Episode 28. There is no such thing as a free lunch
“The Princess is pregnant with my child?”
As expected!
When those words came out of Christine's mouth, she felt like she had been confirmed. Even though she believed it in her head, she guessed there was a part of her that wanted to deny it.
Christine's face hardened noticeably, but Adele didn't notice.
“Find the silver wolf that appeared in the palace. That is the price for giving you the blank document.”
Christine didn't say anything for a while.
"Chris?"
He seemed to have fallen asleep with his eyes open. As Adele approached, he blinked. His silver eyelashes slowly rose, revealing his blue-gray eyes. Eyes as cold as ice, colder than ever.
“...Why are you looking for the silver wolf?”
“Maybe... It might have killed my mother.”
“That’s nonsense. Absolutely not!”
Christine's vehement denial made Adele even stranger.
“How do you know that?”
“There is no such thing as a silver wolf in the world. Even the Emperor issued a gag order not to be swayed by baseless rumors. So you should not mention that wolf either.”
But Adele was stubborn.
“No. Some people said they saw a silver wolf on the day my mother passed away...”
“Don’t be fooled by the jokes people make just for fun!”
Christine's dry voice echoed throughout the house. He, who was always easygoing and relaxed, seemed excited for some reason. But Adele couldn't back down like this.
“Then let me meet the palace coroner. I’ll ask him a few questions about the dead guard’s body. You can do that in exchange for a blank sheet of paper, right?”
“Blank documents and such are unnecessary.”
“Then you won’t be able to marry the Princess?”
“Do you really think I want that marriage?”
Adele scolded him with a bewildered face.
“Then you embraced the Princess even though you didn’t want to get married? Chris, how far are you going to disappoint me?”
“I’m the one who’s disappointed, Adele. I don’t know about anyone else, but you should have believed.”
Adele's heart grew cold at the sight of his resentful eyes.
“Then... isn’t the Princess pregnant?”
“No matter how talented I am, I can’t get a woman pregnant without even knowing her.”
“That... is it true...? But morning sickness...”
“It’s not my fault.”
Christine waved his hand as if shooing away an annoying fly.
“But they said you went in and out of her room every night?”
“Don’t you know better than anyone how absurd the rumors are?”
At that moment, Adele felt so foolish. She had been so jealous that she had suspected him without even looking into the facts. Christine got up from the rose-colored sofa.
“Yes, it’s true that I came to you because I needed a blank sheet of paper. I apologize for my rough behavior that night. But the person I wanted to hug all along was... you.”
Adele was at a loss as to what to do with his persistent yet passionate gaze.
“Ugh, Chris...”
He raised the corners of his lips thinly as if mocking Adele.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I like you.”
With those words, Christine left Adele's house.
“Lie down here!”
Mark shouted as he kicked the sheets off the bed in the examination room. Adele just lay there, gasping for breath as Christine laid her down on the bed.
“What do you think? Is it okay?”
When he asked urgently, Mark, who had been looking at her, answered gloomily.
“It’s probably scarlet fever. It’s a disease that children often catch, but if their immune system is weak, adults can get it too. But I didn’t know that her bodies would be this weak...”
Mark clicked his tongue as he stared at Adele. In just a few days, she had lost a noticeable amount of weight and looked malnourished.
“So, can we make it better?”
There were quite a few children who died from scarlet fever.
“Doctors are not sure about any patient. They just do their best.”
Christine didn't like those cold words very much.
“If this woman goes wrong, you won’t be safe either.”
But the threat didn't seem to work on Mark.
“Let’s talk after we bring down the fever. Please take off everything except her underwear.”
“Adele’s clothes, me?”
“If you can’t do it, I will do it.”
“...!”
Christine's murderous eyes answered the question.
“After you take off her clothes, wipe her body with a lukewarm towel.”
After leaving those words, Mark hurriedly tried to leave the examination room.
“Where are you going?”
He pointed to the examination room across from Christine, who was blocking his way.
