My mother appeared in my dream after a long time.

How strange. My mother?

In reality, I’d never even seen my mother, so why did I think that?

The warm touch stroking my head instinctively made me think of a mother.

Perhaps it was because the figure caressing me vaguely resembled a woman.

Yes, I saw a woman.

“No physical abnormalities were detected.”

Was it a dream…?

A man’s solemn voice began to reach my ears.

“Of course, detailed examination would be necessary, but as you know, since she was examined after the recent attack incident, if there was no event that could cause major trauma, the grand duchess’s condition can be considered normal.”

A doctor, perhaps.

Come to think of it, the voice sounded familiar.

“Are you saying it was simply anemia?”

Oh? That was Norbert’s voice.

I wanted to open my eyes to confirm, but my body felt limp like water-soaked cotton, with no strength to move.

I felt as if I were sinking deeper into where I lay, completely soaked.

I never knew eyelids could be this heavy.

“That’s correct. It can be considered simple dizziness. Or…”

Feeling somewhere between light sleep and sleep paralysis, I tried to wiggle my fingers while listening to what they were saying.

“Given her amnesia, her memories might have returned. In that process, information overload could have burdened her brain, possibly causing temporary loss of consciousness.”

Success!

As soon as I could finally move my fingers, my chest swelled as if breaking free from sleep paralysis, and my breath rushed in.

“Ah!”

After forcing my eyes open, a canopy embroidered with beautiful gold thread gradually came into focus.

The sheets touching my fingertips felt refreshingly soft.

This was the bedroom where the family doctor examined members of the Hedegen grand ducal household.

Instead of that cold hospital-like room, I was waking up in the bedroom where Hedegen family members received medical care. Considering where I first arrived, this was quite an improvement.

“My lady!”

The two maids pacing around the bed opened their eyes wide in surprise when they saw me awake.

“The lady has awakened!”

As one maid ran back and raised her voice, I heard the sound of a couple of people walking steadily from a distance.

“Are you all right?”

As expected, it was the Hedegen family doctor and Norbert.

“Ah?”

And the Grand Duke was there…

I hadn’t expected him to be here at all.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

After looking up at him with surprise, I answered the doctor’s question.

The doctor briefly checked my eyes and pulse, seemingly to confirm my condition.

During this time, the Grand Duke stood without moving, never taking his eyes off me.

The thought briefly crossed my mind that the Grand Duke’s demeanor somehow seemed different from before.

“……”

Now that I noticed, his perfectly angled cravat had been loosened, and his jacket was nowhere to be seen.

Just like someone who had rushed here.

But his face showed no trace of concern, appearing almost expressionless, making me wonder if he had really done this because of me.

Yes, this might be my own conceit. Why would a man like him care about someone like me?

After staring at him blankly, I turned my gaze to the doctor who had finished the examination and was standing up.

“Your blood pressure is slightly low, but not problematically so, and your pulse is normal. However, you seem to have a weak constitution, so you should monitor your condition carefully.”

The doctor, having handed his stethoscope to a maid, reported to the Grand Duke in a polite and gentlemanly manner.

“……”

During this time, the Grand Duke listened to the doctor’s explanation while keeping his gaze fixed on me, then stood by the bedside table without any particular response.

Through the window behind him, I could see a red sunset blazing.

“Had I been lying down for long?”

The sun had set, so some time must have passed.

“A little…?”

His face, responding indifferently, appeared half-bathed in light and half in backlight.

Somehow that image felt surreal, and I stared at him intently.

Perhaps due to the shadow covering half of his usually languid yet arrogant face, his intense gaze appeared heavy.

Behind that elegant face seemed to coexist a cruel, bare face capable of plunging a sharp sword deep into someone’s heart at any moment.

Is this why people couldn’t treat him carelessly?

Ah, right…

“What about the others?”

I suddenly remembered the people who had been with us earlier.

Everyone must have been surprised when I suddenly collapsed during our conversation.

“Did they leave?”

“They’re waiting in the annex.”

“Ah, that’s a relief…”

If they had left in confusion, they might have thought something was seriously wrong with me, potentially causing unnecessary misunderstandings.

“Your memory.”

“Yes…?”

“Has it… returned?”

Wondering what he meant, I looked at the Grand Duke and then recalled what the doctor had said.

Right, the doctor had mentioned that my memories might have returned all at once, overstimulating my brain and causing me to temporarily lose consciousness.

“……”

Checking if my memory had returned first thing after I woke up, he’s truly a formidable man.

If my mind hadn’t fully recovered, I might have given answers revealing my vulnerabilities.

I needed to stay sharp or face serious consequences.

The place I had entered wasn’t a tiger’s den but more like being inside a tiger’s mouth.

“I’m sorry.”

Lowering my gaze to avoid his eyes, I tried to look as pitiful as possible.

“It doesn’t seem like I remember anything new.”

“……”

Subtly observing his hardened expression, I saw the Grand Duke remained silent without responding, his thoughts unreadable.

Well, it wouldn’t be the first time he pretended not to hear me.

Accustomed to his indifferent reaction, I found myself unconsciously admiring his handsome face before suddenly coming to my senses.

