I didn’t respond to Ains’s question and chose to remain silent. I hadn’t anticipated his reaction.

I could see Ains’s eyebrows knit together in displeasure, his eyes glaring at me sharply, and his lips pressed tightly as if he were angry.

No matter how I thought about it, there was no reason for him to be upset with me. I had spent years by his side.

Hesitating in disbelief, I finally spoke up.

“Are you worried about me right now?”

Given that Ains was asking me such questions, that was the only conclusion I could draw based on common sense.

Though his behavior was somewhat different from typical concern, it was a significant change from the past when he hadn’t cared whether I was hurt or not.

Reflecting on this made me feel a sense of self-mockery.

How much had I longed for Ains’s attention that I would think he was genuinely concerned? It felt ridiculous.

Fortunately, Ains didn’t answer my question. If he had laughed at me, I would have felt so ashamed I might have wanted to disappear.

“Of course, you wouldn’t be. So why are you asking me this? And why are you so angry?”

“I…”

Ains opened his mouth, seemingly frustrated, but then fell silent. He couldn’t easily explain his behavior.

“You asked if I was still sick, right? Yes, I am still sick.”

It seemed I wouldn’t get any answers from him.

When I admitted to his first question, Ains’s frown deepened even further.

“But it’s also true that I’ve been treated.”

“…What do you mean?”

“It seems the information you found isn’t complete. The Trintz disease I had is one where mana gradually hardens. The treatment is only possible with the Tieria flower.”

Ains, being a swordsman, couldn’t be unaware of the Tieria flower.

Not only mages could handle mana; a skilled swordsman was adept at accumulating and utilizing mana from a young age. There was no way he wouldn’t know about a flower that could activate mana just by ingesting it.

“Fortunately, I managed to obtain the Tieria flower at an auction some time ago. It was lucky timing. I got the medicine just in time. And that medicine you’re holding…”

Ains’s gaze shifted to the bottle.

“It’s a sedative made from the same Tieria flower.”

“…”

Ains slowly turned the bottle, examining its contents. The pills rolled around inside as he moved it.

“As you might have guessed, I’ve already taken the treatment. That’s why I said my illness was cured. If you think I’m lying, you can check with Dr. Watt or verify who recently purchased the Tieria flower at the Reflen Auction House.”

“…So, are you saying that what happened yesterday was also a symptom of the aftereffects? You didn’t seem like someone who had been cured.”

Ains’s words challenged me to explain, making me smile faintly. It must have been hard for him to believe I was cured after seeing me cough up blood right in front of him.

“Given my appearance yesterday, I understand your skepticism. Even if the treatment activates the hardened mana, can someone like me, who can’t handle mana, manage the rampaging mana?”

Ains finally seemed to understand, his furrowed brows relaxing.

“It could take up to two years for stabilization, so you might experience symptoms like what you saw yesterday until then.”

“Two years?”

“Yes.”

Ains remained silent, staring at me intently. His gaze was uncomfortable, but I had already said everything I needed to say.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to have the medicine back now.”

Breaking the silence, I spoke to him. Ains looked at the medicine bottle and then back at me with a complicated expression before finally handing it over.

“Was the demand for a million gold in alimony because of the medicine?”

Just as I was about to take the bottle from Ains, he asked, his tone filled with certainty. I paused for a moment before casually taking the bottle.

“Yes, that’s right.”

There was no point in denying it since it was the truth.

“I hope that answers your question. Now, could you please leave? As you might guess, the aftereffects of the illness are severe, and I need rest. Besides, spending time with you is too difficult and exhausting for me.”

I politely requested him to go. There was no reason to continue the conversation now that we’d covered the main topic.

“…Fine. I’ll go.”

Ains stared at me for a long moment, then looked down at his empty hand before finally nodding. He stood up, and I followed suit.

“I won’t see you out. Take care.”

I bowed my head in farewell, but Ains just watched me silently. Even after I raised my head, he continued to gaze at me, his eyes filled with concern.

“Perhaps…”

Ains hesitated, raising a hand to touch his lips before turning away, unable to meet my gaze.

“If you come to see my grandfather, you don’t need to contact me separately.”

With that, Ains turned and left the reception room.

Once the door closed and silence returned, I felt the tension ease. I leaned weakly against the sofa, exhaling deeply and closing my eyes.

Confronting Ains was still overwhelming for me.

After leaving the reception room, Ains stood still, as if frozen in place. He looked down at his hand, rough and large.

The memory of Cecilia’s hand, which had briefly brushed against his when she reached for the medicine bottle, lingered at his fingertips. Her hand was the second coldest he had ever touched.

‘Is that also a symptom of the aftereffects?’

Ains clenched his fist slowly, recalling how his mother’s hands had felt similarly cold before she passed away.

It was a chilling sensation he never wanted to experience again.

If Cecilia’s illness had truly been treated and only the aftereffects remained, all he could do was wait for her body to stabilize the mana.

That was fortunate. If she hadn’t received treatment, the gradually hardening mana would have led to her death.

…As Ains thought this, he glanced back at the door to the reception room.

Was it really fortunate?

She had coughed up blood as a symptom of the aftereffects. If she were truly fine, she wouldn’t have done that.

He considered that the rampaging mana could be just as deadly as the hardening mana.

However, what stopped him from re-entering the room was something Cecilia had said during their conversation.

‘Are you worried about me?’

Worried?

That couldn’t be.

Ains Graham had no reason to feel concern for Cecilia Marves.

The day his father, Alex, who had been mourning his wife, joined the monster subjugation squad on the orders of his grandfather, the former Duke Graham.

The day his father, who should have returned victorious, came back as a corpse.

His heart had been shattered twice. He had long since lost the ability to care for or worry about anyone.

To him, his grandfather was a figure of hatred, the man who had driven his father to his death. There was no way he could view Cecilia, whom his grandfather cherished like a granddaughter, kindly.

He had married Cecilia to quickly secure the title of Duke Graham per his grandfather’s conditions, but he had never loved her. His indifference towards her was proof of that.

Yet, strangely, knowing she was ill made him feel uneasy and troubled.

Why?

He pondered this question repeatedly but couldn’t find an answer.

“Your Grace, are you all right?”

Jacob, ever observant, asked Ains. Finally straightening his gaze, Ains nodded awkwardly.

“Let’s go.”

Ains took a few steps but paused again. With a small sigh, he spoke.

“Jacob, call Dr. Watt. Tell him we need to spend some time together since there were many things we didn’t check yesterday due to the late hour. And Jackson, find out who recently won the bid for the Tieria flower at the Reflen Auction House.”

As Ains issued his orders, Jacob and Jackson bowed their heads.

“Yes, Your Grace. We will follow your orders.”

“I’ll check it out.”