The nurses who quickly subdued the old man glanced this way with bewildered expressions.

Jurgen had a terrifyingly stern look, and Vanessa couldn’t even manage an awkward smile, just standing there blankly.

A complicated and gloomy feeling filled her chest, making it hard to breathe.

‘It’s not like this is the first time.’

The words about being an ominous woman, the accusations blaming everything on her, the looks mixed with contempt and fear. She had experienced so much of it until now.

When her father was alive, he had been a strong bulwark for her, but after that bulwark disappeared, Vanessa had to be helplessly swept away by the rough waves of the world.

It was especially hellish during her time as the Queen of Terevron. The courtiers would curse at Vanessa, blaming her even if just a single plate broke.

In that place where she had no allies at all, Vanessa stubbornly endured and survived. She never dreamed that at the end of it all, she would end up in the northern part of the empire, by the side of Duke Drake.

“No, what’s going on……”

The physician who had just arrived at the ward was briefed on the situation by the nurses. The physician kept glancing her way, observing Vanessa and Jurgen’s reactions, and then after a while, came over with a sigh and apologized as if everything was his own responsibility.

“I’m truly sorry, Your Grace. And Your Highness. That patient just now is not in his right mind…… Please forgive him with your boundless generosity.”

What could one say when it was done by someone who was sick and not in their right mind? Vanessa could only smile and say it was alright. Jurgen silently watched her as she did so.

“If you came to inquire about the patients’ conditions…… Except for seven whose respiratory conditions have worsened, everyone else is doing relatively well. Miss Jenelly’s initial response was very appropriate.”

Compared to other domains where they only neglect when epidemics break out due to the lack of skilled physicians, apothecaries, or mages and alchemists, Drake’s duchy had a good medical system.

Even when Vanessa was in Terevron, there was an epidemic in one of the small cities under royal jurisdiction, but the lord of that place locked himself in the castle and abandoned the citizens as if it wasn’t his concern.

A few clear-thinking officials submitted a petition to King Leroy, but of course, Leroy consistently ignored it.

He was a dissolute king who wore the crown but didn’t want to bear its weight.

Come to think of it, it might have been better for the people of Terevron that the corrupt forces led by Leroy were uprooted and the Emperor’s regency was established.

“The severity tends to be higher among the elderly. As for the younger, they have a stronger ability to overcome the disease. However, it can be fatal for children under 6 and newborns.”

The physician continued with various explanations, and Jurgen and his party listened silently, nodding their heads or occasionally asking questions.

While listening to the others’ conversation and looking around the ward, Vanessa’s eyes suddenly met with those of a young child.

The child looked about seven years old, with deep honey-colored hair and brown eyes, and delicate features.

Thinking that she would probably grow up to be quite a beauty, Vanessa unconsciously smiled slightly, and the child smiled back at Vanessa.

‘How cute.’

Vanessa glanced at Jurgen and the others, then slowly approached the child.

Even as she got closer, the child showed no signs of tension or fear. Despite surely having heard the rumors about her being an ominous woman…

“Hello.”

“Hello!”

When she reached the bed and greeted, the child responded with a bright smile.

She was suddenly being spoken to informally by a seven-year-old child, but Vanessa wasn’t displeased at all. Rather, she found the child’s lack of etiquette endearing.

“What’s your name?”

“Karla.”

“So your name is Karla. My name is Vanessa.”

“Big sister Vanessa.”

Vanessa momentarily froze at the unexpected form of address, then burst into laughter.

Hearing her laughter, people’s gazes turned her way. Glancing back, her eyes met with Jurgen’s, who had his usual indifferent expression. There was a strange energy flickering in his golden eyes.

Vanessa withdrew her gaze from him without lingering and turned back to the child, asking,

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

“No, I’m okay because I took medicine.”

“I see, you’re brave.”

Vanessa tidied the child’s disheveled bangs and placed the back of her hand on her forehead. There was a slight fever. Shouldn’t she be given more antipyretics?

“When did you take your medicine?”

“Earlier, after eating.”

“When was ‘earlier’?”

