Hertian, who held the collapsed Anette, shook her body pitifully.

“Please come to your senses, my lady!”

The composure she had maintained even in front of her fake impersonator crumbled in an instant.

It was different from her usual fainting spells due to exhaustion.

She lay limp, groaning with a pained expression. Cold sweat streamed down her forehead, and she panted, exuding hot heat like someone suffering from a severe nightmare.

“Why was the lady here alone? Why was she alone!”

Following Hertian’s voice, the butler and maids who had followed covered their mouths at the sight of the collapsed Anette.

“I-I’m sorry. I brought water to Her Grace the Duchess, but she told me to leave, saying she would handle it alone, so I left…”

The maid in charge of attending to Anette said, trembling.

It was unlike any Hertian they had seen before.

His eyes looked as if he could kill someone a hundred times over.

“How was her condition before that?”

“It was the same as usual. So I didn’t realize Her Grace the Duchess would collapse. I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

“Quickly call for a physician!”

At Hertian’s thunderous voice, the maid and butler rushed out.

He, who had just been in a battle of wills with Michael, completely crumbled.

Because the small figure he held was shaking finely as if it would break at any moment.

He couldn’t think of anything.

All he could do was push aside the dazed Michael and carefully carry her away.

I had a strange dream.

It felt familiar for a dream. It was a sensation I had experienced relatively recently.

When was it?

It certainly wasn’t a good feeling.

It was the day I first realized this place was a novel.

I saw myself curled up in a hospital room before my eyes.

Waiting for death while staring into space with an emaciated body.

Even as my breath faltered and faded, there was no one by my side.

There was never anyone there to begin with.

Just because you’re dying doesn’t mean you receive someone’s attention.

It was a lonely life that no one would mourn.

Soon, the breath I was exhaling slowly subsided.

It was the moment when a twenty-year-old life ended futilely.

I didn’t realize it when I was dying, but seeing myself like this in a dream was quite pitiful.

‘I was such an insignificant person. The world wouldn’t change or anyone cry for me just because I died.’

The scene changed.

It was a different landscape from the dark and hard hospital.

I saw two children standing under the beautiful sunlight.

One was me as a child, Anette, rubbing her eyes with long hair spread under the sunlight.

The other was Rian, a boy with short hair who looked exactly like Anette.

It was somewhere in the undergrowth. A clear sunny afternoon. Under a large tree where the sound of leaves crushing could be heard, little Rian and Anette were there.

Rian observed young Anette intently.

Not long after, seeing Anette open her eyes wide, Rian said,

“You’re not my little sister. Anette really died.”

Rian saying strange things.

It was a scene that wasn’t in my memories.

“Where did you come from?”

Little Rian asked. Then young Anette chewed on her lips.

“Can’t you speak?”

Shake shake.

The small head turned.

“Then who are you to become my sister?”

Rian, sitting down in the undergrowth with a thud, held her small hands.

Little Anette looked down at those hands for a long time.

She blinked her eyes several times.

As it was the first time someone waited for her with a warm touch, she seemed to have told about her difficult past.

“…I was sick.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. It was an incurable disease. I had to have surgery every year, but the doctor’s expression was always bad. Before I died, I couldn’t have surgery for a few years. So it hurt so much, but there was no one to tell that I was in pain.”

“You have family. And friends.”

Shake shake.

“Were you alone?”

Only then did the small head nod up and down.

Rian thought deeply.

Then he abruptly pulled Anette up.

“Then do you want to be family with me?”

“Really?”

Small eyes twinkled.

“I’ll be bored without a sibling too. You’re bored too, right?”

“Is it really okay?”

“Of course. But this is a secret from others. Understand?”

“Yes. I promise.”

Young Anette answered with a giggle.

A promise made in the undergrowth.

Even though it happened after I came to this world, I had completely forgotten about it.

My eyes, which had been tightly shut at the sudden recollection of the past, opened.

As if to reassure me, this was the ceiling of this world, not the hospital ceiling.

And as always, Hertian was by my side.

It’s strange.

It hasn’t been long since I met him to say ‘always’.

But the fact that I feel this reassured means we must have become quite close.

“Hertian.”

He jerked his head up at my voice.

His appearance was disheveled, unlike him.

“If you were in pain, you should have said something. Why did you collapse alone?”

His voice was choked up. His dark eyes were moist.

“Did you cry?”

“I’ll cry again if you do this again.”

“You’re so soft-hearted.”

I stroked his disheveled hair.

“Shouldn’t you be used to it by now? It’s not like you’ve only seen me collapse once or twice?”

“Are you used to being sick, my lady?”

I fell into thought for a moment.

If you say I’m used to it, then I guess I am.

I had been constantly sick even before falling into this place.

Anette’s disease, which might or might not be fatal, wasn’t even considered painful in comparison.

