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Chapter : 16
“Your Highness!!!”
“Young Duke!!!”
It doesn’t hurt. If anything, this is more like…
Feeling the softness beneath her, Frisia blinked several times. Through her blurry vision, she saw Ron throw down his teacup and rush down the stairs. She also noticed the butler and maids hurrying over. Frisia slowly pushed herself up.
“Your Highness! Are you all right?”
Ron hurriedly caught her and lifted her into his arms. The moment Frisia was held against his chest, the butler and maids crowded around the place where she had been lying.
“Young Duke!! Are you all right?!”
“Young Duke! Please wake up!”
“Hurry and fetch the doctor! Bring the doctor at once!!”
Amid the frantic chaos, Hatz lay unconscious.
Still in Ron’s arms, Frisia returned to her bedroom. After laying her down, Ron left the room. The once-noisy first floor had already grown quiet. Everyone had gone up to the third floor, where Hatz’s room was. After checking the situation and seeing the doctor arrive and enter Hatz’s room, Ron came back.
Two or three hours passed in the blink of an eye. Frisia, who hadn’t been injured at all, wore a dark expression.
“He’s not… dead, right?”
“Don’t worry. He just fainted for a moment.”
“Right?”
Ron stared at Frisia intently.
“I’m sorry to say this about the young duke, but from my perspective, I’m relieved that you weren’t hurt, Your Highness.”
“I’m really fine, but Hatz…”
“Why have you been doing such strange things since yesterday?”
“What did I do?”
Ron looked at Frisia—who shrugged her shoulders and widened her eyes—with an expressionless face.
“Do you know how worried the young duke was?”
“Worried about what?”
“This may sound rude, but last night you really looked like someone who’d lost her mind, Your Highness.”
“What?”
“In such a dangerous situation, how could you laugh?”
“Well, that was…”
Yeah, I was a bit strange. But it was because my situation was just so ridiculous and absurd.
“I was just starting to feel relieved today since you seemed fine, and then you suddenly talked about tumbling down the stairs.”
“That was just me talking to myself. It was a total misunderstanding!”
“Yes, yes. I’m sure it was.”
He clearly didn’t believe her. After all, she had actually fallen right in front of him. But she really hadn’t meant to—how unfair.
Frisia deeply furrowed her brow.
She had thought about it, but she wasn’t stupid enough to actually try falling down the stairs. If that would’ve sent her back to reality, she’d have tried it long ago. Do you think she would’ve stopped at stairs? She’d have rolled down hills, fallen off rooftops—everything. She didn’t do it because she knew it wouldn’t work. She already knew she couldn’t go back…
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“About the young duke…”
“I know. I’ll go apologize when he wakes up. It’s my fault, right?”
“That’s not it.”
Ron tilted his head slightly to one side—a habit he had when deep in thought.
“What is it?”
“Could it be that the young duke…”
Ron trailed off, hesitating. He was grateful that Hatz had protected her, but Hatz had run forward and thrown himself in front of danger faster than anyone else. Watching that scene had left Ron’s thoughts in turmoil.
Because she’s his fiancée… was that reason enough to go that far? Or was it…
Just as Frisia was waiting for him to continue—
Knock, knock. A maid opened the door.
“Your Highness, the young duke is asking for you.”
“He’s awake?”
“Yes.”
Frisia headed to Hatz’s bedroom with Ron. When they arrived, the butler stopped his conversation with the doctor and greeted them. Soon after, the doctor went downstairs. Ron opened the door to Hatz’s room. Frisia hesitated, peeking inside through the gap.
And then—
“Come in, Frisia.”
Hatz gently called her name. Thanks to that, she naturally stepped into the room. As soon as she entered, Ron closed the door from outside.
Click.
The sound of the door closing made Frisia feel heat rush through her body as she looked at Hatz.
Her heart felt like it dropped.
It was her first time seeing Hatz dressed so lightly. He sat on the bed wearing a white shirt with the top two buttons undone. He was always impeccably dressed in uniform, so this look was unfamiliar—almost startling.
His slightly paler complexion only emphasized his sharp features. His black hair, tousled and unkempt, made his jawline look even sharper and completely stole Frisia’s gaze.
Isn’t this… way too sexy?!
Now she understood what it meant for a man to be sexy. No explanation was needed. The Hatz before her was exactly that. People said you could get a nosebleed if you got too excited—Frisia felt that might actually happen. Like a double nosebleed.
Thankfully, it didn’t happen, but she covered her mouth and nose and walked closer. That was when she noticed it: the bandage wrapped around Hatz’s left hand.
“Your hand…! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Seeing Frisia’s eyes widen in shock, Hatz answered with a slight smirk.
“What’s with the bandage? Don’t tell me it’s broken?”
“No. I just sprained it a bit.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It’s not serious enough for you to cover your mouth and worry like that. Don’t mind it.”
“……”
That’s not why I was covering my face. Frisia slowly lowered her hand.
“What about you? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Your face looks hot.”
Hatz tilted his head playfully to the left and stared straight at her.
Stop flirting, you idiot!
As if dyed by his red eyes, Frisia’s cheeks grew redder by the second.
“I’m totally fine! And I’m sor—”
“…?”
“I’m sorry.”
