“Is it really that serious?”

The carefree voice cutting in irritated me. I lifted my head and glared at Thadeus, whose expression remained unchanged.

“Is it that serious? If I told my family we rolled around in a carriage in broad daylight, do you think they’d just say ‘Oh, I see’ and move on? Something like this won’t end with just being grounded…!”

“It doesn’t matter if we didn’t get caught.”

“What…?”

“Nobody knows. That we stuck together like animals in the carriage.”

“…H-how? Is that possible?”

“When you were crying underneath me, there was nobody around the carriage. How would they know whether we were f*cking or eating each other out inside?”

Heat rose to my face at his crude words. My cheeks burned as I fanned myself with my hand, while Thadeus kept that impassive expression like he’d said nothing at all.

‘How can he say such shameless things…’

Thinking about it, I was always the one out of my mind from the magic’s effects while Thadeus remained perfectly fine. The fact that Thadeus did these things with me in a clear state of mind felt surprisingly shocking and unfamiliar.

Just as I was about to ask more unresolved questions, I heard knocking. Thadeus signaled for me to lie down on the bed. As I jumped onto the bed, he spoke.

“Come in.”

Suddenly an elderly man who looked quite aged entered. Seemingly already acquainted with Thadeus, he exchanged a polite nod with him.

The old man approached me lying down and asked various things in a warm voice. Since when had I been feeling unwell? What symptoms had I experienced? Was I better now than before?

He looked like a doctor examining a severely ill patient. After going through that series of procedures, the old man concluded it seemed to be from extreme fatigue.

“You should avoid overexertion for a while and get plenty of rest. Then you’ll recover your energy quickly.”

Thadeus kept his gaze on me lying in bed for a moment, then left the room with the old man. Shortly after, Rachel came to find me.

She blamed herself for not knowing my condition was this poor. At her words that she’d gladly accept any punishment, I couldn’t hide my troubled feelings.

“Sniff, sob… From now on I’ll watch Miss’s condition more carefully than usual. If you look unwell, I’ll rush to the hospital without delay.”

Rachel didn’t question why I’d come to the Chervandia Duke’s Estate with my ailing body. What a relief. If she’d pressed me for answers, I would’ve been at a loss for what to say.

I gently patted the sobbing Rachel’s back and swallowed my bitter feelings.

‘Sorry for worrying you, Rachel. I’m a terrible person.’

Even after arriving home, this situation didn’t end. This time I had to listen to Mother’s tearful crying. But who could I blame? All of this was my karma for coaxing Luina, who said it couldn’t be done, and insisting on becoming a flying squirrel.

“If you feel unwell again, don’t hesitate to tell me. No, rather than that, should we have a physician reside at the estate?”

“That’s not necessary. The Duke’s Estate physician said it seemed to be simply accumulated fatigue.”

“But… wasn’t the reason you went to the Chervandia Duke’s Estate with your ailing body because of that physician from the imperial palace?”

This was the first I’d heard about a physician from the imperial palace being at his estate. 

Thadeus must have made that excuse while I was asleep. I continued the conversation as naturally as possible.

“That’s true, but I’m really fine.”

“When you’re already so frail… Don’t be like this, just…!”

If I continued this conversation, I might get swept up in Mother’s flow. The kind of situation where I’d been shouting ‘no’ but suddenly found myself shouting ‘yes.’ I had no choice but to pull out my hidden trump card.

“I’m a bit tired, so…”

“Oh my. Dear. I’ve been holding onto you too long when you’re already sick. Yes, hurry upstairs and rest well. If you feel strange, call me anytime.”

“Then I’ll rest in my room.”

Even after returning to my room, Rachel and the other maids constantly watched my complexion without rest. If I so much as sighed once, they worried about me like the world was ending.

Every time they showed this side, guilt washed over me and made me uncomfortable. Moreover, one thought had been oddly nagging at me since earlier, making me want to be alone.

“I’d like everyone to leave.”

At my reaction, Rachel grabbed me, saying that absolutely couldn’t happen. To anyone watching, she looked desperate, like facing a final farewell with a lover she’d never see again. 

After several rounds of arguing, the victor was me.

“Miss, then I’ll wait outside the door, so please call me anytime if something happens.”

Silence descended on the room after everyone disappeared. Only then could I focus on the thought that had been bothering me.

‘Who exactly is Thadeus getting engaged to?’

Rather than jealousy, I was shocked at how he could sleep with me while discussing an engagement ceremony with another young lady.

Of course, I didn’t know how much of his own will was involved when we first slept together. The situation had been so sudden and I hadn’t been in my right mind.

But Thadeus was also the one who proposed we have s*x whenever we wanted for a month. Whether it was a political marriage or not, if he had a fiancée he’d share a future with, he shouldn’t have said such things to me either.

“What is this? The love I’ve only heard about—sharing romance with a lover while building physical intimacy with a childhood friend… Is that it?”

Or else he was one of those crazy types who pursued pleasure-seeking relationships right before marriage.

The more I thought about it, the dizzier my head became. Though I also claimed to love Schwein, my one-sided crush was different from having a lover to share a future with.

