That's the most important thing. Not dying. That's why I proposed a contract marriage to Terdeo.
"Do you trust me?"
Are you asking me this now, after we've spent several nights in the same bed?
"Someone told me that if we didn't have this level of trust, we wouldn't have agreed to a contract marriage."
It was you who said that, you. In response to my answer, Terdeo seemed to be thinking deeply about something. After a moment, he composed himself and stood up from the chair.
"Uncle will be staying at the mansion for a while. The doctor who examined you earlier is my uncle."
"Lord Finias? Is he staying here because of me? I feel like I'm causing too much trouble..."
"Uncle himself said he wanted to stay. He was intrigued when he heard that the curse of the Laphireon family doesn't affect you. He wants to observe you himself."
"Me?"
Even if he observes me, it won't make any difference.
"Uncle is the family physician. To be precise, he became a doctor to find a cure for the curse, or rather, the poison affecting the family."
"A cure for the curse?"
"He seems to think that since the curse is ultimately caused by toxicity, a cure might be found."
Terdeo, looking tired, rolled his neck and continued nonchalantly.
"Unfortunately, he hasn't found a cure yet."
He's trying to break the curse in various ways.
"Uncle has spent his entire life researching poisons, so he's better at it than the royal physicians. He's the best person to monitor your condition right now."
"If Lord Finias is comfortable with it, I have no problem. It's better for me to stay at the mansion and get regular check-ups."
"If you feel unwell, let me know."
"Of course, I will."
Knock, knock. As our conversation came to a close, a knock was heard. Terdeo walked over and abruptly opened the bedroom door. A familiar voice drifted in from the other side.
"Ah, Your Highness, the Duke."
"What is it?"
"I heard that Her Highness the Duchess has awakened, so I came to greet her."
It was Rebecca. She must have been shocked, given that she was there. However, Terdeo stood blocking the door as if he had seen an intruder. When Rebecca explained her purpose and he still didn't move, I sighed softly.
"Can you let Rebecca in?"
Behind Terdeo's broad back, I could hear Rebecca's frightened breathing. Despite my request, Terdeo stood there for a long time, staring at Rebecca. Then, he slowly turned his body to create a small gap for her to enter.
"The Duchess needs to rest, so keep it brief and leave."
"Yes, yes, I will!"
Rebecca, who had squeezed through the small gap between the bedroom door and Terdeo, ran to me, sobbing.
"Her Highness the Duchess! Are you well? Are you in pain?"
"I'm fine. You must have been scared too, Rebecca?"
I stroked her hand, and Rebecca, seeming to lose her strength, collapsed beside the bed.
"I was so worried that something might happen to you..."
Tears streamed down her face as the memory of that day came back to her. Seeing Rebecca cry, who was always cheerful, made my heart ache.
"I'm fine. I'm alive. I didn't die."
The one who should have died is that trash who poisoned me. Just wait and see.
"I'm sorry, Her Highness the Duchess."
Rebecca, without wiping her tears, held my hand tightly and apologized. Is there a 'responsibility' disease that everyone in this mansion gets? Seriously.
"Rebecca, what do you have to be sorry for? Could you have taken the poison for me, or suffered in my place? You don't need to apologize. Don't cry."
As I patted Rebecca's shoulder to comfort her, she, who had been quietly crying, now sobbed loudly.
"Sniff, sniff, I'll take better care of you, please don't get sick."
I'm the one who needs comforting, yet I keep comforting others. Just as I was about to hand her a handkerchief, Terdeo, who had approached, squeezed between us.
"What are you doing?"
I asked, surprised by Terdeo's protective stance, but he didn't answer.
"I said the Duchess needs rest. Crying so loudly might give her a headache. Leave."
Terdeo, speaking calmly, looked at Rebecca, who was sobbing on the floor, indifferently. He shooed her away as if chasing away a chicken. Rebecca, without wiping her tears, cried out as if saying goodbye for life and was chased out of the bedroom. Terdeo firmly closed the door as soon as Rebecca left and approached me, looking bewildered.
