VSBO 04

Chapter: 04

“Cough! Cough!”

I really wished it would stop, but regardless of whether Kairon was in front of me or not, this damn cough wouldn’t go away.

“Cough!”

Damn it.

The thought suddenly struck me that I couldn’t keep showing this side of myself.

Showing a weak, sickly appearance wouldn’t be a good thing.

If word got out that I had collapsed just a year after marriage, it might be considered a disgrace to the ducal family. Or worse, they might throw me out, saying I’m too frail to bear an heir.

A wife who isn’t even loved and is also sickly—what a troublesome burden that would be.

It was the same in my previous life. Hospital bills were expensive, and my family, who had to take care of me constantly, gradually grew exhausted.

Even my family in my past life had been like that—so of course a husband who doesn’t even love me would find my illness nothing but a nuisance.

I might really get divorced at this rate.

I didn’t want to be kicked out of here. I hadn’t even properly started enjoying this golden-spoon life yet.

I hadn’t even worn top-quality dresses properly, nor had I fully enjoyed luxurious fine dining.

Right now, there was only one option.

‘Run for now…!’

I had to hide my sick condition first. I couldn’t keep showing this in front of my husband.

Covering my mouth, I staggered to my feet. Even then, the coughing didn’t stop.

I hurried toward the door.

“Eket!”

But my arm was suddenly grabbed.

It was Kairon’s hand holding me. It wasn’t even a strong grip, yet I couldn’t break free.

So I really had to show him this pathetic state. For a moment, despair twisted my expression.

“What’s wrong with you?!”

Kairon shouted.

If this had happened just a few seconds later, he would’ve already left. What terrible timing.

In this situation, the only thing I could do was reassure him.

“I-I’m fine… Cough! I’m…!”

“Eket!”

“I’m really fi— Ack!”

I wished he would just go, but it was already too late.

Kairon, flustered, patted my back.

Even in that moment, a stray thought crossed my mind—so this person can panic too.

“Is no one outside?!”

He shouted urgently. Almost immediately, several servants rushed into the dining room.

“What’s going on— Ma’am!”

“Ma’am!”

Seeing the blood on my lips and hands, they screamed.

It must have been shocking for them to see such a sight for the first time. But I had experienced this countless times in my previous life.

I had been a little surprised when I first had a nosebleed earlier, but this time I didn’t fall into helpless panic.

Stay calm. The most important thing right now was to reassure Kairon—that this illness wouldn’t disgrace the ducal family, and that it didn’t mean I couldn’t have children.

I grabbed Kairon’s collar and gestured that I had something to say. I felt a bit sorry for getting blood on his clothes, but it couldn’t be helped.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

Fortunately, Kairon understood my gesture and leaned his ear closer to hear me.

“This isn’t something to make a fuss abou—”

But before I could finish, my hand slipped weakly from his collar.

I had wanted to tell him that it wasn’t a big deal and not a fatal illness, so he didn’t need to worry. But before I could finish speaking, all the strength drained from my body.

I collapsed just like that. As my consciousness faded, I felt strong arms supporting my body.

“Has she not regained consciousness yet?”

“No, she hasn’t.”

“And the doctor?”

“He is currently analyzing the test results.”

The aide replied.

“Is Eket in her room?”

“Yes.”

Kairon arrived at Eket’s room. The door was slightly open. He pushed it open and entered.

Eket lay unconscious on the bed in the center of the room, her face pale.

Since the coughing and vomiting of blood had stopped when she collapsed, her face now looked as calm as if she were simply sleeping.

After staring at his wife for a moment, Kairon turned his gaze and looked around the room.

This was his first time entering this place.

The interior was neat and not excessive—very much like Eket.

He was about to leave when he paused. His eyes caught a small frame placed on the bedside table.

He picked it up.

“……”

It was easy to tell it was a family portrait from Eket’s childhood.

His gaze lingered on the photo for a while.

So she slept with a portrait of her family by her bedside.

It was something he had just learned about his wife.

Kairon soon put the frame back in its place and looked at Eket again.

The blood that had stained her lips had already been cleaned by the servants, but the earlier scene of her coughing up blood was still vivid in his mind.

That image lingered unusually long.

He frowned and closed his eyes. Recalling it did not leave him feeling pleasant.

Perhaps that was why he had taken interest in something as trivial as the small frame on the bedside table—something he normally wouldn’t even notice.

Needlessly sentimental.

“How is her condition? It wasn’t poison, was it?”

Hearing the voices, my consciousness slowly began to return. My eyes were still closed.

“It does not appear to be poison. No toxins were detected in the test results.”

“Are you certain? What kind of test did you perform exactly?”

It was Kairon’s voice. His conversation partner seemed to be a doctor.

From how faint their voices sounded, they were probably talking in the hallway outside the room.

I continued lying there with my eyes closed.

“It was a test using Haemokyi grass. It is a simple method, but reliable.”

“If it’s not poison, then why is my wife like this? Why hasn’t she woken up yet?”

“We also tested for the possibility of an infectious disease, but it does not seem to be that either.”

“Then?”

“Hmm…”

The doctor did not immediately give an answer. He probably didn’t know the cause of the illness.

“It would be ideal if we could conduct more detailed tests, but for now, we have been unable to determine the cause.”

That was the answer I expected. Even in my previous life, doctors had never been able to find the cause of my illness.

“So in the end, you’re saying you don’t know why my wife is like this?”

“We conducted several tests, but all results came back normal. If there is one thing worth mentioning, it is that the Duchess has a very weak constitution.”

“A weak constitution?”

“Yes. Extremely weak. There could be many reasons for this—lack of exercise, chronic fatigue, or stress. Stress, after all, is the root of many illnesses.”

“…So you’re saying this isn’t just a problem from today, but that she has been weak all along?”

Kairon asked in disbelief.

Of course he would find it hard to believe. He had never paid even the slightest attention to his wife, so how would he know whether I was weak or healthy?

“That is very likely. Whether the madam has often been fatigued is something Your Grace would know better than I.”

The doctor, unaware of the strained relationship between husband and wife, said this. But Kairon wouldn’t know me well.

I wondered what my husband would say to that.

Would he even listen carefully? He probably had no interest in my health. Maybe he was just letting it go in one ear and out the other with a bored expression.

Just as I was curious about his response, a new voice joined the conversation—it was Kairon’s aide.

“Your Grace, if you do not depart soon, it will be difficult to reach the midpoint destination by today.”

The aide urged him.

So I wouldn’t get to hear what Kairon would say after all.

“I’ll depart immediately.”

Kairon replied as if he had been waiting for that. He must be busy.

Still, he was finally leaving.

I felt relieved. It was much more comfortable for me if Kairon left. He was nothing but an uncomfortable presence.

Just as I relaxed, thinking he would go now—

“Master.”

A familiar voice spoke.

I hadn’t been here long since transmigrating, so there were only a few voices I recognized.

This was my maid, Ria.

Why was she…?

I pricked up my ears.

“What is it?”

“I am Ria Light, the maid who serves my lady.”

Ria introduced herself to Kairon.

Why was she suddenly speaking to him?

“And?”

“I have something… something to tell you, Master.”