The small ward next to the infirmary was filled with people.

“It’s a cold.”

The old doctor who had packed up his house call bag delivered the straightforward diagnosis.

Thanks to that, only Ludmila, who had been insisting it wasn’t a cold, was embarrassed and rolled her eyes.

Aden, who was leaning diagonally against the bedpost listening to those words, let out a small laugh that may have been a chuckle.

As if asking what she thought, he gestured with his chin towards Ludmila, and a low groan escaped her lips.

“For now, I’ll prescribe fever reducers and medicine. You should be able to take them after lunch. Don’t overexert yourself, rest is most important.”

“Did you hear that?”

“…I heard it clearly.”

Ludmila sighed softly at Aden’s words and answered with a disgruntled face.

Meanwhile, a maid who had brought a dry towel and a basin of water took a seat next to Ludmila. She dipped the dry towel in water and gently patted Ludmila’s reddened cheeks and forehead. And then…

“Um… Your Grace?”

The towel that was moving past her chin downwards hesitated. The maid looked up at Aden cautiously.

He tilted his head as if to ask why, and the maid glanced at Ludmila with an awkward smile.

“Uh, Your Grace?”

The small call came again. As Aden, who still hadn’t realized what the maid’s call meant, just stared blankly, Ludmila’s voice suddenly burst out.

“Are you going to keep watching from there?”

Gesturing to unbutton her top, she asked the question, and Aden let out a soft exclamation as if suddenly realizing.

To think a man so quick-witted elsewhere could be so dense here. Ludmila smiled awkwardly at the irony, while Aden rolled his eyes and quickly turned around.

“Rest. I’ll come back at lunchtime.”

With those final words, Aden turned and left the room with the doctor. Ludmila silently watched the closed door, then took off her clothes at the maid’s request.

‘Strange man.’

It was a moment that once again confirmed her judgment of him was not wrong.

Even as lunchtime approached, Ludmila couldn’t wake up from her sleep.

The doctor’s words, asking if there had been any terrible events recently and adding that her physical condition was not very good, passed through Aden’s mind again.

He couldn’t help but feel guilty, wondering if he had unnecessarily pushed Ludmila, but he didn’t regret it.

Even if he went back, he would make the same choice.

Aden merely nodded briefly to the head maid’s greeting as she walked from the opposite direction. He glanced at the tray in the hands of the maid following closely behind the head maid and turned his body.

“Wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

“Is that for Ludmila?”

“Yes, it is.”

The head maid gave a businesslike answer and then observed Aden staring intently at the dishes.

The head maid, who had been watching this scene, let out a quiet exclamation at the realization brought by the intuition gained through years of work in the castle. She gave a signal with her eyes to the maid and moved to the side.

“Ahem-. Ah, come to think of it, we forgot to bring that. Give this to me and go fetch that.”

“Pardon?”

“Hurry.”

When the young, inexperienced maid questioned with a blank look, the head maid put full force into her voice.

After practically chasing away the maid, the head maid held out the tray in her hands to the duke.

“Could you perhaps hold this for me?”

“Me? Why?”

“It’s too heavy for this old woman to carry.”

“That’s funny. You look like you’re still in your prime. Can’t you carry even this much?”

“It may look that way, but the inside is different. You know, you can’t judge a woman by her appearance.”

“…”

Aden let out a chuckle at the sight of the head maid continuing to speak while pretending it was heavy. Did she think he wouldn’t notice this obvious act?

“Give it here.”

But contrary to that thought, Aden took the tray from the head maid’s hands.

Confusion was evident on his face, as if even he didn’t know why he was carrying this.

Knowing what rumors were circulating about his relationship with her, yet doing something like this. It’s like pouring oil on a fire.

Aden found it absurd that he was verbally denying it so strongly, yet his actions were contradicting that.

What would Salom say if he saw this? Hiding his complex feelings as best he could, Aden reached the entrance of the ward where Ludmila was sleeping and turned to look at the head maid.

Not forgetting to hold out the tray as if telling her to take it quickly.

“Lady Ludmila. I’ve brought your meal.”

But before his action could even finish, the head maid quickly stepped forward and knocked on the door. It was such a nimble movement that it was impossible to know where such agility came from in a body that seemed so slow.

“What are you…”

“Come in.”

Just as Aden was about to say something with a frown, a soft voice was heard from inside.

The head maid glanced back and carefully pulled the door handle.