Frisia bowed her head while looking at his hand. Even if he could manage daily life, it was bound to be inconvenient in many ways. Images of documents piled on his desk and his busy schedule flashed through her mind. She felt like she’d caused him trouble.
“That doesn’t sound like an apology.”
“Huh?”
“No. Never mind.”
Hatz chuckled softly again. Frisia thought he might say “thank you,” but he didn’t.
Knock, knock. A maid entered with a tray.
“Young Duke, I brought some soup. The doctor said you took painkillers on an empty stomach, so you should soothe it…”
“Leave it and go.”
The tray was placed on the side table next to the bed. The maid backed out slowly and closed the door. Just before it shut, Frisia glanced into the hallway but didn’t see Ron. The door closed completely, and silence filled the room. The awkwardness was palpable.
I’ve greeted him, so maybe I should leave soon…
As Frisia stared at the closed door, she noticed Hatz staring intently at the soup. Then his gaze shifted to her. She blinked.
What’s with that look? Don’t tell me he wants me to feed him?
She forced a smile, but Hatz continued to stare. Fidgeting with her fingers and avoiding his eyes, Frisia took a step back.
“Hatz, I should go now—”
“I usually use my right hand when I can.”
Oh no.
“But when I eat, I use my left.”
So he does want me to feed him?!
“Well, I could eat with my right hand, but I’d probably spill everything.”
Silence fell again. It wasn’t the first time they’d been alone together, but the setting made it worse. The stillness of the bedroom was enough to make her break out in a cold sweat.
Feeling pressured, Frisia stepped forward again and slowly picked up the tray.
“I-I will.”
“You’re going to feed me?”
You told me to!
At Hatz’s shameless expression, Frisia smiled even more shamelessly.
“Of course. I’ll feed you myself. Now hurry and say ‘ah.’”
If she had to do it anyway, better to get it over with and leave.
“I didn’t think you’d actually do it…”
Hatz muttered quietly. After hesitating, he slowly opened his mouth. Frisia scooped up a spoonful of soup and fed him.
But then… Hatz’s face gradually began to contort.
“What’s wrong? Is it bad?”
Without answering, he squeezed his eyes shut in pain. Even his ears turned bright red.
Is it really that bad? There’s no way—the chef is top-class, and he’s eaten it just fine before. Worried, Frisia took a spoonful herself.
“It’s hooot!!”
It was scorching hot. Steam was still rising from it. Since she hadn’t touched the bowl directly, she hadn’t realized how hot it was.
She quickly set the bowl down and handed Hatz some water. Unable to speak, he gulped it down.
And this situation was just too…
“A-Are you okay?”
“…Yeah.”
“Uhk—th-this is… no, I mean… you should’ve said something if it was hot…”
“……?”
Her hands trembled as she held the cup.
“Y-you really should say something if it’s hot… seriously…”
“Are you laughing?”
“Well, it’s just… you were so—pfft—hahaha!”
She burst out laughing.
Why did he endure it when it was that hot? Out of embarrassment? Pride?
Seeing Hatz flustered made it even funnier, and she laughed until tears came out. After staring at her in a daze for a while, Hatz finally turned his head away.
“I’m not eating.”
“Pfft. I’m sorry.”
“……”
He was sulking.
Clearly, it was her fault. He’d endured the heat out of pride, and she laughed right in front of him. Frisia coaxed him with the soup he refused, but eventually lost her temper.
“If you don’t eat now, I’ll never feed you again!”
“…I’ll eat.”
Surprisingly, Hatz nodded right away. After feeding him the entire bowl, Frisia left his room with the empty dish and told Ron everything.
“Haaah…”
Ron let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
Late that night, while Frisia was fast asleep, someone shook her.
“…Your Highness… Princess…”
Two maids stood by her bed, calling her.
“…What is it? At this hour?”
It was still completely dark outside.
“We’re truly, truly sorry. The young duke has a fever…”
“Yawn. Then just give him some fever medicine.”
“Well… he’s asking for you, Your Highness…”
“…What?”
From then on, Frisia went back and forth to Hatz’s bedroom several times before dawn. Hatz, who suffered all night, finally calmed down near morning. Meanwhile, dark circles formed under Frisia’s eyes. She was in terrible condition. Only after watching the sun rise and chase away the darkness did both Hatz and Frisia finally fall asleep.
“Your Highness?”
“Oh, Ron! Perfect timing. Can you hand me that ribbon?”
“Why are you doing that again?!”
“Why else? Because of Hatz.”
Ron’s expression darkened because Frisia was once again wearing a maid’s uniform.
Frisia realized at dawn: Hatz was going to use her while he was sick. Even with his arm swollen and in pain, he wouldn’t let go of her hand. Even while the maids applied medicine, he held her hand. Even when the butler wiped his cold sweat, he still held her hand.
All Frisia did throughout the night was hold his hand whenever he was in pain. Whatever his intention, she was certain Hatz would keep bothering her while he was sick.
“Here.”
Ron handed her a blue ribbon from the shelf. Frisia tightly tied her hair back.
I need to get Hatz better as quickly as possible!
With that firm resolve, she was about to leave the room with Ron when loud noises came from the first-floor lobby. Suddenly, all the butlers and maids rushed downstairs.
“What’s going on?”
“No idea. Maybe there’s a guest?”
Ron and Frisia also went down to the lobby—and froze.
“D-Duke?!”
