***

“……so………”

“Then………”

Mumble mumble.

The conversation sounds spread dully, as if submerged in water.

I slowly opened my eyes.

After blinking a few times, my blurry vision gradually became clearer.

‘Familiar ceiling…..’

While staring blankly at the dark green ceiling, I turned my head toward the direction of the conversation.

One person was Chelsea, and the other person was…….

“So absolute rest is necessary…… Oh! Are you conscious?”

A gray-haired man wearing a pure white gown showed a startled expression when our eyes met.

Then Chelsea, who had been conversing with him face to face, immediately rushed to me.

“Tutor, are you conscious? Can you recognize me?”

“……Chelsea.”

When I called her name, Chelsea showed a relieved expression.

The man approached from beside her and spoke.

“I’m glad you’ve regained consciousness. Pleased to meet you. I am Sigmon, Mercedes’ physician.”

“Physician?”

I looked at him with surprised eyes.

It wasn’t for any other reason.

‘There was a physician here, too?’

I say this because I’ve never seen him before to call him the physician.

As if reading my thoughts, he smiled awkwardly and explained.

“I just returned home recently after completing a continental tour.”

“Ah, I see……”

“As soon as I arrived, the butler came looking for me in a panic, and I was quite surprised.”

“I…… ugh.”

When I tried to sit up, I suddenly felt dizzy.

As I staggered, Chelsea quickly supported my shoulders.

Beside her, Sigmon added.

“Your body has weakened considerably. There are no major injuries, but you need to rest for the time being. I was just telling Chelsea the same.”

I nodded slightly.

I was fortunate that it was only this much.

“Then I’ll visit again later.”

He was about to leave the room.

I hesitated for a moment before hurriedly asking a question.

“Um, how is His Grace?”

Sigmon paused and turned to look at me.

Soon, he smiled awkwardly and answered.

“His Grace is safe. Don’t worry and get plenty of rest.”

I wanted to ask more questions, but Sigmon hurriedly left the room.

I stared blankly at the closed door.

‘It’s good that Cardien is safe, but…..’

Why do I feel so uneasy?

I reflexively looked for Chelsea.

Maybe I could ask her something more.

But the moment our eyes met, I couldn’t say anything.

Chelsea’s expression was colder than ever before.

“Um, Chel….”

“Lie down.”

“No, I….”

“Lie down.”

“……Yes.”

At times like this, Chelsea won’t listen to anything I say.

I had no choice but to lie back down on the bed.

“Rest. I’ll bring soup and medicine.”

“Just….”

Tap.

Click.

I tried to speak quickly, but Chelsea had already left the room.

Not only that, I thought I heard the sound of a lock clicking… Or was it my imagination?

I stared helplessly at the closed door before slowly closing my eyes.

‘They said he’s fine.’

He’ll be okay.

I muttered to myself.

***

For a week, Sigmon visited daily to check my condition.

He nodded with a satisfied expression.

“You’ve improved a lot. I think you can start moving around a little now.”

“Thank you.”

“But you absolutely must not overexert yourself. The reason… You know why, don’t you?”

I nodded with a bitter smile.

‘He must be talking about the Magic Disease.’

Every time I feel the presence of this disease, I realize that even at this moment, my lifespan is shortening.

“Then I’ll be….”

But the bitterness didn’t last long.

As Sigmon rose, I quickly grabbed him.

“Wait, how is His Grace’s condition….”

Tap.

Making my grab meaningless, Sigmon hurriedly left the room.

I stared at the firmly closed door with empty eyes before turning to Chelsea.

She immediately shook her head.

“No.”

“……I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“You were going to ask me to let you see the master, weren’t you?”

“……”

I kept my mouth shut.

Did Chelsea learn mind-reading from Cardien too?

Well…..

‘I’ve been asking continuously for the past few days.’

And each time, without fail.

“No.”

I’ve been rejected like this.

“Chelsea, I’m really fine now. Even Sigmon said I could move around.”

“Yes, I’ll allow you to take a walk. Of course, you must be accompanied by me.”

If personification of an iron wall existed, it would be Chelsea.

Having experienced a similar situation before, I know very well how unyielding Chelsea can be.

Chelsea will never back down.

‘……I have no choice.’

But I don’t want to deceive Chelsea and escape.

I don’t have the confidence to deceive her either.

So the remaining option is.

“Alright, Chelsea.”

I nodded obediently.

Chelsea gazed at me with a calm look.

I looked into Chelsea’s black pearl-like eyes and parted my lips.

“Then, please grant me one request.”

After saying that, I smiled slightly.

