"I feel sick."
I, lying on the bed, looked helplessly at the doctor. the counselor asked, examining my complexion.
"You've been pushing yourself a lot lately, haven't you?"
Mera nodded, wiping her tears with an already-soaked handkerchief.
"Yes, I haven't been able to sleep well all week. Is it very serious?"
"No, just get some rest and you'll get better."
In those words. Mera fell down on the bed and cried.
"As expected. I was right! What should we do, My Lady?"
"Did you misunderstand what I said?"
When the doctor was taken aback, Becky and Rika quickly stepped forward to explain.
"Sorry. If it's about this girl, she won't be able to come to her senses."
"That's right, she is the most loyal maid in this mansion."
"Oh, is that so?"
The doctor who understood prescribed some medicine and then went back. However, Mera's wailing did not stop even after the doctor returned.
"It's all my fault that you're sick. If I had taken proper care of you, this wouldn't have happened!"
"It's not your fault. So please stop crying, Mera."
"No, I do not want! Do you know how surprised I was when you suddenly collapsed?!"
"Of course, I know. But I feel like you'll collapse if things continue like this."
But Mera couldn't calm down. This is because Mera has become the most scared in the world of me falling ever since the accident where I was stabbed by the sword instead of Belial's.
I said as I stroked Mera's head.
"Mera, it is true that I am weaker than you, but I am not so weak that I die from body pain."
"..."
"So don't worry. I will live with you for a long time."
Mera asked while slightly raising my face.
"... Really?"
"Then, of course. You don't believe me?"
"No, of course, I believe it."
Mera stood up, wiping away tears.
"You need to eat well when you're sick, so I'll bring some soup."
"Good. Please."
"By the way, Lady."
Mera said with a worried face.
"Shouldn't I send a letter to Duke Serenity and let him know that you're sick?"
I said as I stroked Belle's silky fur as he slept next to my pillow.
"It's okay. Belial is somewhere else for work right now. It's enough for you to let him know as soon as he gets back."
"All right. Then I'll get you a few francs right away."
I ate the soup and medicine Mera brought me and lay down. Because Mera left the window open, I could see the outside scenery at a glance.
Under the bright sky, I could see maids passing by carrying laundry baskets and gardeners planting flowers and chatting. It's a sight I haven't seen in a really long time.
During this time, I was always stuck in my office working. I thought of the documents that were piling up in real time even at this moment. Wouldn't it be okay to read documents while lying down?
I immediately called Mera.
"Mera, please bring me the documents."
"... Miss, you are a patient. You need to rest for a few days."
"But even at this moment, things are piling up. I can't rest well when I think about that."
"Oh my God, Lady!"
Tears welled up in Mera's eyes again. Mera shouted.
"When did you become so sincere! This is not ladylike!"
"Is it?"
"Of course! The Lady from before was someone who liked lying in bed and relaxing more than dating Duke Serenity!"
"Please don't talk about that. Because of that memory, Belial still asks me if I like him better than my bed."
"..."
Poor Duke Serenity. Mera couldn't help but sympathize.
"Anyway, Miss, please get some rest. The most important thing right now is for you to recover your health. You need to recover your health before he can return to work."
"That is correct."
"So, while you're feeling better, be the same girl you used to be. Please enjoy your free time to your heart's content."
"I want to do that too. But I think my body has forgotten how to be lazy. Even if you forget, how can you forget that?"
"No, but it's true. In the past, I could be lazy even if I had work to do, right? But I can't do that now. I know that if I rest even a little, the workload will pile up so much that I can't handle it."
"Obviously, the Serenity family and the Pale family are different in size."
My expression darkened. Reality never takes into account individual circumstances. No matter how much my body hurts or how much my mind aches, time passes and tasks pile up.
I guess I should at least read the documents.
Just as I was about to raise my body, Mera desperately pleaded.
"Then, Lady. Just for today, just for one day, take a good rest. You won't be able to work properly with that body anyway."
"..."
"If you rest well today, you will be able to work properly tomorrow."
Eventually, I went back to bed. How on earth did our Young Lady become so sincere?
Mera eventually shed tears again.
"You know, Mera."
That was when Mera took out another handkerchief and wiped her eyes, I suddenly called Mera. Mera rushed to my side.
"Yes, Miss. I am here."
I asked, looking up at the ceiling.
"Am I doing well right now?"
Mera couldn't believe her ears for a moment.
"Why are you suddenly asking such a serious question?"
