—


  Confusion filled me. No, wait, don’t tell me I was a damn embarrassment with a runny nose, in front of my husband’s friend- ah, thank god, it wasn’t a runny nose. The liquid dripping down my chin was dark red.

  It’s not snot, but a nosebleed- why all of a sudden?!

  Even if I was in bad shape because of my yearly sickness, I’d never been like this before.

  “Oh…… “


  “M-My Lady, are you alright?”


  No, I’m so confused that I don’t know what to do.

  Just when I was acting like a huge fan, I got a bloody nose.

  I tried to stem the blood flowing from my hands by raising the back of my hand reflexively, but my head felt dizzy.

  Someone quickly grabbed my drooping shoulder.

  “You……”


  Izek, who stretched out his bulky arm over the stone wall, suddenly paused and frowned.

  Look, you stubborn b*stard, I’m fine with your rude behaviour, but there’s no way I can get a nosebleed on purpose.

  “Why are you so hot?”


  Huh? Hot? Me? That can’t be true.

  I’m in the middle of my yearly sickness and a lot of pain, but others could never feel it. It was a phenomenon that I often experienced, although the heat that seemed to be burning and poking my whole body like needles, became worse than before. It was the first time I had a nosebleed, but I think my fanatic acting had reached that stage.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to look like this on purpose.”


  He cut off my words, in spite of my embarrassment. His red eyes had an unfamiliar glow like before.

  “Who are you here with?”


  “Of course, I came alone……”


  “I’m about to go crazy. You came out alone like this?”


  I felt dizzy again because my body was lifted into the air. Izek put his hand under my armpit and hugged me tightly, as if he were carrying some kind of sack.

  Ah, the chick in the eagle’s claw must have felt just like me.

  I wanted to ask him to let me get off, but I held it in because I thought he’d throw me down.

  Sir Ivan’s light-green eyes had a serious look, as he hurriedly handed over his handkerchief, “My Lady, who went to call for a physician?”


  No one would have gone even if I had asked.

  (T/N: Gosh, I felt so bad translating this part……my heart breaks for her.)

  “It’s not something worth calling the physician for. I’m sorry, the sunlight was too harsh, and I became dizzy.”


  “Ivan, give me your handkerchief.”


  “Which one?”


  “It doesn’t matter- damn it, she’s boiling.”


  “No sh*t…… I’m sorry, my lady. Hey, since when has she been living in your house? Does it make sense that nobody knew until this point?”


  It did make sense. This sickness was an unusual one, that showed no symptoms.

  Even professional physicians thought it was just a side effect that came because I overworked my body. But now, my husband is telling me that I’m as hot as a pot.

  It was both confusing and intriguing.

  And my head spun. As my vision faded, my body soon grew limp in his arms.

  “.……Huu……huuu.”


  A strange noise entered my ears. When I opened my eyes, I saw familiar canopy decorations. I got up.

  I was lying alone in my bedroom in Omerta Castle. A fireplace with green flames crackled warmly.

  What had happened?

  I fumbled through vague memories. Everything that happened from when I woke up, visiting the port of Elmos by myself……it all felt like a dream.

  I pulled back the curtains and looked out the window, and I couldn’t tell if it was dawn or sunset.

  The symptoms of my sickness had already disappeared, but I was heavy-headed and thirsty.

  The moment I came down from the bed and approached the bottle of water on the table–


  “.……huu……huuuuu.”


  The sound of sobbing.

  The sound of a woman sobbing made my breathing halt.

  I didn’t know where it was coming from. It was probably nearby. Since it sounded as if the person was right outside the door, I walked and opened it. But no one was there.

  “.……huuu……”


  It was a rather sad, heartbreaking cry. Who was crying? Was it Ellenia? Or the maid? I crept along the direction of the sound as if I were possessed. Bright lights were emitting from the end of a long hallway covered with darkness.

  There was no way the maid would cry hiding there, was it Ellenia? Did something bad happen?

  “Anyway, for the time being…… my lady?”


  I blinked, my hands stuck on the wall.

  No one was crying in the bright hall leading up the stairs. All that could be seen was a strange man and my husband, who looked even more dangerous at night.

  There was a moment of silence.

