IMMCFC 26

 Chapter 26

“Who… exactly who told young master something like that?”

I tried to suppress my emotions so the child wouldn’t be startled, but my hands were still trembling.

If only Jaden had just been taking his medicine all this time. If he had just consistently taken it!

He wouldn’t have been so sick a few days ago. Not then, and not even before that.

I recalled the countless records of seizures and high fevers in his medical history.

He must have suffered so much.

Enduring unbearable fevers without even taking a fever reducer, crying alone countless times…

The thought that all that pain could have been avoided tore my heart to shreds.

Before worrying about dragon blood or anything else, Jaden was just a child. Only six years old.

So who on earth would say such cruel things to this boy?

The emotions I had held down churned violently inside me.

I swallowed my grief and anger as best as I could and placed my hands on Jaden’s small shoulders.

At the same time, I simply looked at him.

“…….”

Jaden’s lips trembled as if he didn’t know what to say.

He couldn’t meet my gaze easily, but finally murmured with watery eyes,

“……If you’re disappointed in me, you don’t have to come anymore.”

But the words the child said only tore my heart further.

“……If you’re disappointed in me, you don’t have to come anymore.”

Biting his lips to hold back his tears, Jaden snapped, and through my blurred vision, I saw Viola’s hardened expression.

Fear suddenly gripped him.

‘…I must have made Viola angry.’

Even when he got hurt because of me, she had never scolded him.

Viola, who always smiled warmly at him almost foolishly.

He had never seen her make a face like this.

But soon, Jaden resigned himself. Perhaps it was only natural.

Not only had he lied, but he had insisted he didn’t need medicine.

‘Of course I’m pathetic… That’s why she’s disappointed in me.’

His heart ached as if a dry rag were being wrung.

After pushing her away so much before, he now didn’t understand why he felt so sad thinking Viola really disliked him.

Even now…

Even now, if he reached out and held Viola, would she let him?

She was kind; maybe she’d give him one last chance.

Even if she said no, there was nothing he could do. Jaden didn’t know any other way.

But the words that came out of his mouth were the opposite of what his heart wanted to say.

“I don’t need it. Just leave me alone. You probably don’t even want to see me, so there’s no need to force yourself…!”

Then, in that instant, warm comfort miraculously wrapped around Jaden again.

“No, no. I’ve never been disappointed in you, young master.”

“Th-then…….”

I’m not leaving?

When Jaden nervously added, a reply came as if it needed no consideration.

“Of course not. Where would I go, leaving you behind?”

Relief almost made his legs give way. He clutched Viola’s clothes like they were a lifeline.

Viola looked into his eyes and spoke softly.

“Listen to me carefully. Young master, before anything else, you’re just a person.”

“……A person?”

It was a hard concept to understand.

Jaden had been dragon-blood from birth, and everyone always called him that. Yet Viola nodded and continued.

“Some people are tall, others short. Some have black hair, others brown. But young master… my hair is pink.”

She pointed to her hair and smiled.

“It’s not a common color, so does that mean I’m not a person because I’m different?”

Jaden shook his head frantically.

“Of course Viola is a person. That’s just a feature.”

But why? Why was Viola saying this? He struggled to understand.

Yet Viola continued as if it were the most natural thing.

“That’s right. Dragon blood is just a feature, too.”

“……What?”

“You’re just a person, young master. And a very cute and lovable one at that.”

He had never heard this before.

All the mentors and healers he had met so far treated him first and foremost as a dragon-blood, not as a person.

But why did Viola see him differently…?

Jaden, eyes swollen from crying, forced them open to see her expression.

When their gazes finally met, there was no doubt—her eyes were sincere, not a trace of falsehood in them.

‘…….’

He wanted to speak but his throat was tight. He could only move his lips slightly.

“Young master, I take my medicine immediately when I’m sick. Does that make me weak?”

“No! Viola is not weak!”

Jaden shouted desperately. How could anyone ask such a foolish question?

Viola was anything but weak.

She was, in fact… strong.

Straightforward, kind, stronger than anyone Jaden had ever known.

‘Of course, her body might be fragile. Her arms are so thin.’

Yet she was undeniably strong.

“But you said taking medicine makes one weak.”

“Even so, that’s not true!”

“Then it’s the same for you, young master. Taking medicine doesn’t make you weak.”

“……Huh?”

“This is just treatment. Everyone needs care when they’re sick.”

She softly added, stroking the back of Jaden’s hand.

“So you’ll take your medicine properly from now on, right?”

Her voice was clear. Jaden hesitated to answer.

Could he really trust her words? It was too sweet to believe outright.

But this time…

He wanted to be honest.

Jaden finally nodded.

“Okay…….”

Only then did she smile again, reassured.

After calming Jaden, who had been confused until the end, I left the bedroom with a troubled heart.

Pathetic… Taking medicine makes you weak…

‘Is that something a child should even say?’

Whoever said that, I would find out and I would not forgive them.

…But what if it wasn’t just one person?

‘My head hurts.’

Perhaps it was natural for Jaden to think this way.

People inherently saw dragon-blood as special and feared them.

But just because it was understandable didn’t mean it was right.

I couldn’t leave things as they were.

So I went straight to Cain’s office to report what had happened today.

“So, to summarize, Jaden hasn’t been taking his medicine all this time?”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s a child, so he might just dislike taking it… but…”

I took a breath and emphasized.

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

Even if it’s just speculation, it was better to report it than not.

“Let’s check it out.”

Fortunately, Cain took it seriously.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“No, it’s something I should do.”

Cain seemed about to call Conrad immediately.

“I’ll leave then……”

I exhaled in relief, thinking I could leave, when suddenly—

“Wait.”

Cain made eye contact and didn’t ring the bell; instead, he got up and approached me directly.

Before I could react, he grabbed my shoulder and turned me toward him.

Ah…? I opened my mouth in surprise at the sudden closeness.

Our faces were far too close.

Why… why is he doing this? But the question resolved itself quickly.

“Your tongue is blue. Did you take poison by any chance?”