After leaving Lily’s bedroom, Herald summoned Dillon and Coleman to give them instructions before busily moving about, going to see the doctor to hear a detailed explanation of Lily’s condition.
Coleman, who had briefly gone out on Herald’s orders and returned, handed him a rolled-up drawing paper.
“I tried to find a drawing that is as similar as possible to what you described, sir. If it is not to your liking, please let me know. I will search for another one.”
Herald unrolled the paper to check the drawing and simply nodded without saying a word. It meant that this was sufficient.
With Coleman, who had excellently completed his task, taking his leave, Herald took Lily’s finished letter and left the residence. The carriage he rode in traveled along the wide road at a fairly fast speed.
What content did she write? Herald was curious but did not open it. It was clear that it would contain useless information that he didn’t need. Nevertheless, the reason he was curious was because it was a letter written by Lily.
Herald was curious about and wanted to know everything about her. Even the most trivial things.
Folding that feeling and putting it back in his pocket along with the letter, Herald’s gaze fell upon the drawing paper neatly placed beside him. He fiddled with the string tying the paper.
“I hope it works out.”
So that he wouldn’t have to do the troublesome task twice. Hoping that this would be the first and last time tormenting her, Herald loosened the string slightly.
While thinking about this and that, the carriage soon arrived at the Calvador Sanatorium where Grace Benjamin was hospitalized.
The hospital was even quieter than the last time he visited. It was because there were hardly any visitors as it was not a visiting day. According to the rules, patients could only be seen on designated visiting days, but there were exceptions to everything.
Herald Breiden was also someone who made exceptions where there were none.
“Welcome, Count Breiden.”
Marquis Calvador, the director of the sanatorium, treated Herald, who was around the same age as his grandson, with the utmost care. It was natural. He was the second son of the Duke Maximilian family, who made the most donations to the hospital.
“Have you had lunch? If you haven’t, there is a delicious restaurant nearby. How about having a meal there? Or is there something else you would like to eat?”
Rubbing his hands together like a fly, afraid of displeasing Herald and having the donations cut off, the director fawned over him. Naturally taking the head seat, Herald asked without preamble.
“Is the painting restoration I entrusted you with going well?”
This was the reason why Herald had come to see the director instead of going straight to meet Grace Benjamin.
Marquis Calvador was the most knowledgeable about paintings among the people Herald knew, and he was particularly interested in painting restoration. He knew many people in that field, so Herald had asked the marquis to restore the paintings. Of course, it was not for free. He had paid a large sum, and that part was a secret from Lily.
At the time when he entrusted the paintings to the director, Herald only had a sympathetic heart towards Lily, but now curiosity and a kind of suspicion were added to it. Wanting to know what kind of paintings were drawn, Herald asked, and the director expressed difficulty.
“Restoring paintings is more difficult and time-consuming than you think, and the amount of paintings you requested is large, so generously speaking, it will take at least a year…”
“A year?”
When Herald asked back, tilting his lips at an angle, the director swallowed his dry saliva. Fiddling with the innocent teacup, he stammered and added.
“Well, I mentioned a year as the absolute maximum time… If it’s done as quickly as possible, 10 months… No, you can think of it as about half a year.”
As the director gradually reduced the period while gauging Herald’s reaction, Herald laughed and picked up the teacup.
“I’d like you to bring them to me as soon as each painting is restored, even if it’s just one at a time… Is that possible?”
“Of course it’s possible.”
“It’s also possible for the director to personally bring them, right?”
“Oh, of course I have to bring them myself. It’s a task you entrusted to me.”
The director said only what Herald wanted to hear, saying that he could bring one within a month and that he would ask to restore them as quickly as possible.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
As Herald put down the teacup and stood up, having achieved his purpose, the director also stood up and asked.
“You’re going to see Mrs. Grace Benjamin, right?”
“…”
When Herald silently stared at him, the director added with slight panic.
“I-I don’t mean anything else by it. I just wanted to say that if you’re going to see Mrs. Benjamin, I’ll call the caregiver in charge. It’s also a rule that when someone other than family visits, the caregiver in charge should be present… Ah, of course, if it’s uncomfortable for you, you don’t have to.”
Listening silently to the director’s rambling, Herald nodded and sat back down.
“Call them.”
He had no reason to refuse as he had been thinking of having a separate conversation with Margaret anyway. The director immediately called the caregiver.
“Did you call for me, Dir…”
Margaret’s bright face stiffened the moment she saw Herald. The end of her lips with small scabs trembled.
“Guide Count Breiden to Mrs. Grace Benjamin’s hospital room.”
