He felt it from the moment she uttered those words. She had let go of her attachment to life. That appearance resembled soldiers facing imminent death. It was exactly like the eyes of knights who put everything down and accepted death with reverence.

As Lorendis frowned while recalling that look, the knight commander cleared his throat and asked.

“What about a picture of your lady? Did you bring one?”

“A picture?”

“Now that Your Grace is married, shouldn’t you have brought a wedding picture? Knights all carry pictures of their families in pocket watches when they go to war. Moreover, Your Grace, it’s only been a few days since your marriage, and you didn’t bring a wedding picture?”

Family pictures varied. Everyone had pictures of their daughters, newly married couples, parents, or separated family members. They all carried pictures close to their hearts, silently praying, ‘I’ll definitely come back to see you.’

“Your lady must be very understanding.”

“Not really…… She told me not to look at such pictures.”

“What? What does that mean?”

Lorendis took the pocket watch from the knight commander. It contained a picture of the knight commander and his wife, whom he had married last year. The knight commander was muscular and rugged, while his wife was a small woman with short hair.

‘Commander, isn’t it too greedy to take someone like a bandit! Sister-in-law, is this really the best choice? Are you sure?’

It was a joke shared by the knights who were close to the commander. The knight commander, like a bandit, just laughed it off with his booming voice.

“I don’t think she should be left alone now……”

“Of course. Where do you find a case of leaving a bride alone the day after the wedding? It’s a great sin. Make sure to apologize when you get home.”

“Living among knights has dulled my senses. I can’t seem to figure it out……”

A messenger bird flew toward the commander’s tent.

“A messenger bird from the ducal castle.”

As Lorendis opened the letter to check, the knight commander beside him exclaimed softly.

“It must be from your lady!”

“Bring stationery and an envelope for a reply. And prepare some light food for the messenger bird.”

Lorendis read the letter carefully and wrote his reply. The letter contained light greetings and concerns for him. Lorendis leaned back in his chair and took out a quill pen. The one he had used yesterday had already frozen once in the cold weather.

“Here’s a new quill pen. The weather is so cold that even the quill pens freeze.”

“Did you send a reconnaissance team to check the barbarians’ movements again?”

“Yes. We’ve confirmed three times that they’re immobilized by the snow. The reconnaissance team was so dumbfounded they were speechless.”

At the knight commander’s report, Lorendis sighed.

“What did your lady write?”

“Just greetings.”

“It’s only been two days since you left, she must be worried.”

Lorendis took out the quill pen and wrote each letter one by one.

[I am well. How are you? You must have been tired last night, but I see you had enough energy left to send a letter.]

After writing the first line, Lorendis held the quill pen and pondered.

“Should I send it like this?”

“Ahem, well, well, just send it as is for now.”

The knight commander hurriedly averted his gaze, and Lorendis continued filling the letter. She must have been quite exhausted after the wedding ceremony.

[You were particularly unwell last night, I wonder if you’ve seen the physician. I’m fine, so it would be better for you to take care of yourself first. How can a person have such poor physical strength? I’ll tell the physician. Get a diagnosis first.]

Lorendis put a period on the stationery and carefully read it one last time.

“She probably couldn’t sleep properly last night……”

After checking the letter one more time, Lorendis put down the quill pen. The pen rolled off the table and fell to the tent floor.

The knight commander grumbled as he picked it up. Does our lord plan to change quill pens once a day? The previous pen had frozen, so he took out a new one. At this rate, the pen tip would break first…… The knight commander picked up the quill pen, wiped it, and placed it on the table.

“Are you finished writing?”

“I’m writing one more.”

Instead of explaining at length, Lorendis quickly took out another piece of stationery. One was a letter to his wife, and the other was a letter to the butler.

[My wife seems to be complaining of fatigue after the wedding ceremony, so call the physician to diagnose her. She is a member of Helen, and as such, she should be served with the utmost sincerity and care.]

The letter was short and concise, containing only the main point.

“This is for the butler. Tell the butler to call the physician to the mansion to diagnose my wife.”

The knight commander carefully sealed the letter envelope.

“Is your lady unwell somewhere?”

“She doesn’t look like someone who’s sick…… but that expression of hers, devoid of any attachment to the world, makes her look like someone about to die.”

Lorendis put on a robe over his armor. As he went outside the tent, the robe fluttered messily. Thick snowflakes blocked the view. Still, Lorendis is the master of Helen. He was already accustomed to such heavy snowfall.

“And…… My lord.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll be confiscating that.”

With those words, Lorendis took the pocket watch from the knight commander’s chest. When he pressed the pocket watch, the lid opened, revealing the family picture.

Lorendis frowned quietly.

He felt bad. Why did he feel bad…… Finally, he closed the pocket watch and put it in his pocket.

“I’ll return the pocket watch later.”

“Your Grace! Why are you taking that!”

The knight commander’s cry echoed quietly.

* * *

Lorendis’s reply arrived.

‘I’ll send the physician. Get examined.’

Catherine is terminally ill, and currently hiding this fact from the Helen family. If she shows herself to the physician at this time…… They might discover the truth in Helen.

“The physician?”

Catherine dropped the letter with a thud. Helen is a power that encompasses the entire north, and such powers have resident physicians.

Not just one or two, but they maintain an organized medical system with assistants. Since he said he’s sending the physician, it probably won’t be an assistant, but rather the chief physician whom Lorendis trusts.

“If it’s Helen’s physician…… Dr. Dennis?”

It’s hard enough to hide the fact that she’s terminally ill, and now they’re assigning a physician to her. Even the usually composed Catherine couldn’t help but feel anxious about this.

“What should I do.”

Catherine checked the letter once more. No matter how many times she checked, the content remained the same. Catherine’s golden hair fell over her shoulders. The maids had tied it carefully, but the hair tie had loosened.

“What news has startled you so?”

“I’ll, I’ll write a reply. Could you bring me some stationery?”

The maid brought new stationery.

―Knock knock

Someone knocked on the door.

“My lady, the butler has arrived.”

“I don’t recall asking for him.”

The butler bowed once at the door, then came closer and bowed again. His name was Austin, wasn’t it?

Austin reverently placed his hand on his chest and took two steps back. That must be Helen’s greeting etiquette.

“I greet the mistress of Helen.”

“No need for excessive formality. You can speak comfortably.”

Catherine answered with a gentle smile. With her mind already confused by Lorendis’s letter, now even the butler was knocking on her door…… Events kept unfolding one after another in a short time. Her mind felt distant.

“What brings the butler here?”

“His Grace sent a letter. It said that having welcomed the mistress of Helen, we must serve her with utmost sincerity and care. I apologize. I have been inadequate.”

Catherine couldn’t follow the conversation with Austin.

“What does that mean?”

“As Helen’s butler, I apologize for not properly attending to you, my lady. I didn’t realize you were complaining of fatigue, and this butler failed to pay attention.”

Catherine held her head. When things go wrong, they go wrong in ways like this. Austin bowed his head and recited words of apology.

‘He must have sent a similar letter to the butler as well.’

It seems Lorendis sent one more letter to the butler.

“There was no need for the butler to worry so much.”

“I heard you complained of fatigue the day after the wedding. My lady is a member of Helen—Helen’s name and Helen’s glory. And… fatigue is not a trivial matter; it’s very important. I will instruct the physician to come and diagnose you.”

Austin placed his hand resolutely on his chest. Catherine dejectedly covered the letter. Oh no, Lorendis. This isn’t right. Do you know what you’re doing to me?

A crisis has come just days into her terminal life. If she meets the physician, he might discover that she’s terminally ill.