He looked at me for a long while. A quiet, wordless atmosphere settled between us.

I had already heard about the knights, so there was nothing more to say, and asking to see the garden right now had no natural lead-in.

‘What else is there to say.’

Just as Nicaine had said, in a situation like this there was almost nothing to talk about. I was turning over what to say to break the heavy, sinking silence when he spoke.

“I’ll go.”

I looked up at the sudden words and met Nicaine’s eyes.

“I said I’m leaving.”

“Oh, take care.”

Whether it was the awkwardness, the corners of my mouth trembled as they lifted.

Nicaine looked at me for a moment, then left the room. The room went quiet in an instant. I buried my face in the pillow and pressed both hands to my head.

It was so awkward. That heavy atmosphere. The silence with nothing to say.

Before we became friends I had just been trying to make a good impression, but now things were strangely unnatural.

‘Still, I’m doing all right, aren’t I?’

We had at least become friends. And Nicaine was showing a willingness to get closer. I decided to think of it positively.

The end was not far off now. The day I would be cured and live in peace.

The next morning, Nicaine came early. Chesha, who had been bringing me water, also looked surprised. The black uniform was as spotless as the day before, not a speck of dust anywhere. Neatly swept hair without a single stray strand, strong brows, and deep blue eyes that drew the gaze naturally.

He walked up to me in long strides. Chesha quickly bowed and left the room.

Nicaine looked at me and asked.

“How are you feeling?”

“What?”

“I’m asking how you are compared to yesterday.”

“I’m fine.”

I said it brightly, but Nicaine’s expression wasn’t bright at all. He looked at me for a moment, then spoke.

“We caught the manager.”

“Already?”

A smile came to my face on its own. One worry lifted. Nicaine stared at me intently and continued.

“He’s been handed to the investigators. He’ll stand trial soon.”

I nodded. It was good news, but a trial was now involved. I was already busy trying to find the ingredients to cure my illness, and having a trial on top of that would be a lot to manage.

‘Should I find a lawyer.’

I was briefly lost in thought when Nicaine spoke.

“I can handle the proceedings on your behalf.”

That was welcome news.

“You can do that?”

“If you want.”

His deep blue eyes turned toward me. He watched in silence, waiting for my answer.

Nicaine was not someone who would deceive me. When he considered someone his own, he kept his loyalty to them no matter what.

He was cold without exception toward strangers and anyone he didn’t consider his, but that was a different matter.

“I’ll give you power of attorney.”

“I like things to be dramatic.”

The sudden remark caught me off guard, and he continued.

“Do you trust me completely?”

“Of course. You’re my friend. I trust you completely.”

“And you know what I might do?”

His low gaze settled on me. It looked a little dangerous, but I thought back over what Nicaine had done for me.

“I just trust you. You brought me safely to the hospital, and at the gala you stayed beside me to protect me from the dark mage.”

“That was……”

“I know. I won’t read anything into it, so don’t worry. You did it as a friend, right?”

Nicaine looked at me without speaking. His expression was completely still. I continued quickly.

“Either way, thank you for the gala and everything.”

“……”

“If there’s ever anything you need from me, just say the word. I’ll help you.”

Nicaine only stared, saying nothing.

‘Does he think I can’t be of any use to him.’

I added with a little more emphasis.

“Anything about the dark mage, or……”

“Don’t look into the dark mage anymore.”

Firm and final.

“Why?”

“It’s dangerous.”

I had no desire to throw myself into danger either. Going to the abandoned temple had been purely to get closer to Nicaine somehow.

“I’ve already looked into the dark mage enough that I won’t be running into them directly anymore. And if there’s anything you’re curious about from what I’ve found out, ask me anytime. I’ll tell you.”

It wasn’t actually from my own research, but from what I’d seen in the original novel. Since the thought had come up, I decided to share it with him. As a small gesture to mark becoming friends.

“By the way, the person the Tupefer hold most dear, the one at the center of it all, is Pentas. From what I’ve heard, he seems simple-minded on the surface. In reality, however, he’s proficient in a strange form of magic powerful enough to summon demons, and he’s been killing people to absorb their energy and build a following.”

Nicaine watched me in silence. He seemed to be genuinely listening, so I continued quickly.

“I don’t know the name he actually uses, but he works at the royal palace. You go there sometimes too, so never get close to anyone who seems simple-minded.”

“Don’t get close to anyone who seems simple-minded?”

“Yes.”

“Is that concern for me?”

I spoke quickly before Nicaine could misread it.

“Concern as a friend. Nothing more.”

The line of his eyes slowly hardened. The atmosphere around us settled like ice had been laid across the floor. A sharp, needle-like pain hit my heart just then. I lowered my head and exhaled quietly.

“Stay here for another month.”

I looked up at him in surprise.

“A month?”

“You have a chronic illness and you were hit by a poisoned arrow. There could be side effects.”

“The doctor said three days of rest would be enough.”

“No, you don’t look fine to me.”

“I really am fine.”

Being confined here was starting to feel suffocating. There was no place like home. I missed the wide residence. Of course the hospital room was spacious and the food was good and nothing was lacking.

But since going to the mine, not being able to move around freely and being stuck near this room was wearing on me.

It was also time to check on the medicinal ingredients again and review the plan going forward. The final goal was to enter Nicaine’s secret garden and bring back the pale violet narcissus.

Nicaine moved closer to the bed.

“I’ve recruited more skilled heart specialists, so if you receive treatment here……”

“I’m fine! You don’t need to go that far!”

Nicaine’s brow shifted.

“You’ve been in pain often.”

“It passes after a little while.”

“You’re in pain but you say you’re fine?”

“The medicine doesn’t cure it and the pain stays the same. So just enduring it is the best option.”

I said it as it was. Nicaine’s expression darkened in an instant. He looked at me with a firm gaze.

“What’s the name of your illness?”

The illness had no name in the original novel. And even if it did, there was no point since I couldn’t say it anyway. I tried to smile.

“Thank you for the concern, but you don’t need to worry this much. It’s just an illness I’ve had for a long time……”

“How am I supposed to not worry.”

The air around us grew heavy in an instant.

“You’re dying soon.”

“……”

“I heard you’re terminally ill.”

The words wouldn’t come.

‘How does Nicaine know this.’

The original novel hadn’t gone this way.

“And you say you’re fine? That I shouldn’t worry?”

“……”

“Even after you nearly died because of me?”

His eyes trembled faintly. I hadn’t expected Nicaine to show emotion like this. It was as a friend, of course, but seeing genuine human concern from him was something new.

His gaze was relentless. I told him the truth.

“I am terminally ill, but I’m not sad about it. Because I know this illness will be cured.”

Nicaine looked at me without speaking. The firm set of his eyes gave him a resolute look. Did I seem like someone clinging to false hope?

Looking at the situation from the outside, it probably did seem that way. Haser barely believed me too. Rather than say more about it, I emphasized what mattered most.

“And I’m glad you became my friend.”

“……”

“That’s what I wanted most.”

I lifted the corners of my mouth slightly, and Nicaine’s expression lost some of its tension. His eyes were still deep as he looked at me.

“Is there nothing else you want?”

A low, quiet voice. My heart beat faster for a moment. Something I wanted. I could say it right now if I opened my mouth.

‘I want the pale violet narcissus from your secret garden!’

But I couldn’t say it so directly. It would sound exactly like I was using him.

‘How do I bring it up naturally.’