Reus couldn’t forget Roel’s face that he saw during breakfast today. He tried all sorts of things to erase the thought, but as expected, he failed like any other time.

In the end, Reus stopped what he was doing and made his way to the office Roel used.

He came here on his own feet, but he didn’t understand his own actions.

There was nothing particular to talk about even if they met. It wasn’t just him; it would be the same for Roel.

Moreover, his fake bride was so wary of him that there was a high probability she wouldn’t welcome his visit. But strangely, his feet wouldn’t move away.

Reus pondered deeply to give validity to his actions, but the reason he was unaware of was simpler than he thought.

It was because he didn’t see Roel taking a walk in the garden located right below the office at the usual time today.

Reus, who still couldn’t grasp the essence of the emotions he was feeling, put the reason aside for now and knocked on the office door first.

Instead of the expected voice, the door opened immediately, revealing Assistant Dewin.

“Your Majesty…! What brings you here in person?”

Dewin was very puzzled, not expecting his master to have come to see the Princess Consort.

If he came to see him directly like this, how urgent must the matter be?

While waiting for Reus’ answer with a bit of tension, what he heard was an unexpected remark.

“Where is Roel?”

“Ah, the Princess Consort earlier… Pardon?”

When Roel’s eyes widened like that, she resembled a surprised squirrel. When Dewin asked with a similar expression, Reus couldn’t find it more irritating.

Noticing his master’s gaze growing colder than usual, Dewin hurriedly opened his mouth.

“The Princess Consort retired to the bedchamber a little early today.”

“To the bedchamber?”

Glancing inside the office, there were quite a few documents piled up on Dewin’s desk as well as Roel’s.

“Yes. She said she wanted to return a bit early today, so…”

For some unknown reason, Reus had a strong urge to move all the documents on Roel’s desk to Dewin’s side.

Suppressing the inexplicable impulse, Dewin hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Actually, Your Majesty… The Princess Consort had indigestion since this morning and even took medicine while working…”

Suddenly, the atmosphere around Reus turned ominous, causing Dewin to pause for a moment.

“…She said the indigestion passed quickly after taking antacids…! But she kept feeling tired, so she said she would go first today. Just in case, I gave her some backup medicine. And…”

Dewin spoke fluently about what happened with Roel in an atmosphere where he felt he had to say something. But before he could finish, Reus turned and headed somewhere.

It was the direction of the Grand Duke couple’s bedchamber.

* * *

Reus quickly arrived at the bedchamber.

Knowing Roel was inside, he should have been careful not to startle her while opening the door, but he was too distracted to care about such trivial matters.

Reus opened the door with a slightly impatient hand and entered the bedchamber.

He saw a small mound of white blanket on the bed. Just by looking at the shape and size of the mound, he could tell Roel was sound asleep.

The moment he realized that, Reus felt pathetic.

Come to think of it, Dewin had clearly conveyed that she was tired. But forgetting those words and rushing here like this, for what reason?

His mind was so complicated that he was completely unaware of the strength draining from his body after barely confirming Roel’s presence.

Reus slowly approached the bed.

He had no intention of doing anything; he just thought it would put his mind at ease to check her face while he was here.

But when he pulled down the blanket, he saw Roel moaning in pain without being able to make a sound.

Her hair was stuck to her face from how much cold sweat she had been sweating, and her complexion was extremely pale.

Reus unconsciously cupped Roel’s cheek with an urgent hand. Unlike her pale complexion, he felt warmth from her cheek.

“Roel.”

However, for some reason, there was no answer. Growing anxious, Reus shook her body urgently.

Roel, who had been unable to fall asleep due to stomach pain and had just entered a light slumber, immediately lifted her eyelids.

After blinking for a while, Roel realized it was Reus in her sight and suddenly sat up.

“Reus…!”

And as if nothing had happened, she put on a perfectly fine face.

Judging by her expression and atmosphere, she didn’t look like a sick person at all. But that couldn’t hide her stuck hair, pale face, and bloodless lips.

Still, Roel desperately tried to hide her sickness. It seemed closer to an instinctive action rather than an intentional one.

Reus also noticed that fact, but rather, he didn’t like that point.

