Vincent stared at her, pressing for an answer. His gaze was so heavy, so chilling, that even the physician beside her flinched.

“He mostly stays in the infirmary… that’s probably why you haven’t met him.”

Laila spoke slowly. Vincent raised a brow.

“Was he hired by my great aunt?”

His tone sharpened. Staff appointments belonged to the lady of the house and Laila Nelasidad had no authority over the household.

“…He’s someone who came with me from my family home.”

She hesitated, which was rare. Vincent’s frown deepened.

So—her person.

“Then?”

The meaning was clear: continue. For a moment, Laila’s expression dimmed almost as if she feared he might dismiss the man.

“Vincent, Eugene is truly skilled. I’d say he’s among the best in the Empire.”

“L-Lady Laila…”

The physician flushed faintly.

Vincent, on the other hand, looked ready to snap.

Judging by his demeanor, the man seemed inexperienced.

Unreliable.

Probably just some mediocre doctor pretending to be competent.

“Hah. At the end of the day, he’s still just a commoner.”

The sneer was sharp. Laila’s expression froze.

“Don’t say that.”

And then something unexpected happened.

“You shouldn’t speak like that… especially not to someone’s face.”

She stepped away from Vincent standing in front of Eugene, as if shielding him.

Her violet eyes, usually calm, had sunk into something unfamiliar.

Cold. Vincent froze. No matter how much humiliation she endured, she had never reacted like this.

Yet now for a commoner, a mere physician, she was angry.

“…Unbelievable.”

He let out a hollow laugh.

What was this situation?

His heart pounded violently.

His red eyes burned.

Laila kept glancing at Eugene, checking on him.

And that idiot, that soft-looking fool, just scratched his head, saying he was fine.

His round eyes made him look harmless or worse, simple.

That guy? Of all people…

Vincent’s expression darkened further.

She had a talent for making people feel like h*ll.

And because it was Laila who had always been silent the impact hit twice as hard.

‘When did it start?’

Laila Nelasidad had changed.

‘Or… had she always been like this?’

Vincent exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself.

For all the time they had spent together, an entire year, he realized he didn’t truly know her at all.

Maybe this was the first time he had really seen her.

But right now that realization meant nothing.

His thoughts turned chaotic, like ink spilled across paper.

Heat rushed to his head.

‘Even so…’

His teeth clenched.

His chest rose and fell as he swallowed back a curse.

The Loardy estate already had physicians.

So why bring a man from her family?

A male physician, no less?

Did she not understand what that implied?

That it could be taken as distrust toward the duchy’s own staff?

‘D*mn it.’

Emotion surged.

Vincent pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

The physician startled.

“Your Grace, the Lady—”

“Eugene.”

Laila shook her head slowly.

Her eyes told him to stay quiet.

And he obeyed immediately.

Again.

That silent exchange just between the two of them dragged Vincent’s mood straight to the ground.

“…Fine. Do whatever you want.”

He turned sharply.

This was absurd.

The way Laila acted you’d think that man was the Emperor’s personal physician.

“Vincent… are you angry?”

Her voice followed him, uncertain.

He glanced back.

She was looking at him confused.

“No.”

He frowned deeply.

“If this is how it’s going to be, don’t bother asking me next time.”

He walked away without another word.

Vincent shot the physician a sharp glare.

For some reason, his mood refused to settle.

Putting himself aside, what kind of wife shielded another man like that?

A strange sense of betrayal crept in, and Vincent clenched his fist so tightly his blood nearly stopped flowing.

Thud! Thud!

Heavy footsteps echoed as he stormed toward the stairs.

Each step rang loudly, almost threatening.

The noise reverberated through the estate, as if the whole building trembled.

Eugene was genuinely startled by the duke’s childish display.

That man… is the head of a great house?

And worse Lady Laila’s husband?

He had lived here for a year, yet this was his first time seeing the Duke of Loardy.

The man’s striking appearance certainly matched the title libertine of high society handsome, dazzling even.

But to another man, it meant little.

More than that Eugene couldn’t help but feel that he fell short of being worthy of Laila.

After all, Eugene had come to the Loardy household because of her.

Naturally, he found Vincent’s attitude unpleasant.

