Chapter 31

“When you run away like that, it makes me want to chase you.”

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s okay if you don’t understand now.”

What’s this? Why do I feel uneasy? 

Slowly sitting up, Evelyn looked around.

“Where is this place?”

“Your condition wasn’t good, so we stopped the carriage midway.”

“Oh, but I’m fine. I just had a nightmare…”

“There might still be something wrong with your body. Even though you drank holy water as a precaution, moving right now could be dangerous.”

It felt like nothing more than sleep paralysis, but Seth’s serious demeanor made Evelyn reluctant to move. She leaned back into Seth’s arms, fidgeting with her feet, and asked.

“Then how long do we have to stay here?”

“Until your physician, Dr. Kent, arrives.”

As soon as Seth finished speaking, the sound of a horse neighing and a man screaming, “I’m going to die!” echoed. Startled, Evelyn looked up, but Seth explained calmly.

“The doctor has been scared of riding horses ever since he fell off one.”

…It seemed like she owed an apology to the kidnapped physician.

The Duke’s physician, a man who embodied the ideal of a composed doctor, arrived with his hair disheveled and looking a mess. Yet, he examined Evelyn with his usual calm demeanor.

As expected, the results showed nothing was wrong. The doctor said she was just a little more fatigued than usual.

Upon hearing the diagnosis, Seth’s expression darkened.

“Nothing wrong? Are you sure you examined her properly?”

“She drank two bottles of holy water. There’s no way there could be any issues. Her energy levels are slightly depleted due to the side effects of divine power, but she’ll recover soon.”

What Evelyn had thought of as a tasteless drink turned out to be akin to a miracle cure. The regret in the physician’s eyes suggested he thought such a precious substance had been wasted.

Seth muttered coldly.

“I shook her shoulders and called her name, but she wouldn’t wake up.”

“That can happen when the body is exhausted or when there’s a sudden change in environment.”

Seth still looked unconvinced. The physician sighed and added.

“Unlike you, Your Grace, the young lady’s body is very delicate. Asking why this happens when there’s no apparent issue is pointless. She’s simply weak.”

“Then what should we do?”

“She needs to eat well, rest adequately, and avoid overexertion. Only by keeping her frailty in mind can she maintain a normal life.”

Wait, am I really in such a dangerous state?

Noticing Evelyn’s alarmed expression, the physician waved his hand.

“It’s not severe enough to be life-threatening. It just means you need to take care of yourself and avoid pushing your limits.”

Instinctively, Evelyn glanced at Seth. He seemed like the type to immediately demand she quit her duties as a maid upon hearing such advice.

After a moment of silence, Seth asked.

“Can you promise me?”

“Pardon?”

“Promise me you’ll eat well, rest properly, and not overexert yourself.”

“Yes! I promise!”

Evelyn nodded hastily. The physician, looking slightly exasperated, added his own advice.

“You really must be careful. Most people adapt their activities to their physical condition, but the young lady tends to act as if she’s perfectly healthy.”

For a moment, Evelyn’s heart sank. Without realizing it, she had been moving her body as if she were still living in her past life.

“I’ll be really careful.”

Satisfied with her response, the physician nodded and turned to Seth.

“For the time being, do not give her any more holy water. While it heals illnesses and injuries, it also drains physical strength. For someone as frail as the young lady, it could become poison.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Seth’s reply was heavy. His gaze at Evelyn was akin to that of someone watching a puppy being wheeled into surgery.

Unable to bear his pitying look, Evelyn cleared her throat.

“So, can I go home now?”

“Of course. Returning home and resting will be good for your health.”

The physician’s smile gradually faded, likely because he was dreading the return journey on horseback. Evelyn cautiously suggested.

“Doctor, perhaps you could ride in the carriage with us…”

“No.”

Seth interrupted her immediately, his eyes cold as he looked at the physician.

“I’d appreciate it if you could consider the patient’s comfort. If you wish, you may take the coachman’s seat.”

“The coachman’s seat will suffice. Thank you, Your Grace.”

The physician exited the carriage as if fleeing. As Evelyn stared at Seth in disbelief, he calmly extended his arm toward her.

“Eve, come here.”

“I’m fine now. The doctor said there’s nothing wrong.”

“You promised to be careful.”

But I didn’t promise to stay in your arms.

Evelyn thought, pouting as she reluctantly crawled into Seth’s embrace.

Seth let out a deep sigh and held her tightly. Evelyn realized how much he had been frightened and felt a pang of guilt.