  While I was rummaging through excuses in my confused mind, and choosing an appropriate one, the two stared at me as if my appearance was somewhat unexpected.

  My husband is always the same. Stoic. But why was that stranger staring at me like that?

  “.……My lady, are you okay?”


  Thank you for asking. I know I look kind of bad.

  As I was about to nod my head with a smile, Izek, who was looking this way, approached me slowly.

  He came so suddenly that I blurted out while shrugging my shoulders,”I’m sorry, but someone keeps crying……”


  “What?”


  “I heard someone crying, so I was worried that it was Ellen.” Izek looked down at me again, only to exchange glances with the stranger.

  It looks like he had decided I was selling drugs.

  “Nobody cried.”


  No, I’m sure it was there until a while ago…… Why can’t I hear any more of the crying? What a perfect time to stop.

  “Well, I’m not lying to you, I’m sure a while ago……”


  “I didn’t say you were lying.” He spat out in a sharp tone.

  You’re right, but are you aware that your argument is contradictory to your previous statement?

  “Oh, right…… Sergei, you need to leave.”


  “Yes, then I’ll come back in the afternoon. I’ll see you later, my lady.”


  Sergei, the stranger, seemed to be a doctor.

  I also tried to greet him nicely, but my husband interrupted me.

  As my feet lifted off the floor, my head grew light and deja vu hit me, “You’re too big……”


  “.……”


  “Did I just get a nosebleed?”


  “.……not just now, but three days ago too.”


  “That can’t be true…… ah, I’m heavy, so drop me off.”


  “You must have a high fever.”


  High fever?

  I moved my arms around his thick neck and he flinched as if he had been burned.

  So rude.

  “I’m sorry to keep bothering you. Please don’t hate me.”


  “I thought Ellen was crying……”


  “Ellen doesn’t cry.”


  “Yes, she’s not like me. She’s good, though.”


  “What the……hoo, there you go.”


  That’s what you call good acting. I clicked my tongue briefly and grinned at the side view of the man who put me down on the bed.

  Red ruby-like eyes were gazing at me with a strange light in them.

  “You.”


  “What?”


  “.……no, I’ll talk to you later.”


  He still remained the same.

  That’s how my husband just left the room.

  The door shut softly.

  But I couldn’t hear any footsteps.

  While I was half-asleep, my ears pricked up, and a sigh sounded a little later, with a thud. As if something had hit the wall lightly.

  What was that? I didn’t think he was hitting his head against the wall.

  What was he thinking? Standing there? Why wouldn’t he just walk away? It’s like he’s trying to catch a rat, but I have to thank the people here, who do nothing to make him go away.

  I was sick for about two more days after that.

  It wasn’t the yearly sickness, just a normal fever. The doctor, Sergei, was very kind, but he didn’t give a detailed answer to what I asked or explained my condition. It was unclear whether he was hiding something or not.

  However, he emphasized that I should eat well, saying that I am too skinny. Anyway, the conclusion that I could in this situation was that my yearly sickness and fever came at the same time. Since I fell into the pond the day before, it was natural for a fever to strike. So it explained why I suddenly had a nosebleed and Izek felt I was burning up. But why did I want to know the unknown cause? In addition to whatever happened, the attitude of the servants changed — they became polite, and I was not able to adapt well to that.

  “It’s a new porridge, ma’am. I ground the potatoes to make it more appetising.”


  Yes, what an honour. It’s already very hard to adjust to this, but I also have to smile brightly.

  Another disadvantage of being sick is that I had to be stuck in bed and take my meals.

  To make matters worse, Ellenia came to me every meal, so I couldn’t do anything about it secretly.

  My body temperature was already reducing. Everything should go back to normal.

  “I hope you don’t misunderstand that day.”


  “What?”


  “I just wanted to see him around lunch to discuss an old situation.”


  I slid the spoon down, scraping the porridge bowl. Ellenia was sitting upright in an armchair, her gaze fixed on my hand.

  “There is no misunderstanding, Ellen.”


  “I’ve heard about what happened recently. So…… “


  Only

  The popular beauty of the North, with her lips pressed together, fixed her unique red eyes on my face.

  Ellenia would be in the most trouble if there was a disturbance.

  Don’t worry, I don’t have any interest or time to waste on that.