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Chapter : 12
Another week passed after that.
My expectation that he would return within ten days had been wrong.
“Madam!! The Grand Duke has sent a letter!”
At last, after two weeks, I received a letter from Luciano. With a fluttering heart, I opened it.
[Are you keeping well, my lady?
The situation in the North has worsened, so it seems I won’t be able to return quickly.
I’m sorry, my lady.
—Luciano Winfoste—]
Reading his letter only made me worry more.
Even though Luciano—one of the Empire’s greatest swordmasters—had gone with a knight order known as the Empire’s finest, the situation was still deteriorating.
I didn’t want to worry, but I couldn’t help it.
“Casiya, call Ed for me.”
“Yes, Madam.”
I summoned Ed, thinking that as Luciano’s closest aide, he would know what was happening in the North.
“You called for me, Madam.”
“I received a letter from Luciano.”
“Yes, I am aware.”
“He said the situation in the North is getting worse. Do you know what’s going on?”
“For about a week, His Grace had the upper hand. However, another kingdom wary of the Empire sent reinforcements, and now he’s been pushed onto the defensive.”
“Then is the Empire not sending support?”
“That’s not the case. His Majesty the Emperor has dispatched the Third Knight Order to the North. We should soon receive news of victory.”
“I see. You may go now.”
Only then did I feel some of my anxiety lift.
I had known Luciano would be in danger, but hearing that reinforcements had been sent helped me steady myself.
As I was about to leave after speaking with Ed, Sera asked where I was going.
“Madam, where are you headed now?”
“To the reception room.”
While Luciano was away doing his duty, I decided to take perfect care of the territory he loved.
It was originally Estellin’s role in the original story, and since I was Estellin now, I felt I should fulfill my responsibilities properly.
‘That’s right. I’ll just do my job well!’
After doing this for two weeks, I’d reached the point where I felt anxious if I didn’t have work—like an overworked office employee.
“Madam, that concludes today’s work.”
“Already? Was there always this little?”
“It seems today’s workload is lighter because you pushed yourself so much earlier.”
“Is that so? Then I suppose I should rest.”
I hadn’t been feeling well for several days, and I couldn’t bring myself to do any more work, so I lay down on the bed.
“Ha… I’m exhausted.”
“Madam, shall we call a physician?”
“I’m fine.”
After dismissing the worried maids, I turned off the lights and tried to sleep.
My head kept aching, making it hard to fall asleep, but at some point, I drifted off.
When I woke up, it was already evening.
“Dinner is ready, Madam.”
“I don’t have much of an appetite today. Please clear it away.”
“But wouldn’t you like to eat at least a little?”
“It’s fine. Take it away.”
At my firm words, the maids removed the meal.
Feeling unwell, I skipped dinner and fell asleep again.
And so the same days repeated themselves.
“Madam!!”
“What is all this fuss about?”
“His Grace the Grand Duke has finally brought news of victory!”
It was the news I had been waiting for most over the past two weeks.
“Is it true?!”
“Of course! He’s just arrived in the capital.”
“Thank goodness…”
“It truly is wonderful. The entire Empire has been waiting for this victory. Everyone is filled with joy.”
“Make sure the Grand Ducal estate is perfectly prepared. Luciano must see everything in its best condition when he arrives.”
“Yes, Madam!”
My head hurt more than usual that day, and I felt feverish, but the news of his return made me work even harder.
“Madam, if you’re tired, you should go inside and rest.”
“I told you not to worry.”
“…Understood.”
At last, I saw Luciano and the knight order approaching from afar.
They arrived at the estate at great speed.
“I’m so glad you returned victorious, Luciano.”
“You’ve worked hard as well, my lady.”
Perhaps from lack of sleep and food during the war, Luciano looked gaunt and exhausted.
I tried not to concern myself with him, but seeing how thin he looked made my heart ache for no reason.
Just as I stepped closer to ask about his health, the world suddenly began to spin.
“Ah…!”
“My lady!”
Luciano caught me as I staggered, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah, yes… I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m a bit dizzy. Let’s go inside.”
Luciano and I carefully entered the mansion.
“You don’t look well, my lady.”
“I’m fine, Luciano.”
“But—”
“Please get some proper rest.”
Feeling burdened by his concern, I entered my room first.
“Ha… my head hurts.”
When I touched my forehead, it felt hot.
‘Have I been pushing myself too hard?’
I sat on the bed for a moment, but when I stood up, the world tilted and the floor rushed toward me.
‘Huh? No, this isn’t good…’
—Thud.
I knew I needed to get up, but my eyes closed instead, and I couldn’t move.
‘I need to get up…’
* * *
When Estellin still hadn’t come out by evening, Luciano felt something was wrong and went to her room.
“My lady!!!”