***

Winston gazed at the front with troubled eyes.

Then, as Sigmon finished his examination and straightened up, he hurriedly approached him.

“How is he?”

Instead of answering, Sigmon shook his head.

“No way….”

Despair settled in Winston’s brown eyes.

His gaze shifted beyond Sigmon.

On the wide bed, Cardien lay motionless with his eyes tightly closed.

Before, he might have looked like a dead person, but now he merely appeared to be in a deep sleep.

In the past, Winston would have been happy to see him like this.

After all, sleep was like a blessing from God for Cardien.

But Winston was painfully realizing that even blessings become curses when they go too far.

“It’s been ten days already, and he still hasn’t awakened…..”

Winston muttered with a gloomy face.

Ten days ago, when Livia and Cardien returned from the temple in a terrible state.

Winston still vividly remembered that day.

The Mercedes carriage returned, but the people who should have been riding in it were missing, and shortly after, an unfamiliar carriage entered. When he checked to see who it might be, he found his master and the trusted tutor in a terrible state.

Even Winston, who had served Mercedes for many years and was accustomed to all sorts of situations, was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.

Even now, thinking about that time made cold sweat flow and his heart race.

Afterward, Winston stayed by Cardien’s side, and Chelsea by Livia’s.

When he heard that Livia had safely opened her eyes some time later, he felt relieved.

And he firmly believed that Cardien would soon wake up, too.

However, even after a week, Cardien’s eyelids showed no movement.

‘……Master, what kind of dream are you having?’

Finally, Winston let out a long sigh.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t be of help to you…..”

At Sigmon’s self-reproaching words, Winston shook his head slightly.

“Not at all. Rather, I should apologize for making you work as soon as you returned.”

“Please don’t say that, Butler. I am Mercedes’ physician. How could I be tired of serving His Grace?”

Despite his words filled with a sense of duty, Winston wore a regretful expression.

After all, the reason he went on the continental tour was…..

“Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with the flow of magic. Rather, it’s more stable than usual. He will wake up soon.”

“……I hope so.”

When Winston answered weakly, Sigmon looked at him with pity and advised.

“Butler, you need to rest, too. You haven’t been sleeping properly lately. I understand your feelings for His Grace, but at this rate, you’ll collapse first.”

At his concerned words, Winston responded with a quiet smile instead of an answer.

At that sight, Sigmon sighed softly and opened the door.

“Oh!”

Sigmon gasped in surprise at the presence of the person standing silently in front of the door.

Winston, who approached to assess the situation, wore a puzzled expression.

“Chelsea? What’s the matter?”

Chelsea looked at Winston for a moment before bowing her head and saying.

“Butler, I need you to come with me.”

“Hmm…?”

Winston looked at Chelsea with a bewildered expression as she suddenly appeared and said something unexpected.

Soon, Chelsea raised her head and said in a clear voice.

“The Tutor wishes to see you.”

In Chelsea’s eyes, there was a will that said ‘refusal will not be accepted.’

‘Well, well.’

Winston was at the point where he wasn’t sure if Chelsea was Mercedes’ person or Livia’s person.

But…..

‘Perhaps…..’

“……Alright. Let’s go.”

Winston readily moved his feet.

His expression was as dark as cloudy weather as he headed toward Livia’s room.

This was because guilt washed over him for not having visited Livia while taking care of Cardien.

Upon arriving at the door, Winston raised his hand.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

A calm voice flowed from beyond the door.

Winston took a moment to catch his breath.

Eventually, he opened the door and entered alone.

Immediately, his eyes met Livia’s, who was sitting on the bed.

As soon as he saw her, Winston felt a surge of emotion.

He bowed his head with difficulty.

“Tutor, I apologize for visiting you so late.”

It was a sincere apology from his heart.

Livia hurriedly got off the bed and quickly tried to stop him.

“Oh, no, Butler. I’m really fine, so please raise your head.”

A warm and kind voice.

Since when, Winston wondered, had he started to feel reassured upon hearing this voice.

That’s why he began to hand over, one by one, the responsibilities he had been carrying to her.

Vincent, Cardien, and Mercedes…..

Winston slowly raised his head.

And the moment he saw those amber eyes, resembling the sunset.

“Tutor……”

The aged butler, who had silently protected Mercedes without relying on anyone.

“……Please help me.”

He crumbled pitifully before a mere tutor.

Kneeling down, he bowed his head before Livia.

“……Please, wake up the master……”

With the foolish and vague hope that she, Livia Pellington, who had changed Mercedes, could awaken his master from what seemed like an eternal sleep.