Chapter 33

“It’s a side effect of prolonged exposure to a large amount of herbs.”

“When will she wake up?”

“She will naturally awaken once the herb’s effects fully dissipate, but the concentration she was exposed to far exceeds normal levels, so I can’t guarantee anything.”

Kaiden clenched his jaw so tightly that his chin tingled at the doctor’s uncertain words. If he hadn’t run into Sophie that morning, Hazel might have faced an even greater accident.

“Oh! Duke?”

“What is it, Sophie?”

“Miss Hazel left early this morning with motion sickness medicine to meet you. Did you miss each other?”

“What do you mean?”

There was only one place that came to mind when he heard she had left early in the morning to meet him with motion sickness medicine. However, he had never said such a thing to Hazel. Suspicious, he had noticed a letter sticking out from Hazel’s purple diary and clenched his fist.

The person in the letter who claimed to be Kaiden had lured Hazel to the fragrance factory quite naturally. Kaiden crumpled the letter into his inner pocket and mounted his horse immediately.

Without a moment to drink water, he rode hard and arrived at the fragrance workshop, where he heard a loud explosion, and soon after, he saw Hazel being carried out on a stretcher.

At that moment, all the blood in his body seemed to freeze solid, and he couldn’t move from his spot. Kaiden slowly dragged his stone-like legs and cradled Hazel in his arms, carefully moving her into the carriage.

“Hazel… Please, open your eyes. Okay?”

On the way back to the mansion from the carriage, Hazel breathed faintly, and the fear that she might disappear at any moment caused tears to fall heavily.

“When did the other doctors say they’d arrive?”

“Your Grace, that was the last doctor.”

At Philip’s words, Kaiden covered his forehead with his hand. Every single one of them gave the same answer. They didn’t know when she would wake up. The best they could do was prescribe medication to activate her circulatory system and eliminate toxins.

“Which country has the most advanced medical practices? Send letters to doctors in the Cliang Kingdom or the Eastern Empire. Offer them any amount of money.”

“Your Grace, please calm down.”

Philip grabbed Kaiden, who was pacing in front of the bed like a restless puppy, and sat him down on the sofa. He seemed to be the one who needed stability the most at that moment.

Kaiden, keeping watch beside Hazel, had his hair tousled, and his already intimidating red eyes seemed to pierce through someone’s heart, sending chills down their spine. So, what doctor would dare specify exactly how many days it would take? If it were delayed even by a day, he seemed ready to kill.

According to the opinions of the five doctors who had come and gone, it was a common herbal intoxication that did not affect her health. Overwhelmed by Kaiden’s presence, the doctors only whispered to Philip that it would take about 5 to 7 days for the effects to wear off.

“Let’s give her the medicine and observe for a while.”

“Ha, Hazel.”

Knowing there was nothing more he could do, Kaiden dragged a chair to the bedside. As he rested his forehead on Hazel’s hand, tears fell from his eyes.

“Hazel… You’ll be alright. I’m… I’m sorry.”

Even a mild cold was hard for Hazel to bear. The thought that she suffered such a big ordeal because of him made him feel incredibly guilty. The mere imagination of never seeing her again felt like being seared with a hot iron rod all over his body.

“Your Grace, here is the information you asked to be investigated.”

Though he hesitated to hand it over in such a situation, he had indeed been instructed to bring the materials as soon as they were ready. It was about the Marquis Erban family, after all.

“It seems the fragrance business is to be handed over to the person who marries Young Lady Hazel Erban. And currently, Young Master Humohr is the most likely candidate.”

“Humohr?”

“Yes. There is still a negative view of women running businesses alone. It seems there were marriage talks between the families recently.”

Evan had mentioned it occasionally. His father wanted to retire from the fragrance business and live out his remaining years peacefully in a quiet estate with his mother. When Evan became the head of the 1st Imperial Knight Order, it seemed the business was passed on to Hazel.

‘Could it be?’

An awful scenario, which should not have come to mind, surfaced. There was only one person who would harm Hazel out of greed for the fragrance business.

“Philip, where is that thing from before?”

“Ugh, why do you want that disgusting thing? If you’re going to throw it away, let me do it for you.”

Kaiden gestured for it, insisting he needed to ask someone about it.

When Hazel started her examination with the third doctor, a dough-like figure resembling Kaiden suddenly emerged from Hazel’s hand and slithered under the bed. Philip screamed at the grotesque figure, where eyes mixed with arms and legs blended with arms, and the examining doctor fainted.

They gathered the dough that had flowed onto the floor into a large bag, and it was just as repulsive to look at.

