“Suddenly what……. Jade. Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

“……No. Just. Don’t worry about it.”

The response was slow. It’s strange to suddenly bring this up out of nowhere.

‘Just like Blanche.’

Blanche would always do this too when she did something wrong and was trying not to get scolded.

‘I wonder what he did wrong to be acting like this.’

I smiled at how similar he was to Blanche.

As long as it wasn’t something serious, it wouldn’t be difficult to let it slide.

“Hmm. If you tell me now, I promise I won’t get angry and I’ll forgive you. Confess now.”

“……”

Even though I said I’d forgive him, Jade pressed his lips together and turned his head away.

It seemed like he had done something wrong, but had no intention of telling me.

“I said I’d forgive you, didn’t I?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I was just saying……”

“Is that so? Well then, alright.”

I turned away from Jade, who was still nibbling on his lip, and went over what I needed to do in my mind.

‘Reply that I’ll attend the memorial banquet, then contact Aaron later through the communication device to get a report on the merchant guild situation, and then……’

Strange. Why is my arm so itchy?

When I scratched the itchy spot, red hives appeared. My throat also felt slightly prickly and I started coughing.

“Larien. Are you sick?”

“No, I’m not sick…… It’s just itchy.”

At that moment, the butler who came in without knocking quickly raised his shoulders.

‘What’s the matter, coming in without knocking?’

It was easy to guess that something serious had happened.

“I apologize. There is urgent news to deliver……. An epidemic is spreading in Retan Prison.”

The butler’s words, spoken after composing himself, caused a heavy atmosphere to settle.

“And…… Lady Sharlin Winst showed symptoms first, and passed away this morning. Perhaps because her immune system was weakened after giving birth……”

Sharlin died? From an epidemic?

‘Epidemic……’

Before I could even organize in my mind the sudden situations that had come crashing down, Jade gritted his teeth and raised his voice in a burst.

“Call a doctor right away!”

I knew best why he was acting like this.

‘Because I met with Sharlin yesterday……’

There was a high possibility that I had contracted it from Sharlin, who died as soon as the epidemic broke out. Even now, my throat was slightly itchy, and the red hives had become more visible than before.

Not many doctors were willing to come when there was suspicion of an epidemic.

However, when Jade offered quite a high sum, one young doctor came to the Rowe estate.

I was moved to Jade’s bedroom and examined by the doctor.

Jade, who was standing next to me, urged the doctor.

Was it really an epidemic? If so, was it very dangerous? It wasn’t fatal, was it?

Amidst the barrage of questions, he looked extremely anxious.

‘If I really have caught the epidemic, Jade won’t be safe either……’

But he was more worried about me than about being exposed to the epidemic himself.

Even when told to leave, he didn’t budge. As if he had no intention of leaving my side.

“The symptoms are different from the epidemic currently spreading in Retan Prison. All the casualties have been coughing up blood, and have had high fevers for several days.”

The doctor calmly answered the questions Jade had asked after finishing the examination.

“Earl Boston, you said you only have an itchy throat and hives, correct?”

I slowly nodded.

The itchiness had subsided a lot since earlier, and my throat no longer felt prickly.

“Do you have any allergies, Earl?”

“Peaches, blueberries, and…… walnuts.”

The one who answered the doctor’s question wasn’t me, but Jade.

‘It’s been so long that even I forget sometimes……’

Far from forgetting, Jade answered immediately, having completely memorized it. Even the doctor seemed taken aback, hesitating for a moment before clearing his throat.

“Ahem, let’s ask the chef about the menu items served recently.”

Soon after, the chef who came up recited the menu items from outside the door.

“……And for breakfast this morning, we prepared pancakes with a sauce made from simmered raspberries mixed with blueberries.”

The doctor, who had been quietly listening and writing down the foods I had eaten on parchment, put down his quill.

“The symptoms you’re showing, Earl, are likely an allergic reaction from eating blueberries. If you take some medicine and rest, you should recover quickly.”

“……”

“Just to be safe, it’s best to avoid contact with others for a day. Since you visited Retan Prison, we can’t rule out the possibility of an incubation period.”

The doctor prescribed allergy medication, bowed politely, and left.

The silence that followed was brief. Jade sat down on the bed and let out a deep sigh.

“Larien. If you have allergies, you need to be careful when eating.”

