Chapter 2 (Part 9)

Several days passed. Fortunately, Ria had completely recovered from her cold during that time.

“…….”

It was definitely the case.

“Doctor.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“You said the cold was completely gone now.”

Staring at the medicine bottle, which seemed like it might burst with its thick, dark l*quid, Ria denied reality. The doctor had definitely said she wouldn’t need to take cold medicine anymore in the morning… 

So why was there now a medicine with an even darker color in front of me?

“Yeah. That’s why we’ve reduced the bottles from two to one.”

“But why does the color look more……darker?”

Even though she hadn’t taken it yet, the feeling of bitterness filled her mouth already. Whether he knew her or not, the doctor smiled kindly and confidently replied.

“We added more ingredients, so it ended up being a bit darker. The taste shouldn’t be significantly different from before.”

“I don’t trust a word you say about the taste, Doctor.”

“Haha, regardless, you still have to take it all.”

Though she didn’t want to throw a tantrum, she didn’t have the courage to swallow the incredibly bitter medicine her body remembered vividly. Ria sent pleading looks to Rune and Kahin, her last refuge.

However, one of the most important things to them was her health. Even though her adorable and lovable appearance as she looked up at them made their hearts flutter, and they wanted to take the medicine for her, they couldn’t fulfill that request.

“Ria, there’s no way around it if you want to get better quickly. I’m sorry.”

“We brought some sweet candies and chocolates. If you have them right after taking the medicine, the bitterness might be lessened.”

With Rune and Kahin, whom she had trusted, coming out like that, there was no way she could avoid the medicine. She squeezed her eyes shut and gulped it down. The bitter taste slammed into her mouth and down her esophagus. As soon as she put the vial down, Kahin broke off a piece of chocolate and popped it right into her mouth.

Of course, that didn’t mean the bitterness disappeared instantly, so her furrowed brow remained for a while.

Satisfied that she had finished the medicine, the physician tidied up and mentioned that he would bring more medicine in the evening before leaving the room. Ria stared blankly at the closed door and muttered softly as she popped a couple more chocolates in her mouth.

“If the physician were a chef, maybe the medicine would taste good….”

It was a random remark. Spilled out in a stream of consciousness. As evidence, Ria still seemed dazed. However, her expression was so serious that Rune and Kahin had to struggle to contain their laughter.

“Shall we tell him to learn how to cook?”

With a voice full of laughter, Rune asked, and Ria’s face quickly flushed as she realized the mumbling that had slipped out of her mouth. Flustered, she hastened her words.

“No, no, no, I was just talking to myself. It was just a random thought. I’m grateful for him always preparing the medicine.”

Her explanation was rambling but tinged with affection. It was only natural for the doctor to prepare medicine for the one he served. Not only Ria but also other nobles naturally thought the same. However, Ria had always been thankful for everything.

Perhaps that’s what made her more lovable. Her tenderness, thinking about things others didn’t even consider before, was something never seen in anyone else. It was something that could only be felt by her.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Rune’s eyes were sweeter than honey as he tucked Ria’s hair behind her ear.

“How about having lunch in the garden for a change? You’ve been in the bedroom for a while because of the illness.”

“Sounds good.”

“Then I’ll have it prepared. Take your time and come out, I’ll be waiting.”

Leaving a brief kiss on Ria’s forehead, he got up from his seat. Kahin also kissed her hand before leaving. Soon after, the maids entered the room to help her bathe and dress. Now accustomed to their gentle touches, Ria relaxed into their care.

“Miss, which dress would you like to wear?”

“Which one suits me better? Please recommend.”

“Um… would it be alright?”

“Yes, of course. You all have better taste than me.”

“I think a light blue dress would suit you better, My Lady!”

It was the time to choose the dress. To Ria, who valued comfort above all, the frilly dresses all looked the same. When she suggested asking the maids for recommendations, the youngest maid among them blurted out, hesitantly, amidst the other maids’ wary glances. But when Ria smiled and accepted the suggestion, her face lit up.

Once again, the maids expressed their hope that the young lady would indeed become the Duke of Astina’s hostess. Especially those who had served long in the Duke’s house wished for it even more. A kind mistress was a dream come true for the servants, but in this austere and cold mansion, even dreaming was impossible. But finally, they could dream, so they wished and wished.

“You look beautiful, my lady.”

Moreover, this charming lady had an exquisite taste in dressing up. It wasn’t an empty compliment. Her jet-black hair, which seemed to bring the dark night sky directly, made her translucent skin appear even whiter as it reflected sunlight. With a small face, her large round eyes were adorned with long eyelashes. Following her straight nose, her rosy lips, naturally vibrant without needing any makeup, captivated the gaze.

Her petite frame, ample chest, and slender waist added to her allure. Yet, there was an overflowing fragility about her that made one want to protect her. It was not hard to understand why the three men were captivated by her.

“It’s all because you guys made me look so pretty, thank you.”

The only problem was that Ria didn’t recognize her own beauty. Coming from Korea and having seen many glamorous and beautiful celebrities, she had never thought of herself as pretty. There was also a lack of self-esteem due to her family’s influence.

Feeling uplifted by the praise, the maids even touched Ria’s hair despite her saying it was unnecessary. They intricately braided her hair into a loose bun, adorned it with flowers, and finally finished the elaborate styling.

After bidding farewell as they left the room, Ria was left alone and felt a bit awkward in her heavily adorned state. She cautiously touched her hair and then noticed a small bottle on the vanity table. It was a gift from Leah, left out to blend in like cosmetics so as not to catch anyone’s eye upon her return.

“What is this?”

Leah had instructed them to use it on the three of them, but only after they were blindfolded and their hands were tied. With that condition attached, Ria was suddenly very curious about the potency of the drug.

Should I try it today?

Since Eden would visit this place today as well, using it on the three of them wouldn’t be too difficult. Having already sworn an oath of obedience, they would readily comply with such a request.

Just as she was calming her pounding heart, she heard a knock on the door, followed by Eden’s voice. When she opened the door, he pulled her into his arms, and planted a kiss on her cheek.

“You look beautiful again today, Ria.”

“Thank you.”

Feeling the touch of his lips on her cheek, Ria replied softly. She’d gotten used to everything else, but she’d never gotten used to their straightforward words of affection. Seeing the flush on her cheeks, Eden thought it was pretty, too, and planted short kisses all over her face.