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Chapter 02
“One year. You might live longer if you’re lucky… but as of now, you have only one year left.”
“……”
“My lady, what did the head physician say?”
“……”
“My lady?”
After Piril left the room, Litricia sat quietly with her eyes closed, leaving her hair in the hands of Allen, who was helping her dress.
“I should have realized it sooner. But it’s such a rare condition, with so few known cases… the diagnosis was delayed.”
She kept turning Piril’s words over and over in her mind.
“Your vision may suddenly blur, or you may feel nauseous.”
According to Piril, something like a ticking time bomb was growing in Litricia’s head.
And unfortunately, it was located in a very dangerous spot.
There was nothing current medicine could do about it.
In simple terms, it was an incurable disease. One so rare that not only had it not been studied, it didn’t even have a name. A completely unknown illness.
Just her luck.
That’s what Litricia thought.
In this empire, where magic was prevalent and money could fix almost any ailment…
Why, of all people, did she have to be the one to contract an illness that even magic couldn’t help with?
“You’ll gradually lose strength in your body. More and more often, you’ll be unable to move as you wish. Eventually…”
“Eventually?”
“You’ll probably last… about a year.”
‘…So I’ll die. In a year.’
Summarizing Piril’s overly delicate explanation into plain words, Litricia looked at the mirror in front of her.
The pale face reflected back looked surprisingly composed for someone who had just received a terminal diagnosis.
As she stared at her calm reflection, Litricia had a sudden thought.
Maybe she had already sensed it all along. Even if she hadn’t acknowledged it, some part of her must have instinctively known her time was limited.
She had been fainting more and more often, and the time it took to regain consciousness kept getting longer. A part of her had always feared that one day, she wouldn’t wake up again.
“I didn’t think those fears would become reality…”
At her muttered words, Allen’s leaf-green eyes widened in the mirror.
“What do you mean, my lady?”
Looking into Allen’s innocent, blinking eyes, Litricia quietly shook her head.
“…It’s nothing. Just talking to myself.”
“…?”
Allen tilted her head, not quite convinced by the vague answer.
Normally, someone in Allen’s position would have already been informed of Litricia’s condition.
But Litricia had asked Piril not to tell anyone just yet. She needed time to process everything.
So Allen, unaware of any of it, could only look on with a confused expression.
Of course, Allen would learn the truth eventually.
Litricia’s request to keep it secret would only last until Count Estar, currently away on business, returned to the estate.
“That won’t be possible, my lady. As the family’s head physician, I must inform the Count of your condition.”
Piril had looked at her with pity in his eyes, but his voice was firm.
Brushing his words from her ears, Litricia leaned back into her chair.
“By the way, my lady, how were your test results?”
“Same as always. Nothing unusual. I told you Piril didn’t need to be called. I always wake up eventually.”
“My lady!”
Allen looked close to tears at Litricia’s dismissive tone.
She gripped the comb tightly in her hand.
“At least I’m glad you’re not seriously hurt. But… my lady, shouldn’t you skip tonight’s banquet? You’ve only just regained consciousness…”
“I’m fine, Allen. It’s not the kind of banquet I can just cancel on.”
“But…”
“Allen. Please finish quickly. We’ll be late at this rate.”
“…Yes, my lady.”
At Litricia’s firm words, Allen’s eyes drooped, looking crestfallen.
Allen, like Piril, was an unusual girl.
She could’ve just treated Litricia like she didn’t exist, like the other servants did. But instead, she always worried over her like this.
‘So kind, honestly.’
As she felt Allen gently placing fresh flowers in her hair, Litricia called to her again.
“Allen, you’re quite talented, aren’t you?”
“Sorry? Me?”
“I heard you’re good at sewing, and you’re handy in the kitchen too.”
“Oh, my lady… that’s embarrassing.”
Allen blushed, freckles and all, at the sudden praise.
Seeing her so full of life, Litricia smiled faintly.
“You’re diligent, too. I’m sure you’ll be welcomed wherever you go. Is there anywhere you’d like to work?”
“M-my lady, why would you say that? It sounds like you’re trying to send me away…”
“I am.”
“W-what? Did I do something wrong? If so, just tell me, and I’ll fix it…”
“It’s not that, Allen. It’s just…”
Leaving the stunned Allen behind, Litricia stood up.
“You know my brother will inherit the family title soon. When that happens, I’ll have to leave this house. So I thought you should start thinking about where you might want to go.”
It wasn’t a lie.
Ever since Litricia had first arrived at the estate, Isis had made it clear: ‘Once I become the family head, you’re the first one I’m kicking out.’
Though the day he’d actually take over was still a long way off…
‘It’s something I would’ve said eventually anyway. Might as well say it now.’
Pressing her temples, Litricia told Allen to think about it, then quietly grabbed the medicine bottles Piril had left behind.
The two bottles differed in color, shape, and purpose.
One was a painkiller for the increasingly severe headaches. The other, which Piril had reluctantly prescribed at her request, was a sedative.
“If the headache becomes unbearable, take the painkiller. It’ll ease the pain for a while. As for the sedative… I’m only giving this to you because you asked. But please follow the dosage exactly. Do not—under any circumstances—take too much at once. Do you understand?”
Piril’s voice echoed in her ears so clearly that she unconsciously brushed her earlobe. She took one of the sedatives and placed it in her mouth.
She hid the painkiller deep in her drawer and slipped the sedative into her sleeve before leaving the room.
She had to head for the carriage, where Isis—no doubt fuming from the wait—was already seated.
