Yuan gave up on supporting him and instead opened the bedroom door and stood in the doorway.

Clard’s bloodshot eyes fiercely turned towards Yuan.

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

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

Yuan stared at the staggering Clard for a moment before scurrying to his side.

Clard, who habitually tried to lean on her for support, stood blankly watching the black hair swiftly moving away again.

In Yuan’s hands were the empty dishes Clard had eaten from.

“I’ll clean these up. The healer said it would be good to walk around a bit once the bleeding stops from that arrow wound on your thigh, so I was trying to help… If you don’t like it, walk alone in the bedroom.”

“Hey. Aren’t you coming here?”

“Are you going to hit me if I don’t?”

Is that something that should come out of a lady’s mouth?

Clard glared at her as if she had said something ridiculous.

Who would hit that tiny thing? It was such an absurd assumption that he couldn’t even laugh sarcastically.

“What’s wrong with your head? You’ve completely lost your mind now.”

“Are there wives who fear their husbands?”

Clard flinched.

Wife. Wife. That damned wife.

He seemed to have clearly settled in the past that she was a subject to be used when needed, and that they were only husband and wife in name, in a lord-subject relationship.

An expression of ‘Why is she acting like this?’ looked like it would pierce through his face.

But what was frustrating was that as a lord with many sins, he couldn’t even refute those words.

The words ‘Honestly, you should be a little afraid of me’ couldn’t come out in front of that haggard and pale face.

After all, it was he who tormented that crow-like subject every night to the point her face became like that.

Unlike his repentant mind, it was so painful that cold sweat broke out on his back as he held back the sharp words that were ready to rush out first.

It was an action that went against his ‘nasty temper’, to borrow Lancelot’s words, so his whole body had an allergic reaction.

But whether she knew Clard’s heart or not, his foal-like ‘subject’ who irritated his nerves by mentioning family and wife, left the bedroom with a slightly smiling face.

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

Imagining Clard Yufris walking out of this bedroom on his own in broad daylight.

Something that would absolutely never happen.

“My lady. Don’t wait too long. I’ve worked here for over 3 full years, but I’ve never seen him come out during the day. Would he come out while we’re walking around like this?”

“That’s right. I’ve been here for 5 years and only saw him for the first time when His Majesty the Emperor visited last time.”

“I’ve seen the master’s shadow more times since you came to this mansion than in all my time working here!”

Yuan smiled gently at the maids who made comments as they passed by carrying laundry.

It had already been a week.

Clard did not accept Yuan’s offer to take a walk together.

Not only that, but he started coldly saying things like “Don’t waste energy on useless things” to Yuan, who personally prepared three meals a day, and began persistently asking how old she was every time she helped support him.

Even though she said if he was curious, he should come out for a walk, he stayed holed up in his room till the end.

‘He’s not really curious at all.’

Yuan pondered deeply about why Clard wouldn’t come outside, and wondered if it was really because half of his face was disfigured.

Clard had only come out once when people were walking around.

It was only when the Emperor came, and at that time he wore a mask covering half of his face.

What if she could completely eliminate his pain?

‘But then…’

Yuan would have to bear that pain for the rest of her life.

All pain had a ‘core’ of pain.

Every time pain was generated from that core, people felt pain, and Yuan had been absorbing the pain emitted from that ‘core’ while helping her uncle.

It was the same in Clard’s case.

The core of pain Clard had would slowly activate during the day and then run wild at night.

Slightly taking away and sharing that rampaging pain was the method Yuan was using now.

For Clard to be permanently freed from that pain, Yuan would have to uproot that peculiar ‘core’ of pain itself and absorb it.

Then Clard’s body would be cleansed, and conversely, Yuan would contain that core of pain Clard had, and would be plunged into a swamp of pain even if she relaxed just a little.

For ordinary people like Clard, that pain would be expressed on the skin so people would at least recognize it, but for someone like Yuan who only absorbs and feels the pain instead, she would be in equal pain but no one would know because there were no visible symptoms.

This ability became more proficient the more it was used, so Yuan had now reached the stage of mastering the method of storing pain and manifesting it little by little. But that didn’t eliminate the total amount of pain.

Especially for pain like Clard’s that wouldn’t disappear forever unless transferred to someone else, it would be even harder.

