MDCHC 67

chapter 67

‘What the? That sword-crazed man looks downright thrilled just thinking about training, while I’m the only one worrying like this?’

A surge of irritation rose inside me. Come to think of it, Lord Winchester had been so obsessed with swordsmanship that he became the youngest Sword Master, and he was such a workaholic that he went out at dawn every day and only came home at night.

For someone who was always top of the class, exams might actually feel like something to look forward to. For me, who never experienced that, it just felt psychopathic—but I guess they have their own little world.

“Well. If it’s something truly necessary, you must do it. Since it’s Lord Winchester’s body, I’ll trust that Lord Winchester knows best what to do with it.”

The moment I said that, Lord Winchester’s lips, which had been slightly upturned, stiffened. He turned a serious face toward me.

His gaze said:

‘Why are you talking like that?’

“Why do you call me that?”

Hmm… So I had interpreted wrong. With his stiff expression, Lord Winchester asked me directly.

Well, at least I guessed the “why.”

“What do you mean, ‘call you that’?”

“Didn’t you just call me Lord Winchester?”

“Because you are Lord Winchester, I called you Lord Winchester.”

“Didn’t we agree not to call each other that, wife?”

He deliberately put extra emphasis on the word wife, as if to remind me of our agreement.

But honestly, I wasn’t in the mood…

“…Fine, dear.”

Yeah. My mood doesn’t matter. It’s not like we married because of feelings in the first place.

So I changed the address the way he wanted. His stiff face softened just a little. And seeing that made me feel even more sulky.

‘What, is being Captain of the Knights not enough—you have to play boss at home too? Ordering me to call you what you want? No flexibility whatsoever? What if I just don’t feel like calling you “dear”? Ugh, unbelievable!’

I gripped my fork tighter. The teenage rebelliousness I never got to express back then was now itching to finally see the world.

“Dear! From now on I’ll definitely! call you dear. Oh my! Dear, why is my salmon steak taking so long? Hello? Anyone there? Someone check the kitchen? Oh, dear! This isn’t going to delay our meal because of me, is it? Deaaaar~!”

There. Satisfied now?

I deliberately sprinkled “dear” into every nonsense phrase, then looked at him proudly, as if to say: Are you happy now, Mr. Win-dear-ster?

“……”

Wait… This isn’t what I expected.

I was sure my cheeky overuse would make him frown or give me that usual, silent, disapproving stare for being undignified.

But Lord Winchester actually looked… satisfied.

He was gazing at me with a faint but unmistakable smile. And I just stared back blankly, not knowing what on earth that smile meant.

“Madam, the salmon you were waiting for has arrived.”

The salmon cut in between us. Snapping out of it, I shifted back slightly so the maid could set the plate down before me.

But now, more than the salmon, the man sitting across from me had all my attention.

What’s with the smile again? What’s so funny, huh?

While Lord Winchester was being examined in the bedroom, I waited out in the corridor. Before, I’d stayed inside, but watching the doctor loosen his shirt at the chest had been too awkward.

“Not finished yet?”

Ethan, who had come to escort Lord Winchester, had been waiting downstairs. When he saw no sign of him, he finally came up to the second floor and asked me. I nodded, and he nodded back.

“……”
“……”

Silence flowed between us. I’d almost forgotten, but Ethan and I didn’t really get along. He’d always found me unpleasant, and I’d just let him.

We worked under the same Winchester banner, but our relationship was like colleagues in different departments who disapprove of each other’s work styles.

“Um… Countess Winchester?”

Wait, what? Why so polite all of a sudden? Until now it had always been “Excuse me,” or “Look here.” He clearly hated calling me Countess, didn’t he?

His voice was so soft and respectful that I stared at him in surprise. He even gave me a slightly awkward smile.

I couldn’t help but smile faintly back, but inside I was full of question marks.

“Does the poison the Captain drank have any side effects?”

Ah, so he’s concerned about his superior’s condition.

“The doctor said he’ll have numbness in his hands and feet for a while. And since his stomach isn’t fully recovered, he should stick to soft foods for the time being.”

“Then… what about hydrangea? Does it have side effects?”

After hearing about the Partitan poison’s side effects, Ethan asked another question.

“It causes stomachaches or vomiting, but he already threw up right after taking it, and it’s been several days now. There shouldn’t be any symptoms left.”

“I see…”

Even after my explanation, Ethan’s face remained troubled, full of doubt.

“Has Lord Winchester complained of any discomfort?”

I asked cautiously. At home, he never showed much, but maybe he was silently enduring something?

“As if he’d ever complain about something like that.”

“That’s true.”

For the first time, Ethan and I saw eye to eye. It almost felt like, if we kept going, we’d be sharing cozy gossip about Lord Winchester.

Not that there’s that much to gossip about him… but not that little either.

“Still, from what I’ve observed, he seems a bit… off lately. He doesn’t focus well, seems oddly irritable too.”

“Lord Winchester? Irritable?”

My eyes widened. The man’s emotional composure was so flawless I’d doubted whether Sword Masters had equanimity built into them. And he was… irritable?

“Not openly irritated, but… well, while working with him I noticed. He’ll suddenly space out while reading documents, frown mid-sparring, and the other day there was even a typo in the paperwork.”

That’s so trivial! For an ordinary person, that’s nothing unusual!

But Ethan looked genuinely grave, as if it were a major issue.

Now that I thought about it, I’d noticed little things like that at home too. I’d assumed he just wasn’t fully recovered, but maybe not?

“Come to think of it, a few days ago he did speak to me in a very, very, very slightly annoyed way. He’s never done that before.”

“About what? He usually doesn’t interfere with household matters.”

“Not about the house, but… about how I addressed him. He actually called me out for not saying ‘dear.’ Before, he never cared even when I didn’t.”

“Is he usually that sensitive about things like titles, ranks, or formalities?”

“Not really. He’s not the type to fuss over little things…”

“Really? Then maybe he just has an issue with me personally?”

I’d assumed it was because he was used to rigid military hierarchy, but Ethan’s denial made me sigh.

So, he just didn’t like the way I said things.

“A-ah, no! I don’t think that’s it at all.”

Ethan quickly waved his hands, denying it. Normally he treated me with utter indifference, but seeing me deflate right in front of him, he must have felt awkward leaving me like that.

“Lord Winchester doesn’t have a problem with you. Rather, he…”

“Were you waiting for me?”

Ethan was about to say something when Lord Winchester emerged from the room, cutting him off.

“For heaven’s sake! I told you to rest! Honestly!”

“I have been resting.”

“Do you even know what rest means? No work, lying down in bed, actually taking it easy.”

The doctor who came out with him started nagging again, killing any chance of continuing the conversation.

“Exactly. I’ve told you the same thing, but he simply won’t rest.”

“Let’s go, Ethan.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ethan, who had been about to join in the nagging, instantly went quiet and obediently followed him at a single word.

“Rather… what was he going to say next?”

I was left wondering what Ethan had meant to finish, but the person who could answer was already gone.