Anyone could see that she was tense and flustered, but the director didn’t even ask why and entrusted her with guiding Herald. Unable to refuse, saying it was her job, Margaret bit her lips tightly and nodded.
After exchanging greetings with Marquis Calvador and leaving the director’s office, Herald looked at Margaret’s back as she walked ahead. Her finely trembling back told him about her state instead.
As he had felt when he saw her before, Margaret was not skilled at hiding her emotions. She wouldn’t be able to keep secrets well, so Fredrick Benjamin probably didn’t entrust her with important tasks.
Then she probably doesn’t know the identity of the snacks Fredrick brings every Monday either.
“Th-This is Mrs. Grace Benjamin’s hospital room. Then I’ll be going…”
As Margaret tried to run away after finishing her role, Herald caught her ankle with a question.
“Are you going to report to Fredrick Benjamin that I came?”
Her eyes trembled like a quaking aspen tree, in contrast to her body that was frozen like a stone statue. After rolling her eyes as if contemplating what to answer, Margaret soon smiled awkwardly and parted her lips.
“I’m not sure what you mean, but…”
“Of course you’ll report it. You’re still working under that bastard.”
The corner of Herald’s lips curved at an angle.
“Fredrick Benjamin is not a good person, so it’s better to cut ties with him quickly.”
Unlike his expression that was mocking her to the fullest, his voice was excessively gentle.
“Ah, then will I be murdered like Mrs. Megan?”
At those words, Margaret’s pupils shook greatly, but that was it. Herald let out a small laugh at the fact that she was less shaken than he had expected.
‘She already knows.’
He wasn’t curious about how she found out. What he was curious about was why she didn’t leave Fredrick Benjamin even though she knew that. It didn’t seem like she was simply worried about being killed or not leaving because of money.
“Did Fredrick Benjamin make an excuse that he wasn’t the one who killed Mrs. Megan?”
“…”
Margaret answered with her expression and lowered her gaze for a long time. As expected. Herald shrugged his shoulders, inwardly scoffing.
“I won’t say anything about believing what you want, but I’d like you to know this.”
“…”
“The person who killed Olven, Mrs. Megan’s husband, is none other than Fredrick Benjamin’s younger brother.”
Could it really be that Fredrick Benjamin didn’t kill Mrs. Megan?
At the kind explanation implying that question, Margaret’s face turned even paler than ever before. Her trembling body was pitiful to see.
“Unlike Fredrick Benjamin, I don’t kill hunting dogs just because the hunt is over. Rather, I help them live comfortably for the rest of their lives.”
Herald didn’t just stop at intimidating her but also suggested a simple yet definite solution. That way, Margaret wouldn’t agonize for long or make strange choices.
Directly saying that he would help her or persistently telling her to be on his side was also likely to backfire, so Herald smiled at her as if leaving everything to her choice and entered the hospital room.
[This is the timeline separator]The doctor came to see Lily again after a slightly late lunch.
“This is a fever reducer.”
The box the doctor gave contained purple and red medications.
“The purple one is the same fever reducer as you took yesterday, and the red one is a milder fever reducer that you can take when you have a low-grade fever.”
Do I have to take medicine even for a low-grade fever?
“If you don’t control the fever early on, bigger problems can arise, so I recommend taking it as soon as you feel feverish.”
When the doctor spoke as if reading her mind, Lily nodded silently.
“I’m not joking. You must take it.”
As if that wasn’t enough, the doctor repeatedly urged her.
“If a fever persists for a long time, it can damage your whole body, especially your head. If there’s a problem with your head, it becomes really difficult to treat.”
“I know.”
Lily smiled bitterly, knowing better than anyone how difficult it was to treat the head.
“By any chance… do you know a way to treat someone whose mind has become strange not from a high fever but from a mental shock?”
Since the doctor brought by Herald must be skilled, Lily asked just in case.
“Well, as I told the count, the treatment method varies depending on the patient’s condition and case, so I can’t give you a definite answer.”
“The count?”
Why is Herald mentioned here? When Lily looked at him with puzzlement, the doctor said even more bewildered.
“You didn’t know? The count also asked me the same thing you did.”
That man… asked the same thing as me?
“Well, rather than a question, it was more like confirming with me if a certain treatment method could be used.”
“What kind of treatment method was it?”
“It was a method of inducing a mental shock.”
The doctor stroked his chin as if recalling the memory and continued.
“The human mind seems complex but is actually simple, so sometimes giving the same shock can bring them back. He asked if it would be alright to use that method.”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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