“Give it to me. I have someone to ask.”

Kaiden lightly slung the bag over his shoulder.

The place Kaiden headed to was none other than the Servian Empire’s Imperial Palace. He placed the bag at Lily’s feet, who was having tea in the garden.

Thud.

“You know what this is, right?”

The Veil of Transformation had become taboo as it was used for fraud and illegal residency crimes, which the Imperial Family had eradicated on a large scale. Therefore, the only place where records remained was the Imperial Library.

“Oh my! Is this you, Kaiden?”

Lily opened the bag to check its contents and frowned.

“Someone has tampered with forbidden magic.”

“That can’t be! All related books are in the Imperial Library, so no one should be able to access them.”

“There’s one person who knows both Hazel and me well and can freely come and go from the Imperial Palace. You know who it is.”

Kaiden acted as if he was already certain of the culprit, and Lily couldn’t hide her troubled expression.

“…Humohr?”

“The penalty for forbidden magic is 300 years, right?”

At Kaiden’s words, Lily bit her lip instead of answering.

The history of the Clun Ducal Family, to which Humohr belonged, serving as advisors to the Imperial Family, easily surpassed 300 years. The family likely held numerous secrets of the Imperial Family for such situations, suggesting the possibility that the punishment might be reduced. Naturally, such a penalty would not satisfy Kaiden.

“Oh my! Was it 300 years? 300 years is too long~.”

“Don’t try to cover it up with excuses or mutual interests.”

Kaiden furrowed his brow, making it clear he wouldn’t tolerate any attempts to dodge responsibility.

“You’re sharp as ever. Is Hazel alright?”

“There’s something like an elixir that only the Imperial Family uses, isn’t there?”

Kaiden tapped the bag containing the grotesque dough-like remains with his foot, demanding they bring out anything of value.

“Alright, I’ll prepare it. But in exchange, I know nothing about Humohr, alright?”

“If the Imperial Family can’t handle it, I’ll deal with Humohr myself. You have no objections, do you?”

His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

“Do as you please. Oh, by the way, may I visit her too?”

As Kaiden turned to leave, Lily hurriedly added her question. She felt somewhat responsible for not managing the library properly, and the guilt weighed on her. Moreover, while Kaiden might not know, Hazel had been her secret friend for two years, attending risqué social gatherings together. She was genuinely worried about Hazel’s health.

***

Three days later.

Contrary to the doctor’s prediction that it would take at least five days for the effects of the herbs to wear off, Hazel opened her eyes after just three days, thanks to Kaiden’s devoted care.

“Hazel, you’re awake?”

As the lukewarm towel placed on her forehead was removed, the Duke, who had been reading a book beside her, embraced her.

The warm sensation of him gently patting her back felt different from the Duke who had coldly rejected her feelings by the Servian River.

In contrast, for Hazel, who had just woken up, the events at the fragrance workshop felt as vivid as if they had happened only yesterday. Kaiden’s sudden change in attitude confused her, and she couldn’t tell if the flashes of Humohr’s face she had seen were part of a dream or a result of the hot steam clouding her judgment in the workshop.

“D-Duke Kaiden…?”

“Hazel, are you alright now?”

“Yes. But… my head hurts a little.”

Kaiden immediately called for Sophie, who, upon seeing Hazel sitting up against the headboard, ran over and burst into tears.

“Boohoo, Miss! I was so scared… sniff! I thought you wouldn’t wake up!”

“I’m alright now, Sophie.”

“Even so… hic! You must eat well.”

Wiping her tears, Sophie brought a bowl of leaf mushroom soup, known for its high nutritional value and its ability to grow leaves even in winter, from the kitchen. However, instead of giving it to Hazel, she handed it to Kaiden.

“I’ll eat it myself.”

“I’ll feed you. Sit back and relax.”

The Duke naturally scooped up some of the mushroom soup with a spoon and blew on it lightly.

“Hazel, say ‘ah.’”

“Pardon?”

Caught off guard, Hazel hesitated and ultimately shook her head, unable to accept the soup.

“Did I drop anything when I collapsed?”

“…No.”

Kaiden planned to tell her the truth once she had recovered more. He carefully brought the spoonful of soup closer to Hazel’s lips again.

He was worried that learning the truth—that Humohr had disguised himself with the Veil of Transformation and endangered her out of greed for the fragrance business—might cause her to fall ill again.

“Was it a dream? I’m sure I grabbed something…”

Hazel muttered softly, and in that moment, the warm soup slid down her throat slowly.