The bright sunlight shone through the window. Lying in bed, Olivia looked at the faces gathered beside her bed with slightly dazed eyes.

The Duke with a serious expression, Hana who seemed about to cry at any moment, the usually expressionless butler Sobel, and even a doctor with a sharp impression.

“…How serious is it?”

The Duke spoke heavily. Olivia wanted to hide her face in shame.

It was just a brief dizziness, not illness.

Probably because she had cried late into last night. It was just that she couldn’t get up early as usual, but when Hana was startled, she called the Duke and the doctor. As soon as the Duke came in, he stopped Olivia from speaking.

The doctor looked at Olivia as if examining her, then spoke clearly.

“It’s a rather severe cold.”

“There’s no way.”

Olivia was about to deny it immediately but coughed. She felt a pain as if something was scratching inside her throat. Although her head was throbbing and her body felt heavy today, a cold?

She had been considered healthy since childhood. She had never been ill when living with her mother, and now this when she was all grown up?

Olivia, holding back the pain in her throat, said,

“I was always considered healthy.”

The Duke frowned at her cracked voice. The doctor pushed up his glasses and replied,

“Your Highness, rather, Miss, your body is indeed healthy. You were healthy, so the cold is this bad.”

“The quickest way to recover is.”

“Enough rest, a balanced diet, and taking medicine on time will suffice.”

“Enough rest and a balanced diet?”

The Duke spoke faintly, looking at Olivia. Olivia spoke as if defending herself,

“I have been resting enough.”

“In my opinion as a doctor, that doesn’t seem to be the case, Miss.”

The doctor interjected. The Duke’s eyes somehow darkened.

“…You’ll have to take care of rest and meals even better from now on.”

She’s already taking care of herself well, but more? How can she take care of herself more here?

It was bewildering. Olivia unknowingly flipped the blanket in pretending to be ill. Beyond the blanket, the Duke’s voice came through clearly.

“…Sobel. Talk to Chef Masa and prepare a more nutritious diet.”

“Yes,”

“And Hana, make sure that Miss can rest sufficiently by clearing anything that might bother her.”

“Yes, sir……”

Unlike Sobel’s monosyllabic response, Hana’s voice trembled. She wanted to tell her not to cry, but she couldn’t bring herself to lower the blanket.

“Should I bring the soup and medicine that are already prepared?”

It was Sobel’s voice. Olivia listened outside the blanket while groaning. There was no answer from the Duke, but the sound of the door opening and closing was heard.

Did everyone leave?

Her breath was already hot, and the inside of the blanket was hotter. Olivia cautiously lowered the blanket. Her peeking face met the Duke’s right in front of her.

Gasp. Olivia gulped. The Duke looked dissatisfied.

“Why such a surprised expression? No, your throat will hurt, so don’t say anything.”

Olivia nodded with wide eyes, then squinted. Her head rang.

“Your head hurts. Don’t speak, don’t nod.”

“…Then what do I do?”

“Don’t talk when told not to. You don’t listen at all.”

The Duke’s head lowered at Olivia’s sullen voice. Then, with a stern face, he admonished,

“Enough rest and a balanced diet. These two things alone will be overwhelming for you.”

The Duke’s voice somehow seemed malicious. She had a bad feeling when, before Olivia could ask, the door opened again.

“I have brought the soup and medicine.”

It was Sobel. Olivia sighed in relief.

.

.

.

“Ah, no.”

Sigh of relief canceled.

Olivia looked at the spoon that had approached her mouth with a displeased eye at the Duke.

Was it too hot?

This shameless man!

But the smell of the soup was splendid. She thought she had no appetite, but the smell made her hungry.

“It looks like the temperature is okay now. Would you like to try some?” Duke Vicander asked.

“Please… I can eat it.”

“Don’t talk. Your throat hurts, doesn’t it?”

Olivia pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. It would have been more comfortable if Haena had come. Haena, who continued to cry with her swollen eyes, was eventually kicked out for disturbing the patient’s rest.

But that didn’t mean she could accept the soup from the Duke. It was too embarrassing.

As Olivia continued to resist, the Duke sighed softly. He felt a bit sorry, but he couldn’t back down. Olivia clenched the edge of the blanket as if to show her determined will.

“If you keep refusing to eat.”

“…”

“I will feed you from now on.”

At those final words, Olivia’s eyes widened. Her flushed face due to the fever looked pitiful and cute. But the Duke kept a stern expression, hiding his smile.

After hesitating for a while, Olivia seemed to have made up her mind, closed her eyes, and ate the soup.

Once, and again.

The moderately cooled soup was delicious. The Duke continuously brought the spoon to Olivia’s mouth for her to eat.

At first, it was awkward and embarrassing, but as the Duke acted normally, it felt like nothing special.

“I’m full,” Olivia said softly.