Chapter 8

The next day, Evelyn woke up late for the first time in a while. 

There was usually a lot to attend to around the mansion, so she always woke up early. However, today she had no other plans, so she decided to take a long rest.

By now, Dyffrin would have gone to work, and Rykal no longer stay in the mansion as Evelyn’s household management training was complete.

‘I’m glad I don’t have to see Rykal around the mansion anymore. It was quite uncomfortable.’ 

Even though Rykal had quieted down regarding the household ledger, he had tormented Evelyn so much in the original story that his presence in the same space still felt peculiar. 

She had to be careful with every action to avoid giving him any reason to criticize her.

Evelyn considered pulling the bell cord to summon a maid but instead stretched and decided to dress herself. Since she would be staying inside the mansion today, there was no need for elaborate grooming.

‘I’ll go downstairs, have some tea, and then come back up.’ 

Evelyn loved the first-floor hall of the mansion. On sunny days, sitting on the sofa there and sipping tea was just perfect, with the wide windows providing a beautiful view of the cloudless azure sky.

With an eager step, Evelyn opened her bedroom door to go to the first floor.

But…

‘Huh…?’

Someone who shouldn’t be there at this hour was standing in front of her bedroom door. 

With dark gray hair and a fairly handsome face but a stern look, this man was unmistakably… 

“Viscount Rykal?” 

She wondered why Rykal was here at this time when he should be working at the imperial palace with Dyffrin.

Rykal was holding large bags in both hands. 

As if he had just moved in…

Rykal, uncharacteristically hesitant, greeted Evelyn.

“…Good morning, Lady Evelyn.”

Evelyn stepped closer to Rykal and asked. 

“What are all these bags for?”

 Rykal sighed shortly and set the bags down on the floor.

“I apologize, Lady Evelyn, for not seeking your consent first.”

“Consent for what…?”

“It seems I will have to stay in this mansion for a while.”

‘Ah, that Dyffrin…’

‘He should have informed me about something this important in advance…!’ 

After all, she was the lady of the mansion.

A slight frown appeared on Evelyn’s smooth forehead, prompting Rykal to explain hurriedly. 

“The decision was made just recently, so Lord Dyffrin  probably didn’t have time to inform you.” 

Evelyn gradually relaxed her brow and asked. 

“Why was this decision made so suddenly?” 

“My grandmother has been confirmed to have contracted the Adamhill plague this morning. She is the only family member who lives with me in the capital’s mansion.”

Evelyn blinked her eyes.  

“The Adamhill Plague that is spreading now?”

Rykal nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct.” 

Evelyn looked at Rykal with worried eyes. The Adamhill Plague was the same one she had discussed with Dyffrin yesterday.

“Viscount Rykal, your grandmother was living with you…?”

“Yes, since the medical facilities in the capital are more advanced, my grandmother lives with me.” 

‘Why did it have to be his grandmother…?’

Even though the mortality and transmission rates of this plague were said to be low, the elderly were still at high risk.

“Wouldn’t it be better for her to be at the medical center rather than staying in the mansion?”

“The medical centers in the capital are full, so she has no choice but to stay in the mansion.”

Rykal rubbed his forehead, looking weary.

“I would’ve liked to personally care for my grandmother, but if I were to contract the plague, it would disrupt the important schedules ahead, so I had no choice but to stay here.”

“Is there someone to take care of your grandmother?”

If his grandmother had the plague, he couldn’t leave her alone.

“For now, a maid will visit twice a day to bring her meals and check on her condition.”

“What about your other family members…?”

Rykal shook his head.

“I haven’t told the other family members in the estate yet. There’s no need to make them worry.”

Rykal suddenly lost his weary expression and said to Evelyn,

“I need to move my things and return to the palace. May I excuse myself first?”

“Ah, yes.”

Evelyn quickly stepped aside to let him pass.

Watching Rykal carry his bags to the guest room, Evelyn was glad she had the maids clean the room in advance.

* * *

That evening, Dyffrin returned home early, and Rykal, who was now staying at the mansion, was with him.

Evelyn had dinner together with both Dyffrin and Rykal.

It was an unfamiliar sight, the three of them sitting around the dining table.

Evelyn alternated glances between the two sturdy men sitting across from her.

‘This is the first time we’ve had a meal together like this.’

Now that she thought about it, she had never actually dined with Rykal before.

Evelyn looked at Rykal and asked, 

“Rykal, how is your grandmother’s condition?”

 “She has a bit of a fever, but it’s not severe.”

Rykal answered as usual, but he seemed to have a slightly gloomy mood.

Evelyn didn’t particularly like the idea of Rykal staying at the mansion, but she couldn’t show it. She knew from her previous life how difficult it was to have a sick family member, so she understood his struggle. 

“Even though your mind may not be at ease, I hope you can rest comfortably here.”

“…Thank you.” 

Evelyn looked at Rykal with sympathetic eyes.

As she turned her head, she noticed Dyffrin staring at her intently. When she tilted her head questioningly, Dyffrin averted his gaze.

