IACGD 13

Chapter 13

By tomorrow, there was a sense of anticipation throughout the castle that the grand duchess could finally be examined and treated.

“When the doctor comes, he’ll check us too.”
“Really? Why now? You didn’t usually pay much attention to the servants.”
“I don’t know. I heard he dined with an outsider… maybe that had some influence?”
“Oh, that flashy woman?”
“How did she manage to get close to His Highness? She rarely even leaves her room.”

The servants whispered among themselves.

“Seems like they have too much free time,” Ruby remarked.
“Ah! H-Housekeeper!”
“When the doctor arrives, make sure no corner is left cold. Even someone healthy from the capital can catch a cold in the North.”
“Yes, of course! Don’t worry!”

Housekeeper Ruby calmly managed the servants. They didn’t know the real reason why the estate was freezing. They had merely signed a vow to keep what happened here a secret, and that was all. That’s why they could talk like that. After all, they couldn’t know what kind of person Clémen was to His Highness.

Ruby exhaled lightly and busied herself with her duties.

‘Clémen must have been here.’

There were areas in the castle noticeably warmer than others. Wherever Clémen had stayed, even briefly, the air seemed different.

‘Good, she seems to be adjusting well. Hmm… maybe I should bring back Laura and Rudo soon.’

A new presence had arrived in the usually consistent northern castle, creating a sense of unfamiliarity. She hadn’t allowed the twins to go to the duke’s castle, fearing what might happen.

“There’s a monster in the castle! My stove is in danger! You have to watch over me!”
“Lu, wait… the stove…”

Even Lu, who rarely caused trouble, pretended to follow Clémen to chase the “monster.” It was troublesome, but by now, it seemed safe enough to bring them along.

‘Hmm…’

He remembered the children who had previously demanded to fight monsters in front of others. It was nerve-wracking. Luckily, His Highness had been lenient with them; without his mercy, they would have faced punishment.

Still, there was one reason for occasionally bringing the children:

‘His Highness seems to like children.’

That was often reflected in the gazes felt inside the building. Similar to how he secretly watched a kitten from afar, afraid of startling it. But her lovable little rascals seemed different…

‘….’

Stop thinking. Back to work.

The next day, prepared under Ruby’s guidance to welcome distinguished guests, the doctor arrived.

Cold and composed in expression and precise in movement, he looked more like a knight than a physician at first glance.

He spoke only as necessary, examined the grand duchess, then turned to look at Rosia.

“I didn’t expect to see this illness in the North.”
“Do you know this disease?”

Rosia asked, brimming with hope.

“Yes, it’s common in the South.”

Starting with the disease’s name—Cactus Flower—the doctor’s explanation matched what Clémen had told her.

“Th-then you must also know the cure, right?”

Yet the doctor’s answer did not come easily. Rosia’s hopeful expression gradually stiffened.

“The medicine will be difficult to obtain.”
“M-Money, I’ll pay any amount—”
“Money isn’t the issue.”

Whoosh, clatter!

The windows rattled as a snowstorm and fierce wind swept through the castle.

“The grand duchess’s condition has already progressed considerably.”
“Th-then I, um…”

Rosia’s mind went blank.

“I cannot guarantee she will survive the time it takes to obtain the herbs.”
“How long… will it take?”
“That, too, is uncertain.”

The only herb that could cure the Cactus Flower: Rababa.

Rababa couldn’t be cultivated—it only grew in the lava plains, at the southernmost tip of the continent. Even if obtained, the extreme cold of the North would render it unusable. Transporting it was almost impossible, and merchants rarely dealt with it.

“Even if we manage to get it from the lava plains, a little cold will make it useless.”

Rababa was that temperature-sensitive. Otherwise, cultivation would have been possible.

“All of this must be done within a week. Can it be done?”

The doctor remained impassive. Seeing someone in the North with a southern disease was briefly interesting, but since there was nothing he could do, his curiosity faded. He glanced at Rosia, silently asking how she would handle the situation.

Rosia’s heart sank at his indifferent gaze. Biting her lip until it bled, despair took over.

Familiar.

This situation… wasn’t new. Zephyrus had been cursed, the previous duke had gone missing, and now the grand duchess was gravely ill.

It felt like falling from the sky, but it was no different than before.

Steeling herself, Rosia took the herb’s description and name from the doctor.

“You’re a doctor. Even if it’s not a week, I’ll get it within two weeks. Save her by any means.”
“I am a doctor, not a god.”

Rosia glared, and the doctor shrugged, confident that she could do nothing about his actions. She thought: once the grand duchess recovers, I’ll wrap this doctor up and toss him outside—he must be saved just before freezing!

“Do it properly. Sie, I’m counting on you for Aunt’s care.”

She asked Sie to handle the aftermath and moved swiftly.

Sie then asked the doctor:

“Even though she eats and sleeps, is her condition really that critical?”
“She eats well?”

The doctor tilted his head, then checked the grand duchess’s fingertips again.

Cool. Yet for someone with this disease, her body was relatively warm.

‘I thought the illness would make her shiver uncontrollably, but she’s warm…’

Even in the desert sun, victims of Cactus Flower trembled to death. Sweet body odor signaled the final stage.

‘Yet her body isn’t cold…’

There must be a reason. Asking Sie, the answer came immediately:

“Ah, I have a guess. Clémen…”

A person whose body is much warmer than average—that’s normal for her. He seemed intrigued.

The doctor smirked.

“Could you let us meet her?”
“I’ll ask for her consent.”
“I’ll say it again—she must meet her.”

Sie hesitated, but the doctor emphasized once more:

“She might be the only person who can help the grand duchess endure this.”
“That person? Ah… because of her warmth?”
“We’ll know for sure once we see her.”

Although His Highness had prohibited a meeting between the doctor and Clémen, this was to save the grand duchess, so he would surely understand.

Unable to leave the grand duchess’s side, Sie asked the housekeeper to bring Clémen.

“Does it need to be immediately?”
“I’d like Clémen to visit right after lunch. Earlier than usual.”

Ruby had completed her urgent tasks in the morning and waited until lunch ended. She couldn’t disturb Clémen in the duke’s room.

Afterwards, she searched for Clémen, going up to the third floor.

She wasn’t there. Normally she would be cleaning the third floor at this time—was the information wrong? Puzzled, Ruby went down to the second floor.

Still not there. First floor, dining hall, annex, party hall.

Training grounds, garden, even the stables she couldn’t imagine Clémen going to.

She searched every corner, but she wasn’t there.

‘Maybe still in His Highness’s room?’

Ruby asked Knight Gwen to call Clémen to His Highness’s room.

“Yes! I’ll go! Just sneak a snack in later, please!”
“If there’s leftover food…”

Gwen hummed to himself as he headed to the duke’s room. He felt proud that they had grown close enough to spend time together outside meals.

‘Wait, is this… romantic feelings?’

Clémen was exotic, but certainly beautiful, so it wasn’t strange. Although there was a fiancée, they had never met. The other side had even called off the engagement.

He wasn’t sure what the grand duchess would think, but from Gwen’s perspective, a friend becoming a lover seemed acceptable. He approached with a mix of casual and fluttering excitement.