It’s chilling. A cold dagger flies and pierces her chest. A cold chill flowed down her spine. Her backbone trembled. Catherine carefully wrapped her shawl to hide that trembling. This body was now like embracing a time bomb.

There’s not much in the medical records anyway. She only received cold medicine from Dennis and hid all other symptoms. There’s nothing in the medical records that could be used against her. Despite knowing this, why is her heart still anxious?

Catherine already felt she couldn’t persuade Lorendis. As Catherine stood stiffly, a large hand pressed down on her shoulder.

“I’ve thoroughly examined how weak that body is.”

It seems she received cold medicine too frequently while pretending to be a weak lady who only gets prescribed cold medicine.

“Follow me. We’re going to Dr. Dennis’s clinic.”

The clinic where Dennis stayed was in a separate building called the medical wing. Its scale had grown day by day with assistants who came to learn medical arts from Dennis.

From the entrance of the medical wing, a bitter herbal scent spread deeply. Lorendis passed by the apprentices and found Dr. Dennis’s clinic.

“Master. His Grace has arrived.”

The clinic door opened. Dennis came out to greet them. He was wearing a white gown, having already finished preparations for the examination. He combed his graying hair neatly and smiled broadly, but there was an inescapable feeling of ‘being caught.’

“The lady has arrived?”

“Are the examination preparations complete?”

Dennis led Lorendis inside. Catherine stood behind and quietly pondered. She wanted to sink into the ground.

She wanted to run away. She just wanted to rest, breathing quietly like this. She had given up on being treated from the beginning. The suppressants she received from Dr. James were enough…….

“Come in.”

As Catherine stood still and resisted, Lorendis led her inside. Dennis arranged a place to sit and smiled warmly.

“Please sit down. The clinic is in such a remote location, was the journey difficult?”

“There are many of Dennis’s disciples everywhere, so it wasn’t difficult to find the building. And Lorendis accompanied me.”

Catherine sat down first on one side of the clinic chair. Lorendis leaned against the wall and pressed Catherine’s shoulder.

That gesture was heavy. Even without any intention to run away, just the fact that Lorendis was standing behind created an overwhelming pressure.

“His Grace is doing this out of concern for you, my lady. He’s been away on the battlefield for a long time, separated from you, hasn’t he? Let me first examine you.”

It was her first time in Dr. Dennis’s clinic. Usually, Dennis would come directly to the main building’s bedroom to examine Catherine, prescribe medicine, and leave.

The clinic had a neat and intellectual atmosphere. The bookshelves were filled with various medical books, and the floor and shelves were spotlessly clean.

“Your Grace, please don’t worry too much. The lady has been adapting well to Helen lately, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Dr. Dennis examined Catherine solemnly.

“Then I’ll draw some blood first.”

“Wait… Dennis, I’m not blaming you, but where do you report after drawing blood?”

Dr. Dennis laughed heartily as he collected the drawn blood into a container. When Catherine looked at Lorendis with indignation, Lorendis handed Catherine a white cotton ball and asked.

“Was that a necessary process?”

“Yes. Blood tests are a good method to detect diseases that are difficult to see externally. Isn’t that right? Strictly speaking, someone taught me before that it’s a good method. I apologize for inserting the syringe without saying anything. I committed this rudeness because I thought the lady would have refused if I had mentioned it beforehand.”

The examination continued afterward. It was usually in a question-and-answer format, and Dennis asked questions while bringing up questions he had asked before.

“Haha. We’ll stop here for today.”

“When will the results……”

“The test results will take about a week. I’m still not familiar with these tests. But I’ll try my best, so please wait a little.”

Catherine had already half given up. They still don’t know yet. Will they know later? They might not know even then. For them to know later, Dennis would need to know about the herb called salsa, but salsa is a shade herb.

Dr. James had already said it’s an herb that the poor eat without knowing. In other words, Dennis, who has been treating nobles, was more likely not to know.

“Then I’ll visit you as soon as the test results come out. Please go carefully.”