“I’m a very busy person. I’ll bring you some fever reducer right away.”
There were three or four beds in the examination room across the hall. They said scarlet fever was prevalent, so young patients were lying there. After Mark left, only Christine and Adele were left in the small examination room. His task was to undress Adele, who was flushed with fever. The problem was that her body odor was too strong due to her hot body temperature. The same scent that usually stimulated him.
"Shit..."
Christine muttered with a look of despair on his face. He had no choice but to hold his breath and unbutton Adele’s blouse. The front of the blouse opened little by little, revealing the white chemise she was wearing underneath. Her flesh was faintly visible through the thin fabric of her underwear. Unlike her pitifully thin arms and legs, her body had quite a bit of volume...
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
Mark, who had been caring for the young patients, looked back, doubting his ears.
“Where did Judy go and where did the Count go...?”
“I think Adele might need her help more.”
Then Christine took off his uniform jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.
“Is it okay to just wipe the bodies of children with a fever with a wet towel?”
“That is true, but.”
Christine took a towel out of the water bucket and squeezed it out with moderate force. Then he started wiping the bodies of the children who were struggling with fever. And that wasn’t all. He cleaned up the vomit of the children who had vomited, mopped, washed the mops, and even comforted the whining children. Mark, who had been watching anxiously at first, was relieved to see that his actions were more skillful than he had thought. He had thought he was an arrogant noble who only knew how to swing a knife, but he was surprised.
“Why are you surprised that I did so well?”
When Christine asked smugly, sensing his gaze, Mark snorted softly.
“I thought it would be fortunate that it wouldn’t be a problem.”
When Christine glared, Mark pretended to be busy and started to treat the patient. But it was strange. He acted like he wouldn't even touch Adele, so he didn't know why he didn't take care of her himself.
“Yes, you will now become the second in command of the Kalame Empire. And soon you will have a lovely wife and child. Congratulations, Chris.”
A cold sneer crossed Christine's lips.
“Congratulations? With that tearful face?”
Was that my face?
“I feel a little... wronged.”
"What?"
Adele wrinkled her nose and spoke in a vulgar way.
“Actually, I had a hard time getting the blank document out of the Marquis’s office. But I guess I did something good for you.”
His sharp gaze often seemed to pierce through her mind. Even now, it was undeniable. That was why Adele found it difficult to face him. Finally, he raised the corners of his lips coldly.
“I see. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”
“Thank goodness we can communicate.”
“So what do you want? Money?”
Christine now sat back on the rose-colored sofa, looking like he was about to bargain. Adele sat down on the chair opposite him, speaking with a cool expression.
“No, I want something you can’t give me easily.”
“Do you want my body too?”
Adele responded leisurely to the words that seemed half-joking and half-serious.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want you enough to flirt with the Princess. I can’t lose my best client.”
“If you were trying to piss me off, you succeeded.”
“I didn’t mean to, but I don’t feel bad about it.”
"Ha!"
Christine snorted in disbelief, but Adele quickly became serious.
“I have something for you to find.”
“What should I help you find?”
“Silver wolf.”
“...!”
A cold sneer crossed Christine's lips.
“Congratulations? With that tearful face?”
Was that my face?
“I feel a little... wronged.”
"What?"
Adele wrinkled her nose and spoke in a vulgar way.
“Actually, I had a hard time getting the blank document out of the Marquis’s office. But I guess I did something good for you.”
His sharp gaze often seemed to pierce through her mind. Even now, it was undeniable. That was why Adele found it difficult to face him. Finally, he raised the corners of his lips coldly.
“I see. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”
“Thank goodness we can communicate.”
“So what do you want? Money?”
Christine now sat back on the rose-colored sofa, looking like he was about to bargain. Adele sat down on the chair opposite him, speaking with a cool expression.
“No, I want something you can’t give me easily.”
“Do you want my body too?”
Adele responded leisurely to the words that seemed half-joking and half-serious.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want you enough to flirt with the Princess. I can’t lose my best client.”