As the head maid who opened the door disappeared behind the open door, Aden was left standing alone with the tray.

Aden glared to the side at the cunning trick of the snake-like head maid, but she just bowed her head deeply with an apologetic expression on her face. Damn it.

“Aden?”

Ludmila’s voice came just as Aden was swallowing a quiet sigh.

Turning his gaze from the head maid, Aden looked at Ludmila, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

Seeing her trying to get up, surprised by his appearance, he gave a gruff “Just stay there” and went inside to put down the tray.

“I thought you were still sleeping.”

“I woke up a little while ago. I can’t sleep well anymore.”

Aden silently watched Ludmila, who was smiling lightly, then stood up.

As Ludmila tilted her head in confusion, he slowly approached and knelt on the bed.

As Ludmila stiffened in surprise at the suddenly narrowed gap, Aden passed in front of her and lightly pulled the curtain cord.

The blackout fabric that had been rolled up came down halfway, blocking the sunlight.

Ludmila, who had been squinting as if the light was too bright, alternately looked at the half-closed blackout fabric and Aden, who was just returning to his place.

“Thank you.”

To Ludmila, who briefly expressed her gratitude, Aden just slightly shook his head and then pointed to the tray with his chin.

“It seems you haven’t eaten yet, so eat first. The doctor said your physical condition is not good, so you need to eat properly.”

“You sound like a mother.”

“Why, does it sound like nagging?”

Instead of answering, Ludmila just shrugged lightly. Then she stretched out her arms and grasped the tray with both hands.

But whether it was because she wasn’t feeling well, or because it was really heavy, Ludmila’s arms holding the tray were shaking.

Seeing this, Aden let out a small sigh and took the tray from her hands.

“Aden?”

“Give it to me.”

“Wait…”

Ludmila tried to stop Aden in surprise, but he brought the tray in front of him with an impassive face and opened the lid of the bowl containing the porridge.

Steam was rising from the porridge that hadn’t cooled yet. Aden, who was about to scoop up the porridge with a spoon nonchalantly, hesitated.

What am I doing right now?

Suddenly, the thought crossed his mind of what others would think if they saw what he was doing now.

Even for a man as insensitive as he was in this area, he could understand what misunderstandings this action might cause without having to think too deeply.

Ludmila looked down at Aden’s face, which had frozen with the spoon in hand, and smiled cautiously.

“Um… I’m fine. So…”

“Haa-.”

At Ludmila’s voice trying to stop him, Aden briefly shook his head.

Right, this doesn’t have any special meaning. It’s just taking care of my guest. Along with that excuse, he added the justification of atoning for the slight guilt that remained.

Feeling more at ease, Aden looked at Ludmila with sharp golden eyes, as if eyeing prey.

“Ah-.”

“…Pardon?”

A spoonful of steaming porridge. Aden held out the spoon to Ludmila with stiff eyes.

“Ah!”

As if telling her to follow him, he opened his mouth wide, and Ludmila hesitantly opened her mouth.

She remembered laughing at the love stories the young ladies who frequented social circles talked about as they grew up like flowers.

What’s so great about feeding someone else? When she was young and sick, her nanny had done it many times, but it didn’t mean much.

She just thought it was natural because she was sick.

“Ah… Ah-.”

She never imagined this act would be so embarrassing and shy.

She felt like hiding in a mouse hole, remembering herself laughing and saying ‘How cute’ to the young ladies who were making a fuss.

Why is this man suddenly doing something he never did before? More and more, she became convinced that he was a strange man.

But apart from that thought, for the first time experiencing such kindness, her eyes, filled with embarrassment, confusion, and worry, couldn’t find a place to rest.

In the end, Ludmila chose to tightly close her eyes to avoid his gaze.

The spoon slowly approached Ludmila.

Ludmila with her eyes closed, and Aden staring at it with predatory eyes.

As the distance between the two narrowed, the tension grew thicker. Finally, when the warmth of the porridge touched Ludmila’s lips.

“Acting so unlike yourself, Aden, are you sick somewhere? I’m here…!?”

Along with the sound of the door opening, a frivolous voice shattered the silence.

Aden and Ludmila rolled their eyes towards the door, not even thinking of returning to their original positions.

There stood Aden’s friend and colleague who had just returned.

“…Ah, sorry. Carry on.”

Count Benjamin Turval scratched his head with an embarrassed face and was carefully closing the door.