"Until you fully recover and the culprit is caught, it's best to be careful around anyone other than me."
What does that mean? Terdeo, avoiding my bewildered gaze, fled to the sofa and lay down. It seemed he intended to sleep there tonight. ***
"Finally, you're having a meal today."
"I've been waiting for this day."
After finishing my preparations, I left the bedroom. Not much had changed over the past few days. The only differences were that Terdeo, to take care of me, let me use the large bed alone while he slept on the sofa, which allowed me to sleep comfortably for several days. And, following Finias's advice to not shock my stomach, I had been eating only soup with no solid pieces for nearly a week. But today, I could finally have a regular meal.
"Has His Highness the Duke already gone to the dining room?"
"Yes, he woke up early and went to the study to work. He'll probably come for the meal later."
"His Highness really has a lot of work to do."
"It's because the war ended not long ago, and there's a lot to handle."
As I replied to Rebecca and was about to go down the stairs, I met the butler coming up.
"Her Highness the Duchess, are you going to have your meal?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I was on my way to deliver an invitation to you, but should I leave it in your bedroom?"
An invitation? From whom?
"Who sent it?"
The butler, looking awkward, smiled and answered.
"It's an invitation from Princess Dodelia."
Hearing the butler's words, I was startled and took a deep breath. What a way to start the morning. Dodelia? Why is Dodelia sending me an invitation? I already knew what it would say. She must have sent it again because I didn't go to the academy the other day! I looked at the invitation the butler offered but didn't take it. I was afraid that if I accepted it, I would really have to meet Dodelia.
"Burn it."
"Excuse me?"
"Burn the invitation."
"An invitation from the royal family cannot be burned or discarded, Your Highness the Duchess."
Terdeo said he would burn it, but why can't I?
"Then I didn't see it. Say it was lost on the way."
"The direct knight of Princess Dodelia delivered it personally, so I can't say it was lost, Your Highness the Duchess."
How thorough. I stared at the invitation for a long time and then shook my head.
"Then tell her I'm sick. The poison I took a while ago hasn't healed, and I'll be sick for life."
I mumbled and hurried away from the invitation sent by Dodelia. Hearing her name so early in the morning.
'I need to be careful today.'
Rebecca, following me urgently, shouted from behind.
"Take it easy, Your Highness the Duchess! You might fall!"
"There are no stones or anything, so if you fall, you're a fool, Rebecca... Oops."
Stupidly, I laughed at Rebecca and almost fell. Fortunately, if it weren't for these strong arms that quickly wrapped around my waist, I would have hit the marble floor with my nose.
"See? There are no stones, yet you fell, so you're a fool."
"My foot got tangled."
It was Terdeo, whose voice I could recognize without hearing it. He gently set me down and looked at me suspiciously.
"Are you still dizzy because your body hasn't fully recovered?"
I shook my head vigorously. I used all my limbs to shake it.
"If you're not feeling well, I can send soup to your bedroom... "
"I really just tripped! My foot got tangled!"
Are you crazy, suggesting I eat more soup? My tongue refuses!
"Actually, I received another invitation from Princess Dodelia. I was running away from it and almost fell."
"Did you burn it?"
"I asked the butler to burn it, but he said he couldn't."
I reported the butler's misconduct. Rebecca naturally stepped aside as Terdeo escorted me.
"I'll burn it."
"Please burn it thoroughly, leaving no trace."
With strong determination, I entered the dining room with Terdeo. The whole family was waiting for us. I sat down calmly, and Finias greeted me lightly.
"Good morning, Your Highness. Are you feeling well?"
"Good morning, Lord Finias. Thanks to your daily care, I'm really fine now. I even walked in the garden with Rebecca yesterday, and I felt fine."
"Still, don't overdo it. It's always better to be careful."
I nodded at Finias and looked at the brunch in front of me. My mouth watered. As Terdeo sat down with a displeased look, the servants carefully served the food on individual plates.