“If you were trying to piss me off, you succeeded.”
“I didn’t mean to, but I don’t feel bad about it.”
"Ha!"
Christine snorted in disbelief, but Adele quickly became serious.
“I have something for you to find.”
“What should I help you find?”
“Silver wolf.”
“...!”
Christine's face hardened noticeably, but Adele didn't notice.
“Find the silver wolf that appeared in the palace. That is the price for giving you the blank document.”
Christine didn't say anything for a while.
"Chris?"
He seemed to have fallen asleep with his eyes open. As Adele approached, he blinked. His silver eyelashes slowly rose, revealing his blue-gray eyes. Eyes as cold as ice, colder than ever.
“...Why are you looking for the silver wolf?”
“Maybe... It might have killed my mother.”
“That’s nonsense. Absolutely not!”
Christine's vehement denial made Adele even stranger.
“How do you know that?”
“There is no such thing as a silver wolf in the world. Even the Emperor issued a gag order not to be swayed by baseless rumors. So you should not mention that wolf either.”
But Adele was stubborn.
“No. Some people said they saw a silver wolf on the day my mother passed away...”
“Don’t be fooled by the jokes people make just for fun!”
Christine's dry voice echoed throughout the house. He, who was always easygoing and relaxed, seemed excited for some reason. But Adele couldn't back down like this.
“Then let me meet the palace coroner. I’ll ask him a few questions about the dead guard’s body. You can do that in exchange for a blank sheet of paper, right?”
“Blank documents and such are unnecessary.”
“Then you won’t be able to marry the Princess?”
“Do you really think I want that marriage?”
Adele scolded him with a bewildered face.
“Then you embraced the Princess even though you didn’t want to get married? Chris, how far are you going to disappoint me?”
“I’m the one who’s disappointed, Adele. I don’t know about anyone else, but you should have believed.”
Adele's heart grew cold at the sight of his resentful eyes.
“Then... isn’t the Princess pregnant?”
“No matter how talented I am, I can’t get a woman pregnant without even knowing her.”
“That... is it true...? But morning sickness...”
“It’s not my fault.”
Christine waved his hand as if shooing away an annoying fly.
“But they said you went in and out of her room every night?”
“Don’t you know better than anyone how absurd the rumors are?”
At that moment, Adele felt so foolish. She had been so jealous that she had suspected him without even looking into the facts. Christine got up from the rose-colored sofa.
“Yes, it’s true that I came to you because I needed a blank sheet of paper. I apologize for my rough behavior that night. But the person I wanted to hug all along was... you.”
Adele was at a loss as to what to do with his persistent yet passionate gaze.
“Ugh, Chris...”
He raised the corners of his lips thinly as if mocking Adele.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I like you.”
With those words, Christine left Adele's house.
***
As he was leaving the front door, Christine ran into Mia, who was just entering Adele's garden. Mia, who had met him unexpectedly, lifted the hem of her skirt and greeted him, asking.
“Is Adele okay?”
“She looks like she could win if she fought me right now.”
Mia tilted her head.
“No way. I came here because I was worried she might collapse alone.”
Then she quickly ran up the stairs, opened the front door, and went in. Meanwhile, Christine went to the horse that was parked on one side of the garden.
'Damn, why the silver wolf all of a sudden!'
In fact, he had been half-mad since Adele brought up the silver wolf. Adele's mother's death was a terrible thing to Christine, too. She was like a mother to him. The village treated him as a forest beast. Christine knew that, too. But the silver wolf might have killed Adele's mother. Could Adele really believe that? ....Why?
“Is Adele okay?”
“She looks like she could win if she fought me right now.”
Mia tilted her head.
“No way. I came here because I was worried she might collapse alone.”
Then she quickly ran up the stairs, opened the front door, and went in. Meanwhile, Christine went to the horse that was parked on one side of the garden.
'Damn, why the silver wolf all of a sudden!'
