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Chapter – 46
What is this?
What on earth is this scene?
It felt too vivid to be a dream, yet in reality, I was completely in an observer’s position.
I paused in confusion for a moment.
“When will I finally find it…”
As the woman murmured, the world began to spin.
At the same time, a sparkling light approached from afar.
That was…
‘The same light I saw earlier.’
—That’s what I thought.
“…Ronnie….”
“Wake… up… Meloni…!”
A murmuring sound reached my ears.
It was faint and intermittent, so I couldn’t quite understand the words.
‘But… it seems like they’re calling me.’
As if someone were trying to wake me.
“Meloni!”
Flash.
At the clear call, I opened my eyes wide.
I had to shut them again against the blinding light.
Through the trembling lashes, several faces briefly came into view.
“Meloni! Are you conscious? Do you recognize me?!”
This was Louis.
“Are you coming back to your senses?!”
This was the previous duke.
And…
“…Meloni.”
“Abadi….”
This was my father… no, the duke.
As I struggled to lift my eyelids, I saw the duke reaching his hand toward me.
His trembling hand slowly held me close.
“Father—”
“Thank goodness.”
“…….”
“I’m so glad you opened your eyes.”
His voice was trembling unusually, almost like someone terrified.
‘…Terrified? Why?’
A question rose, but I couldn’t answer it.
No.
In truth, I had an answer forming, but I deliberately ignored it.
I thought it would be too sad if I was wrong.
So, I silently pressed my pounding heart down.
All I could do was press my forehead against his broad chest.
Ah, no wonder my nose felt tingly.
After the little princess of Panteive collapsed, the mansion was thrown into chaos.
“Is our young lady going to be alright?”
“We even called four doctors. She’ll surely be fine.”
“Hah… honestly, I nearly fainted seeing the young master turn pale and rush in.”
About four hours earlier.
Louis, his face so pale it was almost blue, ran into the mansion.
“The little one… th-the little one…!”
Panting, he shouted, carrying the unconscious child on his back.
The maids quickly laid Meloni in a room and informed the duke.
The duke, who had arrived faster than light, looked at the fainted child with a lost expression.
“…Meloni.”
His voice trembled as he spoke.
“I’ve never seen the duke like this before. Ah, no—I did see him back then.”
“Back then?”
“Yes, back then.”
“Ah… that time.”
When we received the news of Lady Lavella’s death and Lady Siena’s accident.
It was a time when the atmosphere fell somber.
“Everyone! The young lady has woken up!”
“Ah! Really?!”
“Yes! Oh… thank goodness.”
Sniff.
A maid who delivered the news tearfully sobbed.
The other maids, shouting “Thank goodness!” cried along.
“Oh, now isn’t the time for this. We need to inform the knights and the kitchen too. Everyone’s been so worried.”
“I’ll go see the gardener.”
“I’ll head to the laundry!”
The maids, each assigned to their respective areas, wiped their tears and dispersed.
To spread this joyful news.
As everyone dispersed, in front of the empty hallway…
“…Hmm.”
A shadow stretched out from a corner.
Inyung, who had been silently eavesdropping, blinked.
‘The location of the young princess… is sturdier than I thought.’
This would be useful information.
A sinister smile curved his lips.
“Fortunately, there’s no major problem. She’s perfectly fine.”
“Can you guarantee that? If you’re wrong, one of her limbs might be at stake.”
“Ggh… I-I can guarantee it.”
At the duke’s sharp question, the doctor answered with a trembling voice.
This was already the fourth doctor.
Each one examining me and nearly tearing up.
“Don’t scare the doctors, Conti! Though if they are wrong, I won’t stand idly by!”
Nodding, Louis also nodded vigorously at the previous duke’s words.
‘Oh my, they might make someone cry.’
Seeing the teary-eyed doctor, I tapped the bed.
“Really, I’m healthy! Nothing hurts at all!”
“But—”
“Still—”
“Cough!”
Before they could respond, I quickly offered my thanks.
“Thank you for examining me, doctor!”
“Sniff. No, young lady. I should be the one thanking you!”
The tearful doctor glanced at the duke nervously.
I also looked at the duke.
‘I’ve thanked them, so can they leave now?’
The duke, locking eyes with me, sighed as if reluctant and gestured.
“Th-then… I’m g-gonna…”
The doctor didn’t waste a moment and hurried out, giving me a thumbs-up as a glance back.
I responded unconsciously with a thumbs-up.
“You really don’t hurt anywhere, Marshmallow? You’re not hiding it to please the doctor, are you?”
“No, really, I’m fine…”
Honestly, I was completely fine.
I even felt refreshed.
“Did I sleep long?”
“You’ve been unconscious for about four hours.”
Gasp.
Longer than I thought.
“You just collapsed right in front of me… I was so worried…!”
Louis, leaning on the bed, shouted.
His face was pale, eyes red from tears.
“See, brother?”
“I didn’t cry! Really, I didn’t!”
“Hmph. Then you were worried about me, Meloni?”
“Of course I was! I thought something serious happened to you… Wait. Why are you laughing?”
“Huh? Oh, that’s just…”
I chuckled.
“I like it when you worry about me when I’m hurt.”
Before my return, no one ever cared if I was sick.
‘To have someone genuinely worry…’
It felt strange.
Very strangely good.
“You’re foolish. Of course I worry because you’re my sister.”
“…Yes! Because you’re my brother!”
I happily responded.
“This father was also really worried, Marshmallow.”
The duke, holding me close, rubbed his cheek against the top of my head.
“All the doctors said you’re fine… yet you wouldn’t open your eyes. How could I believe it?”
Sigh.
From his deep exhale came both relief and a groan.
Just as my heart began to flutter again…
“My patience was running thin.”
Hmm?
“I was wondering if I should catch those quacks and teach them a lesson.”
Huh?
“I’m truly relieved you woke up.”
He smiled after speaking.
But I couldn’t smile along.
‘A lesson…?’
…What kind of lesson? What were you planning?
‘No, better not to be curious.’
It might be dangerous to know.
“Sorry for worrying you.”
“Yes, I need to reflect on this. So you won’t do anything reckless again.”
“Reckless?”
What reckless thing did I even do…?
“Like overusing your powers recklessly.”
He lightly pinched my nose.
Ouch.
Rubbing my stinging nose, I asked,
“Did I collapse from using my powers too much?”
“Not certain, but it’s likely. If you suddenly use too much power, it can overload your body.”
Ah.
That makes sense.
‘Before the return, even during experiments with my powers, if I overdid it, I’d get nosebleeds or faint.’
Still, I didn’t immediately connect my fainting to power this time.
It didn’t feel like overexertion.
I just felt a confident certainty that it would succeed…
“Oh. The tree!”
Suddenly, I remembered the tree.
