Alexander regained consciousness when Claire left to get medicine.

He realized that his body felt different from usual. His body was heavy, his head dizzy, and even breathing was difficult. That wasn’t all. His mind was so hazy that he couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or not.

Alexander raised his heavy hand to touch his forehead, which felt strange. There was a damp handkerchief there.

He quickly realized it was Claire’s handkerchief.

She was the only one who came to this warehouse. And she was the only one kind enough to put a handkerchief on his forehead.

He lowered his hand again and closed his eyes, thinking about Claire.

The existence of Claire Evernizer was not without suspicion.

Alexander did not trust Claire, who tried to help him without any apparent reason.

She could have been a spy sent by Caleb, who betrayed him, or someone sent by Count Maynard to gain his favor.

From what Alexander had seen of Count Maynard, he didn’t seem like someone who would grovel. The Berzel Duchy held the highest power in the empire after the emperor. Alexander categorized the nobles around him into those who wanted to cling to him to gain something and those who wanted to take something from him.

Therefore, he couldn’t trust even Count Maynard, who had built a wall around himself.

Instead, he was more wary of him because he couldn’t figure out his intentions.

Then an incident occurred.

He was betrayed by Caleb, a trusted subordinate.

It happened while Alexander was passing through Count Maynard’s territory for trade with the neighboring Hylon.

Caleb had inflicted a deep wound on his stomach.

He couldn’t figure out where or how things had gone wrong, nor could he find a way to understand it.

He was already losing consciousness slowly in Count Maynard’s territory, separated from his subordinates.

That’s when it happened. A woman he had never seen before appeared before him as he was dying. She moved him to the warehouse with her small body and treated him. It was suspicious. Would anyone usually save an unknown person without expecting anything in return?

It was hard to believe her story that she had come out to check the crops and found him by chance.

That day, the empire had entered the rainy season, and the rain was pouring down fiercely.

During this time, the people of the empire didn’t want to step outside. With rain pouring down all day as if a hole had been punched in the sky, who would go outside?

But she had come out in such bad weather to check the crops?

Alexander believed she was hiding something.

It seemed more plausible that she had deliberately timed her appearance to find him.

‘She must have some hidden agenda.’

Alexander was curious about when Claire would reveal her true intentions.

However, Claire’s reaction was unexpected.

She didn’t ask Alexander anything, nor did she try to find out anything.

If she had an ulterior motive, she would have pretended to be interested in what had happened to him and then revealed her true intentions, but Claire did the opposite.

It was as if she didn’t want to know anything about Alexander.

Seeing her draw a clear line and not cross it, Alexander felt a little empty.

It was only after a few days that Alexander realized he hadn’t told Claire his name.

He wondered if this was also part of some scheme, but he couldn’t see Claire as someone who could hide such a plan.

Rather, she didn’t seem used to hiding her emotions. Alexander recalled the raw words that would pop out of her mouth. It wasn’t just that. She was so naive that her thoughts were often reflected on her face.

If all of this was planned, it would be hard not to be deceived.

A bit quirky, a bit strange.

Seeing Claire, who was hard to define in one word, Alexander felt a strange sense of comfort.

Being with her somehow calmed his mind and relaxed him. It might have been the first comfort he had felt in days.

Just one or two hours.

That short time was so comfortable and enjoyable that he looked forward to meeting her.

He had never felt this way before. Alexander was surprised to realize he was waiting for Claire.

How much time had he spent with her?

Just a few days.

The time Alexander had spent with Claire was short compared to his life of isolation.

But he couldn’t deny the psychological comfort he felt when he was with her.

He felt at ease with her.

Seeing her bright smile made him smile naturally.

It had been so long since he had smiled so comfortably that it felt new.

How much time had passed while he was thinking about her?

He heard the sound of the door opening.

Alexander quietly waited to see what she would do.

Strangely, he was sure she wouldn’t harm him.

In fact, she had had several opportunities to harm him. She could have poisoned his food or killed him when he couldn’t move properly due to his injury.

But Claire didn’t do that.

It was a simple reason that would have felt hollow if that was all, but Alexander somehow wanted to believe in Claire. It was the first time the Duke of Berzel believed in someone’s unprovoked kindness.

Claire approached Alexander and removed the handkerchief. Then she placed her hand on his cheek. The cool touch on his hot face made Alexander feel comfortable.

When he slowly opened his eyes, Claire widened her eyes in surprise. She looked like a startled squirrel.

Claire, who had come to her senses late, took out the medicine from her pocket and handed it to him. But when Alexander couldn’t take it, she prepared the medicine properly and offered it to him again.

The medicine on his tongue was bitter. After the medicine went down his throat, Alexander opened his mouth towards Claire.

“Will you… stay by my side today?”

For the first time, Alexander asked someone to stay by his side.

It was always a lonely and tedious night. But he thought it wouldn’t be boring if she were with him.

Claire seemed to be contemplating.

Alexander realized that she had to work as a maid for Count Maynard tomorrow and tried to retract his words.

“If you don’t want to, it’s fine. You can go.”

“Well, since you’re a patient, I’ll stay by your side just for today. We won’t know what might happen overnight.”

Alexander faintly smiled at her agreement.

Claire treated Alexander with great care. Alexander didn’t dislike her touch as she wiped his cold sweat.

Even in the Berzel Duchy, maids had taken care of him when he was injured, but he had never felt as comfortable as he did now.

“Why do you keep smiling like that?”

Claire muttered in a sassy voice when she saw Alexander smiling.

“Just because. It’s the first time for me.”

“What is?”

Claire’s voice was full of curiosity.

“Spending the night with someone.”

“…Do you know how weird that sounds?”

“Weird? What is weird about it? Isn’t that the situation we’re in right now, Claire?”

Alexander understood her words but pretended not to, raising one eyebrow. Claire stammered, embarrassed.

“Th-that’s not what I meant. I’m just taking care of you, Alex.”

“Right. That’s what I meant too.”

“……”

When Alexander spoke teasingly, Claire narrowed her eyes. Then she pouted her lips.

Alexander let out a small laugh.

As he expected, the long and tedious night didn’t feel boring at all today.

Time passed, and it was dawn.

Claire had fallen asleep, curled up among the straw while taking care of Alexander.

Alexander raised his much lighter upper body. The medicine Claire had brought seemed effective, as his recovery was quick.

After lightly checking his condition, Alexander let out a long breath and looked at Claire.

Her appearance, sleeping soundly without any sense of danger, was etched in his eyes.

Alexander picked up the blanket Claire had brought for him earlier and carefully covered her with it.

As the warm blanket enveloped her, Claire mumbled softly and shifted her body slightly. Her brown hair fell over her cheek with the movement.

Alexander paused, wondering if she had woken up, but he only heard her soft breathing and soon sat beside her.

He looked out the window at the pouring rain. The sound of the rain pouring down seemed to deafen his ears.

Alexander let out a small sigh and looked down at his hand. His body seemed to be recovering well. The fever was probably part of the process.

But he didn’t feel particularly pleased about it.

Recovering meant he would soon part ways with Claire.

Who would have thought that parting with a woman he had met for just a few days would be so regrettable and sad?

Alexander turned his head to look at Claire.

Claire was deeply asleep. She probably wouldn’t wake up until morning.

Alexander reached out and brushed her disheveled hair behind her round ear.

Her hair, which brushed against his fingertips, flowed down softly like her.

Seeing her made him smile for some reason.

You are such a strange woman, Claire.

Alexander’s handsome eyes curved into a gentle arc.

He had suffered from insomnia all his life, but tonight, he felt like he could sleep peacefully.