Chapter 7

You’re a woman who doesn’t know what love is

“You have a cold.”

The attending physician spoke as he removed the stethoscope, and Rickman heaved a sigh of relief, covering his face with his large hands.

“Oh… Thank the gods!”

It was like he was relieved of a colossal burden. His neat face was drenched in sweat, and the wrinkles on his forehead seemed to deepen.

The attending physician spoke reassuringly to Rickman.

“It seems My Lady has been pushing herself too hard lately. She seems to be lacking in energy.”

“Is it fatal?”

“Not to that extent. She’ll be fine after a few days of rest.”

I felt uneasy, thinking it might be a severe illness, but finally, I too let out a sigh of relief and slumped into a chair.

“It’s over.”

When Ania suddenly collapsed, I understood what happened.

She always had a weak constitution.

I felt a sense of concern, wondering if she had some unknown or incurable disease.

Of course, thankfully, it wasn’t the case, but if it were, I would have become a man who lost his wife within two months of marriage.

“Try to keep her body warm, and since her digestive function may be weakened, it would be good to feed her warm soup or stew whenever possible.”

“Thank you… really, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Her health is my top priority.”

As the attending physician, who bid farewell to Rickman, left, the once bustling mansion became quiet.

The maids, who had rushed worriedly, returned to their tasks, and the maid Lorendel, who had been watching with curiosity, slowly left the room, realizing it was nothing serious.

However, only Rickman couldn’t seem to leave Ania’s side. His expression was so anxious that it was pitiful.

Whether she was aware of it or not, Ania lay on the bed with a calm face.

“Thank goodness.”

As he muttered from the far end of the bed, Rickman got up from his seat, bowed towards me, and left.

“Thank you, Lord Edward.”

“There’s nothing to be thankful for. It’s only natural when the lady has collapsed.”

“Still… thank you. If by any chance the young lady has wronged you, I…”

He couldn’t finish his words and choked up.

Watching the elderly man, with gray hair and a white mustache, stuttering like that, it suddenly struck me how much Ania was loved and raised.

‘Why would a woman showered in affection…’

Generally, children with tricky personalities tend not to receive enough love during their childhood.

Conversely, children who receive plenty of love usually become outstanding individuals. However, Ania…

‘Of course, there are exceptions.’

She must have her own reasons, but unfortunately, I cannot know the detailed circumstances because I have not read the last three volumes of the novel.

I approached Ania, who was lying on the bed, and gently placed my hand on her forehead. A warmth slightly higher than my body temperature was transmitted.

“Rickman.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“You look exhausted. Go and rest. I’ll take care of the lady.”

“Even so, causing you such trouble…”

“It’s alright. It’s what I want to do.”

Rickman hesitated for a moment, then bowed lightly and left the room.

After confirming that the door was closed, I sat lightly at the edge of the bed and looked at Ania’s face.

She was still beautiful.

Even when she was sick, she deserved the title of the Empire’s most beautiful woman.

It felt somewhat unfair for a sick person to be this beautiful.

As I stared at her for a while, the expression she had maintained throughout the week of sulking and the various shows I had put on to cheer her up made me laugh.

‘Being quiet makes you seem so innocent.’

As if the turmoil in my mind for the past few days had been a lie, she had a serene expression.

“I don’t even know how many people’s hearts you’ve corrupted…”

I changed the towel on Ania’s head to a colder one and slowly approached the window.

The maple leaves that had colored the trees red were falling like rain.

Now that I think about it, it’s the middle of autumn.

It wasn’t that long ago when I first possessed Edward’s body in late spring, but for some reason, it felt quite distant.

Perhaps it was because my mind was in chaos, or maybe time had passed swiftly without me realizing it.

Thinking like that, it was only natural to worry about the events that would unfold in the future.

‘Johann Radner…’

In the novel, Johann attacks the mansion after the end of autumn, in the early winter, when the weather turns cold.

It’s not far off now.

However, no specific plan came to mind.

Even if I start practicing swordsmanship and learning magic now, I won’t be able to match Edward’s skills.

Praying for the future to change, like how the wedding was moved up, is a gamble.

Using the privileges of the possessor to cut things off in advance… would be difficult.

Johann Radner’s downfall in the novel would occur the following year after the Emperor declared war on drugs and arrested Johann Radner.