“Did Your Highness bring me here?”

I thought he might ignore me again, but he opened his mouth readily.

“Yes.”

“Really?”

I asked with disbelief, not expecting the Grand Duke to be the one who had brought me here.

For some reason, I thought he would have ordered Norbert or other servants to move me.

A bright smile involuntarily escaped as I looked at him with surprise.

This man might have brought me here himself and waited for me to wake up to alleviate the branch managers’ concerns, but thinking about how many people must have witnessed this made it quite welcome news for me.

I wondered whether he had carried me in his arms or slung me over his shoulder like luggage, but asking that would probably displease him, so I’d have to ask later.

For the record, not asking wasn’t an option.

“Thank you.”

When I smiled brightly at him and spoke, the Grand Duke faintly furrowed his brow.

“For what exactly?”

“You brought me here.”

“Is that something to be thankful for?”

“For me, it is.”

As I smiled broadly, a brief commotion was heard from outside.

It turned out that while others waited in the annex, Mariette Swinton had remained in a small reception room.

Norbert reported that upon hearing I had awakened, Mariette had rushed to the corridor and was pacing there.

“She must have been standing there for a long time. Can she… come in?”

After Norbert’s explanation, I looked at the Grand Duke and asked, and he pressed his lips together as if not entirely pleased.

“…Tell her to come in.”

However, for some reason, he readily granted permission.

When Norbert looked at the servant, the door opened to reveal Mariette.

She looked at us with surprise before carefully stepping into the bedroom.

As I tried to quickly sit up with a welcoming smile, I suddenly noticed the Grand Duke standing beside me.

“Your Highness?”

“What.”

“I want to get up.”

Hearing my words, the Grand Duke narrowed his eyes.

His gaze questioned the meaning of what I had just said.

I smiled and pretended to stretch my arms toward him.

“Help me up.”

“…What.”

“I don’t have any strength, you see?”

With so many outside eyes watching us, I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

Mariette wanted to somehow let the outside world know that we got along well, and fortunately, the Grand Duke had carried me here himself. If she saw him taking care of me attentively, it would add certainty to her wavering mind.

“Please?”

When I met his eyes and extended my hand once more, a strange light flickered in the Grand Duke’s bluish eyes.

His gaze, like something sunk into the deep sea, quietly looked at me before he sighed.

Soon, with an indifferent scoff, he leaned his upper body toward me.

“…!”

Just as I thought “that’s it” and smiled broadly, I felt the texture of his shirt brushing against my cheek.

I had expected him to just grab my arm and help me up…

“……”

As my fine hairs stood on end, the expensive, pleasant scent that always surrounded him enveloped me.

His large hand supported the back of my head while his other hand came around my back and wrapped around my waist.

Somehow my whole body froze, and my heart sank.

As I rose, almost as if being embraced, I could see people with surprised expressions over his broad shoulder.

After helping me up, he met my eyes.

“Satisfied now?”

“Ah… yes.”

I nodded as if entranced.

He had one corner of his mouth raised obliquely, as if he had seen right through my intentions in asking him to help me up.

I blinked several times in a daze before finally coming to my senses.

Suddenly, I saw myself reflected in the man’s eyes as he leaned his upper body toward me to match my eye level, examining me intently.

It was me, staring at him blankly, with my rose-colored hair dyed even redder by the sunset light coming through the window.

“Ah, I mean!”

After staring at him absentmindedly, I suddenly straightened my back.

So this is how terrifying an unnecessarily handsome face can be.

Nearly stopping my thoughts due to this sudden facial attack, I hurriedly hid my flushed cheeks and opened my mouth.

“That was enough, yes.”

The Grand Duke, who had been looking down at me intently, let out a mocking laugh and stood up.

“Talk.”

As the Grand Duke left the bedroom, everyone except Mariette followed him out.

“Are you all right, Your Highness?”

“Yes, it seems it was just anemia.”

“Thank goodness. I was so worried that perhaps something I said had burdened you… I was so anxious…”

“Not at all! It wasn’t burdensome at all. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“I should be the one apologizing! Would you like some water?”

Mariette hurriedly poured water and handed it to me.

After gulping down the refreshing water and taking a quiet breath, my mind finally seemed to clear a bit.

“Everyone must have been worried. I was looking forward to meeting with everyone.”

“Don’t worry about us. Your health comes first.”

“You don’t need to worry about my health. My hair seems to be a mess, but I’ll tidy up and head to the banquet hall soon. Please don’t worry.”

“Are you sure that’s all right?”

“Of course.”

Mariette breathed a sigh of relief, smoothed her chest, and left the bedroom, telling me to rest a bit more before coming out.

“…What?”

Carlo, sitting in his office, raised his head.

He had just heard the report that Mrs. Mariette had returned to the annex a while ago.

“The grand duchess.”

“She is not currently in her place.”

Carlo, whose indifferent gaze had turned chilling, kicked back his chair and left.

Norbert and the servants who learned of the grand duchess’s absence followed him with anxious faces.

Carlo strode forward and flung the door open with terrifying force.

“……”

The grand duchess had disappeared.