In fact, he had been half-mad since Adele brought up the silver wolf. Adele's mother's death was a terrible thing to Christine, too. She was like a mother to him. The village treated him as a forest beast. Christine knew that, too. But the silver wolf might have killed Adele's mother. Could Adele really believe that? ....Why?
But he couldn't completely ignore Adele's words. Christine had just started to transform into a wolf when her mother had an accident. Everything was so confusing that it wasn't easy for him to control himself. The biggest problem was that he had no memory of what happened when he transformed. No matter what, he couldn't have killed her mother with his own hands, right? That would never happen...
He was lost in thought as he quickly mounted his horse.
“Help me, Count!”
Mia ran out of the house and screamed.
“Adele has collapsed and is unconscious!”
When Christine ran inside, Adele was lying on the floor. There were broken wine bottles and red wine spilled on the floor, as if she had tried to drink it.
“Adele, wake up! Adele!”
Mia hugged her and patted her cheek. But she was still lying there, unable to come to her senses. She had seemed fine just a moment ago...
“Get out of the way!”
Christine quickly took off his cape and covered Adele with it before hugging her tightly. Her body was burning with fever. Damn, how could she be in this condition...
“Where is the nearest clinic?”
“It takes more than 30 minutes by carriage. But with scarlet fever going around these days, it won’t be easy to see a doctor.”
“Then let’s take her to the palace.”
That would be faster.
“But it’s too far to the palace. Instead, take her to Mark.”
“Mark? That vet?”
“He will provide better treatment than most doctors.”
Christine's hesitation did not last long. With each breath, Adele's shoulders shook violently, and she was in pain. The priority was to relieve her suffering as quickly as possible.
“It would be good to pray for Adele’s speedy recovery, if only for Mark’s sake. Hyah!”
He shook the reins vigorously, with Adele sitting in front of him.
“Help me, Count!”
Mia ran out of the house and screamed.
“Adele has collapsed and is unconscious!”
When Christine ran inside, Adele was lying on the floor. There were broken wine bottles and red wine spilled on the floor, as if she had tried to drink it.
“Adele, wake up! Adele!”
Mia hugged her and patted her cheek. But she was still lying there, unable to come to her senses. She had seemed fine just a moment ago...
“Get out of the way!”
Christine quickly took off his cape and covered Adele with it before hugging her tightly. Her body was burning with fever. Damn, how could she be in this condition...
“Where is the nearest clinic?”
“It takes more than 30 minutes by carriage. But with scarlet fever going around these days, it won’t be easy to see a doctor.”
“Then let’s take her to the palace.”
That would be faster.
“But it’s too far to the palace. Instead, take her to Mark.”
“Mark? That vet?”
“He will provide better treatment than most doctors.”
Christine's hesitation did not last long. With each breath, Adele's shoulders shook violently, and she was in pain. The priority was to relieve her suffering as quickly as possible.
“It would be good to pray for Adele’s speedy recovery, if only for Mark’s sake. Hyah!”
He shook the reins vigorously, with Adele sitting in front of him.
***
“Lie down here!”
Mark shouted as he kicked the sheets off the bed in the examination room. Adele just lay there, gasping for breath as Christine laid her down on the bed.
“What do you think? Is it okay?”
When he asked urgently, Mark, who had been looking at her, answered gloomily.
“It’s probably scarlet fever. It’s a disease that children often catch, but if their immune system is weak, adults can get it too. But I didn’t know that her bodies would be this weak...”
Mark clicked his tongue as he stared at Adele. In just a few days, she had lost a noticeable amount of weight and looked malnourished.
“So, can we make it better?”
There were quite a few children who died from scarlet fever.
“Doctors are not sure about any patient. They just do their best.”
Christine didn't like those cold words very much.
“If this woman goes wrong, you won’t be safe either.”
But the threat didn't seem to work on Mark.
“Let’s talk after we bring down the fever. Please take off everything except her underwear.”
“Adele’s clothes, me?”
“If you can’t do it, I will do it.”
“...!”
