The Villain's Sickly Wife Dislikes Being Overprotected - Chapter 2.2

“I think if she receives warm care during this time of illness, she might recover a bit faster.”

“So you want me to take care of her?”

Kyron was still frigid.

“While you’ve been away, the Duchess has been guarding this huge mansion alone. Though she doesn’t express it, she must have been lonely inside. I think her emotional pain might have turned into physical illness. If she’s left alone even when she’s this sick, the Duchess will feel very lonely.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

Lia’s words were essentially saying that my health deterioration was Kyron’s fault.

To dare say such things in front of her master, she must have been prepared to die.

From this conversation, I could understand two things.

Thankfully, Lia liked me a lot, and in Lia’s eyes, I was pitifully unloved by my husband.

“A few months ago, when you were away on a journey for over a month, the Duchess caught a cold.”

“And?”

“At that time, the Duchess endured alone without anyone’s care except for us servants. I still vividly remember how she suffered.”

“The care from the servants should have been sufficient.”

In contrast to Lia’s impassioned voice, Kyron’s tone remained cold. It seemed like no one could break through his icy demeanor.

“But we alone couldn’t alleviate the loneliness in the Duchess’s heart.”

“And you think I can do that?”

Kyron’s retort sounded almost annoyed.

The conversation paused for a moment, and I couldn’t hear anything. After a brief silence, Lia spoke again.

“…The Duchess has never once resented you for being away from the mansion.”

Even if she says this, would Kyron even realize his coldness?

“Just this once… please stay by the Duchess’s side. At least until she wakes up, please be there…”

Lia’s voice was no longer trembling from nervousness. She was sobbing, desperately hoping her plea would be accepted.

“Your Grace, if we don’t leave now, it will be difficult to arrive as planned.”

The aide’s voice cut in as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.

But Kyron, perhaps angry at Lia, ignored the aide’s words.

“Are you servants not confident in properly taking care of my wife?”

“Th-that’s not it… There are things only you can provide, Master.”

“You mean the ‘loneliness in her heart’ that you just mentioned?”

His voice seemed to be getting irritated at the repetition of the same conversation.

“Y-yes…”

I was worried that Lia might be punished by him.

“Th-the Duchess would be happy just knowing that you took the time to stay by her side.”

“But we don’t know when she’ll wake up. It could take a day, three days, or even ten days.”

The aide interjected once again.

He had a point in pointing this out.

Having read the original story, I knew what journey Kyron was about to embark on.

According to the original, this trip was to persuade Marquis Meladin of the West.

Marquis Meladin was the real power controlling the West, and there were many supporters of the temple in the West. They could potentially become obstacles to the plan, so he was trying to win over the Marquis first.

They had already scheduled a meeting with the Marquis. If the departure is delayed, they might not even be able to have the meeting properly.

I naturally assumed that Kyron would leave as planned. However…

“…We still haven’t clearly found the cause of Ekette’s collapse.”

His following words were unexpected to me.

“The doctor said it wasn’t poison, but we can’t completely rule out the possibility that someone might have tampered with the food. We can’t rely solely on the judgment of one old doctor.”

Kyron was still considering the possibility that this wasn’t simply a case of health deterioration.

“If by any chance this was deliberately done by someone, it’s not an issue we can easily overlook. It could be a threat.”

The threat he was referring to was a threat towards Kyron himself. In the end, it could be a plot targeting the Duke.

“Th-that’s true, but still…”

“I’ll check everyone who entered the kitchen and the dining room today before leaving.”

Of course, he wouldn’t carelessly overlook anything that could be a threat to him. Targeting the Duchess is essentially the same as targeting the Duke.

Knowing well that this illness wasn’t any kind of plot, I found his speculation amusing.

Don’t waste time on unnecessary things and just leave already.

But I didn’t want to confirm my frailty with my own words, so I decided to pretend not to know.

“That will take time, Your Grace.”

“Postponing the schedule seems unavoidable.”

Kyron was a resolute person. Now that he’s detected danger, he won’t back down from his opinion.

Seizing this opportunity, Lia pleaded once again.

“Th-then, until the Duchess wakes up, or even for a short while, please stay by her side.”

I felt like crying at Lia’s desperation.

Kyron let out a small sigh.

“I’ll consider it.”

It seemed like an answer given out of exasperation at Lia’s persistence. Even though he answered like that, I didn’t have the slightest expectation that Kyron would stay by my side.

With his answer, the conversation finally ended. Then I heard Kyron’s footsteps moving away.

A little later, it became quiet outside my room. It was because those who had been talking in front of my room had left one by one.

Still, it was fortunate that Lia didn’t seem likely to be punished for blocking Kyron’s path.

Since she cared for me so much, it was natural that I was worried about her getting hurt too.

I could tolerate my husband ignoring me, but it would be hard to overlook him hurting my people.

I don’t expect him to treat me preciously, but I wish he wouldn’t touch the people precious to me.

If there was anything I wished for from my husband as a wife, that would be the only thing.

As I was thinking this, I fell asleep again, perhaps due to the effects of the medicine.

***

I woke up from my sleep.

Blink, blink. As I repeatedly closed and opened my eyes, my vision gradually cleared. It’s the same antique ceiling I saw earlier.

As my vision became clearer, the memory from earlier became vivid. The fact that the same symptoms as in my previous life had manifested.

“…I’m doomed.”

A bitter laugh escaped through my teeth.

Why can’t I escape from the shackles of that damn disease! Is this how my plans for a new life end?

“What do you mean you’re doomed?”

“…!”

Damn, what’s even more doomed was right here.

As I turned my gaze from the ceiling to the side, a large-framed man was sitting leaning on a chair next to the bed.

The man was looking down at me askew with his legs crossed.

Dark black hair, narrow eyes, and red irises. It’s Kyron.

“Why are you here…?”

As far as I knew, Kyron had never entered Ekette’s room before.

The combination of Ekette’s white-toned room and that big, dark man felt unfamiliar even to me, who had only been possessing her for one day.

This man who had never shown the slightest interest in Ekette couldn’t have waited out of concern for me.

Then I belatedly recalled the conversation I had heard when I briefly woke up earlier. Could it be… because of Lia’s request?

“Why didn’t you go?”

“I’m about to leave now.”

Thankfully, he says he’s leaving now.

“Ah, I see.”

Despite coughing up blood earlier, my physical condition was quite good. My head even felt refreshed.

“Go on, hurry.”