“I will if this happens again.”
“In any case, because your heart is tender.”

I brushed his disheveled hair.

“Now, you should be getting used to it. Haven’t you seen me collapse a few times?”

“Is it familiar for a lady to be in pain?”

I fell into brief contemplation.

If it’s familiar, it will be familiar.

Even before falling into this place, I was constantly in pain.

Annette’s illness, whose severity might be lethal, didn’t fall under the category of painful experiences.

It’s just fainting; enduring a bit of a headache, and it’s over.

“I’m fine. I’ll feel refreshed after a good sleep like this.”

I offered a dry smile.

“After collapsing like this, there’s no risk of collapsing for a while, so maybe it’s better?”

As always, I spoke to calm him, filled with worries.

Come to think of it, when did people surround me like this?

Previously, it was always an empty space, but now, someone is guarding by my side.

I shouldn’t get used to it. However, it’s too comforting, and I don’t want to lose him, so I keep making excuses.

“Recently, I ate a lot of delicious things in the North and lived comfortably, so I thought I wouldn’t collapse. But when I come to the capital, there’s a lot to think about.”

Hertian, who had been silently listening to my words, sighed deeply.

It was a convincing excuse, but it seemed unsatisfactory to him.

“Why do you always say you’re okay?”

His lowered voice penetrated my ears.

I didn’t know the reason, but unlike when I collapsed before, he seemed angry.

“Even though nothing is okay, why do you always laugh it off as if everything is fine?”

A heavy voice mixed with unusual frustration. Unconsciously, I shrunk.

“That’s… I’m really okay.”

In reality, it wasn’t to the extent of saying it hurts.

Rather than going out and worrying, it’s better to say it’s okay.

And I didn’t expect to receive comfort or concern.

But why does Hertian look at me resentfully for this issue?

“What did I do wrong?”

I felt unjust.

“Yes, Madam made a big mistake. Saying you’re not in pain, saying you’re okay, and then collapsing like this, worrying people. That’s the mistake.”

So why.

“Then does Hertian want me to whine about being in pain even if I’m only a little hurt? Do you want me to cling to you and cry because of some inexplicable illness?”

“I’d rather you do that. That way, I can bear some of Madam’s pain.”

“Why? Why should Hertian bear my pain even if I’m only a little hurt?”

Words came out unfairly in my frustration.

I regretted it as soon as the words spilled out.

I brushed my hair aside and let out a shallow sigh.

“The words just now were a mistake. Forget about it.”

I deliberately avoided Hertian’s gaze.

In this emotionally charged state, further conversation would only provoke anger.

“Let’s talk about it next time.”

Suddenly, Mikael came to mind, and I stood up abruptly.

“Has Mikael returned?”

Perhaps he was worried?

I just came out in a state of resentment.

“He hasn’t returned yet.”

“Sorry, but can you tell him to meet next time?”

His eyes looked reluctant.

It was my fault for babbling and asking for a favor just now.

“No, you don’t have to. Hertian, you should go inside and rest. If I stay outside, I’ll tell him myself.”

I rose from the heavy bed. My body swayed for a moment, but I managed to regain my balance.

Rather than being in a stuffy room, it would be better to get some fresh air.

When I tried to pass him after getting up from the bed, he gently grabbed my arm. Although it was a weak grip, my weakened body swayed, and I ended up sitting on his lap like a princess.

I tried to break free from his embrace, but he didn’t let go, and I couldn’t even stand up.
I tried to break free from his embrace, but he didn’t let go, and I couldn’t even stand up.

I looked at Hertian, who was behaving differently than usual, with unfamiliar eyes.

“Why are you acting unlike yourself, Hertian?”

He continued to stare at me with eyes that still couldn’t reveal his thoughts.

Breaking the heavy silence, Hertian spoke.

“I haven’t answered why you shoulder the pain yet.”

It seemed like he would only step aside if I heard this answer.

However, I already knew the answer.

“Because Hertian is my contracted marriage partner. And because I need you, I can’t die right away while you need time.”

His face contorted.

“Even so, I know that the time we’ve spent together means you genuinely care about me. Because you are a kind, considerate, and affectionate person. You want to understand my pain and alleviate it.”

I spat out the words I had built up during that time without a break.

“But I’m different from you. Anyway, we’ll have to walk our own paths someday… I don’t want to burden you with unnecessary worries and inconveniences. I just want to live happily with you like now, helping each other, and then parting ways like comrades.”

That was my sincere feeling.

I didn’t want to burden someone with the weight of my emotions.

The responsibility for my illness lies solely with me.

Why is Hertian carrying that burden?

Is there a need for that?

“I don’t intend to become comrades.”

Just before the emotions rushed in to explode, Hertian shattered my emotions.

The hand that was holding me gently slowly moved up my arm.

“I have never thought of parting with you for even a single moment.”

“Hertian. What’s this…”

“Even though I confess so openly, you didn’t notice?”

C-Confess?

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

Even I, who was inexperienced in love, knew that a confession was revealing one’s feelings to someone they liked.

In that case… Hertian confessing means he has feelings for me.

“Uh… huh?”

It took a while to grasp the ambiguous meaning of the confession, to say it directly.

Finally, in the moment I understood the meaning, I stuttered like a malfunctioning person.

“Y-You. Why.”