Chapter – 17
Rona’s eyes were slightly wet as she watched Ireon, who had finally fallen asleep.
“Something is strange.”
The butler spoke with a serious expression.
“This attack is lasting far too long. This has never happened before.”
When Ireon’s eyes were treated before, he suffered greatly, but the symptoms usually stopped within a day or two. This time, however, even though he had only taken the medicine once, his seizures had continued for six days.
According to Bernard, even when he took the medicine several times before, the seizures stopped within a day or two. There had never been a case where he only took it once and suffered this long.
This abnormal situation created two conflicting thoughts:
Could this medicine be different from the previous ones and actually be working?
At the same time:
What if the pain never stops and continues every day like this?
During that time, Rona felt like she was going insane.
She blamed herself, thinking she must have made the medicine wrong. She tortured herself with the thought that Ireon was suffering because of her.
After nearly a week of being tied to the bed, barely eating or drinking, Ireon had lost weight and his face looked pale and gaunt.
Every time she looked at him, Rona felt tears rising again. By now she had developed the skill of quickly wiping away her tears silently with a handkerchief instead of sobbing.
Because whenever she cried, Ireon would ignore his own suffering and try to comfort her instead.
If it had been medicine made by Karina, Ireon would have opened his eyes.
Everything was her fault for trying to make medicine without knowing enough.
“Ireon… I just wanted to give you yourself back.”
But perhaps that development was not fate. Karina had abandoned her role as the heroine, and Ireon still hadn’t opened his eyes.
Originally, the story needed to reach its canonical ending for her to return to her original world.
But that didn’t seem important anymore.
“I wish I were the protagonist.”
If she were, she wouldn’t have to watch Ireon suffer like this. With protagonist privileges, he probably would have woken up.
The fact that he was suffering so much after drinking something she made made her cry again. She quickly pulled out her handkerchief.
Just as she wiped her tears and put it back in her pocket—
“…Rona.”
Ireon called her name.
She jumped up from the floor and rushed to the bed.
“Ireon-nim. Did you call me?”
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m not.”
“Liar.”
Rona held his hand. They couldn’t keep him tied in one position for a whole week. The butler had skillfully untied his wrists and tied his arms instead. His freed wrists were covered in bruises.
“I’m sorry. Because of me…”
Hearing her suppressed crying, Ireon felt a dull ache in his chest.
He didn’t like her being sad.
But he did like that she worried about him.
When he pulled her hand, warmed by her body heat, she was gently dragged to sit on the bed. He stroked her hair.
“I told you I’m fine.”
Sometimes patients with incurable diseases knowingly take poison if there’s even a chance it could be medicine.
Rona didn’t realize she was his only breathing space.
Even in this pain, having someone he could lean on like this meant everything.
“I’m thirsty.”
The moment he said it, Rona stood up and gave him water.
His mood briefly improved, then sank again.
Because she really only gave him water.
Soon he heard her put the bottle away.
“Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable?”
“Give me a lap pillow.”
Rona hesitated but climbed onto the bed, moved the pillow aside, and placed his head on her lap.
Her gentle fingers slowly combed through his messy hair. The sensation felt so good he closed his eyes.
Normally he could never have asked for something like this, and she never would have agreed. But because he was so sick, she was willing to do anything.
Under her warm, gentle touch, Ireon felt drowsy.
“You make me want to keep asking for things because you grant everything.”
“Just tell me. Anything.”
“Really? Anything?”
“Yes.”
Ireon thought about it for a moment.
When given a blank check like this, what answer would he regret the least? Something meaningful enough to be proud of? Something worth recording for generations?
His 고민 ended simply.
“This is already enough.”
Even in this pain, this moment of comfort from her was enough.
He was sinking into that brief happiness when—
Twitch.
His body suddenly stiffened.
Sweat instantly formed on his forehead.
Another seizure was coming.
Rona bent down and pulled his head from her lap into her arms.
“Ireon-nim…”
She cried again.
I’m really okay. As long as you’re here I’m okay. But it hurts to see you suffering because of me.
With difficulty, he opened his mouth.
“I want chocolate. The one from Café Cardinal.”
Rona immediately stood up and wiped her tears.
“You want something sweet? Should I ask the chef?”
“No. The one from that day. That chocolate. Buy it for me.”
“Ah… I’ll go right away.”
As she left his bedroom, her steps hesitated.
Ireon clenched his teeth to hide his pain.
“I’ll be back quickly, Ireon-nim.”
Click.
The door closed.
A moment later, Butler Bernard entered.
“Did you send Miss Rona on an errand?”
“…Yeah. Did she go?”
He asked through clenched teeth.
“She left just now.”
