I slowly closed my mouth.

Her expression was colder than I had ever seen it.

Chelsea closed her eyes briefly, then opened them slowly.

And then she returned to her usual self.

She spoke again.

“His Grace has been by your side.”

“You mean…….”

Cardien?

I stared at her in disbelief.

Chelsea continued.

“For ten days, he hasn’t eaten or slept. Until a little while ago.”

“……ah.”

I couldn’t hide my surprise.

I remembered the look on Cadien’s face before I lost consciousness.

“Tutor, damn it. Livia Pellington! “

I had never heard him shout so urgently or seen his face like that.

’But why?’

I could understand doing so for a day or two, considering our relationship and my usefulness, but to be watched over for a whole ten days?

“Not only His Grace but also Master Vincent.”

“Ah…!”

The name “Vincent” made my eyes widen.

Yes, that’s right. Vincent!

“How is Vincent? Is he… okay?”

My dry lips trembled as I bit down on the chapped lower one.

’Why did the second symptom have to manifest in front of Vincent of all people?’

I would have preferred to collapse due to a sudden fever than have it happen in front of Vincent.

Vomiting blood was too much…

I tried my best to cover it with my hands, but it was leaking through the gaps, so there was no way Vincent didn’t see it.

Hoping it wouldn’t become a traumatic memory, I asked about Vincent, only to be met with a despairing response.

“Since then, he has been crying constantly.”

“…….”

Overwhelmed with despair, I wiped my face with both hands.

“The butler was very worried, too. He feels a lot of guilt, thinking this happened because of his request for you to attend the Academy ceremony. He feels responsible for it.”

“That… that’s unrelated.”

Even Winston was feeling guilty.

As I spoke urgently, Chelsea gazed silently at me.

Eventually, her lips slowly parted.

“And I… I got angry.”

“Chelsea…?”

The atmosphere around Chelsea suddenly changed.

With a fierce look in her eyes, she stepped closer to me.

I sat there dumbfounded, looking up at Chelsea approaching.

Gradually, Chelsea, who stood before me, started to kneel down.

“Ch- Chelsea?! What are you doing!”

I panicked, trying to get off the bed immediately as Chelsea knelt beside me.

But I couldn’t move any further upon hearing Chelsea’s following words.

“At first, I was angry at you.”

“…….”

“Why didn’t you say anything? Was I not good enough?”

“Th- that’s not… I mean…”

“But soon, my thoughts changed. You must have known, right? Telling someone won’t change anything.”

“……..”

I remained silent, closing my lips.

Chelsea was right.

Telling someone about my terminal condition wouldn’t make the illness disappear; it would only cause unnecessary worry.

‘Just like in my past life. ‘

The director, who shed tears in front of me and said it was okay, that I could get better, despite receiving a terminal diagnosis.

And the many people who listened to my story and sent me encouragement.

At first, I held hope in their words.

Yes, maybe I could get better miraculously.

Don’t we sometimes hear stories like that?

Even though it was a terminal illness, miraculously, they’re living well.

People shared those anecdotes with me, and I believed in those miracles.

’But in the end, I died.’

As I showed no signs of improvement, gradually they lost interest.

The letters dwindled, and the director, who once spoke of hope, began to look at me with weary eyes.

It was only natural, I suppose.

But emotions and rational acceptance are not the same.

If this was going to happen, why offer comfort in the first place?

’Such experiences are enough once.’

In fact, there were several opportunities to reveal that I was terminally ill.

The day I vomited blood, the moments when I was alone with him, and the moment when my ability to control dreams was exposed.

Each time, I refused to disclose the illness, bargaining with reasons.

‘Now that I think about it…….’

Perhaps I was afraid.

Of that moment when I’d reveal my illness, and how their expression would change.

It felt like they would never see me the same way again.

It’s not just Cardien. Chelsea, Winston, Vincent…….

“So.”

I cleared my mind and looked at Chelsea.

“This is my fault for you not trusting me, Tutor, and for not realizing that you were suffering while assisting you.”

I couldn’t hide my confusion at her words.

“H-How is that your fault, Chelsea?”

Chelsea shook her head.

Her expression was more serious than ever.

“No, this is clearly my fault. So, from now on…”

Chelsea slowly got up.

Feeling a strange pressure as Chelsea, who was particularly tall among women, looked down at me, I couldn’t help but feel it.

She parted her lips as she looked at me.

“I’ll be the one making decisions from now on.”

“…What?”

Wait, hold on.

Something feels off…

I looked up at Chelsea with a bewildered expression.

But Chelsea’s expression was more serious than ever.

Her black eyes were sharply focused on me.

“Since Tutor won’t tell me, I’ll assess and assist Tutor’s condition. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“Oh, wait, Chelsea…”

Something’s off!

Chelsea wasn’t listening to me anymore.

That’s when I realized.

’She’s angry…!’

And it seemed like a big deal.

Although she tried to convey apologies and remorse, those things were essentially a declaration of war against me.

“Chelsea, I’m really fine…”

“I won’t listen to Tuto’s words.”

“Really. I feel quite light-headed…”

“I’ll make the decisions myself.”

Chelsea wasn’t even looking at me anymore.

Feeling fearful about what was to come, I looked at Chelsea with pleading eyes.

Then.

Knock, knock.

As Chelsea opened the door, I heard a familiar voice.

“Chelsea, how is the tutor…….”

“She just woke up.”

“Really?!”

The voice belonged to Winston.

Upon hearing the news from Chelsea, Winston hurried towards me.

Seeing the worried expression on his face, I couldn’t help but awkwardly break into laughter.

“Winston… I’m sorry. You must have been very worried because of me.”

“What’s going on, Tutor? How are you feeling?”

I glanced at Chelsea before responding with a slight smile, “I’m fine. I actually feel refreshed.”

It was true.

“Fortunately. It seems the divine power helped.”

His words made my eyes widen in surprise.

’Divine power?’

Winston nodded as he explained, “His Grace brought in priests from the temple to bless you with divine power.”

“His Grace… did?”

I looked at him with disbelief.

Understandably so, considering how much Cardien despises the temple.

But to directly summon priests?

Winston nodded, seeming to understand my confusion.

Then he looked at me wordlessly and spoke in a sad voice.

“Everyone was worried. Even young Master and His Grace…”

“I’m sorry…”

“Why didn’t you tell us beforehand?”

Winston immediately shook his head.

“No, it’s not your fault. I’m sure you had your reasons.”

“I’ll make sure classes proceed smoothly.”

But Winston’s eyes widened.

“How can you teach in that condition?”

But I am a private tutor.

If a tutor doesn’t teach, he’s no longer a tutor.

As I looked at Winston, conveying that thought, his expression shook violently.

Then, he chuckled dryly and spoke.

“Do you know, Tutor? You resemble His Grace very much.”

“Me…?”

Ah, that couldn’t be.

I gave him a skeptical look, but Winston was firm.

“Yes, Tutor.”

With that said, Winston stepped back.

“It hasn’t been long since you woke up, so you should rest more. I’ll report to His Grace…”

That’s when it happened.

“No need for that.”

I flinched at the sudden familiar voice.

Then, I slowly turned my head.