"No, it's been a while since I've been lying down like this, so all kinds of thoughts come to mind. I wonder how long I have to live like this."
"Miss..."
In the end, Mera's second handkerchief also got soaked. She has to somehow alleviate the Young Lady's depression.
Mera held my hand tightly.
"Miss, may I let others know that you are sick? The Duke may not be able to come because his schedule is full, but others will be able to come!"
"They must be busy too."
"Don't tell them to only come if they have the time! So please allow me!"
"No, but..."
"Miss!"
Mera looked at me with earnest eyes. I had no choice but to nod my head at the look in her eyes and Mera ran out of the room after that.
***
"Hey, pumpkin flower!"
"Miss, we're here!"
As soon as the news came that I was sick, the first person to arrive was Beryl.
"Don't die, pumpkin flower!"
"No matter how poor my stamina is, I won't die from physical pain. But why did you run all the way here carrying Taksha? At least come on a horse. You're also good at horseback riding."
Beryl sat down and sighed.
"I didn't even have the spirit to do that.
"Mera makes such a fuss about me."
"The person making a fuss right now is you. Should I get you a glass of water?"
"Uh, please do me a favor."
Only after confirming with his own eyes that I was okay did the real Beryl slump down in his chair.
"How did you get sick?"
"I've had too much work these days."
Beryl's expression immediately worsened.
"How much is he pampering someone else's precious daughter?"
"Belial works three times as much as I do. And the other people in this mansion too."
I said while caressing Belle.
"Seeing the people here makes me want to live hard for no reason."
"..."
"From now on, I'm going to build up my physical strength little by little like you said. I really need physical strength to do the job properly. I found out for sure after this incident."
Beryl who was looking at me gently, placed his hand on my forehead. Beryl held his hand on my forehead for a while and then asked.
"You're really okay, right?"
"I tell you a few times that it's just body aches."
"No, I was barely getting used to the change, but what if you change again? Please give me time to adapt."
"I changed because I wanted to change too. What should I do when something has changed again without me knowing?"
"It's good to have a sense of responsibility."
Beryl lowered his hand and sat back down.
"Do you remember what I said? If you're having a hard time, come back anytime. Even if change is difficult, it is still difficult."
"..."
At those words, something burst out of my heart. I said, clutching the blanket tightly.
"That's right, I'm having a hard time."
"Of course it's difficult. Even I, who have good physical strength, am going through a hard time due to family issues, so how much more difficult can it be for you? It's normal to have difficulties, so don't worry too much."
I nodded.
"Yes, thank you."
"You know that your parents are very worried about you too, right?"
"Do my parents know that I collapsed?"
"No, I kept it a secret on purpose. You don't like worrying."
"Thank you so much, brother. I'll get better soon."
"That's right."
It was a moment when Beryl felt happy at my sincere words, someone knocked on the door. The moment Beryl got up and opened the door, Iris came rushing into the room.
"Rose, as soon as I heard you were sick, I came running right away!"
"Iris?"
As soon as dawn came, Iris went to the temple to pray. Following Iris, Mouchet, and Taksha also came in.
"Me too. As soon as I heard the news from Sister Mera, I came running. I came with her, but I was waiting to visit you with the other kids."
How many people did Mera tell that I was sick?
I looked at the three with astonished eyes.
"I didn't even know that Rose was sick. I'm so pathetic."
"It's not your fault I'm sick, Iris."
"We have prepared something for you, Rose."
The children each presented the cute gifts they brought to me.
"This is holy water from the temple. If you drink it, your head will clear."
"I brought the chocolate given to me by the chef. They say you have to eat a lot of delicious food when you're sick."
"I made a bouquet with Damien. It's my first time making it, so I'm not good at it, but please accept it."
I was touched by the children's pure affection.
"Thank you so much for the gift. I feel better already thanks to you guys."
"I'm glad the Lady is happy. I thought a lot about the gift I prepared because it seemed too shabby to give to the Young Lady."
"No, you know I like chocolate. What a wonderful gift."
I took a chocolate out of the chocolate box, ate it, and then drank some holy water. And I said, holding in my arms the bouquet that Taksha had given me.
"But I also really like the gifts Iris and Taksha gave me. You all know what I like."
I stroked the heads of the three in turn and asked the maids to bring them snacks. After the children followed the maids out cheering, the room became quiet again.
As I lay down on the bed again, Beryl asked as he looked around the room.
"But where is the child whom Belial brought? I thought that if I came here. I would definitely meet him, but he doesn't even have a nose in sight."
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