‘So, there’s no point in lying to Felix about some possible deal that Marina and Kervic might have made.’

I don’t know exactly what deal they made. However, if it gets exposed to Felix in any way, I’m the only one who’ll suffer. I have no choice. I have to make up for what the past Marina did. I had no choice but to appeal to him with my sincerity that I want to help him now, that’s my only thought.

“It must have looked like I was suddenly clinging to you, from ‘that side.'”

“‘That side.’ So you are related to Kervic after all.”

Felix, who had been consumed by anger, heard my answer and let out a self-deprecating laugh. To prevent him from misunderstanding further, I hurriedly explained my situation.

“I had no choice! No…… I must have had no choice…… The house was falling apart and there was no one to help…… I can’t explain all the reasons, but I’m helping the First Prince now, aren’t I. Really……”

“You needed help? Then why are you choosing to side with me instead of Kervic now?”

“I signed a contract with you.”

“Ha…… So you made a double contract. That must have put you in a difficult position, since Kervic isn’t the type to just sit back and watch.”

“Yes…… Well, that’s how it turned out.”

I forced myself to smile. I also revealed the fact that I had become Kervic’s target like this.

I couldn’t reduce Felix’s suspicion, but at least I could let him know that I was in a difficult position and that my life was in danger because of it.

“……Was that why. You ended up taking the rampage drug too?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Felix’s eyes softened a little after hearing my answer. Oh, is playing pitiful working a little?

Right…… Since the evil claws of a bad guy like Kervic reached out, how much this frail Marina Enchester must have suffered.

“At this rate, I might really be in danger. Starting with that black bird rampaging through like this……!”

I trembled with all my might.

Though there was a bit of acting mixed in, my body that had been drained of strength since earlier faithfully played its role.

‘And I’m really scared that Kervic will control me in some way.’

“Whether you accept that proposal or not doesn’t matter, Marina Enchester! You’re destined to follow my orders anyway.”

Recalling the black bird’s voice, I trembled violently.

As if my appeal worked, Felix’s eyebrows curved in a slightly different direction. Here I drove in the wedge.

“You haven’t forgotten the contract…… right? You said you’d protect me. So I want to stay by Your Highness’s side as much as possible without being separated.”

Just as Felix needs my power, I also need him now. Because it’s important to escape from Kervic’s grasp by any means necessary.

‘So…… please keep me by your side. Huh? If you’re suspicious, you can just monitor me!!’

And someday I’ll earn Felix’s trust!

I don’t know how he read my intentions, but Felix looked at me with a terrifying expression.

Then he muttered in a barely audible voice.

“Haah…… I have no choice but to believe you for now……”

“What?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

He let out a short sigh and leaned toward me.

“You don’t want to be separated from my side…… That’s what I wanted, Marina. We have to fulfill the contract.”

“Hup.”

Judging by that somehow serious expression, he didn’t seem to have cleared his suspicions yet. He was definitely planning to keep me by his side under the pretext of monitoring me……

‘Even this is something. At least it’s better than being captured by Kervic.’

I let out a sigh of relief at those words.

I don’t know how he understood that sigh, but Felix looked away for a moment then slowly opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

While saying that, he kept touching the back of his neck as if feeling awkward. Was it my imagination, or did the back of his neck seem to flush red again?

“Uh…… yes?”

“So that means stay put in your room.”

At my dazed answer, Felix just left the room. Somehow I wanted to examine his expression carefully……

“Haha. Come to think of it, that’s what’s written in the contract.”

He must have felt pity after hearing that I might die because of Kervic.

“What. I got excited for nothing.”

Just then, Felix’s nape turned bright red…… Did he get a bit heated because of the power of the sun? It did seem like his body reddened easily originally.

Anyway, I couldn’t know the true intention behind what he said.

Only after Felix’s footsteps faded away did I sit on the bed and let out a big breath.

“Haah…… What should I do.”

I lay spread-eagle on the bed and made future plans.

Felix’s suspicion was something I couldn’t help. Instead, I bought time so he could slowly observe and furthermore accept me as his ally.

“Even so, that’s too much. Not knowing my heart that’s trying to put you on the throne, you suspect me first.”

I pouted and spat out resentful words toward Felix.

