“Yeah. It matters a lot, so tell me what it’s made of.”

Brody sighed and dropped her gaze to the right corner of the floor.

“If it’s that… I can’t teach you. It’s a trade secret…”

“Ha.”

It might not be the answer he expected. Aidan let out a short, incredulous sigh and continued.

“Fine, Brody. I won’t take this medicine again.”

Surprised, Brody looked back at Aidan.
“What? Why! Your Excellency’s headache…”

And when Brody looked back at him, she was even more surprised. This couldn’t be. He was walking towards the window, pulling the arm holding the medicine bottle behind him. It seemed like he was about to throw the bottle.

Unconsciously, Brody rushed towards him and shouted, “You’re not planning to throw that away, are you?”

Desperately grabbing his cloak, Brody tried to stop him, but Aidan was relentless. Soon, his left hand wetted the window latch.

“Give it to me.”

Brody, struggling, hung onto his arm, but instead of his arm dropping, Brody found herself swaying back and forth.

Brody, feeling dizzy, cried out, “Are you going to throw something with my blood on it anywhere?!”

Hesitation. Eventually, he stopped moving. Over his shoulder, his fierce gaze was visible. It was a complex mixture of anger, gloominess, and pity.

He uttered as if chewing on his words, “Blood… I see.”

When he stopped, Brody seized the opportunity and snatched the medicine bottle. He weakly let go of the bottle.

“Whatever I say, you won’t believe it anyway.”

Brody, holding the medicine bottle tightly, said, “…….”

Aidan leaned against the unopened window, rubbing his head. The hazy backlight from the window accentuated the shadows on his ears and cheeks, making his anguish more visible.

Brody swallowed hard, her throat dry.

“Would you be happy if I bled and got better?”

“I’m fine.”

Brody responded without stepping back.

Then, Aidan looked at her intently through his hands.

This time, his gaze, reminiscent of a wounded animal, seemed serene.

Brody felt a bit unjust.

“What’s the big deal about this little blood?”

Once a month during menstruation, she might lose more blood than this.

Brody wanted to shout that out loud, but she swallowed her words. In the previous world, saying such things might shock Aidan to the point of collapsing.

Even without a donation, it’s just a matter of drawing this much blood during a health check-up. Blood regenerates, and making the medicine only requires doing it every three months.

Of course, it might hurt a little when making a cut, but still. She couldn’t do anything about it.

“However, saying that won’t convince him.”

With that thought, Brody decided to speak carefully.

“Well, okay. I wouldn’t have liked it either if it were the other way around. But,”

With a trembling gaze, she looked up at his eyes and continued.

“But if it were the other way around, Your Excellency would have done the same, right?”

If Brody suffered from severe headaches every day, wouldn’t Aidan give her a drop of his blood? That would have been more than enough.

She looked at him with determined eyes.

“That’s true, I…”

Brody interrupted him, frustrated.
“How am I different from Your Excellency? Even if you endure your headache well, do you think I can’t bear this level of wound?”

He shook his head. Then, he spoke in a gloomy voice.

“I… I like you, but… you don’t, do you?”

“…….”

Brody, who had prepared herself to counter whatever he said, suddenly found herself speechless.

He likes me?

But, but he pushed me away.

Brody recalled the events of their wedding night. He tempted her but eventually pushed her aside.

‘I wasn’t trying to close off my heart, was I? But, does he still like me?’

No, wait. And you’re not, right?

‘So, do you think I’m using you without any feelings, thinking that you’re just happily being used because I won’t do anything? Are you a gentleman?’

…Ah, gentleman, that seems right. But thinking that way about her was a sad thing. At least she genuinely wanted to cherish and treat him well.

Brody, feeling unfairly treated, stumbled through her retaliation.

“I… I don’t dislike you either.”

Ugh, she was just complaining unfairly, why did it come out like this, like an awkward confession?

Brody was startled by her trembling voice.

Sure enough, her face was blushing, unfairly enough.

‘It’s because I’m mad! It’s not because I’m excited!’

Inwardly justifying herself, she felt his gaze lifting to look at her.

“But you…”

He looked at Brody silently, then turned his gaze away.

“Oh, I see. I said my face and body were good.”

Right. Although he didn’t demand it first, if the atmosphere was like that, Brody wouldn’t refuse.

Even yesterday…

“Huh…”

Aidan sighed, lowering his head.

Could he do this even without feelings? Brody didn’t understand this issue, but whatever the reason, she was glad that Brody accepted him. So, there was nothing to say.

“…!!”

At his words, Brody’s face burned even more intensely.

Yes, she did say those words herself before. It was a bit of a shock to receive it back in order to be shocked to reject him.

It was true that his face and body were good. But…

“That’s… Yes, that’s true, but…”

Was it because her face was burning? Her heart started to beat loudly as well. If there were blushes on her heart too, it would be as red as a ripe tomato.

“That’s, it doesn’t mean everything.”

Was he pleading so plainly because it was somewhat pitiful? Brody unknowingly pulled at his heart.

Aidan’s gaze shook.

His heart beat low and grand.

Wanting to respond immediately to the feelings Brody showed, she wanted to pull him and hug him.

But soon, his hand gripping the window sill turned white.
He sighed and said, “Don’t say it like that. Anyway, you have to leave in three years.”

Don’t get your hopes up.

No, you shouldn’t get your hopes up.

You must let him go.

Otherwise, you…

As she took a step closer, he stepped back again. Brody felt her frustration building up.

‘Yes, in three years. That’s right…’

Approaching him might only make things more difficult for him.

However, even so…

Even so, would it be a reason to leave him in pain?

Whether he likes it or not, whether he closes off his heart or not, her intention to make medicine for him will not change.

Even if she’s not his lover, but just a subordinate, she would do at least that much.

Brody tightened her grip on the vial and spoke with determination, putting force into each syllable.

“Anyway, I’ll make you take this.”

Suddenly bringing up the topic of medicine again, Aidan responded strongly, clearly agitated.

“I will never take it. Even if my head explodes from a headache, I won’t take it.”

Brody, biting her lip, threw him a determined look.

“Wait and see.”

With those words, she turned around and quietly left the room.