Christine's murderous eyes answered the question.
“After you take off her clothes, wipe her body with a lukewarm towel.”
After leaving those words, Mark hurriedly tried to leave the examination room.
“Where are you going?”
He pointed to the examination room across from Christine, who was blocking his way.
“I’m a very busy person. I’ll bring you some fever reducer right away.”
There were three or four beds in the examination room across the hall. They said scarlet fever was prevalent, so young patients were lying there. After Mark left, only Christine and Adele were left in the small examination room. His task was to undress Adele, who was flushed with fever. The problem was that her body odor was too strong due to her hot body temperature. The same scent that usually stimulated him.
"Shit..."
Christine muttered with a look of despair on his face. He had no choice but to hold his breath and unbutton Adele’s blouse. The front of the blouse opened little by little, revealing the white chemise she was wearing underneath. Her flesh was faintly visible through the thin fabric of her underwear. Unlike her pitifully thin arms and legs, her body had quite a bit of volume...
“...!”
He had no choice but to close his eyes tightly. He barely managed to take off her blouse. However, he could not untie the string tied around her waist with his eyes closed. So he opened his eyes for a moment, and Adele’s disheveled figure came into view. Through her messy hair, her sweaty and flushed face...
“Ugh!”
He closed his eyes again and held his breath. Wasn’t it really unfair for a sick patient to be this seductive? In any case, he had to take off Adele’s clothes with his own hands. But in this situation, it was too dangerous. His patience was almost at its limit. If he got out of control again...
He had no choice but to close his eyes tightly. He barely managed to take off her blouse. However, he could not untie the string tied around her waist with his eyes closed. So he opened his eyes for a moment, and Adele’s disheveled figure came into view. Through her messy hair, her sweaty and flushed face...
“Ugh!”
He closed his eyes again and held his breath. Wasn’t it really unfair for a sick patient to be this seductive? In any case, he had to take off Adele’s clothes with his own hands. But in this situation, it was too dangerous. His patience was almost at its limit. If he got out of control again...
At that moment, someone came into the examination room. It was Mark’s assistant Judy who had come in with a fever reducer and a lukewarm wet towel. Christine squeezed his hand tightly as if she were still alive.
“Please take care of Adele instead. I really need you to do this.”
Judy blushed and stared blankly at his earnest request. But she soon shook her head and came to her senses.
“I’m sorry, but I have to help the Baron...”
“Baron, I will help him.”
"Yes?"
“From now on, you will take responsibility for taking care of Adele.”
Christine, who had given the threatening order, ran out of the examination room.
“Please take care of Adele instead. I really need you to do this.”
Judy blushed and stared blankly at his earnest request. But she soon shook her head and came to her senses.
“I’m sorry, but I have to help the Baron...”
“Baron, I will help him.”
"Yes?"
“From now on, you will take responsibility for taking care of Adele.”
Christine, who had given the threatening order, ran out of the examination room.
***
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
Mark, who had been caring for the young patients, looked back, doubting his ears.
“Where did Judy go and where did the Count go...?”
“I think Adele might need her help more.”
Then Christine took off his uniform jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.
“Is it okay to just wipe the bodies of children with a fever with a wet towel?”
“That is true, but.”
Christine took a towel out of the water bucket and squeezed it out with moderate force. Then he started wiping the bodies of the children who were struggling with fever. And that wasn’t all. He cleaned up the vomit of the children who had vomited, mopped, washed the mops, and even comforted the whining children. Mark, who had been watching anxiously at first, was relieved to see that his actions were more skillful than he had thought. He had thought he was an arrogant noble who only knew how to swing a knife, but he was surprised.
“Why are you surprised that I did so well?”
When Christine asked smugly, sensing his gaze, Mark snorted softly.
“I thought it would be fortunate that it wouldn’t be a problem.”
When Christine glared, Mark pretended to be busy and started to treat the patient. But it was strange. He acted like he wouldn't even touch Adele, so he didn't know why he didn't take care of her himself.
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