~CHAPTER 48~
Aizen quickly looked at the Marchioness at the sudden situation unfolding right before his eyes.
At the same time the servant also turned his body toward her.
“Ralph!”
“Yes…!”
Ralph quickly drew his sword and blocked the front of the Marchioness.
Whoosh.
But the dagger the servant pulled from his clothes was faster.
The short and sharp blade struck the Marchioness in the forehead.
Thud.
The Marchioness fell backward.
Ralph quickly checked her pulse.
“She is dead!”
“Catch him.”
“Yes!”
The knights rushed in and restrained the servant.
The servant did not resist and surrendered without struggle.
The reason soon became clear.
“Ghk! Cough…!”
He fell flat on the floor and suddenly vomited dark red blood.
“W-what? What is happening?”
“Damn it, turn him on his back and secure his airway so he doesn’t choke!”
They attempted emergency treatment but it was useless.
Ralph, who tried desperately to save the servant, looked toward Aizen and shook his head.
“Ha…”
Aizen let out a hollow laugh as he lost the only suspect in an instant.
His voice soon turned cold.
“The Hoffman household’s butler, step forward.”
“Y-yes, Your Grace! I-it’s me. Please spare me!”
“Who is that servant? Was he originally employed here?”
“N-no! The Marquess brought him back after visiting the capital last month.”
The capital.
Upon hearing that word Aizen thought of Sylvia Hoffman who was currently staying there.
She was the only living Hoffman remaining.
Having ordered the arrest of all Hoffman household workers Aizen gave an additional command.
“Send people to the capital and bring back Lady Hoffman.”
* * *
My hands trembled as I unfolded Greta’s letter.
True to her quiet nature her writing wasn’t long.
I finished reading it at once then went back to the beginning.
Only after reading it several times did I finally accept reality and sank down to the floor.
“After taking the medicine the fever went down and the black breath decreased.”
‘It worked!’
My eyes filled with tears and my legs lost strength at the news that the medicine had shown results.
Sniffling I quickly packed more medicine to send her because I feared delayed side effects like Aizen suffered.
Fortunately Greta fully recovered only three days after taking the medicine.
Maybe she recovered faster because she was healthier than most but what mattered was that the cure was proven effective.
I officially began manufacturing the remedy.
I slept less than three hours a day for several days but thinking of those whose lives were in danger I couldn’t stop.
At least there was one thing to be grateful for.
“I’m back, My Lady.”
“Greta! I missed you!”
“Yes, I missed you too.”
Greta came back immediately after recovering and helped me.
It felt like reuniting with an older sister.
Thanks to her assistance I could devote myself to making medicine night and day.
On the fifteenth day since Matthias became ill
The remedy was distributed to children and the elderly first.
* * *
None of the surviving Hoffman household workers possessed meaningful information about the case.
So Aizen waited for Sylvia to return from the capital.
However
“Lady Hoffman was found dead in her home.”
“It happened the day after the Marquess and Marchioness died.”
Upon realizing Aizen’s side grew suspicious the culprit moved quickly and finished the job by eliminating Sylvia as well.
Aizen was not shocked since he partly expected it but he did frown and stroked his chin.
“He is thorough. He must have approached Lady Hoffman in the capital first and then used the Marquess in his plan.”
“Investigating someone from the capital will be difficult from here. How about consulting that person?”
Aizen nodded at Ralph’s suggestion.
It was obvious that the truth could not be uncovered by Kalrad’s efforts alone.
He secretly wrote a letter and sent it to the capital and before long a knight arrived with news.
“Your Grace, you should go to the young master immediately.”
“…!”
Aizen headed straight toward his nephew’s room.
Because of Jenna’s treatment and the preventative medicine distribution the black breath disease that devastated the north for a month was slowly declining.
Matthias received the remedy on the first day of distribution but his condition was so severe that it didn’t show much effect.
It only kept him alive a little longer.
His condition remained critical so Aizen feared he might witness something terrible as he opened the door.
Renee and Wilhelm were already inside.
Standing near the bed they gestured for Aizen to come closer.
“Come see Matthias, Aizen.”
“…Is it alright for me to see him?”