Only then did he see Estellin collapsed on the floor.
“Call the physician at once!!”
After confirming how hot her body was, he ordered a servant to fetch the doctor and carried her to the bed.
Seeing Estellin’s pale face, his mouth went dry, and the time until the physician arrived felt unbearably slow.
“Your Grace! The physician has arrived!”
The Grand Ducal physician rushed into the room.
“You summoned me, Your Grace!”
“My wife collapsed. Examine her immediately.”
The physician approached the bed and took Estellin’s pulse.
“How is it? Is it serious?”
After focusing for a while, the physician bowed his head.
“It is due to severe overwork combined with lack of sleep.”
“Overwork and lack of sleep…”
Luciano spoke in a low voice, then turned to Ed.
“Explain this. Ed.”
Ed, who had been observing from behind, reported the events in an uneasy tone.
“While Your Grace was away on the campaign, Madam took on an excessive workload… I sincerely apologize. This is my failure.”
Hearing this, Luciano’s chest tightened with guilt.
“We’ll decide how to handle this later.”
His gaze returned to Estellin.
Her face was deathly pale, and she was breathing shallowly.
“It will take some time before she regains consciousness. Even after she wakes, overwork is strictly forbidden. Only rest and stability will help her recover.”
The physician gave his instructions.
“I understand. Leave any medicine that may help her.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Even after everyone left, Luciano remained by Estellin’s side.
‘She perfectly managed the territory while I was gone.’
It was unlike her.
She had always been someone who enjoyed noble privileges without fulfilling her duties—yet she had overworked herself managing the territory. It didn’t make sense.
“Ha… I don’t know anymore.”
Luciano quietly placed a cool, damp cloth on Estellin’s forehead.
Perhaps because of the coolness, she flinched slightly, then began breathing more comfortably.
“Sleep well, my lady.”
* * *
When I slowly opened my eyes, it was already night.
I had no sense of how long I’d been unconscious.
“Mm…”
“My lady! You’re awake?!”
At Luciano’s voice, I turned my head and saw him sitting in a chair beside the bed.
I was startled by his unexpected presence.
“Luciano? How long was I asleep?”
“Five days. You were unconscious due to overwork and lack of sleep.”
“Me? That can’t be…”
“Until you fully recover, the work you were handling will be managed by Ed and me. Please focus solely on your recovery.”
“But I want to do my work too, Luciano!”
“Not now. Your duty is to recover.”
Luciano was firm.
I felt well enough to work, but clearly, he didn’t think so.
“…All right.”
After Luciano left to attend to his duties, I lay back down.
“Madam, may we come in?”
“Come in.”
The maids entered and gathered around the bed.
“We were so worried, Madam!”
“Were you the ones taking care of me?”
“No. His Grace personally tended to you.”
“Luciano did?”
“Yes. He stayed by your side for five days.”
“I never expected that of him.”
I kept being surprised by the unexpected sides of Luciano.
‘Why is he suddenly like this?’
He had given me authority over internal affairs—something he never would have done before—and was even preparing to establish the orphanage I had requested.
‘This just makes me hope for more.’
“Anyway, Madam! From now on, you must rest properly!”
“All right, don’t worry so much.”
Surrounded by the maids’ concern, I rested deeply.
Just like when I had first possessed this body, I had nothing to do.
I stayed in bed and took the medicine prescribed by the physician.
‘I feel like I’ve fully recovered by now.’
I asked Luciano if I could resume work, but his answer was still no.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Please rest a little longer.”
“I’m really fine.”
“Just three more days. Please.”
“…All right.”
Unable to refuse him, I rested for another three days.
After those three days, I was finally able to return to work.
“This desk and this seat feel so unfamiliar.”
With renewed determination, I sat down and began working again.
“The orphanage project is moving incredibly fast?”
I never expected it to progress this quickly—it was already in the construction preparation stage.
Luciano was even more impressive than I’d imagined.
“Madam, winter is approaching.”
“So much time has already passed.”
Looking out the window, I saw leaves falling.
“It’ll be very cold in winter, won’t it?”
“Yes. But this time, we’ll prepare perfectly so no one suffers from the cold.”
Winter preparations should have been completed earlier, but since I’d collapsed, they were delayed, so we needed to finish as quickly as possible.
“Oh, right! They say the Emperor and the Empress Consort’s night together has been postponed again.”
“Is that so?”
That was only natural. Khalid had eyes only for Lisianthus.
“The Empress Consort must be very hurt.”
“Perhaps. But everyone knows His Majesty dotes solely on the Empress.”
Even after the original story had begun, I sincerely hoped that Lisianthus and Khalid’s feelings for each other would never change.
“That’s enough talk for now. You may go. There’s much to do.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Though countless thoughts crossed my mind, I pushed them all aside and focused solely on my work.