Just then, the main course was served, and they began eating.

Contrary to Evelyn’s expectation that Rykal would be gloomy, he engaged in casual conversation with Dyffrin during the meal, mostly about work-related matters.

Evelyn listened absentmindedly as their discussion shifted to the plague.

Dyffrin spoke in a rare worried tone.

“The situation seems more serious than expected. At this rate, the number of infected will keep increasing.” 

“We still haven’t been able to identify the exact transmission path, so it’s uncertain how long this plague will last.”

“Have they found nothing at the origin in Adamhill?”

“I heard the Adamhill residents have all evacuated to other regions, making it difficult to collect information.”

As Evelyn listened to the plague discussion, she recalled the details from the original story. 

‘What was the transmission path of this plague again?’

In the original story, Evelyn had contracted it while helping a fallen elderly person, who turned out to be a tuberculosis patient…

She furrowed her brow, trying to remember the details, and eventually recalled the scene of Evelyn approaching the collapsed elderly person.

In surprise, the elderly, who had tuberculosis, had coughed and spat up blood.

Some of that blood had splashed onto Evelyn. 

Later, it was revealed that the transmission path was through blood. Blood-sucking parasites like mosquitoes and bedbugs were the carriers.

Evelyn suspected that she had unfortunately gotten some of the elderly man’s blood in her eyes or mouth.

But the important thing here was not the transmission path.

There was a very simple solution. Catton herb was quite common.  

The problem was that it would take time for them to realize that Catton herbs were the cure for the plague.

Evelyn wished she could share the solution to the Adamhill plague with Dyffrin and Rykal, who were seriously discussing the epidemic, but she couldn’t. 

Even if she told them that Catton herbs were the cure, they wouldn’t trust her. And she couldn’t demonstrate the effectiveness by feeding it to the patients, as she had no explanation for how she knew about it.

Moreover, Evelyn didn’t want to interfere with the natural order of this world. The plague was part of nature, and she didn’t want to take responsibility for the changes that would follow if she intervened without any proper reason.

‘Alright, let’s only take responsibility for what I can handle.’ 

That was what Evelyn thought at that moment.

* * *

Evelyn skipped the massage she usually gave Dyffrin that day.

She had seen him taking a headache medication earlier, and with a guest in the mansion, it seemed better not to visit his room.

Going to Dyffrin’s bedroom at night might also cause misunderstandings with Rykal, which would be quite embarrassing.

Whoosh- 

Just then, the sound of the wind blowing outside the door reached her ears.

Evelyn, who was about to turn off the lights and lie down, couldn’t ignore the loud sound of the wind.

‘It looks like the window in the hallway is open.’

Stepping out into the hallway, she indeed found an open window. 

It seemed that the maid had forgotten to close it.

After shutting the window, Evelyn was about to return when she heard a rustling sound from the end of the hallway.

Turning her head, she saw a sliver of light peeking out from the guest room door, which was slightly ajar. 

‘Rykal should be staying there…’

Wondering if something was wrong, Evelyn approached the guest room.

Peeking her head through the open door, she saw Rykal standing uneasily on a chair, reaching up to the light fixture.

“Lord Rykal, what are you doing?”

Startled by Evelyn’s voice, Rykal looked down and his eyes widened upon seeing her. He then lowered his hand from the light fixture.

“The light fixture was flickering, so I was just checking it briefly. Lady Evelyn, why are you not asleep yet?”

‘With the window left open and you making such noises, how could I not notice?’

But instead of voicing her displeasure, Evelyn spoke in a calm tone.

“I heard some sounds from the end of the hallway, so I came to check if everything was alright with you.”

“As I said, it’s nothing serious. It’s late, so I didn’t want to bother the maids, so I was just tending to it myself.” 

Evelyn looked at the flickering light.

‘Hmm…’

“It seems we need to replace the light. I’ll inform the maids to take care of it tomorrow. If the flickering bothers you, I’ll have them replace it immediately.”

Rykal frantically waved his hand.

“No, that’s not necessary… I was just having trouble sleeping and was doing some sketching.”

‘Sketching…?’ 

Evelyn’s gaze wandered around the room, finally settling on the desk. There, she saw a drawing that was quite intricate and beautifully done.

 “Wow, may I take a look?” 

When Evelyn asked in admiration, Rykal hesitated before responding. 

“I was just doodling, it’s not a well-done drawing.”

Though Rykal spoke modestly, Evelyn, who had enjoyed sketching in her previous life, could immediately recognize his talent.

The drawing depicted the outdoor scenery visible from this room, rendered quite colorfully using only a thick pencil.

“It’s really well done. I’m surprised you have such a hobby, Lord Rykal.”

Considering Rykal’s usually stern demeanor, it was hard to believe he could create such beautiful drawings. 

So much so that Evelyn didn’t notice the footsteps approaching in the hallway.

Behind her, a deep voice broke her admiration.

“What are you doing here?”

Both Evelyn and Rykal turned their heads toward the door.

Dyffrin stood there, his brows furrowed and his arms crossed.