“Eugene, I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Laila spoke gently.

Eugene flinched and shook his head quickly.

“No, not at all. It’s true that I’m a commoner.”

He forced a cheerful tone.

Even so, Laila’s expression didn’t ease.

“I’m really fine, haha.”

Only after he smiled brightly did her violet eyes soften.

A warm, gentle light returned to them.

“That’s a relief. By the way, what did you need to see me for?”

Eugene blinked then remembered.

“Ah, right. I have a report on the research. Do you have time now?”

“Yes. Shall we go to the treatment room?”

“I’d appreciate that.”

He answered energetically, and the two moved on, leaving behind the earlier discomfort.

The treatment room greeted them with a familiar medicinal scent.

Shelves lined with herbs filled one side, while a separate space inside was arranged for Eugene’s research.

All of it had been prepared by Laila.

“It’s good, Eugene.”

She smiled softly as she sipped the warm tea he had prepared.

When their eyes met, Eugene’s neck grew hot.

Flustered, he cleared his throat and looked away.

“I-I’m glad.”

“Really? But Eugene, aren’t you overworking yourself lately? Your face…”

Laila looked surprised at his flushed appearance.

Eugene scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Ah, I just tend to run warm, haha. This is normal for me.”

“I see… that’s good, then.”

Just as she spoke her expression tightened slightly.

She pressed a hand to her head.

Eugene’s face immediately turned serious.

“Lady Laila!”

He rushed to her side.

The headaches had returned.

“I’m… fine.”

She raised a hand weakly.

Cold sweat formed on her forehead, and she looked strained.

“I’ve had a lot on my mind lately… it’s probably just temporary.”

“…Lady Laila.”

She didn’t need to hide it in front of him.

Yet she still pretended to be fine.

“If you’re okay… could you prepare some medicine?”

Even now, she forced herself to sound normal.

Eugene’s expression hardened with resolve.

He quickly gathered herbs from the shelf.

“It’ll be a strong dose.”

He crushed the ingredients and handed it to her.

Laila drank the bitter liquid in one go.

“…It’s bitter.”

She commented simply.

Eugene looked around awkwardly, as if searching for something sweet.

If only there had been candy.

As if reading his thoughts, Laila rustled through her dress and took out a piece of candy.

“Still… it works better than anything I’ve tried.”

Rolling the candy in her mouth, she smiled faintly.

Her expression had eased somewhat.

Relieved, Eugene smiled awkwardly.

“It’s just a small skill, really.”

“That’s not true.”

Laila shook her head firmly.

“There’s nothing better than the medicine you make. So don’t be overly modest.”

“L-Lady Laila…”

It was too much praise.

Enough to make his face flush all over again.

“Thank you.”

He gave a shy smile.
The greatest physician alive was the noble-born scholar Atrusia Neskeu, widely regarded as the most remarkable doctor across the continent. Compared to someone like that, Eugene often felt that the way Laila treated him was far too generous. From the very first moment they met, she had addressed him with respect and courtesy.

“……”

Slowly, he recalled what had happened a year ago.

The day he first met her it had been a day that swung between h*ll and heaven.

There was no other way to describe it.

Disaster had struck without warning, falling upon him and his siblings who lived in the outskirts of the slums.

As far back as he could remember, Eugene had grown up in poverty. Not far from their settlement lay a forest, and he had practically lived there, gathering medicinal herbs to support his two younger siblings.

Finding a medical text had been nothing short of a miracle.

He mastered its contents, learned how to combine herbs, and soon people from the slums began to seek him out whenever they fell ill. Though he hadn’t realized it at the time, he had a natural talent for medicine and preparation.

‘This is the place? The rats who’ve been bleeding me dry actually live here?’

But reality was cruel.
Men from the underworld stormed in, demanding repayment for the gambling debts his father had left behind. His younger siblings were on the verge of being sold into slavery and if things went wrong, he would have been dragged along with them.

In the midst of that despair, she appeared.

Laila not only paid off a debt he could never have repaid in his lifetime, but also recognized his talent and offered to support him. She was nothing short of a benefactor to him.

“…I should be the one thanking you.”

Eugene spoke slowly. To someone as lowly as him, Laila was like a single ray of light.