CHAPTER 10

Dian blamed himself.

But Rienn didn’t want him to feel guilty like he was some kind of sinner for needing help. And it’s not like he’s intentionally getting sick, and she was willingly helping him. She didn’t want Dian to feel like he owed her anything.

“Don’t think like that. I was a bit startled earlier, but now I’m fine… And you’re getting better little by little. I’m really happy to see you improving.”

She had been worried sick about him dying. If she could save Dian, a little discomfort like this was nothing.

“……Thank you, Rienn. How can I ever repay you?”

“Repay?”

“I originally planned to offer material assistance if I had looked for a volunteer, but I don’t think it would mean much to you…”

“Yeah, it’s not necessary.”

She nudged his shoulder. 

“No need for repayment. You getting better is enough.”

“But…….”

“Wouldn’t you have done anything for me too if I was sick?”

“……I would have.”

“There you go.”

She knew Dian would do anything to make her better, even if it meant going to great lengths. 

“But still, seeing you suffer like this…”

“It’s not much suffering.”

Despite her repeated assurances, he still seemed to blame himself. Lost in thought, she looked at him quietly. 

“And I suppose this is an experience too?”

“What experience?”

“I didn’t know anything about breastfeeding, and now I do. It might come in handy when I have a baby in the future.” 

“You’re going to have a baby?”

“Well, someday?”

“With whom?”

At his calm question, she glanced into space for a moment.

“Well, I’m not sure yet…”

“I see.”

Looking at Dian again, she asked.

“What about you? Are you going to have a baby?”

“If the person I marry wants to.” 

The person he marries.

“I see…” 

He was quietly looking at her. In his serene gaze, for some reason, she felt both embarrassed and fluttering in her chest.

As if wanting to say something in the silence, her lips parted when suddenly, there was a sharp knock at the door.

“!!!”

Startled, she jumped up from her seat. 

“Angela?!”

“It’s Philip, miss.”

“Oh, Philip.”

One moment, please.

She walked to the door from the bed. Sensing Dian following her slowly, she opened it. Philip, the butler, stood there holding a tray of letters.

“Ralph, the butler from the Lindemann estate, sent a letter for you, Miss.”

Ralph was the butler of a nearby mansion. 

“Quite a lot, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I see Master Dian is here too.”

Dian stood by her side and looked down at the silver tray.

“Oh, let’s go to your room then.” 

There wasn’t much difference between Dian’s room and her guest room, but for some reason, it felt like she had been caught doing something wrong. She tried to support him, but Philip stepped in.

“I’ll do it, miss, will you take the letters?”

“Okay.”

Philip supported Dian, and Rienn walked alongside, glancing through the letters. There were letters from her father and Yan, as well as from several friends and acquaintances from noble families.

“This one’s from the Lindemann estate.”

Dian, who was watching beside her, pointed out.

“Huh?”

“That’s Lindemann’s seal.”

Bringing the letter back to the front, she examined the red wax sealing the letter.

“Why did they send it?”

“Open it.”

“Let’s go inside. But it probably isn’t anything important.”

Riann was more familiar with Dian’s room than her guest room.

As he sat on the bed, Philip stepped back, leaving just the two of them. She sat at a small table and sorted through the letters. She’d have to reply to them eventually. She opened the letters from her family first.

“Ha, there’s no end to them…”

It was daunting to reply to the backlog of letters. It was fun at first, writing to family and friends, but later, she didn’t have much to say, so she had to force it out.

“Are there many left?”

Dian, who had been quietly reading a book, got up slowly and approached. She felt embarrassed as he sat opposite her at the table and looked down.

“Don’t look!”

“Hahaha.”

She had laid out all the letters to dry the ink.

“I won’t read them.”

Actually, I don’t mind you reading them, but…….

“The letters are getting shorter.”

She felt embarrassed about it.

As time went on, she started to write more hastily, and the quantity noticeably decreased.

“What can I do when I have nothing to say…”

“Yeah, it’s okay to write short.”

“But I wrote long ones for my family.”

She pointed to the paper filled with densely packed words.

“What did your father say?”

“Dad? He asked when I was leaving and told me to come back soon.”

“Oh…….”

“Same thing from Yan.”

After graduation, she had said she would only attend the weddings she was invited to and then go home. As of now, the last scheduled wedding is in four days, and the healing ritual is still ten days away…….

“I think I’ll have to leave the day after the healing ritual ends.”

“The very next day?”

Dian’s face showed a fleeting expression of surprise.

“Is that too soon? But you’ve already improved quite a bit in five days, and I think you’ll be fully recovered in about two weeks… Besides, we have to follow what the Oracle said.”

‘For a fortnight, from sunrise to sunset, take a virgin’s milk.’

She wanted to follow the Oracle without deviation.

“Do I need to stay longer after the fortnight?”

“Not because of that, but if you want to stay longer, you can.”

“But… I have to go home.”

Dad and Yan were waiting.

“It’ll take a few days to get there. If I want to arrive by Yan’s birthday, I’ll have to leave around then. He insists I must come back before his birthday.”

She pointed to the letter from Yan. Dian nodded without taking his eyes off her.

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

His tone was flat, but there was a faint sense of disappointment that caught her off guard.

“I’ll see you again soon, though.”

“I won’t be able to leave right away due to my schedule…”

“I know. When everything is done, if you go to your estate, I can go there, or you can come to ours.”

“I’ll go.”

“Okay.”

She felt somewhat relieved. After the healing ritual, she’d go to her mansion and hang out with her family, and maybe Dian would come over sometime.

“I still have to finish these replies.”

She dipped the pen in ink and hastily scribbled through them again.

“Did you read the one from Lindemann?”

“Yeah, it was sent by Zuckar.”

Zuckar was the eldest son and heir to the Marquis of Lindemann.

“……What’s it about?”

“Nothing much, just asking if I could have a meal with him before I go to the manor.”

“…Will you meet him?”

“Surely not. I’m turning down all other appointments and invitations right now.”

“Why?”

Dian’s question made her stop writing and look up. Her gaze met his, who was looking at her.

“I’ve decided to refrain from going out for a while. I got a little freaked out earlier…….”

“Oh, right.”

Dian immediately understood.

The experience of leaking br*ast milk.

Just thinking about it made her feel dizzy again. Even though she’ll be more careful in the future, it was still uncomfortable. Having to find a restroom constantly when going out was bothersome.

It was easier to change in the mansion, and if by any chance something happened, there wouldn’t be any problems. The mansion is secluded, and she can go to her room to change and that’s it.

“Besides, people have been asking me about you a lot. Even though I told them I didn’t know, it bothered me.”

“Because you’re not a good liar.”

She wasn’t sure if she was bad at it, but it always felt like a struggle.

“Anyway, I’m declining all invitations for various reasons. I’m not even going to Bettina’s wedding.”

The last wedding is in four days. She felt sorry for Bettina, but she couldn’t help it. The intermittent milk flow throughout the day made her uncomfortable and reluctant to go out.

Dian’s expression was ambiguous. He seemed sorry, but at the same time, he seemed to like it.

“Let’s send a wedding gift instead. I’ll prepare one for you too.”

“Oh, that would be lovely.”

She felt a weight lifted from her shoulders.

“During the healing ritual, I’ll make sure to stick by your side.”

“Hahaha.”

Dian laughed innocently. He seemed to like it so much that Rienn wondered why.

“Okay.”

“I’ll finish this quickly and then we can play cards.”

“Sounds good.”

Dian got up slowly and went to get the cards. Rienn continued to whip out a reply.