AFRPR 27

Episode 27

“Understood!”

The Winterlen Castle quickly turned chaotic.

Servants ran everywhere trying to find Estelle.

Even Lennox went out to search for her himself. His body moved before he even had time to think.

‘Even though she took the Mandrake medicine, she was still very sick.’

Whoever had the guts to sneak into the main castle and take her must be crazy. If Lennox found them, he wouldn’t let them off easy.

Clench.

Lennox ground his teeth and searched the castle grounds.

His feet led him to the old annex, where Estelle had been staying.

‘Here…?’

When they were young, this used to be a secret play area for him and his sister. But after their father was caught having an affair in that building, it had been abandoned. Their mother, the former Duchess, was so angry that she shut it down completely.

It had been left alone since then, almost as if they wanted to erase that memory.

But now—

‘It feels… warm.’

Even though it had a dark history, the place now felt cozy.

‘No, this isn’t the time to think about that.’

Just as he turned to leave, Lennox heard a faint sound—someone moaning in pain.

It was so quiet that most people wouldn’t have noticed. But Lennox’s senses were sharp.

Could it be?

He followed the sound and went inside.

And there—

“Estelle.”

She was lying in bed.

She was wrapped tightly in a blanket like a cocoon, but otherwise seemed unharmed.

She didn’t seem tied up or anything. It looked like she had wrapped herself up voluntarily.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Her eyelids trembled, and her golden eyes slowly opened.

She was awake. That was a relief.

She nodded weakly.

“Where is the person who took you?”

He asked with a scary tone, ready to grab the kidnapper by the throat.

Estelle looked confused.

She slowly opened her cracked lips and whispered,

“I… came here on my own.”

Her voice was dry and raspy.

Lennox looked shocked. She wasn’t kidnapped?

“Yes. I came by myself.”

Apparently, Estelle had woken up while he was away.

[This is the main castle…]

She quickly realized she was in the main castle.

[I need to go back.]

Back to where she belonged.

Even though she was burning with fever and her body felt heavy, she forced herself to walk back to the annex.

She knew Lennox wouldn’t like her being in the main castle.

But Lennox didn’t understand why she left.

“Why would you leave?”

“Because… you don’t like it.”

Me being there.

It was a short explanation, but clear.

Lennox was speechless.

He couldn’t deny it. He was the one who made sure she wouldn’t set foot in the main castle.

While he was silently regretting it, Estelle pulled the blanket even tighter.

“I’m cold.”

She was shivering.

She didn’t even remember how she got back to the annex.

“Where does it hurt?”

“Everywhere.”

She mumbled.

“That can’t be…”

He thought the medicine should have helped, but her condition seemed worse.

“You still have a fever.”

Her expression turned upset.

She was already suffering, and now he was acting like she was lying?

She grabbed his hand.

Then pulled it to her forehead.

“I’m not lying.”

She wanted him to feel for himself. She no longer cared about his aversion to touching others.

“…”

Lennox froze.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t wearing gloves this time. He could feel her burning hot skin directly.

She was burning up.

He usually feared touching people, no matter how clean they looked.

But Estelle had broken that wall so easily.

At least when he helped her drink the potion, he had time to mentally prepare.

But now, her golden eyes were full of tears. It overwhelmed him.

She soon closed her eyes again.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrogate you.”

Estelle nodded weakly.

She liked the coolness of his hand on her forehead.

The tears were from the fever.

She just wanted to pass out and be free from the pain.

“Estelle.”

Lennox called her name softly.

“Estelle Winterlen.”

She didn’t answer—just frowned.

‘So annoying…’

His hand, acting as a cold compress, kept twitching like it might move away.

Was he going to pull it away?

Estelle forced herself to speak again.

“Don’t… be so stingy.”

Ha.

Lennox gave a dry laugh.

He had only called her name because he wanted her to let go of his hand so he could call a doctor.

She hadn’t answered earlier, but now she murmured that he was stingy.

“I’m really expensive, you know.”

But Estelle didn’t reply.

She just turned her head away.

‘She’s like a child now.’

That’s how high her fever was.

He could have pulled away and gone to get a doctor—but he didn’t want to.

So he stayed and acted as her cold compress.

“Hm?”

When his hand got warm, Estelle let go.

Plop.

His hand was pushed aside like trash.

Lennox gave a small, defeated laugh.

“You used to cling to me. Now you just toss me away.”

Like she had gotten everything she wanted.

If Estelle were awake, she would have protested that she never clung to him.

But she was fast asleep, softly groaning in pain.

“You’re too weak.”

Was the Mandrake potion fake?

The new Tower Master, who had just woken up after a 10-year coma, had become a money-obsessed weirdo.

People said he was still a genius, so Lennox had trusted him.

But if that potion was fake…

‘I’ll kill him.’

Lennox calmly thought.

He took off his other glove.

Then, with his cool hand, he stayed by Estelle’s side.

For a long time.

Later that night…

Estelle disappeared from the main castle late at night.

And Lennox only left her side around dawn.

“We’re sorry, Your Grace. We still haven’t found the Lady.”

The servants bowed.

“Should we increase the search team? She might’ve left the castle…”

“No need.”

“Pardon?”

“I found her in the annex. There’s no kidnapper, so stop searching.”

The servants sighed in relief.

Now that they had time to breathe, they noticed Lennox looked… messy.

“Shall we prepare a bath for you?”

“What? We need a doctor first.”

Everyone was shocked.

Lennox, who normally hated even a wrinkle on his shirt, didn’t care about how he looked.

“We’ll call the doctor, sir.”

“No. I’ll go myself. Just watch over Estelle.”

She seemed stable for now, but who knew what could happen?

He left quickly, after firmly instructing them.

“Mom!”

Estelle was awakened by Duren’s crying voice.

“Don’t die!”

Mom’s not dying…

She wanted to comfort him, but she couldn’t move a finger.

Lennox’s voice spoke.

“She’s not dying.”

Waaahhhh!

Duren cried even louder.

“39 degrees is high, but it’s not fatal.”

His tone was so cold and blunt.

‘Are you comforting him or scaring him?’

Estelle thought, before falling back asleep.

“Quack doctor.”

She thought she heard Lennox muttering that.

After dreaming about things she couldn’t fully remember, Estelle finally woke up.

Her body felt much better.

She wasn’t fully healed, but at least her tears weren’t falling just from having her eyes open.

‘Time to get up…’

She slowly sat up and opened the window to get some fresh air.

But then—

She saw someone she shouldn’t be seeing.

‘Huh?’

Why is he here?

Am I hallucinating from the fever?

She blinked in confusion.