He then asked if there were any symptoms such as fever or dizziness, to which Rosalyn shook her head.

“Apart from the throbbing in my ankle, everything feels the same as usual.”

“Then that’s a relief. You mentioned that you received first aid immediately, correct?”

She nodded subtly and the therapist asked what method had been used. Rosalyn explained what had happened yesterday, but avoided giving any details or names.

Although Johannes hadn’t told her not to mention his name, it was her own judgement that it would be best not to get involved with him.

“If the snake hasn’t gone into hibernation yet, its venom is probably still potent. Also, judging from the wound, the venom seems to be quite toxic, so the quick treatment you administered was definitely a wise decision.”

Even when there is a companion, it is common for people to be so upset that their judgement is clouded and they do not get proper treatment, often resulting in death.

The healer even added that the young woman was lucky.

It was a situation in which she should have felt relieved, but a slight wrinkle appeared between Rosalyn’s eyebrows.

On reflection, he had indeed put the poison in his mouth. Had he been treated properly? Just as it looked like the healer was about to end the session and remove his round glasses, she hesitated and opened her mouth.

“By the way… is it okay that he briefly held the poison in his mouth?”

“If he just held it in his mouth, it wouldn’t endanger his life, but it’s almost impossible not to swallow even a small amount. And as I said, the poison is quite strong, so it’s not surprising if even a strong man ends up bedridden for a few days.”

“Bedridden, you say?”

“High fever is usually a common symptom.”

The healer then added that in more severe cases there could be hallucinations or auditory illusions.

Just hearing this was quite disturbing. As the healer continued to speak in a calm, expressionless manner, Rosalyn’s face grew increasingly pale.

“Is there another patient I should be attending to?”

Rosalyn muttered, glancing at the knight standing beside her. But McGilloy just stared at her with a puzzled expression, as if he knew nothing. In response, Rosalyn subtly looked away.

“No, nothing. If any further treatment is required, I’ll let you know.”

Although concerned about Johannes’ condition, she was also worried that her overzealous intervention might cause him problems.

According to the healer, her condition wasn’t as serious as expected, and after a few days Rosalyn had recovered enough to return to her normal life. It was a relief, but her mind was still on other things.

She wonders if Sir Moore is well. She hasn’t seen him since the incident. If anything had gone wrong, it wouldn’t have been so quiet, and since there’s been no other news, he’s probably all right.

But as she thought about it, the growing anxiety in the back of her mind grew stronger because she couldn’t see him passing under her room and through the garden every day.

Finally, she plucked up the courage to go to where the knights were, but when she saw the common knights walking around in full armour, she hesitated again.

‘Maybe I should just go back…’

Standing close to the wall, her eyes nervously watching the knights’ movements, she suddenly looked up at the upper floor of the building directly in front of her.

Still, there was an uneasy atmosphere wherever Rosalyn’s gaze landed. Could it be that he couldn’t move because of the serious injuries he’d sustained that day and was trapped in his room?

The image of his blood-soaked face, as vivid as the memory of being beaten by Vincent, was deeply etched in her mind.

She had never imagined Vincent being beaten by anyone, and she was sure that Vincent himself wouldn’t have accepted it.

Rosalyn’s face darkened. But he is still her brother. He is the last family she have.

The words her father had often said, that to help Vincent was to help the family, now echoed in her mind in her own voice.

As Rosalyn glanced at the window, she bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes. Whatever her feelings for Johannes, the person who should be her priority in the castle was undoubtedly Vincent.

That was the inescapable reality.

As her thoughts continued, Rosalyn’s expression darkened. Even as the people she was supposed to rely on turned their backs on her, her instincts continued to try to override her rationality.

After much deliberation, just as she was about to turn back to Johannes, two knights in grey cloaks approached in her direction.

Rosalyn stopped in her tracks and quickly ducked behind the wall.

“It seems Sir Moore has been missing lately?”

At the sudden mention of the familiar name, Rosalyn froze for a moment.

“I heard he wasn’t feeling well. It’s strange. A person who never gets sick, and now this.”

“Seems like he’s just an ordinary man, but at least the most annoying person isn’t around, so maybe that’s a blessing. That disgusting bug. Every time he acted up, I really wanted to hit him.”

“True. At least the younger one is easier to deal with.”

There was a large wall blocking the space between them, and for some reason they were whispering even in their quarters, making it hard to hear the conversation clearly. As Rosalyn strained to listen more closely, she moved her head from side to side, trying to catch every word of the knights’ conversation as she quietly approached the end of the wall.

“I remember there was a commotion at the west entrance in the early hours of the morning a few days ago. Could it be related to Sir Moore’s condition? I heard that the Healer had passed by and everything was chaotic.”

“Hmmm. The healer didn’t come to see Sir Moore, she came to see the young lady of this household. I heard she was bitten by a snake while out walking. But who knows? They never share such trivial details with us from over there.”

The speaker’s tone was strangely curt.

Although they were both ordinary knights, the groups were naturally divided over who was their superior.

Moreover, with Felipe Baron, the Lombard commander, about to retire, Johannes Moore was the leading candidate to succeed him, so the knights under his command had become quite confident.

Furthermore, Frederick had left the Delmart territory with a small group of knights to follow Vincent Delmart’s movements, leaving the remaining knights feeling somewhat isolated and sidelined.

“Anyway, I wish Sir Robein had stayed…”

“Excuse me…”

A sudden voice interrupted, causing the two knights to turn. Although they saw Rosalyn, they didn’t immediately recognise her presence.

There was no reason for them to expect her there, especially since she had been holed up in her room since her father’s death.

But as soon as they realised that she was Duke Delmart’s daughter, a deep sense of embarrassment washed over their faces. They looked as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.

As the two men exchanged uncomfortable glances, Rosalyn asked cautiously,

“Excuse me, is Sir Moore unwell?”

***

At the sound of the door creaking open, he slowly opened his eyes. The surroundings were shrouded in darkness. A bluish light shone through the window, but the overwhelming darkness inside didn’t allow him to see much.

How long had he been like this? Lost in thought, his senses slowly shifted to the approaching presence.

The sound of fabric brushing against the floor made it easy to guess that the unexpected intruder was a woman. And there was only one woman in the castle who was allowed to move about so freely.