06. Sympathy and Necessity

 Owen lifted his head. His voice was quiet, as if worried about waking the patient.

“It’s a fever from stress and overexertion. Getting caught in the rain throughout the funeral, it’s no wonder he fell ill. Thanks to your good care, at least it didn’t become truly dangerous.”

“Thank you, Owen.”

Celian’s eyes remained fixed on Izer’s face. Owen glanced at her face while organizing his medical bag.

The servant from the Chesterfield ducal house had burst in this morning.

They said the Duke urgently needed a doctor. Owen, who had rushed over in surprise, was guided not to the Duke’s room but to the young duke’s chamber.

When he saw the young duke lying shirtless and Celian covered in his blood, Owen barely swallowed the questions that rose to his throat. Why are you here, why are you, who came to educate the young lord, tending to that man’s illness?

And, did you undress that man?

Instead of questions, he could still feel the lukewarm touch of the washcloth he had snatched away.

“Call a maid to nurse the young duke. It’s more accurate to explain things directly to the caregiver.”

“Tell me. Since he fell ill suddenly, there aren’t any suitable maids for nursing. I’ll relay the instructions once a caregiver is assigned.”

In this vast mansion? Owen suppressed his rising questions.

He became certain while examining the patient. The young duke had been left in this state for at least twenty-four hours. Though Celian glossed over it saying it was from the previous night, a doctor’s eyes couldn’t be deceived.

‘A man no one cared for, discovered by Celian……’

Perhaps the Duke of Chesterfield wasn’t as good a person as father had said.

“The medicine will bring down the fever right away. He needs to take in nutrients and get plenty of rest. Make sure he doesn’t take sleeping pills until he’s fully recovered.”

“But don’t sleeping pills help with sleep?”

The people of this mansion were familiar with the young duke’s insomnia. Therefore, the presence of sleeping pills was no surprise. First drawer of the bedside table a few steps from the bed, that was where the sleeping pills were kept. Izer would take them without hesitation even in front of her.

“Mild sleeping pills might. But the ones the young duke takes are quite strong. They’d be like poison to his weakened body.”

“……”

“If he says he can’t sleep, give him warm milk with honey. Absolutely no tea or coffee…… And the same goes for alcohol.”

Owen belatedly added the warning about alcohol. While one drink might be fine if he really couldn’t sleep, something told him it would be unwise to leave a drunk young duke and Celian in the same space.

Owen continued giving unnecessary instructions.

“It’s hard to sleep deeply with someone nearby. ‘Tell’ the caregiver. Tell them to do their tasks and only come when the young duke calls. With the medicine, there won’t be any sudden fainting like last night.”

“Alright. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Celian,”

“Yes?”

Owen’s lips quivered. His gaze had been fixed on the blood spatters on her neck and collar.

“You should change your clothes.”

“Ah…… right. I hadn’t noticed. I’ll need to wash this.”

Conscious of Owen’s gaze, Celian let her hair fall to cover the bloodstains. Her full chest also disappeared behind the long silver hair.

Owen stared at her for a moment before picking up his medical bag.

“I’ll come back in three days. If there are any problems before then, send a letter right away. Or come directly.”

“I’ll see you to the entrance.”

Celian, who had opened the door and stepped out, shuddered at the fresh air in the corridor.

It had been exactly twelve hours since she’d entered Izer’s room. Even with the windows open, it seemed impossible to completely remove the sick person’s energy. Along with it, the early morning sunlight poured over her, soaked in blood and sweat.

Owen only left after emphasizing several times that she should come to him directly. After seeing her friend off with a smile until the end, Celian turned around and froze.

“……”

The Duke of Chesterfield, his hair white with age, passed by her. 

 * * *

 Izer was standing with his back to the door. The man’s half-n*ked body was somewhat startling to Celian, who had entered without knocking, assuming he would be sleeping.

A hoarse voice reached the ears of the woman who hurriedly lowered her eyes.

“Where did you go?”

“I was seeing Owen off. Are you feeling a bit better?”

“Why go all the way to the main entrance to see him off? That’s what maids are for.”

Celian lightly ignored his words.

“You need to eat. Light soup or bread would be good. Since Owen said no coffee for now, I’ll tell them to prepare milk as well.”

“……”

“He also said not to take sleeping pills.”

“That’s a bit problematic.”

