~CHAPTER 45~
* * *
“Hngh, Greta.”
I shed a few tears while seeing Greta off as she left for isolation at the ducal residence.
Now that even she, who had always stayed quietly by my side, was infected, the entire Kreuz household was wiped out except for me and Aizen.
“My lady, avoid going outside at all costs and cover your mouth with cloth even while sleeping.”
“Don’t go…”
“Didn’t you say you would create a cure? I will wait patiently.”
Most people infected with the Black Breath disease were barely able to stand, yet Greta remained upright and dignified until the very end.
If it weren’t for the black breath that leaked out every time she exhaled, she wouldn’t have even looked sick.
Because of the transmission risk, I couldn’t even shake her hand.
I could only watch from afar as Greta departed.
With the few remaining servants all gone, the mansion felt enormous.
As I lowered my head in gloom and turned around, a large hand was placed gently on top of my head.
“I’m still here.”
“Don’t say ‘still.’ It sounds like you’re leaving soon…”
I grabbed Aizen’s clothes tightly.
If he left too, I would really be alone.
He lightly patted my shoulder and asked as if comforting me.
“Do you want me to take you to your room?”
“Where will you be?”
“I’ll be in the office. The Duke of Kalard ordered me to investigate the epidemic.”
“Then I’ll stay in the office too. I’ll research the cure while you work.”
“That’s fine.”
Aizen willingly agreed and even moved the books from my room into the office for me.
He sat at the desk, and I settled on the sofa, and we both focused on our own work.
If the infected are exhaling black breath, then the problem seems to be in the bronchial tubes or lungs…
I searched all the pharmacology books I had and categorized every herb that might be related.
Even herbs with only slight similarities were included.
After several hours, I ended up with a list of dozens of herbs.
Wow, how am I supposed to find the ingredient that can cure the Black Breath disease from this?
I barely even have a handful of these herbs in my possession…
For now, I should contact the apothecary. Maybe even send word to Til just in case…
I sighed and checked the clock.
Before I knew it, evening had long passed.
I had been so focused that I hadn’t even realized I was hungry.
I turned my head to ask Aizen what we should do for dinner.
He was reading documents with a shadow under his eyes and an exhausted face.
His expression showed fatigue mixed with desperation.
When I think about it, Aizen must be struggling the most…
His parents’ lives were on the line.
Quietly, I rose to my feet and stepped out of the office.
Since it was only the two of us in the house, I had no choice but to cook the meal myself.
I searched through the kitchen for usable ingredients.
Potatoes, carrots, meat, and so on.
I took out a knife and cutting board and rolled up my sleeves.
“Hmm, I’m honestly not good at cooking… but let’s try anyway!”
People can do anything when desperate.
Two hours later.
“It’s… done…”
I wiped away the sweat dripping down my forehead.
I transferred the dish into bowls.
There was completely charred meat that looked like black charcoal, a thick dark-green stew that continued bubbling even after plating, and fruit slices looking like they had been carved with a hatchet.
“Ahem.”
The hellish display on the table made me clear my throat in embarrassment even though I was alone.
Honestly, I always ate out.
Even though I cooked for my dad when he was sick, my skills never improved.
He even worried before he died about who would cook for me if he wasn’t around…
Is it really okay to give this to Aizen? Why doesn’t this world have delivery food? He doesn’t know the joy of takeout… tragic—
“What are you doing?”
“Aah!”
I jumped when a low voice whispered near my ear without warning.
Aizen steadied me so I wouldn’t fall and then examined the table.
“It seems the chef left in a hurry and forgot to throw away the food waste.”
“…I just made those. For us. To eat together.”
“…”
“…”
Silence filled the air, heavier than ever.
His amethyst eyes trembled as though shaken by an earthquake, and sweat trickled down along his sharp jawline.
He swallowed hard as if desperately trying to take back spilled words.
“It did seem warm, now that I think about it.”
“Not… delicious?”
“…”
Silence returned.
His lips trembled faintly.
Mine were stuck out so far that they were close to falling off.
“Forget it, I’ll throw it out. Let’s just eat cucumbers.”
“Why throw it out? Sit. We’re eating.”
He snatched the plate from my hands and placed it back on the table, then brought utensils.
Slice. Slice.
He cut the meat while glancing cautiously at me, and I heard the sound of something unnaturally firm being forced apart.
I winced as I watched the black chunk enter his mouth.
“Aizen, it’s really fine. Let’s throw it away and eat something else. What if you get sick?”
My irritation faded and worry rushed in.
Aizen mechanically chewed and shook his head.
“It’s edible… Ugh.”
“Did you just try to throw up?”
“I have never vomited from food.”
He’s about to experience it for the first time…
He was clearly struggling at first, but seeing him try so hard to cover it up made me feel embarrassed instead.
“Sorry. I wanted to cheer you up since you’ve been feeling down. I wanted to feed you something good, but I’m just not good at cooking.”
“I said it’s edible. But I’ll cook from tomorrow. You shouldn’t overwork yourself. And my mood is fine, so don’t worry.”
“Liar.”
I frowned sternly.
“Why lie when you’re not fine?”
“…”
Aizen’s broad shoulders twitched.
I knew better than anyone how it felt to watch a parent suffer.
When you know your time with them is limited, you want to stay with them for even one more day.
Even when you’re an adult, you wonder how you’ll live without them.
And when you want to see them, you can’t.
When you want to lean on them, you can’t.
How could anyone be fine?
“You’re scared and anxious.”
“…”
“You want to cry a lot.”
But I also understood how hard it was to cry.
Because once you start, there’s no one to comfort you.
And once I started crying, I feared I wouldn’t endure it when they were truly gone, so I held it all in.
But unlike me back then, Aizen had someone beside him now.
“Everything will be okay, Aizen.”
I stepped forward and hugged his shoulders tightly.
He leaned into me without resistance.
The grip around his utensils tightened, veins popping.
“Trust me. Everything will turn out fine.”
“You have me.”
As long as we have each other, neither of us is alone.
As I gently patted his back, the tension in his hands slowly faded.
After a while, I pulled back and met his eyes.
His pupils looked clearer, as if rinsed with water, and I saw my reflection within them.
“By the way, Aizen.”
“Yes.”
“Did you throw away food behind my back? What are those things on the floor?”
“…”
Only then, as I leaned in for the hug, did I realize that a miniature banquet of discarded pieces had accumulated behind him.
Aizen let out a tired breath, closed his eyes, and ignored me.
Unbelievable.
* * *
After dinner, Aizen returned to the office.
Once he regained full clarity, embarrassment overcame him.
Jenna was only a fake wife.
She wasn’t someone he should show his weaknesses to, yet he had revealed his softest parts.
How pathetic. I even accepted comfort…
In truth, he was mentally cornered.
He might lose his entire family at once.
Even if he appeared calm on the outside, he was burning up inside.
On top of that, he was a lord.
He held the duty to protect his people, yet the number of infected kept growing.
The pressure and stress were overwhelming.
So he had collapsed for a moment under the weight of Jenna’s genuine comfort.
Her gentle touch, her warmth, and faint scent made his guard fall for a moment.
When did I become this weak? I need to pull myself together.
He ran his hand roughly through his hair and forced himself to focus.
I must identify the source of the epidemic. Only then can this disaster end. No matter what…
Knock, knock.
Just then, someone knocked.
Jenna, who had gone upstairs to sleep after dinner, peeked through the door.
Aizen looked puzzled.
“Why are you here again? Is something wrong?”
Jenna shook her head and spoke shyly.
“I want to sleep with you.”