Just sharing a little of his pain made her dizzy enough to scream for a moment, so bringing the core of pain? That was unimaginable.

However, if he was imprisoning himself like that because of that devilish pain that had spread to his face…

‘I can help.’

If she was going to consider this place her true home and him her real family, she could handle enough pain to keep it from spreading to his face.

If she shared and endured just enough of the pain that slowly spread like poison every night so that it wouldn’t reach his face…

Clard could be more peaceful during the day than now, and could leave the bedroom and engage in normal activities.

“My lady.”

“Ah, Sir Lancelot.”

“I would be grateful if you called me Lancelot.”

Lancelot, who had visited Clard early in the morning, approached Yuan, seemingly finished with his business.

Yuan smiled a bit awkwardly, remembering how she had lashed out at Lancelot the day Clard had returned after being shot with an arrow.

“I should express my gratitude first, my lady.”

Fortunately, Lancelot spoke up first.

“Clard has brightened up a lot.”

…Him?

Yuan momentarily held back the words that were about to burst out and perked up her ears.

Lancelot, brushing back his fine caramel-colored hair, glanced up just enough for Yuan to see, then lowered his voice.

“It’s thanks to you, my lady.”

“What did I…”

“Clard’s complexion has improved greatly since you came to this mansion. He’s talking more too. Originally, he was a guy who would just nod his head because even talking was bothersome. He’s the type to say no with his eyes and order people around with his chin. You probably know well.”

Lancelot continued smoothly like a fish in water, and eventually let out a sigh of relief.

“He’s quite skilled at saying nasty things, but what can we do? As his only friend, I have to put up with it. It’s natural for a sick person to be sensitive. I’m relieved that someone who understands that has come in and brightened up the atmosphere of the house. Ladies line up to see me in the capital, but I’ve been wasting my youth coming to this gloomy place every time to be a talking companion for that guy. How much of my youth have I wasted?”

“Ah.”

The reason she understands that Clard is in pain is simply because she can feel that pain.

The reason she willingly did that at first was to somehow please him and stay in this house, and also because she wanted to confirm Louise’s death.

Ultimately, if he was guilty, she also wanted to hold him accountable for Louise’s death.

Although now she is the one in the position of a sinner.

Feeling pangs of conscience, Yuan just nodded.

“Clard said not to wait because he won’t come out.”

Of course.

That must be a sanitized version, and he probably said, “Stop doing useless things and tell that stupid woman not to wait for me.” Yuan smiled bitterly.

Lancelot stared at Yuan, who seemed unaffected by such words, then cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“You must be bored without a companion to talk to.”

“The servants are busy, but they’re all kind, and the mansion is so big that I lose track of time exploring it bit by bit.”

She truly felt that way.

The servants who acted as if they had a master for the first time. Chef Ralph, who started researching recipes with a flushed face just because she sincerely said the food was delicious. Mr. Mazarin, the coachman and stable keeper, who was happy to frequently go to town because there were many things to buy now that the mistress had arrived.

The young maids who followed her around at every opportunity. Even the old butler Gustav, who had become quite polite. She recalled their faces shining brightly, pretending not to be excited when she recently changed all the servants’ uniforms.

A faint smile appeared on Yuan’s lips.

“The mansion is big, but there are few servants, so everyone is working too hard. I want to help somehow, but the butler jumps up whenever I try to do anything, and the maids glare at me with fierce eyes if I even lift a finger, so I don’t know who’s the servant and who’s the employer.”

“Haha-”

Yuan chirped in a slightly excited voice.

“The reason I’m out here like this is partly because I’m waiting to take a walk with Your Highness, but they don’t say anything about tending the garden because they think of it as a hobby, so that’s why I come out here every day.”

Lancelot nodded as if he understood, then glanced up again at the second-floor window above Yuan.

The corners of his lips, which had been twitching as he tried to hold back laughter that was about to burst out, stretched mischievously.

So that bastard who would throw a fit if you even tried to open the curtains to let in some sunlight has been standing by the window looking out every day, huh.

“But it would be good if His Highness came out. His thigh was completely pierced, so if he doesn’t walk around consistently, he’ll limp for quite a long time.”

A hint of mischief appeared on Lancelot’s face as he looked up at the second floor with his arms crossed.

“Have you been to the west annex?”

“The west annex?”