“I don’t know. But I’m hungry again……”

The child said pitifully, pointing to her upper stomach. Come to think of it, it seemed to be time for the patients’ dinner to be served. The ‘earlier’ the child mentioned was probably quite a while ago, at lunchtime.

Vanessa smiled and patted the child’s shoulder.

“Hey, can I do something for you?”

“What kind of thing?”

“Something that will help you get better.”

“Big sister, are you a mage?”

“Not exactly, but something similar.”

Vanessa smiled gently and placed her right hand on the child’s head.

And feeling a powerful force budding from deep within herself, she softly recited Vinea’s divine word.

“[My blessing descends upon living things.]”

As the stigmata appeared on the back of Vanessa’s right hand, her navy blue eyes flashed white for just a moment.

Following that, a pure snow-white light flowed from her fingertips and gently seeped into the child’s body.

“Wow……!”

The child exclaimed with wide eyes, frantically touching her own body. Then she suddenly turned to Vanessa and cried out in an excited voice.

“It’s amazing!”

“How is it? Do you feel a bit more energetic?”

“Yes! So, so good!”

The child’s limited vocabulary could only express it as ‘good’, but that was enough. It was visibly apparent that the child’s condition had improved much more than before.

“Big sister, you’re amazing! Thank you!”

“No, I’m the one who should be thankful.”

For not being afraid of me. For smiling at me, thank you.

Reciting it only in her heart, Vanessa stroked the child’s head. The child hugged Vanessa’s waist tightly with both arms, rubbing her cheek against the soft fabric of her clothes.

“Big sister’s clothes are really soft.”

“Yes, that’s right……”

It’s velvet, after all. Muttering the latter part quietly, she looked around to see everyone except Jurgen, Garcia, and Renee frozen with their mouths wide open. Even Jenelly, who had appeared at the door at some point.

“D-D-Divine word……!”

The first to break the silence was Jenelly. Even though she must have seen divine power before due to Jurgen’s presence, she was making an enormous fuss. It seemed to be because it was the divine word of life.

“So the rumors that the Duchess had received Vinea’s blessing were true…… Oh my…… The divine word of life……! I’ve never seen it before in my life! Goodness!”

And she still called her ‘Duchess’. Vanessa was deeply conflicted about whether she should ask to correct the title since she wasn’t married to Jurgen yet, or if she should just let it slide since they would be having their wedding ceremony soon anyway.

“So, this is Vinea’s stigmata……! Is the stigmata always visible? Or does it disappear sometimes?”

“On the day I first received the blessing, it was visible all day, but from the next day on, it only appears when I use the divine word……”

“How many divine words can you use? Just now, Your Grace’s eyes flashed white for a very brief moment, which is a characteristic that only appears in power users. Can you perhaps use powers as well?”

“I can’t use powers. As for the eyes…… I’m not sure why that happens. For now, I can only use the divine word that boosts the vitality of the target.”

“I see! A divine word that boosts vitality, it will surely be helpful in this situation! You came today to bestow the divine word on the patients, didn’t you!”

Jenelly, endlessly pouring out words, was truly like a chattering sparrow. Vanessa felt her energy being drained more and more as she talked with her, and she put on an awkward smile.

Seeming to have noticed Vanessa’s state, Karla hugged her waist and frowned at Jenelly, grumbling,

“Don’t bother big sister Vanessa.”

“Huh? What? I-I’m not bothering her!”

Jenelly hurriedly denied it, but Karla looked at her with a sullen expression and scolded, “Bad mage sister.”

At this, Jenelly gesticulated wildly, earnestly explaining that it absolutely wasn’t the case.

“How could I bother the Duchess! She’s the Duke’s wife! If I did that, the Duke would kill me!”

“Huh? Big sister Vanessa is the lord’s wife?”

“Yes, so you should be respectful too.”

“Oh!”

As if she had just realized, Karla opened her eyes wide, covered her mouth with both hands, and looked at Vanessa.

Vanessa just chuckled and shook her head. The sight of a childlike person and a real child putting their heads together and whispering was extremely amusing and cute.