He then scolded me for not being careful. There was a hint of distress in his voice.

Of course, I hadn’t eaten it on purpose.

‘I didn’t even know I had eaten blueberries.’

The blueberry flavor was completely masked by the raspberries.

And of all times, this happened when an epidemic was going around, and after meeting Sharlin who had died from it, making the situation even more sensitive……

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Understanding Jade’s startled feelings, I meekly complied.

‘He must have been considering the worst-case scenario of my life being in danger due to the epidemic.’

Jade repeated the same words before handing me the medicine.

The medicine was very bitter. The itchy sensation in my throat was still there, making it even more nauseating.

“Ah, open.”

“……Huh?”

When I frowned, Jade took something out from inside his jacket and put it in my mouth.

For that brief moment, Jade’s fingers touched my lips, making my face flush.

‘What is this……’

As I rolled it around on my tongue to taste it, I realized it was candy.

“Where did this candy come from?”

“I was carrying it to give to Blanche, but I didn’t expect to end up giving it to you instead.”

“……It’s sweet.”

I rolled the candy on my tongue while carefully going over Sharlin’s death.

Coughing up blood and fever.

When I visited her yesterday, Sharlin didn’t have any of those symptoms at all.

For her to die so suddenly today, she should have shown symptoms at least a few days ago.

On the contrary, Sharlin was overflowing with energy. She kept shaking the iron bars, screaming, and showed no signs of weakness.

Even if her immune system was weakened due to childbirth,

‘To die suddenly without any symptoms?’

In fact, I had been bothered by encountering Grand Duke Usith at Retan Prison.

Somehow, I had a suspicion that this was a manufactured situation, and the thought that it might be Grand Duke Usith’s doing wouldn’t leave my mind.

“Jade. Don’t you think something’s strange?”

“What is?”

“When I saw her yesterday, Sharlin was perfectly fine. The other people in Retan Prison didn’t show any symptoms of the epidemic either……”

Jade lightly tapped my forehead.

“We can’t confirm it anyway. Retan Prison is probably a restricted area now.”

Jade laid me down as if telling me not to think unnecessary thoughts and just rest.

‘There are suspicious circumstances, but as Jade said, we can’t confirm it.’

But it’s not like I could see Sharlin’s corpse either.

As a rule, most bodies that died from epidemics were cremated with the consent of the bereaved family.

Knock knock.

“Mama. Can Shu Shu come in?”

An adorable knocking sound that erased my complicated thoughts was heard.

“Blanche? Come in quick−”

I was about to let Blanche in but hesitated.

‘Though it’s probably just allergy symptoms, the doctor’s words about a possible incubation period are weighing on my mind.’

Jade, knowing why I was hesitating to answer, went to the door instead and replied.

He skillfully placated Blanche, saying that Mama was asleep now, so they should meet tomorrow.

Now he was completely in dad mode. I felt touched and overwhelmed for no reason.

Blanche left, and Jade returned to me.

“Larien. Just stay here today, don’t go anywhere.”

He brought a chair over and sat down.

It meant he would stay by my side. That was surprising.

In a situation where his own life might be in danger, he was worried about me first.

“Jade. Aren’t you scared?”

“Of what.”

“What if I…… might have caught the epidemic? Wouldn’t it be better if you left now and just watched from afar? It’s not like I’m sick right now anyway.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Jade stood up from the chair.

‘Is he going to leave?’

I pulled the blanket up, thinking I’d sleep comfortably after sending him off.

‘What is this, now……’

But I couldn’t say “see you tomorrow.”

My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest, pinned under Jade who had climbed onto the bed.

He interlaced his fingers with mine and smoothly raised the corners of his mouth.

“……Jade. What do you think you’re doing?”

“If I catch it too, you won’t be able to send me away, right?”

“Are, are you crazy?”

Ignoring my words, Jade whispered in a low voice.

“Your lips, they were right here.”

Then he rubbed my lower lip after feeling around my face. It felt quite different from when he briefly touched it while giving me the candy.

This time he was touching it blatantly, causing friction.

“Stop−”

Despite clearly hearing me say stop, Jade swallowed my lips.

His habit of being persistent every time we kissed continued.

He pressed on without letting me breathe, then pulled away the moment I hit his chest, leaving me dazed.

“Is it because of the candy?”

“……Jade. You.”

“It’s sweet.”

Just like now.