Chapter 33

Phyllis stepped out of the hospital room and approached the window. Even inside the building, the air was chilly.

‘The initial treatment went well, so there shouldn’t be any danger. However, the patient’s body is too weak, so she’ll need to stay hospitalized for a few days….’

The doctor’s voice sounded muffled, as if underwater. Perhaps because he hadn’t slept a wink since last night, his head felt foggy.

His mother’s face, which he had seen in the hospital room, was as pale as a corpse. Unable to even approach her, he had simply watched from a distance. Even with her ghostly complexion, Melissa had moved her lips faintly.

‘I’m sorry.’

Even the chance to resent her to his heart’s content was not given to Phyllis.

“Young Lord Phyllis.”

As he sat there in a daze, a familiar voice called out to him. Turning around, he saw his nanny, Emily, standing in the hallway. Before he could rise, she walked up to him.

“Young Lord….”

“I’m fine. They said Mother’s condition isn’t too bad.”

Feigning composure, he replied, but Emily lowered her head and began trembling. Phyllis wanted to console her, but it was impossible.

He wasn’t fine. He still resented his mother and wanted to sit down and cry for a long time. His eyes stung, perhaps from the heat, and the skin that had been raw from crying all night prickled painfully. Somehow, he managed to swallow his emotions and smiled faintly.

“Go back inside. I just want to get some fresh air for a bit.”

“Young Lord.”

As he turned to leave, intending to take a short walk, Emily called him once more.

“The Master has instructed you to return to the mansion. He said he has something to tell you.”

Her clasped hands trembled, as if apologetic.

Phyllis let out a small laugh. He didn’t have any expectations. His father, who had only assigned the bare minimum of people to stay by his mother’s side, was likely more concerned about rumors spreading than her life-threatening condition.

“Don’t worry. I’ll stay by Madam’s side the whole time.”

“Alright. I’ll head down right away.”

When he stepped outside after descending to the first floor, he saw a carriage waiting not far away. Climbing into the carriage, Phyllis opened the window to let the cold wind hit his face. The heat around his eyes quickly dissipated.

Once his body had cooled, he closed the window and looked ahead, only for the coat in his hands to catch his eye.

‘She must’ve been cold. I should’ve returned this to her.’

He couldn’t even remember Karina’s back as she left. It felt like grasping at an intangible illusion.

Even though the window was closed, it felt as though a cold wind was seeping in. The hollow, unstable air invaded his empty chest.

***

A knock echoed through the quiet hallway as Phyllis entered the study. Ian, who was seated at his desk, looked up. Phyllis stopped at the edge of the carpet, a step away from the desk.

“You called for me, Father.”

His voice was slightly hoarse, but Ian paid no mind, removing his glasses as he spoke.

“You came sooner than I expected. I thought you’d be late, so I had them prepare tea.”

Seeing his father delay getting to the point, as he usually didn’t, Phyllis felt a small flicker of hope. Perhaps, just maybe, his father had some concern for his mother’s condition.

But Ian soon leaned back in his chair without a word. With a weary expression, he spoke a single sentence.

“A meeting of the minor nobles will be held at the Academy in a week. I’ve informed them that you’ll attend with Cornell, so keep that in mind.”

The faint hope Phyllis had been holding onto was extinguished, as if doused with cold water. He lowered his head, biting his lips. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. The skin was already cracked and torn, so it didn’t even hurt anymore.

“For the details, ask Cornell. She’ll know more than I do.”

“Why….”

Before Ian could finish, words spilled out from Phyllis’s slightly parted lips.

“Did you really have to bring this up now?”

Unrefined emotions seeped into his cracked voice.

Ian’s expression remained indifferent. Phyllis clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white.

It didn’t matter if his father truly believed he bore no responsibility for what had happened the previous day. Phyllis had never expected sincerity from him anyway.

‘At least pretend to care.’

Even a hollow family was still a family. He wanted to preserve that facade, at the very least. Ian met Phyllis’s gaze briefly before lifting his head.

‘Pathetic boy.’

Ian’s eyes always seemed to say that whenever he looked at Phyllis. Today was no different.

Their gazes met for a long moment, those of strangers who shared nothing but blood. The only resemblance between them was the similarly light brown hue of their eyes.

“Once winter passes, I’ll send your mother to the countryside. I’ll arrange for a separate annex for her.”

With that single sentence, Ian ended the conversation. By the time the maid brought in the tea, his attention had already returned to the desk.

Phyllis left the study without so much as a goodbye. The scent of herbs that wafted past him felt nauseating today.

He wasn’t sure how he got there, but he eventually found himself in front of a door. Closing his eyes tightly, he leaned his forehead against it. The door opened, and Cornell stood there, looking surprised.

“Phyllis, you….”

The heat he had barely managed to cool returned to his eyes. Phyllis rested his forehead on Cornell’s shoulder.

“Cornell.”