So… all I can do is desperately struggle.

***

“Ugh…”

Ania Brontë woke up from a deep sleep around dusk the day after she collapsed.

The setting sun scattered orange light, giving the room a warm hue, and the beige curtains fluttered in the wind, creating a photo-like effect with a sepia filter.

“Why am I…”

Ania groggily grabbed her disheveled hair and sat up.

She sat still on the bed, absentmindedly surveying her room. What on earth had happened… As Ania pondered, she suddenly recalled the last memory.

“I collapsed.”

No wonder her body felt a bit off… Ania blamed herself for the careless mistake and touched her forehead.

Her head throbbed painfully, and a low-grade fever warmed her body.

It was a familiar sensation for Ania, who had been frail since childhood.

As a child, she easily caught colds from a little play or exposure to cold wind, living with the tendency to fall ill.

In fact, not much had changed even now as an adult.

While contemplating this, red autumn leaves fluttered through the window crack and gently settled onto Ania’s bed.

“It’s already the change of seasons…”

Ania recalled memories from the distant past.

Nine-year-old Ania fell seriously ill with the flu, and her father, Valentine Brontë, treated her as if she were a fragile fledgling just fallen from the nest.

Valentine Brontë instructed the servants not to let Ania go outside so she couldn’t play.@@novelbin@@

Thus, Ania Brontë couldn’t socialize with other children.

Ania forced the bittersweet memories aside and continued to explore the room.

As her gaze lowered, she noticed a man she hadn’t seen before.

“Edward.”

Edward was sleeping peacefully with his arm resting at the head of the bed. Seeing his face somewhat eased Ania’s bitter heart.

“Edward.”

Ania softly called Edward’s name and slowly brushed his brown hair.

It was soft and warm.

Had he been taking care of her until now?

This could have been assigned to the servants, yet he took care of her personally.

Looking at Edward’s slightly tired face, Ania felt sorry for some reason.

Perhaps it was because she had been sulking for a week just because he didn’t kiss her on the cheek.

Of course, it was still disappointing that he hadn’t given her a simple kiss even now, but still.

“No matter how I think about it, that was a bit too much.”

Ania looked at Edward. Desire began to flicker in her eyes.

“You… have to like me, Edward.”

Even though he didn’t even kiss her on the cheek now… Someday, this man would surely fall in love with her.

He would inevitably find it unbearable without her, craving her.

Ania couldn’t explain the intense emotions surging within her.

She wanted everything about this man. She wanted to make him a man that couldn’t live without her.

‘Perhaps it’s love.’

Realizing the fact that it was a profound possessiveness would come later.

For the current Ania, she could only describe those feelings as love.

Ania reached out her hand and lightly placed it on Edward’s back, smiling.

***

When I regained consciousness, it was already late evening. The sun had set, and faint starlight shimmered outside the window.

“I must have dozed off…”

Lately, I have been a bit tired.

I practiced swordsmanship absentmindedly, eased Ania’s sulking, and read magic books.

Fortunately, Ania was peacefully asleep on the bed.

“I should have told Ricktman to keep watch if I knew it would be like this.”

If Ania had woken up and seen me sleeping on the job, she would have been even more upset.

Since the one supposed to be caring for her was sleeping on her bed.

I lightly touched Ania’s forehead to check her temperature and quietly left the room.

Sweat had formed from my deep sleep. I need to wash up.

As I was walking down the corridor, lost in my thoughts, I suddenly came across a maid who, surprised, said, “Oh my…” but then quickly passed by with a smiling face.

The subsequent encounters with the servants were the same.

They looked surprised but then smiled and passed by.

Did some kind of epidemic break out…?

Even if Edward had a somewhat handsome face, it wasn’t enough for everyone to smile so warmly just from seeing him.

Shaking my head, I entered the bathroom, and only then did I understand the servants’ strange reactions.

“This… what is this?”

There were vivid red lipstick marks on my cheek.

“…”

I thought Ania was asleep the whole time. When did she wake up?

Even if that’s the case, while I was sleeping…

My cheek had been kissed.

The image of Ania’s red lips touching my skin flashed in my mind.

Her warmth still seemed to linger on my right cheek.

A faint sense of unease and excitement mixed in.

I lightly wiped the lipstick off, but I couldn’t hide the emerging smile inside.