“Don’t fall asleep.”

“I’m not sleeping!”

She was just lost in thought for a moment, but Seth still held her hand and whispered again, “Don’t fall asleep.” His voice carried a hint of anxiety, and Evelyn fell silent.

Seth had once told her he had lost his family right before his eyes. Perhaps seeing her unresponsive had reopened that old wound.

‘I want to comfort him too.’

She wanted to promise him, as he had promised her, that nothing like this would ever happen again. But she lacked the power and the right to do so. She was just a stand-in for two years, nothing more.

Swallowing a bitter smile, Evelyn pretended not to know anything.

“I won’t sleep. If I sleep now, I won’t be able to sleep tonight. Besides, I have homework to do.”

“Homework?”

“I have to write ‘The Rules of a Proper Lady’ ten times by tomorrow.”

Seth looked at her with a puzzled expression before chuckling softly.

“That sounds more like a punishment than homework.”

What? Is he psychic? How did he know? 

Startled, Evelyn gaped at him, and Seth offered.

“Writing it ten times must be tiring. Shall I help you?”

“Huh? How?”

“If we write it together, it’ll be done faster.”

“But Your Grace, you and I have completely different handwriting.”

“My specialty is forging handwriting. I can make it look exactly like yours.”

What an incredible skill!

As Evelyn stared at him wide-eyed, Seth smiled as if tempting her.

“So? Shall we do it together?”

“Well, but you must be very busy.”

“I’m not so busy that I can’t help my wife with her homework.”

Evelyn hesitated. Half of her wanted to give up being an adult, while the other half didn’t want to trouble Seth.

Noticing her indecision, Seth added.

“In return, I’d like you to grant me a favor later.”

“What kind of favor?”

“I’ll tell you then. If you don’t like it, you can refuse.”

In that case… Evelyn nodded, setting aside her hesitation.

“Just make sure we don’t get caught.”

Seth laughed at her whispered plea for a perfect crime. Taking her hand, he kissed the back of it with exaggerated formality.

“I won’t disappoint you, Madame.”

***

“Hmm, the story about Madame J.”

The King murmured with an intrigued expression. Fiona, the head maid of the Lily Palace, spoke coldly.

“It’s a vulgar story not worth listening to.”

“But it seems everyone is dying to know what happens next.”

“That’s….”

Fiona began to say something but sighed instead.

The story about Madame J, which had spread through the knights on duty, quickly took over the palace. It was so pervasive that one couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about it, leaving many bewildered.

At the same time, the number of people looking at Fiona with pleading eyes increased. The story had ended abruptly at the most interesting part, leaving everyone restless with curiosity.

“Fiona, just tell Evelyn to share the rest of the story.”

“That is absolutely not an option.”

Fiona’s resolute expression made the King scratch her cheek awkwardly.

“Evelyn’s affairs seem to always go against expectations.”

“That is precisely what I wanted to tell you, Your Majesty.”

Fiona pressed her throbbing temples. Her plan to teach Evelyn and mold her into a proper noblewoman had been shaky from the start.

“She really is a peculiar one.”

The King’s face bore a smile as she grumbled. She had expected Evelyn to shrink under the pressure of an unfamiliar environment, but instead, Evelyn was influencing her surroundings in the most peculiar ways.

‘I didn’t expect even Maria Primrose to be swept up in it.’

Unlike the prideful Camilla Eden, Maria Primrose had a rather sly personality. Trying to bully Evelyn had only damaged her own reputation, so she was likely seething with resentment.

‘I should call for a royal report soon.’

The King felt that Evelyn needed some sort of protective treasure to ensure her safety. After some thought, she decided to give Evelyn a ring imbued with detoxification and defensive magic.

‘Should I put it on her fourth finger before sending her back? I wonder how Seth would react.’

The King’s thoughts turned somewhat mischievous.

The ring, enchanted with detoxification and defensive magic, was one of only three such treasures in the royal family. No matter how angry the Duke might be, he wouldn’t be able to reject it outright.

It was an item far too extravagant for a mere stand-in to wear, but the thought of irritating Larisa Moore, who was likely fuming over Evelyn, made it feel worth it.

As her thoughts lingered on Larisa Moore, the King asked.

“Has Larisa Moore made any moves yet?”

“After spreading baseless rumors about Evelyn, she has been quiet.”

“She’s not the type to stay still. She must be plotting something. Keep a closer eye on her.”