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Chapter 35
“Uh… that’s true, but…” I flinched slightly, caught off guard, and Jayden tilted the corners of his eyes sharply, muttering in a sulky voice.
“Viola’s a know-it-all.”
Ugh. I couldn’t deny it.
Jayden was just too good at putting things into words—it was troublesome.
As expected, he was clever.
“Sigh, fine. Just don’t do that next time.”
“Understood! I’m sorry.”
“Now, promise me quickly.”
Jayden extended his pinky. I hooked mine with his, and the lips that had been pouting relaxed slightly, as if finally reassured.
“Anyway, give me the medicine already.”
“Okay. But before that, let me tell you, since it’s made from Gammjongcho (감종초), your heart might race a little after taking it, but it’s absolutely not dangerous, and I’ve made sure it’s safe—”
“I know, I know! I already know it’s safe!”
He grumbled like it was bothersome, somehow resembling a finicky little cat.
“Alright… here it is. Are you really sure you’re okay with this?”
Even as I handed him the medicine, I felt a little worried. I knew he had some aversion toward taking medicine.
Fortunately, the boy nodded cheerfully.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Really?”
“Viola said it’s fine.”
Taking the medicine, Jayden shut his eyes tightly, as if summoning courage, and swallowed it in one gulp.
“Done, I took it!”
His ruby-like eyes immediately turned to me, gleaming with pride. It was as if he expected praise…
‘Of course I have to praise him!’
You shouldn’t hold back praise for a good child.
“Well done, young master! You swallowed that all at once!”
“Really?”
I ruffled Jayden’s hair. His soft silver locks shifted under my hand.
“Of course! That was really brave! My goodness. Our young master is amazing, truly the best! Absolutely the coolest!”
Jayden, with his confident smile, suddenly gave me a displeased look, as if something was off.
“The praise is too much. Doesn’t feel sincere.”
Heh. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I mean it… it’s truly impressive.”
A tiny child swallowing a pill in one go—how remarkable.
‘I brought syrup just in case.’
Actually, not long ago, Jayden had asked for a regular pill instead of syrup.
“No need for syrup! I’m six years old! I’m not a kid! Give me a pill!”
I’d treated countless children in Heyron Village, but I’d never heard such a thing.
Jayden was a child who kept his word—it was admirable.
I sat beside him and began chatting gently, waiting for the medicine to take effect.
About thirty minutes passed.
“Young master, how are you feeling now?”
“Um… well…”
Jayden frowned slightly, looking anxious.
“I feel uneasy. Why is this happening? Did I do something wrong?”
He clutched my sleeve tightly.
Ah, I had a pretty good idea.
“Excuse me for a moment, young master.”
I placed my fingers gently on his neck.
Thump-thump. I felt his pulse in the carotid artery—it was faster than before he took the medicine.
Just as expected.
‘Seems like it’s the medicine.’
The pill, made from a mix of Gammjongcho and sharpleaf herbs, suppressed the dragon-like energy within him.
With the energy that normally ran wild subdued, his body reacted to the sudden change. That’s why his heart raced.
‘Once he gets used to it, he’ll be fine.’
In other words, this was a completely normal, temporary reaction.
Apparently, Jayden perceived the bodily change as anxiety.
‘That’s understandable.’
Normally, such things aren’t easy to recognize.
There was only one way to handle it.
Explain well and stay by his side.
“I told you earlier, your heart might race a little after taking the medicine. That’s all it is.”
“So I don’t need to worry?”
Jayden looked up at me with bright, shining eyes.
The once sharp-tongued boy had become so gentle.
I held his hand firmly.
“That’s actually a good sign. It means the medicine is working. Once you adapt, these symptoms will lessen…”
The most important part remained.
“It also means you, young master, won’t get sick like this anymore. You’ve worked hard all this time.”
“…Really?”
The boy’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Yes, really.”
I leaned in to quietly add a small note, like the fine print in a contract.
“You’ll need to continue taking it consistently, though.”
“…How long do I need to take it?”
Straightening his posture, Jayden asked seriously, his tiny hands trembling slightly.
‘He’s still anxious.’
Or maybe he was afraid he’d have to take it for a long time.
To ease his worry, I spoke in the gentlest tone I could manage.
“You’ll need to take it until your body fully grows.”
“How many years is that?”
“More than ten years. It’s a long time, but it passes surprisingly quickly—”
“Then you’ll stay with me until then?”
The question he wanted to ask seemed to have been in his mind all along, and he blurted it out anxiously.
Caught off guard, I froze for a moment.
Misreading my reaction, Jayden waved his hands and started explaining.
“No, no! If you’re not here, who would make my medicine? I don’t want to get sick from taking the wrong thing. And anyway, if you start something, you should take responsibility for it—”
Aaaah. I couldn’t resist anymore. I grabbed Jayden in a hug. How could I not love this adorable child…!
“W-Why all of a sudden…!”
He shouted in surprise, but didn’t resist at all. He didn’t seem to mind the hug either.
“So, you’ll keep making the medicine, right? Give me a straight answer!”
“Of course I’ll keep making it, always.”
After all, this had been part of my contract with Cain.
Even without that, I had no intention of leaving this child alone.
Finally, as I answered, Jayden’s lips twitched in a small smile.
“…I think this is good. I feel less anxious.”
“Is that so? I’ll stay with you until you feel calm today.”
“Okay.”
Another hour passed, then two hours.
Jayden held my hand the entire time, seemingly tireless.
“How do you feel now?”
“Uh… I don’t know. Still too anxious…”
Hmm. Strange.
His pulse was normal.
‘Maybe it’s just anxiety. Or perhaps he still has some lingering resistance to the medicine.’
Time had gone on longer than I expected, but I felt I needed to stay by his side today, just in case.
‘Melody… hmm.’
I had asked the servant to check on her, so by now she should have washed up and gone to sleep.
‘But this is the first time she’s sleeping without me… is it okay?’
She always clung to her mother at bedtime. I wondered if she was even covering herself with the blanket.
I couldn’t help worrying. I needed to check if she was sleeping safely.
“Young master, may I quickly go to the room?”
“Huh? Why…? My heart’s still racing…”
“I’ll just wash up and come back right away.”
“Alright then…”
Jayden’s face drooped slightly, but he quickly added, urging me.
“Hurry back!”
“Thank you!”
I hurried toward the room.
Melody looked around her room with a serious expression.
Here and there she looked.
‘Mom’s not here!’
Nooo!
Melody grabbed her head and collapsed onto the floor.
