“Must be because of what happened during the day. You took your medicine, right?”

“Mm… I did.”

After answering briefly, Adeline hesitated. She tried not to say it, but eventually her feelings spilled out.

“But… I feel like… something really terrible is going to happen again…”

“Pointless thoughts.”

Though he gently patted her back, his words cut off sharply. Unlike his touch meant to ease her worries, his words drew a line telling her not to dig any deeper.

Kailen threw off the blanket and sat up. He poured water from the pitcher on the nightstand and handed it to her. Adeline couldn’t hide her sullen expression as she took the glass with both hands. She lowered her gaze and murmured quietly.

“I know… I do too.”

The water soothed her parched throat a little. The fact that he was right in front of her seemed to provide stability, if only briefly. But her heart still raced.

Watching Kailen’s broad back as he took the empty glass and set it on the nightstand, Adeline chose her words for a moment before finally opening her lips.

“Kailen…”

Her voice calling his name became cautious without her realizing it.

“Mm?”

Kailen only tilted his head slightly in response. His gaze still faced her, but its depth was shallow. Adeline, not sensing that subtle difference, finally let out the words she’d been holding down in her heart.

Words she’d tried to swallow until the end, afraid he’d find her annoying, afraid he’d be tired.

“You know when something’s good… but you feel anxious?”

The moment she spoke, Adeline’s eyes wavered briefly, surprised at herself.

Kailen, lying back down on the bed propped on his arm, looked down at her and asked back.

“Good, but anxious?”

“Yeah…”

Adeline steadied her breath once and continued. As calmly as possible, so her words wouldn’t tangle.

“That’s how I am right now. I’m so happy to be with you, it’s really so good…”

She paused briefly, then added carefully.

“But strangely, I’m scared and anxious.”

Kailen watched her for a moment, then sat up. He grasped the waist of the sitting Adeline and laid her down facing him. The motion was gentle and seemed considerate. It was his usual way.

“You’re just startled.”

“Yeah, right… just startled.”

Adeline nodded. Leaning on his words, seemingly trying to convince herself.

“Because so many people got hurt too…”

Kailen didn’t comfort her further. The silence was brief, but the meaning within it was clear.

Isn’t this enough?

You can stop here, can’t you?

How long are you going to keep digging into this tiresome ground?

“Right, at our wedding too…”

Adeline continued speaking, then lowered her voice, trembling her shoulders like she’d surprised herself.

“The blood… I was so shocked then too… So, I was so startled…”

Her body, which seemed to be finding stability, suddenly shrank and trembled slightly.

“Kailen, I don’t understand why these things keep happening to me.”

“Adeline.”

Kailen let out a short sigh mixed with fatigue. That breath carried the day’s tension and a faint irritation at the repetitive emotional labor.

That’s far enough.

I don’t want to hear any more.

Like he was saying that.

“That’s just nerves.”

He grabbed her shoulder where her negligee strap rested. A shoulder so slender it fit in one hand. He didn’t even apply pressure, yet she stopped in an instant.

A clouded smile spread over her face where moonlight settled. The smile of someone who knew they had to accept it.

“The doctor said so too.”

Adeline said quietly. Her words trailed off weakly.

“That I’m overly sensitive… I guess it’s really true.”

She was convincing herself, like she couldn’t endure any longer if she didn’t do this.

“…”

Kailen neither comforted nor denied anymore, just listened. And for good reason—there was no need to add more words to a matter already concluded.

Adeline, who’d been murmuring, soon shook her head vigorously, turned her body, and gently pulled the blanket.

“You must be tired, let’s sleep a bit more. I want to sleep more too.”

Right now she needed warmth wrapping around her body. And she wanted to at least pretend to sleep peacefully in front of him.

But the blanket didn’t come. The texture of fabric that seemed within reach disappeared, and instead air touched her skin directly.

“Kailen?”

Her questioning voice grew small without her realizing it.

The next moment, with the sound of the blanket being tossed aside, her vision was blocked. Kailen climbed over her. The bed creaked low and shook. His weight transferred directly.

The hands pressing down to fix both shoulders were quite firm. It didn’t hurt, but there was no room to escape.

“What makes everything so agonizing for you? You must not be tired enough yet. That’s why you’re stuck in such idle thoughts.”

“What…?”

“My wife seems to have plenty of leisure.”

Unlike the calm attitude he’d maintained until now, one of his eyebrows was slightly raised. 

Within it dwelled clear irritation—no, even anger. A signal that he had no more capacity to receive her emotions.

“No…”

Adeline couldn’t continue. She had neither the strength to argue back nor the courage to persuade. Her breath delayed a beat under the pressure weighing on her shoulders.

Kailen’s hand grabbed her shoulder strap. The fabric slid down as though pulled, revealing pure white skin. And his lips touched her nape with an intensity that seemed almost biting.

Hot and close.

So close that even the thought of escape vanished.

With each brush of breath, a faint tremor spread along her spine.

“Ah…”

“I’ll make sure you can’t think of anything.”

The moment his lips touched her chest line and then deeply drew in, Adeline became unable to think anything at all.

Adeline’s eyes wavered. Him coming at her like this in situations that didn’t fit felt somewhat overwhelming to Adeline.

Adeline’s green eyes opened wide toward the ceiling. A completely different kind of anxiety from before rapidly filled them.

* * *

Quite some time had passed since she’d sent Anton off with the painstakingly arranged check.

Though Adeline had done her utmost, she ultimately hadn’t produced results satisfying to her mother. She’d waited anxiously for a while, wondering if her angry mother would send another letter, but the season had already changed without receiving a single correspondence.

Where the red autumn leaves that had colored the streets had fallen, cool winter winds now began to blow.

Among the servants currently busy with winter preparations, Adeline, who’d been alone and idle, received unexpected news yesterday.

After receiving Mrs. Neumann’s express letter delivered by Mrs. Lien last night, Adeline couldn’t sleep a wink.

The letter’s content was that her mother’s illness was serious.

Both Mrs. Neumann and the attending physician had recommended hospitalization, but Her Majesty was reluctant to leave the estate, so they hadn’t been able to take her until now. 

However, she added that they’d just finished admission procedures at Harden City Hospital and were writing to inform the princess.

Last night, she would have headed to Harden immediately by carriage if she could. But Kailen hadn’t come home. She couldn’t go without saying a word to her husband.

Moreover, Mrs. Lien had earnestly advised her to wait until dawn broke before moving. In the end, Adeline waited for the morning sun to rise before hurrying to Harden.

She entered the hospital room swallowing tears that seemed ready to pour out. But instead of her mother lying in the bed, the stinging smell of disinfectant and Mrs. Neumann greeted Adeline first.

“You’ve arrived, Princess?”

Adeline handed Mrs. Neumann the pure white lilies her mother loved, fruit, and clear beef broth she’d spent all night making after consulting with the cook.

“You’ve worked so hard, haven’t you…? I have no face to show you… I’m so sorry…”

Given her mother’s fastidious and guarded personality, she wouldn’t have welcomed a caregiver’s touch. 

Because of that, Mrs. Neumann must have had a very difficult time nursing her. Sure enough, Mrs. Neumann’s cheeks, which had been plump, fair, and lovely, looked especially gaunt.