***

“As you may know, it’s a disease called Magic Disease. But the problem is……”

The physician who examined Livia’s expression darkened as his words trailed off.

“Speak clearly.”

The physician flinched at the voice dripping with coldness and continued with difficulty.

“H-her body temperature is too low. Her breathing is weak and her pulse is beating too slowly. It’s true that Magic Disease progressively worsens… but according to what you said, this should be the third occurrence.”

The physician was right.

When Cardien first learned about Livia’s illness, he had confirmed that there were two Magic Disease spots on her body.

“But……”

Cardien’s gaze turned toward the bed.

On the bed lay Livia, peacefully asleep, having changed into a snow-white dress with the help of maids.

No, is she really asleep?

Livia was so still that one might suspect death.

Her breath, the movements proving she was breathing, everything was extremely faint.

That wasn’t the only problem.

“Below the left shoulder and on the inside of the right wrist.”

The physician recited the locations of the spots he had confirmed.

Normally, that would have been the end of it, but…

The physician, unable to look at Cardien, closed his eyes tightly and continued speaking.

“Spots were also found on the left side of her waist, the right thigh, and the top of her left foot……”

“……”

“This is just my opinion, but perhaps the patient hasn’t been taking her medicine properly?”

Lemon was the one who answered that question.

“She was in a situation where she couldn’t take medicine for about two weeks.”

“I see… In my opinion, it seems the medicine had been suppressing the progression of the Magic Disease, and when she stopped taking it, it erupted. So the disease that would have gradually worsened suddenly exploded-”

“So.”

Cardien interrupted the physician, moving only his lips while keeping his gaze fixed on Livia.

“How long can she hold on?”

It was an incredibly indifferent and insensitive tone.

So indifferent that even a complete stranger in the same situation wouldn’t seem so detached.

“How much time does Livia Pellington have left?”

However, the moment Cardien turned to look at the physician, the physician’s thoughts changed.

It wasn’t that he was insensitive or emotionless.

His eyes were completely dead.

Because the dead have neither expressions nor emotions.

After hesitating, the physician spoke with difficulty.

“Even tonight… will be difficult for her to endure… The Magic Disease has already completely taken over her body……”

“…That is……”

Eden, who had been silently listening to the conversation, contorted his face.

“What does that mean… Magic Disease! Tonight is critical…!!”

Eden found it extremely difficult to understand this situation.

Until just a moment ago, she had been talking normally, smiling with gentle eyes, and now she might die suddenly!

‘We just met.’

We just met again, there’s so much I want to say, so much I want to ask!

This makes no sense.

Eden wished someone would question the absurdity of this situation.

However, both Cardien and Lemon kept their mouths firmly shut, staring elsewhere with unreadable expressions.

“I’m sorry……”

In the end, the physician left the room without offering any solution.

After the physician left, a cold silence settled in the room.

Eden was the first to speak.

“…Are you just going to stay like this?”

He looked at Cardien and Lemon after rubbing his face, but received no response from either of them.

This made Eden even more frustrated.

“Are you saying you’ll just stay still like this! At this rate, Lady Livia will-”

But Eden couldn’t finish his sentence.

“Would you……”

Lemon slowly turned his head toward Eden and said with a gentle voice, smiling sweetly.

“Kindly shut up, noble Captain Eden Aquilium of the Holy Knights?”

“…Even in this situation, you two……”

A vein popped on Eden’s forehead.

Though he always maintained neatness and propriety, at this moment, he found it difficult to contain his rising emotions.

In this urgent situation, to Eden’s eyes, the two men appeared to be merely taking their time.

Eden’s gaze turned to Cardien.

Cardien remained silent, only staring at Livia.

How irresponsible that back view seemed.

“Haa… fine. I won’t seek your cooperation anymore. Especially you, Duke Mercedes.”

“……”

“I knew you were originally a cold-hearted person, but I thought you at least took care of your own people. But now I see you’re just an irresponsible human being, nothing more.”

“……”

“Lady Livia doesn’t suit someone like you.”

“……”

“Until the end……”

Eden glared at Cardien, who didn’t offer a single word in response, with contemptuous eyes, then slammed the door shut and left.

Even until that moment, Cardien didn’t move an inch.

Lemon, who had been quietly observing Cardien, let out a deep sigh and roughly tousled his platinum blonde hair.

Then, lightly stepping forward, he said.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, but one thing is certain.”

Lemon’s voice sank lower than ever before.

“I won’t just let Livia Pellington die.”

“……”

“But what I’ve come to understand about the person called Cardien Mercedes on my way here is this.”

Taking two steps, three steps closer to Cardien, Lemon lowered his gaze and spoke in a chilling voice.

“You’re a person who doesn’t understand the concept of cooperation at all. So.”

Finally, Lemon turned to Cardien with a bright, angelic smile and said.

“I’ll do things my way.”

“……”

“So you stay out of it. Now and in the future.”

“……”

After giving Cardien, who remained silent until the end, a cold once-over, Lemon also left the room.

Left alone, Cardien still silently stood watching Livia.

But no one knew.

What Cardien was thinking while the two men poured out their words and disappeared.

What dangerous plan he was formulating.

***

As the night deepened, Lewid Aspul was keeping watch by the Countess’s side.

He still couldn’t believe it.

The fact that until just a moment ago, he had made eye contact and conversed with her…

‘God…’

In the middle of his thought, Lewid flinched.

What had God ever done for him?

Since the Countess lost consciousness, Lewid had sought God every day without fail, begging for help.

But God had never once granted his wish.

There was someone else who had granted his wish.

‘…Livia Pellington…’

Lewid’s expression changed strangely as he thought of Livia.

‘What exactly is that woman’s identity?’

Lewid recalled the conversation he had just had with his wife.

“I was bound by darkness, unable to move at all, but then light saved me. A very warm and gentle light. Like moonlight illuminating the night…”

“…Moonlight…”

The moment he heard those words, Lewid instinctively knew that the light was Livia.

That in itself was strange.

Livia didn’t resemble moonlight in any visible way.

Her hair was dark brown, and while her skin was fair, her eyes were a calm amber color.

Surely light should have some striking, bright aspect to it.

By that logic, Livia Pellington didn’t seem to match moonlight…

‘Why did I immediately think of Livia Pellington?’

Lewid soon realized the answer.

It wasn’t about her physical appearance.

Moonlight that serenely illuminates the dark, lonely night.

A presence that washes away someone’s loneliness.

It was because Livia’s gentle gaze and touch resembled that moonlight.

‘Anyway, she’s a strange woman.’

As his thoughts reached this point, Lewid’s expression darkened.

He had received updates about Livia’s condition through the physician.

‘Magic Disease…’

It was a terrifying disease just from the description.

‘They say she’ll struggle to survive the night.’

Lewid let out a deep sigh.

He felt troubled by the fact that Livia had awakened his wife, but he couldn’t help her in return.

‘I should find the physician again…’

Just as he was thinking this and rising from his seat, suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.

Without his knowledge, someone was standing behind him.

“Wh-who’s there…!”

Could it be the missing Sigmon?

When he had dispatched knights to raid Sigmon’s hideout, it was completely empty. His daughter’s coffin was also gone.

He might have come seeking revenge for what he perceived as betrayal.

‘I must protect my wife at all costs.’

With this thought, Lewid gripped his scabbard and quickly turned his head, but at that moment, he could no longer move.