Well, how could trust bloom when this person who doesn’t even trust the attendants who have been chasing and working for him in the separate palace for ten years is misunderstanding that I’m acting as Kervic’s spy!

“Felix to the throne! No one will appreciate it, but let’s try, I can do it!”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!

Passion! Effort!

I recalled the phrases I had written largely on paper for the police civil service exam.

“No execution by fire, and safely living alone happily ever after ending……! Haha.”

I’ll work hard for my innocence too, but there are limits with just the original work’s content. I can build trust from now on.

After getting fired up, strength had already drained from both my arms.

“Ugh…… I’m tired from fighting with the black bird.”

Thanks to that, the room was a mess. I had to pick up the books I had thrown enthusiastically trying to hit the black bird, and close the window too……

“Ah, is it because the tension is relieved. My eyes are closing by themselves……”

I fell asleep on the bed just like that.

And that night I collapsed sick. The aftereffects of the rampage came much later than expected.

⁕⁕⁕

The aftereffects of the rampage were tremendous……

The aching and pain throughout my body was similar to body aches from a cold, but fundamentally this was pain on a different dimension. My body suddenly started burning with fever, and the power of water began churning to a degree I absolutely couldn’t control.

“Hng…… Huff!”

“Pull yourself together, Miss!!”

Lecia, who was caring for me beside me, stamped her feet. Actually, it was just less than Lecia, but the other maids and servants were also busily moving around the room caring for me.

“C, cold…… Cold……”

“The fever reducer isn’t working…… Prepare lukewarm water. You all change Lady Marina’s clothes.”

When the fever started, my body felt like it was freezing solid. Since my physical condition was so serious, even the chief chamberlain came running in one step and gave direct orders.

‘Ugh, really this body is no help!!’

Marina Enchester’s body was pitifully weaker in stamina than my previous life’s body. That wasn’t all. The power of water seemed to constantly beat inside my body. My body was already weak and I couldn’t control the power either, so it felt like chaos inside.

“How can you be in such pain…… There’s no sign of improvement.”

“Ugh…… Uugh.”

Thanks to that, I suffered continuously from early evening until late at night. I was in so much pain I didn’t even know if my mind was properly intact.

‘Ah…… I’m dying like this even before being burned at the stake. That bastard Kervic was a landmine after all, a landmine……’

I was literally wandering between life and death. It was deep at night, almost dawn.

One maid started making a fuss.

“His Highness Felix has come!”

It seemed he heard that I was very sick, so Felix came. Even in my hazy state of mind, I could feel all the servants moving busily in shock.

‘Ah…… Would Felix’s charging make me feel a bit better? Cold, I’m cold……’

But from far away, a pitch-black stove burning brightly walked in. I reached toward that stove with all my strength. And……

“Marina. You seem to be in a lot of pain.”

The stove…… no, Felix took my hand.

The power of the sun flowed in quickly through me. Feeling the power of water that had been rampaging like crazy calm down from the heat of the sun, I reached out my other hand to get closer to Felix like a person who fell in water.

“Everyone leave. I’ll have to nurse her myself from now on.”

“What? Are you saying Your Highness will do it directly?”

“Yes. I’ll do it directly.”

The attendants hesitated for a moment at Felix’s command. For someone saying he would nurse directly, he was too cold, and the atmosphere was unusual.

However, Felix’s touch as he actually placed his hand on my forehead felt very careful and affectionate.

‘Most of all, it’s warm so it feels so good……’

“Then we’ll withdraw. She sweated a lot so we changed her clothes, but if you need help again, please call us.”

“Mm. The attendance…… I’ll do it directly myself, so withdraw.”

At the chief chamberlain’s words who remained last, Felix let out a snicker. The chief chamberlain left the room almost jumping with a surprised look.

“Ugh…… If you say such things in this situation…… what will others, hng…… think!?”

When I scolded him while panting, all that came back was a languid smile.

“Even when you’re sick to death, your mouth is still alive.”

“Haah, haah……”

Felix pulled his hands away from my forehead and hand. He withdrew the power of the sun that had been warming my body. At the same time, the power of water rampaged again as if it had found its world.

“Agh, pl, please……!!”

“The aftereffects of the rampage drug are more severe than expected. I also called you urgently to endure the aftereffects.”