.

“Then I’ll go return this! Please rest!”

“Off you go.”

Cecile, who had been chattering cheerfully, left, and a quiet stillness settled in at once. The faint smile on Ines’s face faded with it.

Ines looked out the window with sunken eyes.

‘Of all the times to fall ill, right upon arrival……’

Even Ines had not truly expected that a mere two weeks of slightly uncomfortable living would lay her out like this.

Ines made up her mind to find Killian and apologize once Cecile returned.

A marriage partner who was not particularly welcome to begin with had fallen ill on the very day of her arrival, causing the wedding that should have taken place yesterday to be postponed……

Recalling her situation, which she had briefly forgotten, made her feel foolish for having flushed at the news that Killian had been worried about her. Killian had worried about her simply because that was the kind of person he was.

Even so, she could not shake the shameless thought that it might have been Killian who had gently brushed her eyes while she slept. It would not have been, of course.

“Haah……”

Ines was turning away with a sigh when,

Knock knock.

“Your Highness, it is Killian Rupert.”

A low voice carried through the door along with a soft knock. The moment she recognized the owner of that quiet voice, her body moved before her mind did.

Click.

She opened the door and their gazes collided immediately. Ines had looked up, and Killian had been looking slightly downward. He softened his expression as their eyes met.

“……Grand Duke.”

Ines murmured quietly. It had slipped out without her meaning it to.

“I heard you had woken. Are you feeling better?”

Killian seemed to have taken her murmur as a greeting. Ines was briefly grateful that she had not actually called his name.