~CHAPTER 43~
Could it be… she’s still awake and working on her research?
Even though she said she finished early, it was already late into the night because of the piled-up work.
Whether it was worry or curiosity, I couldn’t tell, but I urged Aizen to go upstairs and check.
After hesitating, he finally stepped out and climbed the stairs.
At that late hour, all the servants were asleep, and the corridor was empty.
Only a faint line of light seeping from Jenna’s room dimly illuminated the dark hallway.
Is she really still working?
He frowned and knocked on the door.
He was about to tell Jenna to go to bed.
But no answer came from inside.
Feeling puzzled, he opened the door and saw Jenna slumped over her desk.
“Madam.”
He called her softly as he approached.
From her slightly parted lips came the sound of steady breathing.
She was asleep.
Aizen bent down to take a closer look at her and glanced around.
Not only the desk, but the entire room was piled high with pharmacology books and papers.
It showed just how dedicated Jenna was to developing the cure.
He couldn’t help but find it admirable, yet…
“Foolish woman.”
Even while asleep, the hollowness around her eyes and the thinness of her cheeks were visible.
Her already slender body looked even smaller now.
“Doesn’t she know she’ll collapse if she keeps pushing herself without pacing?”
He clicked his tongue softly and took a blanket draped over the sofa.
As he covered Jenna with it, he absentmindedly brushed her cheek.
Suddenly, her hand clasped his tightly, and she mumbled in her sleep.
“Mmm… darling…”
“…!”
Aizen froze for a moment, thinking she had woken, but soon realized she was still asleep.
Her soft breathing brushed against his hand, and her slightly puckered lips tickled his fingers.
“Aizen…”
Even in her sleep, she was calling his name.
It stirred something strange inside him.
Her long lashes, her delicately curved nose, the strands of hair spilling messily over her face—
Aizen carefully pulled his hand free and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Then, startled by his own action, he stepped back quickly.
Wilhelm’s words from a few days ago came back to him.
‘I still can’t trust that spy! Maybe we should lock her up, question her, and threaten punishment if she refuses to make the cure.’
He had partly agreed with his father back then.
But when he heard that, he had also remembered Nelle’s question.
‘If she were to show you kindness like she did to me… would you forgive her past sins?’
‘Would you give her the chance to live a new life, now that she’s lost her memories?’
Just because she lost her memories… did that erase the crimes she once committed?
Could he truly forgive her?
And above all, if Jenna ever learned the truth, could she go on living so innocently?
Probably not.
The doubts he had buried began to resurface and twist his thoughts into confusion.
He didn’t know what to do with her.
Even after quietly leaving her room, his mind stayed tangled.
After a few days of such unrest, Aizen finally sought out Renée for advice.
“Mother, do you have a moment?”
“Of course. What is it, dear?”
Renée greeted her son kindly.
He sat across from her, hesitated for a long time, and then asked,
“Mother, when that woman finishes making the cure… what do you plan to do with her?”
“What do I plan to do? Are you asking how she should be dealt with?”
“Yes.”
Renée fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
While waiting, Aizen oddly felt anxious and took a sip of tea.
After a pause, she finally spoke.
“Honestly, I no longer see her as the same person she once was. So, when the cure is complete, I think we can let her go.”
In the past, Renée would have insisted on punishment, but after months of living under the same roof, her resentment had softened.
Like Nelle, she hoped Jenna would take her memory loss as a chance to start anew.
In that case, she herself would also let go of the past.
“Losing one’s memory isn’t a pardon, but her current efforts deserve recognition, don’t you think?”
“…”
“I believe setting her free to live her own life wouldn’t be a bad choice.”
Renée’s gentle voice brushed Aizen’s ears like a warm breeze.
But somehow, her words didn’t sit well with him.
A vague uneasiness stirred in his chest.
He had asked for her opinion, yet he couldn’t agree, though he didn’t even know why.
Unable to find a clear answer, he came to a temporary conclusion.
‘Do I… not want to forgive her?’
Maybe, deep down, he didn’t want Jenna to live a new life but to pay for her sins.
* * *
Three weeks after the last medicine caused side effects, the fourth formula was finally completed.
It was the result of countless sleepless nights.
Finally…!
I called Aizen in for a clinical test.
I was happy to see him after so long, but more than that, I was eager to see the results.
If this didn’t work, we’d have to stop and try another method immediately.
“Darling, this time there really won’t be any side effects.”
I rambled as I held his hand.
“I checked every step carefully, and if anything seemed off, I adjusted the mixture. So don’t worry.”
When I smiled brightly, his face stiffened.
Did I say something wrong…?
“What do you mean by ‘anything seemed off’? Are you saying you had side effects yourself?”
“Huh? Oh… well…”
That was exactly what I meant, but when I trailed off, his neat brows furrowed.
“Do you not care about your own health?”
I did care… but I couldn’t exactly test the medicine on someone else, could I?
Feeling awkward under his sharp gaze, I scratched my head and carefully handed him the vial.
“Here, drink it.”
“…”
“Come on. Please?”
Aizen sighed softly, opened the vial, and drank it in one go.
I watched him, half excited and half worried.
“So? How is it? Does anything hurt? Do you feel dizzy? Nauseous? Can you breathe fine?”
“Calm down. I just drank it. If side effects showed up instantly, this would be poison, not medicine.”
Oh, right. That made sense.
Satisfied with his logic, I stopped bombarding him with questions.
He cleared his throat and looked at me.
“I heard I was scolded by Father after collapsing last time.”
“Ah, yes. But you did deserve it.”
Even thinking back, I couldn’t blame his father for being angry.
“Don’t worry too much. Mistakes happen. No need to feel bad.”
“I’m not feeling bad.”
“…”
“I’ll just make the cure properly this time, then Father will calm down, and we’ll make up.”
I knew my mistakes, and I regretted them, but that didn’t mean I’d lost confidence.
I still hadn’t given up on mending things with his father.
“Honestly, you’re quite something, Madam.”
Aizen crossed his arms and shook his head lightly, but a faint smile curved his lips.
I stared at that smile for a moment and then blurted out,
“Are you trying to seduce me right now?”
“…What?”
“You just smiled so handsomely. I couldn’t help but ask.”
I pressed a hand to my chest and smiled shyly.
Aizen’s face froze, but his ears turned bright red, burning like fire.
“That wasn’t my intention.”
“Really? Then maybe I’m just unusually fond of you today.”
“…You really say things like that without any shame, don’t you?”
“No way! My heart’s pounding like crazy right now!”
It wasn’t a lie—my ears were just as hot as his.
Maybe because I felt like he found me cute.
Realizing we were both embarrassed, we fell silent.
The warmth spreading through my ears was about to reach my cheeks when I tried to speak again.
“Forgive me for entering without notice.”
Greta entered with a grim look, her tone unusually heavy.
“Master, something urgent has happened. You must come immediately.”
“Understood.”
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Aizen didn’t ask questions.
He gave me a small nod and left.
I hope it’s nothing serious…
I grabbed the cloak hanging on the sofa.
I had planned to visit the apothecary today.
There was a rare ingredient I needed, but the supplier hadn’t delivered it for a week.
I wanted to check if it had arrived.
“Madam, are you planning to go out?”
“Yes, to the apothecary.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible for now.”
Greta firmly took the cloak from my hands and locked all the windows.
“The north is about to fall into chaos.”
