When morning came, he rose and departed before me, leaving behind only the faintest traces of his presence. It was the same every day.
I want to sneak into his office.
When I rang the bell by the bed, a maid came to my chambers. After I finished getting myself dressed, I left the room to begin my day. Some days, I went to see the knights. Other days, I made sure to get along well with the maids, because there could certainly be no harm in me building amicable relations with the people of the mansion. Of course, I also took good care of Marina along the way.
The person who I ended up becoming closest to was Jean. We were often friendliest during mealtimes.
"Your Highness, what on earth did you do?"
At breakfast, Jean started making a big fuss. I was a little nervous since Jean was usually the kind of person who would easily compliment people over nothing for hours on end.
Just like when he praised me after finding out I excelled in math.
Today, however, he suddenly asked me a confrontational question out of nowhere.
"Yes?" I blinked, trying to hide the slight anxiousness in my tone. "What are you talking about?"
"It's about Sejan."
"What's wrong with Sejan?" I asked while spreading butter onto a freshly baked piece of bread.
"There's a rumor going around saying that, because of you, he's no longer slacking off. Nowadays, he always attends practice."
"Really?"
"Yes! I heard that he even started training the other knights without someone having to order him to do so. How did you manage to change his behavior?"
Sejan seemed to be executing what I had suggested to him before.
I really don't understand what's going through his mind. Why is he doing this all of a sudden?
I laughed awkwardly at Jean's report.
"It's a misunderstanding. I didn't do anything. Maybe he's just doing these things because he wants to. Ah, by the way, may I know what's on the Archduke's agenda for the next week?"
As we were conversing about Sejan, I stealthily snuck my request into the conversation. I thought that, since we had become close, it would be fine for me to ask such a question. The reason I needed to know his schedule in advance was so I could know when I could comfortably move forward with my plans.
"Huh? You mean the master's schedule?"
Jean looked at me in surprise.
What is it? Does he think my request is weird?
As I grew tense with nervousness, the silence of each passing second suddenly felt too heavy.
Is it too early for me to ask that?
While I thought about how to explain myself and remedy the awkward atmosphere between us, Jean, who had been as stiff as a statue before, laughed with crinkled eyes.
"I appreciate your interest in the Archduke."
Fortunately, Jean finally answered with a gentle tone and gave me the details of Kyle's upcoming schedule without any hesitation. As I attentively looked over his agenda, I pointed to one of the entries on the calendar.
"Meeting?" I quirked a brow in interest.
"Yes, when the aide in the capital returns, His Highness will go straight to Pere and have a meeting with the other Northern lords."
Unconsciously, my heart started pounding at his explanation. I continued to press him with questions.
"Will I also be coming with him?"
"I'm sorry, but Your Highness should stay behind."
Did he read my flat expression as a look of disappointment? Jean hurriedly explained his answer.
"… Do not be upset, madam. I was just afraid that the trip would burden your schedule."
Halfway through Jean's explanation, I found it too hard to concentrate on his words because my heart was beating faster than before. I tried hard to maintain my composure as I asked my last question.
"It's fine. I'm not upset, so don't worry. So, for how long will the archduke be away from the mansion?"
Jean seemed to ponder my inquiry for a while, and the time it took for him to give me an answer felt like an eternity. Finally, he slowly responded to my question.
"He will be away from the mansion for a day."
My heart dropped. This was it—the opportunity for me to go up to the fifth floor.
****
I hurried back to my room under the pretext of ill health, but I couldn't calm down. My heart was still beating so hard and I couldn't figure out why. As I unconsciously touched a hand to my cheeks, I found that they were burning hot. Maybe I was reacting to the expectation that I was possibly finally going to find a way back to my world.
Perhaps it was due to all the tension in my body, but I felt extremely tired. Though it was still early in the day, I decided to take a nap. I lay in bed and closed my eyes.
Knock, knock.
My eyes fluttered open in surprise because I was startled by a sound outside the door.
"Who is it?" I called.
"It's Marina, Your Highness," a gentle voice replied from the other side. "The butler told me to send a doctor for you."
I had told Jean that he didn't have to call the doctor, but he obviously must have ignored me and sent for him anyway.
"Come in."
When I permitted them, the doctor came into the room and asked me about my symptoms. I was too embarrassed to say anything because I had lied about needing to go back to my room in the first place. After the doctor checked me, he prescribed me a treatment plan and some medicine.
"You seem to have caught a cold, so take this and rest well."
Huh? Am I really sick? Now that he mentioned it, I realized my throat did seem to be a little sore. I saw Marina fidgeting nervously beside me. After the doctor finished checking me for any last-minute issues, I gulped down the medicine that he had left for me.
Ugh, it's so bitter.
I didn't realize it at first, but Marina flinched at the sight of my disgusted frown. I was only reacting to the taste of the medicine.
"Don't worry, Marina," I soothed her. "It's just that the medicine feels bitter in my mouth. I'll feel better when I wake up, okay?"
When I smiled brightly to show her that I was fine, Marina reluctantly shook her head.
I had said before that I was just going to take a nap, but it seemed like it would become a deep sleep instead. However, I didn't mind too much since it was important to maintain my health. I was the only one who would be at a loss if I were to get sick, especially in this foreign world. There was no one who cared about me here.