Fainting, well, it’s just a matter of suffering from a little headache.

“I’m fine. Look, I feel refreshed after sleeping like this.”

I gave a dry smile.

“Actually, it’s better because there’s no risk of collapsing for a while after collapsing like this?”

I spoke as if to comfort him, who was always full of worry.

Come to think of it, since when have there been people by my side like this?

Before, it was always an empty space, but now someone is by my side like this.

I shouldn’t get used to it. But I like it so much that I don’t want to lose him, so I keep making excuses.

“I thought I wouldn’t collapse recently because I ate a lot of delicious food in the north and rested comfortably. I guess I have a lot to think about when I come to the capital.”

Hertian, who had been listening to my words quietly, let out a deep sigh.

It seemed he didn’t like my seemingly plausible excuse.

“Why do you always say you’re fine?”

His lowered voice pierced my ears.

For some reason, he was angry, unlike when I had collapsed before.

“Why do you always laugh it off saying you’re fine when you’re not fine at all?”

A heavy voice mixed with frustration, unlike usual. I unknowingly shrank back at it.

“That’s… because I’m really fine.”

In fact, it wasn’t enough to say I was in pain out loud.

It’s better to say I’m fine rather than unnecessarily causing worry.

And I didn’t know how to receive comfort or concern in an embarrassing way.

But, I don’t understand why Hertian is looking at me resentfully over this issue.

“Did I do something wrong?”

I felt quite wronged.

“Yes. You made a big mistake. Saying you’re not in pain when you are, saying you’re fine and then collapsing like this and making people worry. That’s the mistake.”

So why.

“Then does Hertian want me to whine that I’m in pain even if it’s just a little? Do you want me to cling to you crying about an unknown illness at all times?”

“I’d rather you do that. So that I can at least bear some of your pain.”

“Why? Who are you to bear my pain?”

A mean remark came out due to frustration.

I immediately regretted the carelessly uttered words.

I sighed lightly, brushing my hair back.

“What I just said was a mistake. Please forget it.”

I deliberately avoided Hertian’s gaze.

Conversation in a state where both emotions were heightened would only bring anger.

“I’d like to talk next time.”

I suddenly sat up as Michael came to mind.

“Has Michael left by any chance?”

He must have been worried?

I came out showing signs of being upset, of all times.

“He hasn’t left yet.”

“Then I’m sorry, but could you tell him we’ll meet next time?”

It was a clearly unwilling look.

It was my fault for asking a favor right after quarreling.

“No, you must be tired too, Hertian. Go in and rest. If he’s outside, I’ll tell him myself.”

I raised my heavy body and got up from the bed. For a moment my body staggered, but I barely managed to keep my balance.

It would be better to get some fresh air than to stay in this suffocating room.

It was when I was about to pass by him after getting up from the bed.

He gently pulled my arm. Even though it was a weak force, my weakened body crumbled into his arms, staggering. I ended up being held in a princess carry by him who was sitting.

I tried to get out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let me go, so I couldn’t even get up.

I looked at Hertian, who was showing behavior different from usual, with unfamiliar eyes.

“This isn’t like you, Hertian. Why are you acting like this?”

He still looked at me with eyes whose inner thoughts I couldn’t understand.

Breaking the heavily settled silence, Hertian spoke.

“I haven’t answered yet about why I bear the pain.”

It seemed he would only move aside if I gave this answer.

But I knew the answer.

“Because you’re my contract marriage partner. And because I’m needed for the time you need me, so I can’t die right away.”

His face contorted.

“But I know you genuinely worry about me because of the time we’ve spent together. Because you’re a kind, considerate, and affectionate person. You must want to understand and alleviate my pain.”

I spilled out the words I had been building up without pause.

“But I’m different from you. We’ll have to go our separate ways someday anyway… I don’t want to cause unnecessary worry and trouble and remain a burden on your mind. I just want to live like this, enjoying time with you, helping each other, living like colleagues and then drifting apart.”

This was my true feelings.

I didn’t want to be a burden on someone’s mind.

The responsibility for my illness is solely mine.

Why should Hertian bear it?

Is there any need to do so?

“I have no intention of becoming colleagues.”

Just before my emotions were about to explode, Hertian broke through my emotions.

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

“I’ve never thought of parting with you for even a moment.”

“Hertian. What do you…”

“Are you saying you didn’t notice even when I’m confessing so openly?”

Con, confession?

For a moment I doubted my ears.

Even I, who am inexperienced in love, know that a confession is revealing one’s feelings to the person they like.

Then… it means Hertian has feelings for me.

“Uh… eh?”

It took a long time to grasp the meaning of the confession, which was ambiguous to be called direct.

The moment I finally grasped the meaning. I stuttered like a broken person.

“Y-you. Why.”