The Terminally-Ill Duke Clings to Me Every Night - Chapter 22

[The facilities at the orphanage itself are not the problem, but the sudden cut in funding is the issue. Also, there has been a lot of hoarding of food ingredients, with a bottle of drinking water rising to 10 copper coins. Moreover, the director was scammed by local ruffians while trying to obtain food supplies… It has made life difficult right now. I’m also trying my best to find ways to receive funding, but it’s not easy. Leah, I’m really sorry, but… Could you send some money for now? I know you always send a considerable amount to the orphanage. For now, if you could just send the minimum living expenses, I’d appreciate it. – Theo]

Akkia slowly put down the letter. Then, he looked at Leah, who was sleeping uncomfortably next to him, tossing and turning.

‘So the urgent need for money was to send it to the orphanage.’

He was well aware of the flood that hit the Tren region. He heard that the damage was severe, as no one had expected the flood.

Those who supported the orphanage would have reduced or stopped their support, as they no longer had the means.

The nobles of the capital should have provided support, but they were not such people. They were only serpents who cared about their own interests.

‘They’ll only take care of themselves.’

Despite not being well-off herself, she was sending money to the orphanage every month. Akkia’s gaze on Leah became a little complicated at that moment.

Along with the sound of footsteps, the conversation of the maids began to be heard.

– But will the apothecary be there now?

– I heard he’s been in the apothecary all night these days making nutritional supplements.

The maids’ voices gradually got closer as they approached the apothecary.

– That’s a relief. During the day, the apothecary was so busy with other patients that I couldn’t even see his face, let alone get a consultation.

– Same for me. That’s why I came now. Because the apothecary is known for his skills, everyone rushes to him even for the slightest illness.

The two people, who had now reached the door of the apothecary, knocked.

“Apothecary, are you in there?”

As soon as he sensed their presence, Akkia turned off the lights in the room and quietly held his breath.

– Click, click!

Soon after, the sound of the doorknob turning was heard, but the door did not open. It was thanks to Akkia quickly locking the door.

– See! I told you we came too late!

– Strange. I’m pretty sure he was here just now.

The two people knocked a few more times before giving up and turning back. How much time had passed like that? Akkia, who had turned the lights back on, approached Leah.

‘Are they coming at this hour to get a consultation?’

It was already a time when it wouldn’t be strange for everyone to be asleep. Yet they came so late at night to receive a consultation.

He could imagine how busy Leah had been living. Akkia suddenly looked at the nutritional supplements scattered on the table.

[Ah, and the effects of the nutritional supplements seem to be better than expected. Already, there is word-of-mouth spreading among the villagers, asking where they can buy that medicine.]

“Nutritional supplements…”

He picked up and examined the nutritional supplements Leah had been making. What was so great about this yellow-colored potion that they were saying that?

Then, he stared at Leah for a long time, who was sleeping without even knowing he was next to her.

[This is the timeline separator]

Early in the morning, Leah rubbed her neck, which felt stiff and knotted.

“Maybe it’s because I didn’t sleep well last night, but my whole body feels heavy.”

Due to the continued overnight work, dark circles under her eyes were a given. Even her once-good skin had long become dry and flaky.

‘Should I take a few days off…?’

Just as she was seriously considering taking a vacation with the thought that she could collapse from overwork at any time, a maid approached Leah as if looking for her.

“Apothecary. There is a guest looking for you outside.”

“A guest? Who is it?”

“They said they’re from the Magnolia Company.”

“What? The Magnolia Company?”

Leah, who had no connection with them, tilted her head.

‘Why is Magnolia looking for me?’

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure it out. When she went to the place the maid had told her, a middle-aged man was waiting for her.

“Hello. I am Beirne from the Magnolia Company. Are you the apothecary Leah working at the Hyderne Duchy?”

“Yes. I am Leah, the apothecary here. But why is the Magnolia Company…”

What came out of the mouth of the man, who looked like a nice next-door uncle, was quite shocking.

“I won’t take up too much of your busy time, so I’ll get straight to the point. Our Magnolia Company would like to receive an exclusive supply of the nutritional supplements you make and sell them.”

“The Magnolia Company wants my nutritional supplements…?”

Leah blinked her eyes several times, wondering if she had misheard.

“Yes. The field we are newly trying to expand into these days is the pharmaceutical business. And by chance, we learned about your nutritional supplements. It was amazing. Until now, there were medicines to treat diseases, but no medicines to prevent them. We saw the future of the pharmaceutical business in the new concept of health supplement products.”

Leah gave an awkward smile at the situation, as if she had invented some grand invention.

While thinking, ‘It doesn’t prevent diseases, but it is a health supplement product.’