“It’s not good to rely too much on medicine.”

Celian replied while standing up a fallen vase. Izer, who had been watching her with his arms crossed, pointed to the bed with his chin.

“Lie down.”

“No. You’re not in any condition to……”

“I’m not asking you to lie down for s*x. Though I disagree that I’m not in any condition for it.”

His words were true. At the very least, he had enough strength to force Celian onto the bed. A familiar body scent wafted from the bare chest that came close to her face.

The woman who had lain down on her side only blinked her eyes. A hand firmly grasped the back of her head as she tried to slip away.

The man’s voice resonated above her trapped head.

“You said we need to sleep well.”

“That only applies to you, young duke. It’s daytime now. Lord Percy will be waiting for me.”

“If you go to Percy now, I’ll immediately take out the sleeping pills.”

Celian, at a loss for words, had her vision go dark. She mumbled.

“It’s hot.”

“It needs to be dark to sleep.”

The blanket that the maid had changed while she was seeing Owen off smelled of warm sunlight. Izer, who had pulled the blanket over their heads together, moved his body downward.

Izer met her eyes.

“You probably didn’t sleep properly last night either. Get some sleep before you fall ill too.”

Celian’s lips parted. It sounded exactly like words meant for herself.

However, no sooner had she thought this than Izer shattered her illusion.

“So we can do it right after we wake up from our nap.”

“……”

With those words, Izer closed his eyes.

The wool blanket was a bit too thick to use for summer. Sweat trickled down Celian’s forehead. Her blood-stained blouse became damp along with it. She wanted to remove the blanket due to the unpleasant feeling, but it was impossible because Izer was holding her tightly.

When she moved very carefully, his hand gripping her lower back tightened. A sleep-drunk voice brushed against the woman’s cheek.

“Don’t go.”

“I’ll just change clothes and come back.”

“Then take them off.”

“……”

If she kept her mouth shut, she might at least get away halfway. A languid voice floated to the woman’s nape as she gave up responding.

“If you don’t want to, just stay in those clothes.”

Celian screamed internally.

‘It’s hot……!’

While he might be fine being completely n*ked and trapped under the blanket since he was the patient, Celian was still in the same clothes she had been trying to escape in. Fortunately, Izer didn’t seem to question why she was wearing clothes more suitable for the middle of the marketplace rather than sleepwear.

The red eyes watching her disappeared behind eyelids again. It felt new to see his sleeping face right next to her after such a long time.

His face was pale from being sick all night. Dried blood that hadn’t been completely wiped away still clung to his pale lips.

Celian flinched. Red eyes squinted at her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“……I can’t sleep because it’s too hot.”

Izer sighed and pulled back the blanket. Celian exhaled at the cool air. She thought he might let her go, but that wasn’t the case. If anything, his hand holding her head seemed to tighten more.

“Now it’s not hot anymore, let’s sleep.”

There were no more excuses to escape. Celian responded glumly.

“Yes.”

Though she had insisted she couldn’t sleep, in truth, Celian had also practically stayed up all night.

Her body grew languid. Her face felt cool, while her body was warm. The familiar scent emanating from the man’s bare skin and the darkness created by the curtains made it feel as if it were nighttime now.

Her gentle blinking eyes closed. She felt his hand stroking her hair. Even that was enough to invite sleep. 

 * * *

 Izer only opened his eyes when evening came. It had grown completely dark as the sun had set.

The man’s gaze moved from the long hair sticking to his damp forearm to the ribbon neatly tied at her collar.

‘Outdoor clothes.’

It was an outfit suitable for heading straight to the train station. Perhaps she had planned to escape during the confusion in the mansion. He pondered what reason she had to try so desperately to run away, before realizing that he was the cause.

Izer’s finger poked her soft cheek.

“Stop pretending to sleep. I know you’re awake.”

“……”

Reluctant eyes opened. Celian could hardly meet his gaze. Her face showed confusion about how to properly react to having taken a nap while embracing like lovers.

It had to be evening. Using work as an excuse to rush out wouldn’t work as it was almost Percy’s bedtime. Yet it was too early for the adults to end their day.

“I should go now.”

The body that had been dawdling suddenly slipped out of his arms. He considered grabbing her but decided against it. While he as a patient might not have an appetite, that wouldn’t be the case for Celian.