Let's just sleep and think about complicated things later.
Only
I closed my eyes and allowed my mind to drift. As a haze of drowsiness set in, I was sure that it was one of the effects of the medicine. Then, I dazedly fell into a deep sleep.
****
"Suyeon, come on! Get up! Come eat breakfast and get ready for work."
I was awakened by a voice I had dearly missed. My mother was calling for me from the kitchen. Still groggy, I looked around with half-lidded eyes, and a familiar scene slowly came into view. It was my room. My original room.
Then, I realized that all the strange events I had experienced over the past few weeks were all just a dream. I had dreamed about that novel I wrote a long time ago. What kind of dream feels that long?
"Han Suyeon! You haven't woken up yet?"
My mother's voice grew louder as I stretched my stiff body. It was no surprise she was raising her voice since I still hadn't left my room.
"Okay, Mom! I'll be right there!"
On normal days, I would wake up by myself. That crazy dream must have caused me to sleep in, so I got up in a hurry and made my way to the kitchen. I caught sight of my mother's backside heading in the opposite direction, but something seemed wrong. Why was she walking so fast?
I hastened my steps to catch up with her, but the distance between us did not narrow no matter how far I walked. My mind struggled to comprehend what was happening as my mother continued to move farther and farther away.
"Mom."
I hurriedly called after her, but she didn't even look back.
"Mom!"
Even when I started to shout, nothing changed. My mother still did not look back at me, and then I noticed what the problem was.
Mom isn't getting faster—I'm the one who is slowing down.
As soon as I figured out the issue, I became aware of the heaviness weighing upon my steps, as if someone was clinging desperately to my legs.
No! I can't stay here. I can't lose my mom.
I tried my best to move forward, but no matter how hard I struggled against this invisible force, I couldn't reach my mother. Her figure grew smaller and smaller as she moved farther away, threatening to disappear from my sight.
No, don't go! Mom!
"Mom!" I screamed. "Mom! Mom!"
I labored hysterically to make any sort of sound, but there was an obstruction in my throat. My voice still couldn't reach her, and I had no energy left to move. It was like my legs were glued to the floor. No matter how hard I tried to move toward her or call for her, nothing changed.
No, please move! No, help me…
My vision blurred. Tears spilled from my eyes when I saw my mother's figure dissipate and scatter into the wind, like a mirage. At that moment, my voice returned, and I let out a hopeless cry.
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have acted so harshly toward her.
The morning before I woke up in Riddel's body, I had fought with my mother. Back then, I had no idea that I wouldn't be able to meet her again. I regretted everything: the fight, my words, and the way I had stormed out without apologizing. There was nothing I wouldn't give to see her again.
My mom, dad, younger brother, and friends… I had never truly considered how precious they were to me until I came to this strange and lonely world and lost them.
Right now, am I dead or alive to them?
The last thing I remembered before waking up in Riddel's body was that I had gotten into a car accident. But that didn't necessarily mean that I was dead, right? There could be a possibility that I survived and my original body was just in a coma…
But…
What if I really was dead in my world? No, it can't be—I haven't even apologized to my mom yet. There's so much I still want to say to her.
I'm sorry, Mom. Really, I'm so sorry.
"I'm sorry."
My legs suddenly lost all their strength and I collapsed to the floor. Sobs wracked my body as I sat helplessly sprawled out on the ground. I didn't know how much time had passed since I started crying. Then, out of nowhere, I felt the air change. My surroundings were quickly plunged into darkness, and I could hear a mixture of voices murmuring anxiously from somewhere, but my mother's voice was not among them.
Ah? I think I hear someone familiar.
I tried to focus on that distant sound. At that moment, a cold sensation touched my forehead.
What is this? Snow?
As I looked up, I saw a delicate, white flurry drifting softly onto my face from above. It was really strange.
"… Cold," I murmured as the icy particles grazed my skin.
I stretched out my hands to grab at the snow.
It feels good.
Funny enough, the snow felt strangely warm and comforting, even though I knew snow was supposed to be cold. It was as if the little, icy flakes were soothing me. Slowly, the darkness started to ebb. The shadows in my vision also gradually faded away, and the snow melted and disappeared.
Only
Wait, don't go. No, don't melt. No…
In my half-conscious state, I could hear that worried voice again. I wasn't sure what they were saying or who it belonged to.
****
The mansion was gripped by a tense silence. Almost all the servants were gathered in one room, but no one dared to make a sound. Only Riddel's breathless panting interrupted the otherwise strained atmosphere. Kyle paced restlessly in front of the bed with a frightfully dour expression.
"What the hell is happening?" he barked at his terrified staff, demanding answers they could not give. "What's wrong with her? Why isn't her fever going down?"
"That… that's…"
"Why hasn't she recovered after taking your medicine?!"
The Archduke shouted furiously, like a raging beast. His face held nothing but contempt for the trembling physician before him. The doctor could feel the murderous intent emanating from Kyle. His face turned deathly pale. As the Romani family's personal doctor, he had dutifully been overseeing their care for the past fifteen years. He had treated the Archduke since he was a young boy, even before he was afflicted by the dragon's curse, which was why he was one of the manor's few long-standing employees. Because he knew what Kyle had been like before his curse, the doctor still had faith in the Archduke and refused to quit his position.
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