Yuan gave up supporting him and instead opened the bedroom door, standing between the doors.

Claude’s fierce eyes, red with fever, turned sharply towards Yuan.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll go alone.”

“You. Come here right now. Answer me.”

Yuan stared at the struggling Claude for a moment and then went to her.

Claude, who had habitually tried to lean on her, was again staring at her messy black hair with a helpless look.

In Yuan’s hand was the empty dish Claude had eaten from.

“I’ll take care of this. Hilde said it’s better for the Count to walk little by little because of the arrow in his thigh… If you don’t like it, walk alone in the bedroom.”

“Hey. Won’t you come here?”

“If I don’t, will you hit me?”

Did that come from the mouth of a lady? Claude looked at her as if asking what nonsensical thing she was saying.

Who would hit that tiny droplet of a creature? It was a household where laughter didn’t come out even though it was so ridiculous.

“What happened to your head? You’ve completely lost your mind now.”

“Do wives usually scare their husbands?”

Claude flinched.

Wife. Wife. That damn wife.

Although they clarified it a long time ago, stating that they were in a marital relationship only in name, necessary when needed.

Why was she acting like this? The expression on her face seemed to pierce through, wondering why.

But what made her angrier was the fact that she was in a position where she couldn’t even refute those absurd words, considering the sins of the lord who had many faults.

The words, “Honestly, you have to be a little afraid of me,” didn’t come out, looking at that pale and somewhat pitiful face.

It was him who tormented that crow servant every night to the point where her face got injured like that.

Contrary to the repenting head, he was full of words ready to burst out, preparing to run away first. It was so agonizing that cold sweat broke out on his body.

It was an action contrary to Ranslet’s words, ‘an irritated hot-tempered head’, causing an allergic reaction throughout his body.

However, whether she knew or not about Claude’s feelings, the ‘servant’ scratched at his nerves, talking about family and wife and leaving the room with a slightly smiling face.

“I’m always outside, so come out when you want.”

Claude Yufpris, leaving this room in broad daylight.

It was unimaginable when thinking that it would never happen.

“Madam, please don’t wait too long. Although I’ve been working here for over three years, I’ve never seen you come out during the day. Will you come out while we’re out like this?”

“That’s right. I’ve been working here for over five years, but I saw you for the first time when the Emperor Majesty visited last time.”

“Since the lady came to this mansion, I’ve seen the shadow of the master more than I’ve seen it throughout my time working here!”

Yuan smiled faintly at the maids who each spoke a word and disappeared while carrying laundry.

It’s been a week already.

Claude did not accept Yuan’s suggestion to take a walk together.
Moreover, whenever Yuan, who personally prepared three meals a day, supported her, she started asking him how old he was, as if waiting for it, saying things like, “Don’t waste your strength on unnecessary things.”

Even when Yuan suggested going outside for a walk if she was curious, she stayed in the room until the end.

“In fact, I’m not really curious.”

Yuan pondered deeply about why Claude didn’t come out, wondering if it was because he was really hideous with that half of his face.

Claude only came out once when people were around.

It was only when the emperor passed by, and even then, he wore a mask covering half of his face.

What if Yuan could eliminate all his suffering?

“But then…”

Yuan would have to bear that pain for a lifetime.

Every pain had a ‘core.’

Every time pain was generated from that core, people felt pain, and Yuan absorbed the pain emitted by that ‘core’ and helped soothe the lord’s grievances.

Claude was no exception.

Claude’s pain core was active slowly during the day and went wild at night.

The current method Yuan was using was to collect a bit of that raging pain and share it.

For Claude to be permanently liberated from that pain, Yuan had to pull out the unique pain ‘core’ that Claude possessed and absorb it.

In doing so, Claude’s body would become clean, and conversely, when Yuan relaxed a little, the pain core Claude had would immerse him in the swamp of pain.

Ordinary people like Claude might express their pain through their skin, and people might recognize it, but if Yuan, like absorbing pain and feeling it on behalf of others, suffered the same pain, there would be no visible symptoms that anyone would notice.

This ability became more proficient the more it was used, and Yuan had reached the stage of understanding how to store pain and gradually manifest it. However, it did not eliminate the total amount of pain.

Especially for the kind of pain, like Claude’s, that does not transfer to others unless explicitly done, it would be even more challenging.