Chapter 5
It was a slightly embarrassing situation, but come on—who was I again? I’m Sienna Winter, arguably the most shameless person in the world.
“I usually have pretty high standards, so I rarely admit it, but… feel honored.”
“So this is your real personality?”
Heraith, who had been drawing a complex-looking magic circle, looked up at me and laughed lightly.
“This is much more natural.”
Is that so? Well, I had been stiff earlier, probably because of his infamy.
“I’ve been wondering—where’s the rest of your family?”
“Mm, my mother passed away early. My father got stuck at the border because of a magical beast while searching for medicine for me. And my brother? He went off to raid a dragon’s nest. Sometimes there are useful treasures there.”
In other words, I was alone in this huge mansion.
“That must be lonely.”
“Not really.”
Everything I had was thanks to my father and brother working so hard.
‘They’re doing all of this just to get medicine for me. I can’t complain.’
And rather than feeling lonely, I was more afraid—afraid I’d be left behind alone when no one was around.
“Are you scared?”
“No?”
Caught off guard, I widened my eyes and denied it.
“Don’t worry. I’ll stay by your side.”
“…That’s not comforting at all.”
You’re the biggest problem. You.
Feeling embarrassed, I grumbled and quickly changed the subject.
“So, what are you making?”
“Took you long enough to ask. Hold on—it’s almost done.”
About five minutes later, Heraith extended his hand toward me.
“Hand.”
I hesitated.
‘Should I take it or not?’
Heraith wouldn’t harm me.
If I died, his life would be ruined too. That much was obvious.
The reason I hesitated to take his hand was something else.
‘Is he trying to scam me again?’
Even though I looked at him suspiciously, Heraith patiently waited.
He didn’t try to force me, nor did he use magic.
And yet, he had more than enough power to do so.
‘It’s that kind of thing that keeps making me see him differently.’
After a moment of hesitation, I reached out and gave him my hand.
“It’ll sting a bit.”
“Ow.”
A sharp needle pricked my index finger. A drop of blood gathered at the tip and fell onto the magic circle.
“What are you trying to do with my blood?”
“I can’t just let you die like this, can I?”
He lightly tapped a piece of glowing paper.
“First, let’s figure out what illness you have.”
He wanted to figure out my illness? A bitter laugh escaped me.
“You won’t find it. It’s an incurable disease without even a name.”
“Tch. Don’t lump me in with those third-rate hacks. I’m a great mage—there’s nothing I can’t do.”
I watched, somewhat dazed, as my blood flowed along the lines of the newly forming magic circle.
‘I’ve never seen this kind of method before, but…’
Still, I remained skeptical.
“You look like you don’t believe me.”
“To be honest, yeah.”
“I’ve never been treated like this before. It’s so shocking, my heart hurts.”
What did I even do? Heraith acted like a man who had just been insulted.
“Tch. What if I do find out what it is?”
“Then I’ll grant you one wish.”
“Anything?”
If he could really find a way to save me, there was nothing I wouldn’t do. I’d even give him my entire fortune.
“Within reason.”
“It’s a promise, then?”
Seeing how quickly he bounced back from his fake hurt, he definitely wanted something.
“The results won’t be ready until dawn, so get some rest. I’ll tell you in the morning.”
Back in my room, I spun in circles on the spot.
“There’s no way he’ll find out. Not even famous doctors or divine priests could figure it out…”
Still, seeing how confident he had been as a Grand Mage… it gave me a strange sliver of hope.
‘What if… Just what if he really finds out? Then maybe he can find a cure too?’
Clinging to that fragile hope, I waited for the next day. But the problem struck that very night.
Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, my chest began to itch. The sensation quickly climbed up my throat.
It felt like something was about to burst.
“Cough! Cough! Ugh, guh!”
A wet lump rose in my throat.
A dark red clot of blood.
“Kh, kuhh!”
Blood dribbled down my lips. My nose was damp—probably a nosebleed too.
My vision blurred like a fog had rolled in, and strength left my limbs.
“Ri… Rina…!”
I yanked on the bell rope frantically, and soon the door burst open.
“My lady? Kyaa! My lady! Please stay with me! We need the physician! Call the physician!”
A sharp scream scattered above my head.
Through the chaos, a low voice sank into my ears.
“Sienna.”
It was Heraith.
His voice, cold and serious for the first time, commanded,
“Be quiet and get out.”
Lifting my head with difficulty, I saw Rina, dazed, walking out of the room.
“Hyp… Hypnosis… You said… not to use it carelessly…”
“Still got the strength to nag? You must be fine.”
I am not fine. I’m dying. It felt like I had swallowed molten lava, the pain boiling in my chest.
