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~Chapter 14~
“Ugh…”
After going to the training ground, Astia got sick.
Her body was already weak, and being outside for a long time made it worse.
The Rovellito Duke’s house was in a panic.
It was even more serious than when Havel visited.
Astia was very sick for two days and slept like she was passed out.
Now, she finally felt a little better.
[Miss… you should eat at least some thin soup.]
Annie and Emily took care of her the most.
Damian came to see her a lot, even though he was busy.
One day, Damian even stayed by her side all night while she slept.
She saw his face buried in the bed when she opened her eyes for a second.
‘Sigh. My body is a little better, but I have no strength. Should I exercise?’
Drinking Hineloti flower tea helped her feel less sick, but her body was still weak.
She only looked a bit healthier.
“Ugh…”
Astia frowned as she drank the flower tea beside her bed.
“It tastes bad…”
But even when sick, she couldn’t skip the tea!
The past few days felt like a nightmare.
“Pyu!”
“Ruby, I feel a little better now.”
Astia softly petted Ruby.
Even when she was unconscious, Ruby was always busy.
Sometimes when she woke up, he had put clover on her pillow,
and when she shivered from chills, he cuddled close and shared his warmth.
“Pyu pyu…”
“Thank you for staying with me. I really need to get stronger.
Maybe just walking in the garden isn’t enough?”
Because she hadn’t eaten for a while, she felt weak.
Astia took a chocolate cookie from the basket near her bed.
[Miss, we made these ourselves. Please get well soon!]
The basket was piled high with cookies and snacks they made just for her.
‘They taste amazing.’
Astia felt happy to be loved.
In her previous life, she was always sick alone.
“Pyu…”
“Are you giving that to me?”
Ruby dropped a clover from his mouth into Astia’s hand.
He looked so cute that Astia smiled brightly.
“Oh? It’s a four-leaf clover! Where did you get this?”
“Pyu!”
Ruby opened his red eyes wide and wiggled his body.
He must have found it in the garden.
Annie must have taken him outside for a bit.
“So cute…”
Just imagining Ruby bringing her the clover made Astia smile.
No other rabbit in the world was like him.
He brought her a four-leaf clover to wish her good luck.
He had such a kind heart.
Rustle—
Suddenly, Astia heard someone outside her room.
She was playing with Ruby’s paws and looked up.
“Hm? Annie? Or Sir Haron…?”
Maybe Annie was back after leaving to get a towel.
Or maybe Haron, who Damian called, was back.
“Ruby?”
But Ruby, who had been calm, suddenly made a sharp sound and ran to the door.
“Ruby!”
He darted through the slightly open door.
“Ah!”
“Pyu-uuu!”
Astia, still weak, sat on the bed and opened her mouth in surprise at the shout.
“Ruby!”
She heard Annie’s shocked voice in the hallway.
Astia quickly walked toward the noise, worried Ruby might attack Annie.
“You crazy rabbit!”
“Pyu!”
Carefully opening the door, Astia saw Ruby biting a man’s finger.
Annie looked shocked and helpless.
When Astia entered, everyone looked at her.
“Miss? You’re awake?”
Annie helped Astia stand, and Astia looked at the man.
It was Dice, the new servant she had worried about.
“Dice…?”
When Dice saw Astia, his face twisted up.
“Is this your rabbit, Miss? I was just walking in the hallway when it attacked— ow!”
“Really? Is that true? I saw you hanging around in front of her door,” Annie said, glaring.
Annie was holding a basket of snacks.
Astia nodded her head.
“The cookies were delicious. I feel a bit better.”
“That’s good, Miss. Should we take Ruby inside now?”
“Yeah, let’s do that. Wait. I want to hear what Dice says. Is it true?”
Astia’s cold question made Dice jump in protest.
“…I swear I’m innocent, Miss. I was just passing by—ow!”
Ruby bit Dice’s finger even harder than before.
Dice tried to pull Ruby off.
“Ruby, wait.”
Ruby’s eyes drooped at Astia’s words, but he jumped into her arms.
