The sensation of something cool touching my forehead brought my consciousness to the surface. I opened my eyelids, which were heavy from the fever, and I saw Giselle in front of me.
“Are you awake?”
“Yes…”
My voice was quite hoarse and I was not sure if Giselle could hear me.
When I tried to get up, my vision became distorted and my back, which had been lifted slightly, fell back to the bed.
“You have a fever, please don’t try to get up.”
Oh, right.
When my father, whom I didn’t want to see, found me, I tried to leave Arburn in a hurry. But when I left the room to go tell Ewe that I was leaving the inn, I collapsed.
I wonder what time it is.
I looked at the clock on my desk and saw that it was midnight.
I panicked and tried to get up, but I still couldn’t.
“You cannot force yourself. You need to sleep!”
“But, I have to get out of here quickly…!”
I don’t know when my father will come here.
I have to leave Arburn as soon as possible.
I tried several times to get up, but all of my attempts failed, and in the end I was forced to lie down.
“Mr. Jed told me what happened.”
“Jed told you?”
“Yeah, the Duke is here, isn’t he?”
She probably found that it was him from Jed’s description of his characteristics. I nodded powerlessly to Giselle.
“You need not worry about the Duke. I have gotten rid of him.”
“You met?”
“He came to the inn himself.”
Giselle’s reply made the blood drain from my body.
If the inn has been found, it was only a matter of time before he took me away. I knew I had to get out of Arburn immediately, so I tried to get up again, but my body was too weak to shake off Giselle’s hand.
“Giselle, let me go… I have to get out of here…”
“I’m telling you that everything is alright, so calm own please. The Duke believes that you are not here.”
“But…”
“I will take care of the Duke’s search party as well. For now, please think about improving your condition.”
Giselle looked down at me with an expression that looked like she was about to burst into tears.
Even though I’m not her master anymore, I’m causing her trouble again.
Tears welled up in my eyes at how pathetic I was.
“I beg you, please be obedient. Even a normal cold can turn into a serious problem with complications.”
When I was a child, I had caught a cold and slept for several days, causing Giselle to worry.
At that time, she looked at me as if she was about to cry, too.
It was because she couldn’t bear the thought of me being gone, just like her own mother, who had died of illness after overworking herself.
“All right, so don’t cry.”
“It’s because you are forcing yourself so much, Lady Elle.”
“You went back to calling me ‘Lady’.”
“It’s fine to use it at this time.”
When I stroked Giselle’s cheek, tears began to flow from her eyes.
“I’m sorry for being such a bother.”
“Please wait until you feel better before apologizing.”
“I understand.”
When Giselle realized that I was not going to resist, she withdrew the hand that was holding me down and stood up.
The moment I opened my mouth to scold her for wiping away her tears so violently, I coughed and she gave me a worried look.
“I’ll get you some water.”
She helped me get up, and as I leaned against the headboard, she offered me water.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing…”
I took it, thanking her.
I took a sip and felt the cool water cool my hot throat a little.
“Do you think you can eat something?”
“I don’t have much of an appetite.”
“You need to eat something… do you think you could eat a grated apple?”
I’m sure I could eat that much.
Giselle nodded and left the room, saying, “I’ll go ask Ewe.” I don’t expect Ewe is going to be awake at this hour.
I hope we are not bothering her.
I looked out at the door and saw my father’s face again.
“Father is still in this city, huh…”
I wondered what Giselle meant when she said she had driven him away.
“I guess I will have to ask her some questions when she gets back.”