Chapter 26
“Who… who on earth said that to you, young master?”
She tried to suppress her emotions so the child wouldn’t be startled, but her hands were still trembling.
If only Jaden had taken his medicine. If only he had just kept taking it properly!
Then he wouldn’t have fallen so seriously ill a few days ago.
Not even before that, or before that—he wouldn’t have suffered such severe attacks.
Countless records of repeated seizures and high fevers from his medical chart flashed through her mind.
He must have suffered so much all this time.
Tossed into terrifyingly high fevers that didn’t respond even to fever reducers, crying alone through it all.
Just thinking that all of that pain could have been avoided made her heart feel as if it were being torn to shreds.
Before anything like “dragon bloodline” or whatever, Jaden was just a child. Only six years old.
So who on earth had said such cruel things to him?
Emotions tightly pressed down inside her began to churn again.
Swallowing her sorrow and anger, she placed her hands on Jaden’s shoulders and looked at him.
“……”
As if unsure what to say, Jaden’s lips trembled.
Unable to meet her eyes easily, he finally murmured through tear-filled eyes.
“…If you’re disappointed in me, you don’t have to come anymore.”
But those words only tore at her heart even more.
“…If you’re disappointed in me, you don’t have to come anymore.”
Jaden, biting his lip to hold back tears, snapped the words out. Through his blurred vision, he could see Viola’s stiff expression.
His heart dropped.
“…I must have made Viola angry.”
Even when he got hurt because of her, she never got angry.
She was always kind, smiling warmly at him in a way that almost felt foolish.
It was the first time he had ever seen her make such a face.
But Jaden quickly resigned himself. In a way, it was only natural.
He had lied, and on top of that, stubbornly insisted he didn’t need medicine.
“So of course… she’s disappointed in me… that’s why she hates me.”
His heart ached as if being wrung dry.
He had been the one pushing her away, but now that he thought she truly disliked him, he didn’t even understand why it hurt so much.
If he tried now…
If he tried to hold onto Viola, would she stay?
She was kind—maybe she would give him one last chance.
Even if she didn’t, there was nothing he could do. This was the only way he knew.
But what came out of his mouth was the opposite of what he truly felt.
“I don’t need you. Just leave me alone. You probably hate looking at me anyway, so don’t force yourself to come…”
And then, in that very moment, a warm presence suddenly enveloped him.
“No, no. I’m not disappointed in you at all.”
“Th-then…”
“You’re not leaving?”
Jaden asked cautiously, and without hesitation came the answer.
“Of course. Where would I go and leave you?”
His legs nearly gave out from relief. He clung tightly to her clothes as if they were a lifeline.
Viola met his eyes gently.
“Listen carefully. Young master, you are just a person before you are anything like dragon blood.”
“…A person?”
It was hard to understand.
He had been born a dragon bloodline, and everyone had always called him that. But Viola shook her head and continued.
“Some people are tall, some are short. Some have black hair, some have brown. And me—I have pink hair.”
She pointed at her own hair and smiled softly.
“It’s not a common color. Does that mean I’m not a person because I’m different from others?”
Jaden quickly shook his head.
“No! Viola is definitely a person. That’s just a feature.”
“Exactly. Being dragon blood is just a feature too.”
“…What?”
“You’re just a person, young master. A very cute and lovely one at that.”
It was the first time he had ever heard such words.
Even his teacher, and all the healers he had met until now, had always treated him as nothing more than “dragon blood” before anything else.
So why was Viola different…?
Jaden forced his swollen, tear-filled eyes open. He wanted to see her expression properly.
When he finally met her gaze, there wasn’t a trace of doubt in her eyes. Not a single lie.
“….”
He wanted to say something, but his throat tightened.
Just then, Viola spoke again.
“Jaden. I take medicine immediately when I’m sick. Does that make me a weak person?”
“No! Viola isn’t weak!”
Jaden shouted in a panic. What kind of ridiculous question was that?
Viola was absolutely not weak.
She was rather… strong.
Honest, kind, and stronger than anyone he had ever known.
‘Her body might be weak though… her arms are so thin.’
Even so, she was undeniably strong.
“But you said taking medicine means you’re weak.”
“T-that’s not what I meant!”
“Then it’s the same for you, Jaden. Taking medicine doesn’t make you weak.”
“…Huh?”
“It’s just treatment. Everyone needs treatment when they’re sick.”
She gently brushed the back of his hand.
“So you’ll take your medicine properly from now on, right?”
Her voice was clear. Jaden hesitated.
Was it really okay to believe her? It sounded too sweet to accept so easily.
But…
Just this once, he wanted to be honest.
Jaden finally nodded.
“…Okay.”
Relieved, she smiled again.
After calming Jaden, who was still confused, I left his room with a heavy heart.
“Half-wit.” “Weak if you take medicine.”
‘Who teaches a child something like that?’
No matter who it was, if I found them, I wouldn’t let it slide.
But… what if this wasn’t just one person’s influence?
My head started to throb.
Maybe it wasn’t strange that Jaden thought this way.
People naturally feared and saw dragon bloodlines as something special.
But just because it was understandable didn’t make it right.
I couldn’t leave it like this.
So I immediately headed to Cain’s office and reported what had happened today.
“So, to summarize, Jaden hasn’t been taking his medicine?”
“Yes, that’s right. He’s a child, so it might simply be that he dislikes medicine… but I don’t think that’s the case.”
After a brief breath, I emphasized,
“I think there’s something more to it.”
It was only a hypothesis, but saying it made a difference.
“We’ll look into it.”
Cain fortunately took it seriously.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“No, it’s my duty.”
Cain reached for the bell, as if to call Conrad.
“I’ll take my leave then…”
Just as I turned around in relief, I stopped.
“Wait.”
Our eyes met, and instead of ringing the bell, Cain stood up and walked straight toward me.
In an instant, he was right in front of me.
He grabbed my shoulder and turned me back around.
Ah…?
Our faces were too close.
W-why is he acting like this? But I didn’t need to ask—the question was answered immediately.
“Your tongue is blue. Did you swallow poison?”