As soon as the answer finished, a painful sound escaped Ireon’s lips.
“Ugh… AAAAAH!”
While I’m hurting, it’s harder to watch Rona cry like she’s the one in pain.
Even for a moment… while she goes to that café… I hope she doesn’t have to see me like this.
I’ll just think about that small sweet chocolate you’ll bring me while I wait.
In pain that felt endless, Ireon lost consciousness.
Meanwhile…
Karina returned to the Harrington Count’s estate, burning with frustration.
Since Sabiel hadn’t come looking for her, she went to the palace herself despite not being invited.
But she couldn’t even enter the Crown Prince’s Crystal Palace.
She was told to apply formally for an audience.
Her face flushed red.
Never before had palace officials demanded “procedure” from her.
“You may only enter after His Highness approves your audience request.”
Reluctantly she applied and waited a long time.
The answer she received was shocking.
“His Highness has refused the audience.”
“What? Did you really tell him that I, Karina of the Harrington family, requested to see him?”
The official slightly raised an eyebrow.
“Of course. When I said Lady Karina requested an audience, he told me to say he wasn’t available.”
“What… what?”
Only then did Karina understand why the palace staff treated her coldly.
The Crown Prince’s attitude had changed.
“…You’re so cruel.”
Tears filled her eyes.
Even so, she couldn’t hate Sabiel.
Her first experience of love and excitement had made her foolish.
Maybe there’s another reason.
Otherwise he wouldn’t treat me like this.
How can I see him again?
She felt desperate.
If she lost him now, she felt she might never meet someone so wonderful again.
“I thought I had met my destined partner…”
At that moment she remembered something Rona once told her:
“Your fate stands at a crossroads. There are two men who could greatly influence your life. Both are noble. If things don’t go your way, look around you. You may still obtain everything you desire.”
At the time she ignored those words.
She had believed she was already living a new life and had met her destined partner.
She thought she and Sabiel were deeply in love.
Rona had come supposedly to repay a favor but instead asked her to meet someone else—a man. She refused because she had daily appointments with the Crown Prince.
But now that Sabiel treated her coldly, Rona’s words felt like sand in her mouth.
“I can’t lose this perfect happiness.”
She imagined her future with him.
Becoming Crown Princess.
Living as the most noble woman in the empire.
Having a beautiful child that looked like both of them.
Though she grew up simply in the countryside, she wasn’t immune to dreams of luxury.
She had never complained to her sick parents about their difficult life.
But once you tasted expensive beef and fruits soaked in fine liquor, it wasn’t easy to give them up.
Soft clothes.
Sparkling jewels.
Perfect gardens with magnificent flowers.
Even their fragrance was different from wild country flowers.
“Isn’t there some way?”
Then she remembered the letter she had burned.
[Lady Karina, forgive my sudden contact. I have something important to discuss. I hope to meet you at Café Cardinal.]
Café Cardinal.
She remembered clearly.
“I should at least go there.”
Maybe she could find Rona again.
And this time she would seriously ask about her fate.
She didn’t want to believe the Crown Prince’s feelings had only been temporary.
Clinging to that hope, she prepared to go out.
Meanwhile…
Rona walked slowly, her exhausted steps showing her discouragement.
“I’ll be back quickly, Ireon-nim.”
But in truth, she had no intention of returning quickly.
For the past six days, whenever a seizure was about to start, Ireon sent her outside.
One day he told her to help the gardener’s wife pull weeds.
Another day he told her to check the wine cellar inventory.
She was his personal maid. Normally she had nothing to do with household work.
But since he was bedridden, she assumed she was just being reassigned.
She realized the truth one day.
She had helped pick dates for fruit wine in the forest behind the estate. They finished earlier than expected and she returned sooner.
The moment she entered the main hall—
His screams echoed through the entire mansion.
His voice carried a hundred emotions.
It wasn’t just physical pain.
It was the pain of knowing his eyes might never be healed.
“AAAAH!”
Even without seeing him, she understood his feelings.
Only then did she realize why he kept sending her away.
“So I can’t see you suffer…”
After realizing that, even when she was sent away and heard no screams, her heart stayed beside him.
“You should have written the medicine instructions better, author…”
She sighed.
If Ireon doesn’t recover… will I be unable to return to my world?
But now, even that didn’t matter as much as him not suffering.
Last time we came to Café Cardinal together…
Looking up at the worn café sign, she steadied her emotions.
“Hello. I’ll take chocolate to go today.”
After receiving the chocolate, she slowly walked in the opposite direction of the Duke’s residence.
She planned to wander around before returning.
Ireon… I wonder if the seizure has stopped by now.
Even then, he filled her thoughts.
Tap.
Suddenly someone grabbed her wrist.