Dennis saw us off, and we were on our way from the medical wing to the main building.

The finely decorated dress was splendid and beautiful, as if showing Catherine’s status.

For the past half year, the maids had tried to adorn Catherine gorgeously. There’s only one reason. During Lorendis’s absence, Catherine’s position shouldn’t be lowered.

She was the lady of Helen.

“The test results will come out soon. Are you really sick somewhere? There’s no visible deterioration in your complexion since I last saw you. Catherine, if I’m missing something now, couldn’t you tell me in advance?”

Catherine bit her lip once and released it.

It’s right to end our relationship according to the contract. Contract as contract. That’s very easy. It’s just a matter of maintaining an appropriate distance.

“Lorendis, you’re a good person.”

The gentle voice continued.

“So if you feel guilty toward me, I’ll feel sorry.”

“Am I missing something right now?”

“Later. I’ll tell you later.”

It’s a relationship that will end anyway. A relationship that seems like it could break anytime if only the knot is cut like with scissors. If the heart becomes complicated, that relationship becomes complicated too.

Suddenly, her eyes met Lorendis’s. He was examining Catherine meticulously. Above that gaze, a dark emotion sprouted.

‘Obsession.’

Yes. Our relationship seems to have become as complicated as it could be. It doesn’t look like it will end easily.

* * *

Nancy smiled kindly and said.

“The master has returned and the territory has regained its vitality. Are you happy too, my lady?”

Simply by Helen’s master remaining in Helen, everyone inside was filled with happiness. The maids’ faces lit up as well. However, Catherine still felt uneasy.

“Yes. It feels real that my husband has returned.”

The initial plan gradually went awry. Also, the early symptoms had already begun long ago.

First, the conquest war that was expected to take a year ended too early.

Second, as a result, Lorendis returned early.

Finally third, as Lorendis came to Helen, his gaze began to reach every corner of the mansion. At the end of that gaze was always Catherine.

“I feel like my husband’s interference has intensified lately, or am I imagining it?”

“The master?”

“My husband can’t leave me alone even for a moment. I can see he wants to keep me under his sight.”

Nancy laughed awkwardly. In reality, Lorendis had instructed the servants not to lose sight of his wife, which seemed suspicious if he’s just merely being concerned about her.

‘Will she be alright?’

Still, as a servant of this house, it’s not right to harbor doubts about the master. So Nancy smoothly laughed it off as usual.

“His Grace is just worried. You’ve been lacking energy lately.”

Catherine nodded and then brought up something she had almost forgotten.

“Lorendis seems busy these days.”

“Yes. Lately, as soon as evening comes, he leaves to inspect the territory.”

“Well, he’s been away for a long time. He must have a lot to check. Like last night, will he not come home tonight either?”

“I’m not sure about that either. For now, he’ll be busy for the next few days.”

Even after returning to Helen, Lorendis frequently went out. It was like that last night, and it seemed it would be the same tonight.

I heard half a year ago that the ducal couple shares the same space, but we still slept separately.

“Lorendis hardly rests. It shows how difficult it is to maintain the position as the head of the north, but he looks tired these days.”

“That’s why the vassals were very worried. The master is often absent, and an empty seat is bound to grow larger someday.”

That part is something all of Helen’s vassals must acknowledge. Helen isn’t a doghouse, so what if the master leaves his place from time to time? If he were to pass away on the battlefield, who would be responsible for Helen’s future? Tsk tsk.

It’s a valid point. The emperor had been pressuring him to marry, hoping he would settle down in one place. That was true in the past and still is now.

“It’s fine now that he’s met you, my lady.”

“Don’t talk as if everything is resolved just because he met me.”

“Everything is resolved. The marriage issue is resolved, and the succession issue is resolved.”

Nancy smiled broadly and massaged Catherine’s shoulders. That subtle gesture made her drowsy with fatigue.

“I heard you visited the medical wing yesterday, are you feeling alright?”

“Everyone asks if I’m sick when they see me, do I look sick?”