“So, our Magnolia Company would like to have the exclusive sales rights to Miss Leah’s nutritional supplements. Right now, you’re selling them to the mansion and villagers, but if you sign a contract with us, you can sell your nutritional supplements anywhere in the empire.”

‘Anywhere in the empire?’

At Beirne’s words, it seemed like a huge amount of money flashed in Leah’s mind with a ding.

Magnolia was an emerging company that conducted trade between countries beyond the empire.

To supply nutritional supplements to such a company. Although she tried to act calm, Leah’s heart was pounding.

“The details are written in this contract. Please take your time to review it and contact our company…”

“I’ll do it.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll do it. This contract!”

There was no need to even think about it. This was an opportunity given by the heavens!

[This is the timeline separator]

After the person from the Magnolia Company left, Leah couldn’t stop smiling all day.

Apparently, the down payment she would receive for the nutritional supplement supply contract was substantial. A rough calculation showed that even after sending money to the orphanage, there would still be some of the down payment left.

Maybe that’s why. Leah was happy to wake up at the crack of dawn to decoct wild ginseng.

‘I guess peace of mind comes from a heavy wallet. I’m still sleepy, but I feel fine.’

There was no time to be tired even when people constantly sought Leah out.

Even now, on her way to bring the decocted wild ginseng to the duke, Leah was called by several servants and maids.

She barely entered the duke’s bedroom.

For a very brief moment, Leah’s face darkened with a rush of fatigue, but it quickly brightened. After handing the wild ginseng to the duke, if she could just finish the morning consultations, she would have a very short break.

‘I should go to my room and get some sleep, even if it’s just for a bit.’

Leah placed the steaming teacup in front of Akkia.

“Your Grace, I’ll serve you tea.”

Akkia looked at Leah, who seemed to be in a good mood today. She was smiling so brightly that she looked like a child with a screw loose, with the thought of resting.

‘What is she so happy about?’

Even though her face was full of fatigue, Leah was smiling silly. The duke’s brows furrowed as he watched her.

“Drink it before it gets cold.”

At Leah’s words offering the tea, Akkia unfolded his crossed arms. He seemed to drink the tea, but he put the cup down without even taking a sip.

“You seem busy all day.”

“…”

“Even though you have a lot of work, I guess something good happened? Seeing you walking around with a smile.”

It seemed he had heard the news that many people were looking for Leah.

“Me? Ah. Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah. You look lacking.”

“Your Grace, you and your jokes. Haha.”

Leah would have flared up at the remark about looking lacking, but she just smiled.

So it shows, huh?

‘It’s a good thing, after all.’

It wasn’t just once or twice that she had been pushed around by the duke’s unreasonable demands. Every time, the duke threatened, “I’ll give you the contract payment depending on your performance.”

‘And he doesn’t even have money.’

If he had enough money to give such a large contract payment, there’s no way the ducal mansion would be this shabby. After earning a huge profit from the nutritional supplements, she had to quickly pay the apothecary’s breach of contract fee and leave.

‘The hard times will be over soon!’

The day she could return to her hometown and live lavishly was not far off. With that thought, Leah couldn’t stop smiling.

“I’m not joking. Your dark circles have reached the end of the earth. You look so haggard that smiling makes you look even uglier.”

At the remark about looking ugly, Leah’s smile stopped for a moment.

‘Do I look that haggard?’

Leah cupped her face, which had become dry and flaky in just a few days. After the person from the Magnolia Company visited, Leah practically lived in the apothecary.

She had to finish the existing orders in advance to supply Magnolia in the future. She was pushing the production schedule unreasonably.

‘Well, I did pull an all-nighter yesterday, so it’s no wonder I look tired.’

She was planning to finish the morning duties and get some sleep, even if it was just for a bit.

Leah glanced at the teacup that had already reached the bottom and turned her head towards the door. The sound of a noisy conversation could be heard from outside the bedroom.

– Apothecary, are you in there?

– Yes. It’s the duke’s consultation time right now. Do you have a pain somewhere?

– My stomach has been a bit upset since earlier. When will you be out?

Even without going out, she could sense that it was a servant who had come looking for her.

‘No chance of resting today either.’

She never thought they would chase her all the way to the duke’s bedroom.

‘I hope it doesn’t cause trouble for me.’

The duke had already shown discomfort whenever Leah dozed off while developing remedies in the annex.

Leah glanced at the duke and examined his expression.

“Your Grace, you seem to have finished your tea, so I’ll take my leave now.”

It seemed better to leave before hearing a word from the duke. Leah quickly tidied up her surroundings.

Perhaps sensing Leah’s hurried state of mind as she picked up the bag she had brought, Akkia’s brows furrowed. And just as Leah turned and was about to head for the door,

“Wait a moment.”

The duke’s voice was heard, stopping her.