It wasn’t anything like a normal case of coughing up blood.
It was hard to breathe, like the blood was pooling in my throat. Clutching my chest, I curled up on the floor.
“It’s progressing faster than I thought.”
Heraith clicked his tongue and placed a hand on my back.
“Huh…?”
Suddenly, the pain crushing my chest disappeared.
‘What… just happened?’
I blinked in shock, unable to process what I was feeling.
Then Heraith gently cupped my chin.
‘Ah… He helped me.’
He pulled a handkerchief from his robe and gently wiped the blood from my mouth.
“I only reduced the pain. Your body isn’t fine, so stay still.”
Then, Heraith scooped me up from the cold floor. I leaned weakly against his chest.
‘So… the time has finally come…’
In the original story, this was around when Sienna began to curse Daphne.
After coughing up a huge clot of blood, just like I had, her condition rapidly deteriorated.
Pain beyond comparison, constant blood loss, a weakening body.
Fear and rage over death turned into hatred—aimed at innocent Daphne.
And then…
‘She meets a miserable end.’
I thought if I just avoided those negative emotions and faithfully took my medicine, I could delay it…
“I think I’m really going to die.”
“You’re not going to die.”
Heraith firmly denied it, but I barely heard him.
“I won’t even last five months… hhic.”
Tears blurred my vision. I began to sob.
“I’ll save you.”
“Even the doctors and the high priest couldn’t do anything! How can you save me?!”
I pounded Heraith’s shoulder in frustration.
“What about my dad, who went through so much just to save me? What about my brother?”
All the emotions I’d been holding in burst forth, and I cried loudly in his arms.
“I just wanted to live a normal life. Why only me…”
It wasn’t my fault I got this incurable disease. It wasn’t my fault my damn fiancé cheated. So why did I have to suffer?
Eventually, I cried myself to sleep in Heraith’s arms.
Heraith gently wiped the tears from the sleeping Sienna’s cheeks.
“Mmm…”
She flinched and frowned, probably because her eyes were sore from all the crying.
Heraith quietly brushed her hair aside.
“I didn’t want to see you crying anymore.”
He looked at her tear-streaked face and slowly placed a hand over her chest.
Thump—thump—thump…
A faint heartbeat, so weak it could stop at any time.
She could die tomorrow, and it wouldn’t be surprising.
Heraith felt a twist in his chest.
“What am I going to do with you?”
In truth, he had a guess about her illness.
He had known—but he had been hoping it wasn’t that.
“Of all things… why this one…”
As the letters appeared on the examination paper, Heraith’s lips tightened.
Given the condition, it was clear the illness was already quite advanced.
Anyone else would’ve said it was too late and given up.
Looking down at Sienna’s pale face, Heraith spoke slowly.
“Don’t worry, Sienna. I won’t let you die.”
After all the trouble he went through to find her, he couldn’t lose her so meaninglessly.
He gently wiped her face and whispered softly by her ear.
“Sleep well.”
Don’t hurt anymore. Have sweet dreams.
Morning came.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I screamed. The events of last night came flooding back.
It was a relief that my body was okay, but the memories wouldn’t leave me alone.
“Aaah!”
Kicking the blanket and rolling on the bed, I flailed.
‘What a mess!’
I wished I could erase last night from my memory. But it was burned in vividly—I could recall it the moment I shut my eyes.
‘How am I supposed to face Heraith?’
But my worries were for nothing. Heraith didn’t show up even after noon.
‘Of course. He failed.’
I felt like a fool for getting my hopes up.
“…Sniff.”
Tears welled up again.
I thought I’d be fine, but now that death seemed so real, I was terrified.
I pulled the blanket over my head and sobbed quietly.
“Eating and lying down right after gives you indigestion. Get up.”
At some point, Heraith had entered and was pulling the blanket off me.
“N-no!”
I held onto the blanket desperately, but it slipped from my grasp anyway.
Heraith paused when he saw my face.
“Your face is really…”
“What!”
“Looks like an angry little pufferfish.”
“Pufferfish?! That’s so rude!”
I glanced into the hand mirror on the desk and shut my eyes tight.
…He’s right. Pufferfish.
“Your eyes are practically gone. I’ve never seen anything like this. Can you even see?”
Heraith leaned in suddenly, and I pushed his face away in anger.
“Stop it! You think this is funny?”
“Of course not.”
Oh please, I could hear the mischief in his voice.
When I glared at him, fuming, he chuckled and handed me a paper.
“Looks like you’ve got some energy back. Here. The results are in.”
With a mix of fear and hope, I opened the result sheet.