“Of course. You are his uncle. Who else would see him?”
Aizen hesitated but slowly approached.
With trembling eyes he looked at his nephew lying in bed.
Matthias looked quite peaceful and breathed evenly.
The feverish flush was gone and there was no sign of the black breath that once seeped out like smoke.
Renee smiled warmly and placed a hand on Aizen’s shoulder.
“Jenna’s medicine finally worked. His fever dropped and the black breath disappeared.”
“Ha… Thank goodness.”
Relieved Aizen rubbed his face with both hands.
Wilhelm stepped forward and cleared his throat before nudging him lightly.
“Ahem. Aizen, go tell the news.”
“To whom?”
Wilhelm hesitated to state the name directly but both Renee and Aizen understood who he meant.
“She seemed worried about Matthias last time. Tell her he is safe.”
“Understood.”
“Then hurry.”
Leaving Matthias in his parents’ care Aizen headed to the Kreuz Viscounty for the first time in a while since he had been busy.
The Hoffman investigation was on hold and the territory had settled down so he deemed it fine to visit today.
As soon as he entered the residence he ran into Jenna who was coming out.
“Ah, My Lady…”
Calling to her unconsciously Aizen froze.
Jenna was far more emaciated than when he last saw her.
Her already pale skin looked ghostly and dark shadows under her eyes made her look like someone who could collapse at any moment.
She placed a piece of paper in his hand while staggering.
“This explains how to make both the cure and the preventive medicine. I think I’m at my limit so another apothecary should…”
Drip.
Blood fell from her sharp nose bridge.
Her blue eyes, which were hesitating mid-speech, closed slowly.
“My Lady!”
Her frail body faltered and Aizen rushed forward to catch her.
“Someone get a physician! My Lady, wake up!”
He checked her pulse and confirmed she was alive then lifted her in his arms.
Her body was frighteningly light and it sent his heart sinking.
A physician arrived while Aizen carried her upstairs and laid her on the bed.
“Check her condition immediately. Is she sick? Why did she suddenly collapse while bleeding from her nose? Is it life-threatening?”
Despite Aizen’s impatience the physician calmly examined her.
“It is exhaustion.”
“…Exhaustion? Just that?”
“Yes. She collapsed due to physical overwork. She may be sick for a few days but there is no serious danger so you may relax.”
Aizen sighed in relief then quickly straightened his face when his eyes met the physician’s.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
When the physician left Greta entered with a basin of water and towels.
Aizen glanced at the items she brought.
“Your Grace, I’ll report if anything changes. Please go tend to your duties.”
“…Are you planning to nurse her?”
“Yes.”
Greta answered politely with folded hands.
Aizen looked back and forth between Jenna and Greta and the towel.
‘I won’t feel at ease unless I see her wake with my own eyes.’
It would remain like a splinter under his fingernail otherwise.
Aizen made a decision and held out his hand.
“Give it here. I will do it.”
“…Your Grace wishes to nurse her personally?”
“Of course. She saved my parents and Matthias. This is the least I can do.”
“Ah…”
“You gather the apothecaries and make the medicine exactly as written.”
He handed Greta the paper Jenna gave him and took the towel instead then pulled a chair and sat beside the bed.
Greta, still shocked, eventually left with the instructions in hand.
“Phew…”
Aizen soaked the towel in water and carefully wiped Jenna’s face with clumsy movements.
As he wiped away the blood around her lips and neck an indescribable emotion flooded him.
‘How foolish. You ruined your own body trying to save others.’
Of course he knew.
Had Jenna taken things slowly Matthias might not have survived.
But seeing her suffer so harshly without ever bragging or seeking reward filled him with unexplainable anger.
‘No, I’m only repaying a debt. There is no reason to be angry.’
With a troubled heart Aizen stayed by her side without leaving even for a moment.
But Jenna’s accumulated fatigue was severe so she could not get up easily and on the second night she had a high fever.
His hands trembled slightly as he fed her medicine.
Why was he feeling like this?
Jenna was nothing to him.
He meant to only use her from the beginning.
Yet the longer she remained sick the more unease grew in Aizen’s heart.
‘What if something happens to her…’