“It’s still early, so what brings you here…? Ah, I wanted to rest a bit today, so I returned to the bedchamber early. I’m not neglecting work, but I was unusually tired today…”

Watching her slightly smile while saying things she wasn’t even asked, as if trying to avoid being caught for anything, made his mood sink. Reus spoke in a slightly lower voice than usual.

“I heard you skipped lunch.”

Perhaps it sounded like he was pressing her with a different tone than usual, as Roel was deeply flustered.

“Did you go to the dining hall during lunchtime? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear about it…”

Seeing her trying hard to please him with bloodless lips, his heart felt even more heavy.

Reus silently looked at the pale woman’s face.

The more he did so, the more anxious Roel became. She didn’t want to ruin her relationship with Reus any further, but as soon as she tried to make an effort, she was caught like this.

Even when experiencing worse things at the Ibelre estate, she never let her guard down, so why do things keep turning out this way?

She doesn’t know if she resents the misaligned situation or herself.

Feria once said something like this.

If someone like you, who lived with nothing, gains something beyond your worth, you will inevitably become a shameless cheapskate who doesn’t even know gratitude.

What if Reus thinks like that too?

‘I should have been more careful…’

As there was still no answer, Roel apologized urgently.

“I’m sorry, next time−.”

However, Roel’s words couldn’t continue. It was because of the large shadow cast over her forehead.

As the large hand approached closer, Roel instinctively shrank her body and closed her eyes.

Being sick, she couldn’t help but show a frightened look. But no rebuke was heard about this.

Reus simply moved his hand like that and carefully placed it on her forehead.

Roel slowly opened her eyes. In the quiet moment, their gazes deeply intertwined.

Strangely, concern could be read in Reus’ eyes.

Roel blinked and observed Reus more intently. She seemed unable to distinguish whether he was displeased or not.

Reus, who immediately noticed that fact, asked gently.

“I heard you had indigestion since morning.”

But as soon as he mentioned being sick, Roel flinched and almost reflexively replied.

“Ah, no…”

It wasn’t a very pleasing response, but Reus neither said anything nor changed his expression.

Instead, he moved his hand and gently brushed aside the hair stuck to Roel’s forehead from sweat, starting from her forehead.

There was no trace of urgency or irritation in that touch. Roel seemed to notice that too, as she looked up at Reus with a slightly dumbfounded expression.

“You’re sweating like this, but you say you’re not sick.”

The touch and gaze on her face clearly showed concern. It was such an unfamiliar reaction that she had no idea how to respond.

Is this actually a dream? Around the time she started to have such a misconception, Reus narrowed his eyes.

“You even have a fever, but I really don’t understand why you’re trying to hide being sick.”

Anyone could hear the worried tone in his voice.

‘Why is he being so kind…?’

Not only did he wipe away her cold sweat without finding it disgusting, but he also checked if she had a fever by touching her forehead and neck, and even stroked her hair while waiting for an answer. How could she not be surprised?

No matter how much she thought about it, it seemed like a dream.

Then, Reus’ veiny, firm hand touched Roel’s neck. The sensation of flesh touching her neck, stained with cold sweat, was so vivid that it naturally brought her to her senses.

“Roel. I need to know where it hurts to take measures.”

“Well…”

She now knew he didn’t come to the bedchamber to blame or mock her. She even noticed that he was worried.

But still, Roel couldn’t bring herself to speak.

‘How can I say it’s because of my period…?’

For a normal married couple, it would be a naturally shared matter, but Reus and her were merely in a contractual marriage. In fact, they were no different from strangers, so wouldn’t it be a bit awkward to mention this?

‘It’s kind of embarrassing too…’

Feeling ashamed, she kept her lips tightly shut and hesitated to speak. Then, Reus’ brows gradually narrowed.

It wasn’t because he was angry, but he had reached a point where he couldn’t hide his impatience.

He felt like he needed to see her looking a little better after giving her medicine as soon as possible, but what was making her hesitate so much to say where it hurt?

Reus, who had been conscious of his tone, gestures, and even the tips of his fingers to make them gentle so as not to frighten Roel, seemed unable to wait any longer and called her name in a slightly urging manner.

“Roel.”

“Well, it’s because of… my period…”

As Roel trailed off in a fading voice, the tips of her ears turned bright red.

Reus was just as flustered by the answer that was far from what he expected.