I explained.

“But over time, the immunity builds up and the symptoms go away naturally, and to a stranger, it looks like they’re cured.”

And that stranger was.

’The Duke of Mercedes in front of me.’

I stared at Cardien in silence.

He must have been taken aback by my words because he was uncharacteristically agitated.

I paused for a moment in thought, barely able to hear him mutter something low, ‘…useless… chase away…’, before carefully breaking the silence.

“In fact… there is a way to cure the disease…”

“…What?”

As I murmured softly, Cardien looked at me with a bewildered expression.

I averted my gaze, feeling awkward for no reason.

‘No, I didn’t expect him to care about me this much.’

I can’t believe he’d send me all the way to the Rounded Hill Kingdom to cure me of my illness.

“What’s that method?”

At Cardien’s question, I hesitated for a moment before quietly responding.

“…..It’s the heirloom of the Dukes of Mercedes.”

“…….”

At my answer, Cardien’s eyes widened in surprise, then he nodded as if understanding shortly afterward.

“So, that’s why you asked to use the Heirloom in the first place. To cure the illness.”

I nodded quietly.

I felt a pang of guilt for keeping it a secret and causing unnecessary trouble.

But I also couldn’t help feeling a bit unjustified.

I sneakily glanced at him and voiced a mild protest.

“Still, firing me was too much. Even if it was part of the process to send me to the Rounded Hill Kingdom…”

“It’s not just because of that.”

No?

Surprised by his unexpected words, I widened my eyes and asked.

“Then, what is it?”

Suddenly, he stared at my face without saying a word.

After a moment, he slowly parted his lips.

“Tutor, aren’t you aware of your condition?”

“…Pardon?”

“You lost quite a bit of blood.”

“……”

“You were unconscious for over ten days. You might not know, but your fever was quite high during that time.”

“…….”

“But if you’re talking about the class as soon as you wake up, how can I not be upset?”

“…….”

I couldn’t utter a single word in rebuttal.

It was because every word he said was true.

But what left me even more speechless was…

‘Was Cardien always like this?’

I blinked at him and then spoke.

“I… Your Grace.”

“Why?”

“Um… Were you very worried about me?”

It would be understandable if he were, considering he was sending me to the Rounded Hill Kingdom just to cure my illness.

‘Anyway, Cardien also needs me.’

But there’s no reason for him to be angry just because I’m overexerting myself, right?

‘Unless he’s worried.’

Moreover, it’s not just anyone—it’s ‘him,’ Cardien.

The man who wouldn’t care if someone vomited blood or lost consciousness, let alone show any concern, is none other than Cardien Mercedes, the Duke.

Come to think of it…

‘For ten days straight, he didn’t even eat or sleep, constantly staying by my side. Until just a little while ago.’

Chelsea’s words from when I woke up come to mind.

Since then, he had notified me of my dismissal, and I had completely forgotten about it.

‘Could he have become so haggard because of me?’

It didn´t stop there.

“And, Your Grace, why are you in my room at this hour? You didn’t come to see me because you were worried about……, did you?”

I hadn’t thought about it before, but now that I do, it seems odd.

Given how peculiar Cardien is, I looked at him with a perplexed expression.

Then suddenly…

He sprang up!

“Seeing you speak, it seems you’ve indeed recovered. I should leave now.”

“W-Wait! You have to give me an answer before you go! Your Gra…”

Bang!

I hastily tried to grab him, but he stubbornly left the room.

‘What…?’

I felt puzzled as I looked at the closed door.

‘He ran away…?’

It may sound ridiculous, but Cardien’s behavior just now was clearly that of someone dodging an answer and running away.

‘…I’ll have to ask him again next time.’

Seeing him flee like that actually made me more determined to get an answer somehow.

I lay back down, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment before murmuring softly.

“……Thank God.”

I had thought I was being chased away without a chance, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

‘I miss Vincent too…’

But I can’t help worrying about the trauma he might have from witnessing me bleeding.

Is there any way I can erase it with my ability?

‘…Come to think of it…’

I raised my left hand and looked at it.

It’s the hand I used my ability on Jeffrey with.

‘It definitely had an effect back then.’

Jeffrey woke up, but he was trembling with fear as if he had just had the worst nightmare ever.

“It was the worst dream he could have…….”

I never knew I could use this ability in that way.

I always thought about how I could make people have happier dreams, never how I could make them have nightmares.

‘I wouldn’t have even thought about it if it weren’t for that dream.’

Yeah, that dream.

‘What was that dream about?’

A dream where I appeared as my past self, holding the book <Everyone Loves Only the Saint>, and saying things I couldn’t understand.

But…….

‘It was kind of cozy.’

While the dream itself might seem eerie, the aftermath left me feeling cozy and warm.

‘It felt warm somehow.’

That’s odd.

Having a cozy feeling after dreaming of my past self in a somewhat eerie setting.

Come to think of it, what happened to that place?

It’s within the Academy grounds, deep inside a forest where people don’t usually go…’It felt warm somehow.’

“Ah, that’s right!”

As the thought crossed my mind, my eyes lit up.

“The diary…!”

It was Jeffrey’s old diary that I had grabbed during the escape!

‘Where is it?’

Descending from the bed, I immediately searched through the desk drawers, bedside table drawers, console, and even under the bed.

However, the diary was nowhere to be found.

* * *

“Are you referring to the diary?”

“Yes, it’s an old, greenish diary. Have you seen it by any chance?”

In response to my question, Chelsea calmly nodded her head.

“Once you finish your meal, I will tell you.”

Chelsea’s determination to make me finish the meal no matter what was impressive.

But unlike yesterday, I started inhaling the porridge right away.

‘My appetite’s back.’

Confident that I wouldn’t be chased away, my appetite returned just like that when I stepped back home.

Tap!

Placing the clean empty porridge bowl on the table, I wiped my mouth.

Chelsea’s eyes widened momentarily.

Understandable. The amount I ate changed drastically overnight.

Feeling satisfied with my now hearty stomach, I asked again.

“Where’s the diary?”

* * *

“I saw His Grace taking the diary with him.”

Following Chelsea’s tip, I’m now on my way to Cardien’s room.

I was worried about not being able to go outside like before, but Chelsea let me out without any problems when she saw me finishing the porridge bowl in one gulp.

‘I should have done this sooner if I knew it would work.’

Although I felt regretful, as they say, regrets come too late, no matter how fast you are.

‘I wonder what’s written in that diary.’

Come to think of it, Jeffrey often wrote something far away during our academy days.

‘Is that the green diary?’

If so, maybe I can find out what happened to Jeffrey.

‘I’m also curious about Egrid.’

It seems that Egrid might be related to those who wore robes with the pattern of the ancient temple I’m looking for.

‘Although I couldn’t find the book…’

Will I have a chance to visit the academy again later?

Even if I do, it’s difficult for outsiders to visit the library without the professor’s permission.

‘I was planning to get permission from Jeffrey.’

But now that Jeffrey is gone.

It’s not easy to meet other professors either.

‘Let’s focus on finding the diary first.’

And then think about it again.

As I turned the corner towards Cardien’s room, I couldn’t move any further.

That’s because…

“Duke! Please open the door! Let me see Tutor Via!”

“Y-Young master… You shouldn’t do this.”

Vincent was protesting in front of Cardien’s door.

Next to him, Winston was sweating coldly, looking embarrassed.