IMMCFC 11

Chapter 11

Startled by the unexpected words, Jayden looked toward the source of the voice. The woman he thought had come to treat him was inexplicably standing right there.

“What?”

“You tried to catch me, Young Master. I just fell over.”

In a steady voice, she seemed to wrap herself around me.

It wasn’t just Jayden who was taken aback by Viola’s lie.

Even Cain froze, stopping in his tracks at the unexpected words.

‘…Why?’

Why tell such a lie? He could clearly see everything that had happened.

Even if she hadn’t been there from the start, he would understand the situation.

Jayden had pushed Viola.

Whether it was a clumsy mistake from surprise or intentional, whether malicious or not, it no longer mattered.

After all, breaking the vase and causing Viola to fall were actions Jayden had taken.

And it was the guardian’s responsibility to allow him to do so.

Cain, regardless of anything, intended to correct Jayden’s temperament. One accident was already more than enough.

But at that moment, Viola silently mouthed something just for me.

‘Please trust me.’

She smiled faintly after saying it.

Her expression was calm and gentle, far from that of someone hurt. Even with blood dripping down her arm, she smiled at Jayden kindly, without a trace of anger.

It was incomprehensible. She had risked herself to protect someone she had just met?

Cain unconsciously withdrew his aura. Jayden, who had been pale with fear, began to regain his color.

Once more, Viola mouthed words just for me.

‘Thank you.’

Her sprout-like eyes curved beautifully as they looked at me.

I hadn’t expected this. I was suddenly curious what she might do next. Cain, at some point, had silently allowed her actions.

And so had Jayden.

“Young Master, it’s dangerous. Could you come over here for now?”

Jayden glanced around but obediently followed her instructions. The child who had just thrown a tantrum was now incredibly meek.

“Your Grace, I think the young master needs treatment. Could you wait outside for a moment? Conrad, too.”

Drawn by her gentle voice, Cain and Conrad naturally stepped outside.

The door slid shut with a soft click.

“Just a moment, Young Master. I’ll check your temperature first.”

Through the door came Viola’s soft, pleasant voice.

Cain stood silently at the doorway.

“….”

“I apologize, Your Grace. It’s my fault that Miss Viola was hurt.”

“Quiet for now.”

Normally, Cain might have scolded Conrad sharply, but now his words barely registered.

Only the image of Viola’s smile floated in my mind.

Following her lead, Conrad left the hallway.

Though Jayden obediently followed Viola, his chest felt tight, making it difficult to lift his head.

Through his downward gaze, he noticed her left sleeve.

The neat outfit contrasted with the tattered sleeve, stained with bright red blood. Even without a close look, it was clear she had been seriously hurt.

“May I check your condition, Young Master?”

“….”

Jayden didn’t reply, but neither did he resist.

It seemed he understood that his consent was implied, as she began carefully examining him from head to toe. At one point, she stopped to look at his palm, eyes wide.

“Oh… I thought as much. Some glass shards must have landed on the rug.”

“….”

“It must sting. Don’t worry—I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.”

She bent her head down and focused entirely on treating the wound.

She removed the shards with care, disinfected the area, applied ointment, and wrapped a bandage. Finally, she looked up and gently curled the corners of her mouth into a soft smile.

“How does it feel? Not painful at all, right? This is my specialty.”

Her voice carried calmness with a hint of playful mischief.

Jayden could not understand it. The wound was minor, barely a scratch.

Even with the Tamutar illness, he was a dragon-blooded child. Such an injury should have been nothing.

Yet the one hurt was him—and she, of all people, was smiling.

His chest ached sharply, squeezing like a dry rag, yet his lips betrayed his frustration.

“Are you an idiot?”

“Huh?”

She tilted her head, puzzled.

“Why are you helping me? I hurt you. I’m no kind-hearted fool…!”

He was in a mess himself, yet she still treated him kindly.

Every time he looked at her bloodied arm, guilt stabbed him like a knife. His head ached, his chest felt tight, and the world spun.

Jayden squeezed his eyes shut. What a foolish question to ask when he knew there would be no satisfactory answer.

Just as he turned away, a soft sigh escaped her, as if she had understood, yet she spoke casually, as though it were no big deal.

“That’s only natural.”

Confused, Jayden looked back into her eyes.

“You’re a child, after all.”

I’m an adult, he thought.

She added softly, smiling brightly, like a sprout just emerging on a spring day.

“….”

Even after her explanation, Jayden didn’t understand. He was six years old—not just a child, but a dragon-blooded one. Surely she knew that.

Ugh. He opened his mouth to ask again but closed it. A sudden dizziness overwhelmed him.

“It’s okay. Just stay still for now.”

Her gentle voice was like a lullaby. Jayden couldn’t help but close his eyes.

Her cool hand touched his hot forehead and then lifted.

“You have a high fever. I’ll give you a fever reducer. Take it and rest. You’ll feel much better.”

Jayden hated medicine. He absolutely did not want to take anything.

But her calm, patient voice made him swallow the liquid unconsciously.

Bitter? Not at all. Slightly sweet, it wasn’t unpleasant. But he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman before him.

‘She’s clearly an idiot.’

It wouldn’t even work. My body doesn’t take medicine anyway.

But he didn’t speak the thought aloud. Fatigue pulled his mind into a haze.

Jayden soon fell into a deep sleep—the first real rest he’d had in a long time.

‘Phew. Finally, things are under control.’

Seeing Jayden asleep at last, I finally felt relief.

Earlier had been truly dizzying.

I came to help, and within moments, the room had been a disaster.

Still, no regrets. I checked his condition as planned and gave him the fever medicine.

If he had fallen on the broken vase and been hurt, it would have been a real catastrophe. Fortunately, there were no serious problems.

‘I got a little hurt myself, but this is nothing. I’m used to it.’

It wasn’t the first time. A little medicine and it would heal quickly.

Quietly, I rose from the spot, careful not to wake him, and noticed the scattered vase shards.

I held my breath and cleaned up the mess.

After a short while, I returned to Jayden. His forehead, once like a hot coal, had returned to normal temperature.

‘Thank goodness. He even took the medicine well.’

I had prepared it carefully, considering his dragon-blooded physiology, and it had worked.

‘But… it acted faster than I expected.’

Only fifteen minutes had passed, yet the fever had dropped so quickly.

My remedies had always been potent, even when following standard procedures.

And they worked on a dragon-blooded child as well.

No matter what, this was good news.

I looked down at the child. His brow was furrowed, as if troubled by a bad dream or guilt.

‘He looked really sorry earlier too.’

Perhaps that was why his expression was tense.

I gently pressed and relaxed his muscles, and only then did his face smooth into peace.

Normally, he would have been scolded sharply, but today was different. Cain had intervened for this reason.

For a sick child, treatment came before discipline.

A child’s health was always the top priority.

‘He seemed remorseful anyway. When he recovers, I can talk properly with him.’

Then, carefully, I made sure not to startle him or pressure him unnecessarily.

I tucked the blanket around the sleeping child once more. Now I just had to leave and report the situation to Cain.

After gathering my thoughts, I rose carefully.

Bang!

The quiet of the room was shattered as the door flung open.

“Ah, Young Master!”