“Pyu-uuu…”
“I’ll believe you this time. But next time… don’t let this happen again.”
“Yes, thank you, Miss.”
Dice held his bleeding thumb and bowed.
He quickly put on his usual blank face.
“Well, I hope you get well soon, Miss.”
Dice left. Annie watched him go with a suspicious look.
“…I don’t like him.”
“Me neither.”
They agreed completely.
“Miss, I’ll keep a close watch on him. How dare he… around you…”
“Thanks.”
“You’re still sick, Miss. You should lie down!”
“Okay… But I want to walk outside…”
“You can, after you’re all better!”
Annie insisted, and Astia nodded.
Damian also ordered her to stay in bed.
Damian had a dream.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the Rovellito garden in spring.
Butterflies flew around, and birds sang. It was like heaven.
“Brother!”
He heard a cheerful voice in that dreamy place.
He turned and saw Astia in the middle of the garden, smiling and waving.
She wanted him to look her way.
Damian smiled back naturally.
Astia, looking older, shone like the sun.
He wished she would grow up like that in the future.
He took a step toward Astia.
Or tried to.
But his feet felt stuck, like he was in a swamp. He couldn’t move at all.
“Brother…”
Astia’s smiling face started to freeze.
Her smile disappeared, and her lips trembled.
Damian tried to ask what was wrong, or if she was sick,
but he couldn’t speak.
“Thank you…”
Astia said something that sounded important.
Right then, all the flowers started to fall from the trees.
The birds’ singing stopped.
Total silence.
In the quiet, Astia slowly opened her mouth.
“…I was happy.”
Her sad words made Damian try wildly to move.
He felt if he didn’t do something, she would be gone forever.
But he couldn’t take even one step.
He could only watch her helplessly.
“Let’s meet again someday, brother.”
Blood trickled from Astia’s lips.
“Aaaah!”
Her body trembled in pain and then fell apart.
That was the last thing Damian saw.
Damian felt a huge sense of loss.
The dream felt way too real.
‘Was that a nightmare…?’
Damian washed his face and thought about dying Astia from his dream.
It was a terrifying dream, like he was really there.
He knew he was getting more anxious because he still hadn’t found the cure.
He checked the time and called Orland.
Soon, Orland came in.
He saw Damian’s tired face and bowed his head.
“Did you have a nightmare, sir?”
“Yes. I dreamed Astia… died.”
“I’m sorry. But dreams are just dreams. Please don’t worry too much.”
“I wish I could do that.”
Damian sighed deeply.
He was afraid Astia might get sicker any minute.
That’s why he worked day and night to find the cure.
But there was still no news from the east,
and they didn’t even know what Astia’s illness was.
[Please trust me, Master. I will make the cure.]
Damian could only hold on to Adel’s promise.
He believed Adel would find the answer soon.
“Is Astia really getting better?”
“Yes, sir. I believe she’ll win against this.”
“…”
Damian grabbed his aching chest.
Negative feelings swirled inside, making it hard to handle.
He had felt this before—
the day he fought Haron with a wooden sword,
and saw the strange vision.
It was just like his dream.
Astia appeared,
and a man tried to use magic on her.
Damian used his aura to stop him, and almost caused a disaster.
Thankfully, it turned out okay.
But he couldn’t forget the voice and the man in his head.
“Sir, are you all right?”
Orland saw that Damian looked worried.
He could tell Damian was confused and upset, even though everyone called him the Iron-blooded Duke.
Damian would do anything for Astia.
“…I’m fine. Anyway, is Astia sleeping well now?”
“Yes. There was a little trouble, but it’s over now.”
“Trouble…?”
“The rabbit bit a servant, sir.”
“…That’s funny.”
Orland acted like it was nothing, and Damian smiled a little.
“I wish I could stay with Astia all day… But I can’t. There’s just so much work.”
“You’re doing great, sir. No one else could do all you do.”
“Yeah. Take care of Astia for me.”
“I’ll tell Annie, sir.”
Damian waved his hand tiredly, and Orland bowed and left.
Damian sat alone for a long time in the empty room,
lost in his confusing, painful feelings.