“Ugh… my head hurts.”

Given his usual rotten personality, once Thadeus had caught me, it would be hard to escape before the promised month ended. Reaching that conclusion, I sighed involuntarily.

How did things get so tangled? I’d only wanted to convey my feelings to Schwein. I couldn’t even find the starting point of where it went wrong.

All I wanted now was for the time I’d promised him to pass quickly. Either way, once this was over, I’d never have to see that man again.

* * *

The next day I woke up early and started preparing to go out. My destination was the Perolin Magic Company. 

If it was a temporary physical abnormality, that would be fine, but if symptoms appeared randomly like yesterday, this was a big problem. So I needed to meet Luina quickly and discuss this situation.

I boarded the carriage and after traveling for quite a while, arrived at my destination. Confirming the carriage had completely stopped, Rachel turned to me.

“We’ve arrived at the Perolin Magic Shop, Miss Clea.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

The Perolin Magic Company was fairly small if you had to categorize it. I’d heard larger ones partnered with academies to operate separate magic laboratories.

Products or magic circles created through experiments could be put on the market after agreement between students and company owners. 

In a way, it was an excellent opportunity to earn large sums of money as a student and build a solid career, so the more you utilized it, the more advantageous it was.

But unfortunately, the Perolin Magic Company where Luina worked had no partnered academy or laboratory. The company’s main products themselves were just basic magic with slight applications.

For example, trees that made laughing sounds when the wind blew, jellies that made you dream pleasant dreams when eaten, or cloaks that scattered stardust with each step.

Honestly, there wasn’t much Luina could learn here. However, being given the opportunity to learn magic despite being a commoner and becoming an apprentice seemed to bring her great joy.

As I entered the shop, sparkling powder fell from the air. Judging by the sweet chocolate scent lingering at my nose with each breath, the surrounding smell seemed to change according to a person’s preferences.

“Welcome…!”

My eyes met Luina’s as she turned toward the entrance while wiping shelves. Her eyes widened enormously. Her face mixed two emotions together—surprise and delight.

“Clea? What brings you here?”

“To see your face and because I have something to discuss.”

“Really? Then just a moment!”

Luina put down the cloth she was holding and went to the counter briefly. A stern-looking man glanced at me, then whispered quietly. Luina nodded several times, then approached me again.

“I told him a friend came so I’d go out and talk for a bit.”

“That’s okay?”

“Instead, he said to sell some products while I’m at it by talking well.”

Luina shrugged and pulled my arm, saying let’s go outside. She smiled brightly, seemingly savoring the brief leisure. Then she quietly closed her eyes in the blowing wind before turning to me.

“So what brings you all the way here?”

I pondered how to say it. In case it sounded like I was resenting Luina. This was my fault, not hers at all.

“…You know that magic you cast on me?”

“Magic? Why bring that up suddenly?”

“I think there’s a problem with it.”

“A problem? What kind of problem? Don’t tell me you had side effects again already?”

I silently nodded. Then Luina’s face turned serious.

“What kind of symptoms? Same as before? How often does it happen?”

Questions poured out like a waterfall in an instant. I focused on answering them one by one carefully.

“Same as before. My body… gets strangely hot. It happened once more after the previous side effects. So I’m asking just in case… do I have to live like this forever?”

“That’s…”

Luina’s lips twitched. Judging by her rapidly darkening expression, she didn’t seem to know any proper solution either.

‘I might have to keep living with this body? In a state where I can’t even maintain my sanity like I’m in heat?’

Anxious feelings suddenly arose, but I tried to steady my mind, thinking there must be some solution. But with no answer coming indefinitely, I momentarily felt like crying.

Even if I’d been lucky enough to only run into Thadeus so far, in this state it was only a matter of time before others found out.

“Clea…”

“Yeah?”

“I can’t guarantee this, but… if you’re lucky, the magic’s effects might disappear over time. Even if not, I’ll find a way somehow!”

Luina’s eyes burned with determination. Considering her personality of never offering empty comfort, I could feel how sincere she was. Though my mood was still a complete mess, I wasn’t petty enough to take it out on someone caring about me.

“…Thanks, Luina.”

“Since I cast the magic, I can definitely break it too. I’ll start researching from nullification magic.”

I wanted to talk more, but someone working at the magic shop glanced out the window. Seeing Luina at the end of that gaze, it seemed time for her to go back inside.

Since I couldn’t let Luina suffer because of me, I said goodbye to her. Luina seemed concerned about leaving me to go work, but reluctantly went inside.

“I’ll visit the estate soon, Clea!”

After parting with Luina, I boarded the carriage again. I had no way to hide my gloomy mood. At my expression covered with dark clouds, Rachel asked in a worried voice.

“Miss, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?”

“It’s not that…”

“Then what?”

“Just the weather seems bad today.”

“…The weather? It seems sunnier than usual though…”

Rachel muttered doubtfully, but I had no energy to continue the conversation. So I leaned against the swaying carriage backrest and closed my eyes tightly. Every passing moment felt exhausting.