“…”

“Tell me… that it’s okay. Just say it’s okay.”

That was all he wanted to hear. Phyllis was desperate for even the smallest comfort. After hesitating for a moment, Cornell cautiously placed a hand on his back. Her small hand gently stroked his back.

“It’s okay.”

Her soft yet firm voice whispered in his ear.

“It’s okay, Phyllis. I’m here.”

A single ray of light pierced through his chaotic heart. It was the only solace in the unrelenting darkness.

***

Karina brought the pill in her hand to her lips. Swallowing it with water, a bitter taste lingered in her mouth. As she sat blankly after taking her medicine, Becky tilted her head and muttered.

“That’s strange. Your fever went down quite a while ago.”

Since it was just a mild cold, her condition had improved after only a day of taking the medicine.

But Karina’s worries weren’t about something as trivial as a cold. She kept thinking about Phyllis’s appearance at the hospital the day before.

‘Don’t go, Karina.’

Phyllis had cried as though he were breaking, begging her not to leave.

The hand gripping her sleeve had trembled endlessly, and his cracked, dry lips had looked pitiful.

Even so, Karina had left him and walked out of the hospital. She had called for a hospital staff member to assist him, but that was all she did. The coat she had left behind was not what Phyllis truly needed.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes. I’m just a little tired.”

Karina mumbled evasively, hugging her knees. She couldn’t tell Becky the truth.

Why had Phyllis’s mother overdosed on medication? Was it really not serious? And if it was, was Phyllis okay now?

‘What should I do?’

As she was lost in thought, a knock sounded at the door. It was her mother.

“Dear, are you feeling better?”

Laura entered the room and asked. Forcing a smile, Karina replied that she was fine. Laura, who had been staring intently at her, suddenly cupped Karina’s cheek with one hand and asked.

“Did something happen at the hospital?”

It was a sharp question. After hesitating, Karina carefully recounted what had happened at the hospital.

“What? Melissa?”

“Yes. It seemed like she was unwell and had been hospitalized.”

“I knew she was frail, but… is it serious?”

Karina didn’t mention what Phyllis had said, thinking it best not to share too much. Even so, Laura seemed quite shocked. The two women weren’t as close as Karina and Phyllis, but they had a friendship of sorts.

Imagining the worst-case scenario, Karina lowered her head, her heart heavy. Laura seemed to ponder something for a moment before speaking to Karina.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m sure she’ll be okay.”

Her words were meant to reassure, but this time, even her mother’s comfort didn’t mean much.

In any case, there was nothing Karina could do for Phyllis. If she was lucky, she might hear news of him. That was the extent of their relationship now.

“I’ll ask your father when he returns. He might know something about Earl Herwin’s situation.”

“He went to meet Marquis Brown, right?”

If her father knew anything, it might ease her mind a little. Karina decided to let it go for now.

“Rest for now since you’re still recovering.”

Leaving those kind words behind, Laura left the room.

Left alone, Karina tried to organize her thoughts, hugging her knees. The more she sat still, the more her thoughts multiplied. She needed to do something else.

‘I think there was a letter this morning.’

Getting up from the bed, Karina walked over to her desk. If there wasn’t a new letter, she planned to read the ones she already had.

Fortunately, as Becky had vaguely mentioned earlier, two letters had arrived.

One was from her aunt in the south, and the other bore the Imperial Family’s seal.

Opening the letter from her aunt, she recognized the familiar handwriting. It made her feel a little more at ease. The contents were nothing special—a request to visit since it had been a while since they last saw each other.

“Where’s the stationery… oh, here it is.”

Intending to write a reply, Karina picked up her pen, but a sudden commotion outside interrupted her.

“Miss, Lady Karina!”

It was Becky’s voice, calling out from outside the room. Karina put down her pen and turned around. Moments later, the door burst open, and Becky rushed in. Her braided hair was disheveled, as if she had been running.

“You need to come downstairs right now. The Master is…!”

Still thinking it was nothing serious, Karina rose from her seat. But as Becky continued speaking, Karina’s expression hardened. She quickly left the room and headed downstairs to the first floor. From above, she could hear her mother’s footsteps descending as well.

The servants were gathered near the entrance. As soon as Karina reached the first floor, she sought out the butler and asked.

“What’s going on? Why is Father…?”

Derrick, looking troubled, stepped aside. Karina’s words trailed off as her mouth fell open. Standing in the entrance was Noah, who blinked at her as if surprised. On his back was the unconscious Asillis.

The hem of his pants was dirty, as if soaked in muddy water, and somehow, it looked familiar. Karina stared blankly at Noah, locking eyes with him. Her dizzy thoughts were wiped clean in an instant.

“Dear!”

Laura, who had come down to the first floor belatedly, cried out in shock and rushed toward them.

In the suddenly chaotic entrance hall, only Noah and Karina stood still, silently staring at each other.