Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

“As you know, I can use healing magic to understand a patient’s physical condition.”

It was true. The catch was that I couldn’t understand my own physical condition.

Although I started by saying ‘Actually,’ I decided to lie.

“You’ll remember the day I was attacked by Creya’s dark magic.”

At my words, Miller clenched his fist, perhaps recalling that day, and asked:

“Don’t tell me it’s a side effect of the dark magic…?”

“Yes, I suffered internal injuries that day.”

“Why didn’t you show any signs all this time…”

Dad grabbed my hand with a sorrowful expression.

He seemed to think I had been suffering alone all this time.

I smiled bitterly and said:

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

This was sincere and an unchanging fact.

Drehan looked at me with his lips set firmly, as if deep in thought.

He was the only person in this room who knew I had an incurable disease.

He was probably wondering if this incident was related to that as well.

However, since the excuse I put forward was credible, he seemed to want to continue listening to what I had to say for now.

“It wasn’t such a severe internal injury. My body has been self-healing continuously, and I’ve almost recovered recently.”

“Then why the blood…”

“There was blood tainted with poison pooled inside, and that came out.”

After saying this, I became a bad child who had lied.

I had stopped blaming the situation that forced me to do this, and only inwardly asked for a small forgiveness from them.

Since even the physician and mage couldn’t find the cause through their examination, my words would seem more trustworthy.

‘Still, I hate it. The situation that forces me to do this is actually maddening…’

What on earth did I do wrong to bear such a terrible guilt in this life, following my previous one?

At that moment, a large hand descended on my head.

“I’m… sorry.”

‘…Huh?’

Although I couldn’t see his expression as he was hiding his face with his other hand, the emotion in Dad’s voice was clearly regret.

“It seems the time we lost you has made you grow up too early. You could have been spoiled enough, cried, and opened up…”

“…”

The sincerity in his voice gradually made my eyes hot.

“Yes, I believe you. It would be difficult to explain otherwise.”

I felt the warmth of a gentle hand on my eyes, which had unknowingly filled with tears.

“I’ll wait. Until the day you tell me why you’re crying like this.”

‘Why such words…’

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what those words meant to me.

It was as if some switch had been pressed, and chicken-pea sized tears started falling one by one.

Tears flowed, but I never cried out loud.

No, I had been trained at the orphanage not to do so.

-If you cry loudly one more time, I’ll lock you in the room!

“Hic, huu…”

In the silent room, only the intermittent sound of me holding back my sobs could be heard.

“…”

And Luka, who knew the reason why I had to cry like this, clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles showed.

“Huuu… hic, hu…”

Even though I tried to compose myself after the sudden surge of emotion, it only grew stronger.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

Because my eyes were covered, I couldn’t observe the people around me.

If this continues, they’ll really notice that something’s wrong with me.

I can’t let them notice. I should stop now…

‘But, he said he’d wait.’

Luka had said something similar last time too.

Could we really open up about our secrets this time without hurting each other?

Suddenly, such an expectation taking root was an irresistible force.

I was afraid that the sincerity piercing through my narrow heart would break down the solid wall.

-She’s tough… Didn’t they say she only did swordsmanship all her life? She seems perfectly fine even though they say she can’t hold a sword anymore?

-She was famous for being stubborn. Well, it’s better than whining, isn’t it?

-Rather, her parents seem more sad? My mom says they don’t even attend gatherings and just cry every day, refusing to eat or drink.

-It seems there’s no greater unfilial act than being truly sick.

Memories from my previous life came to mind.

At the most difficult moment, I had just pretended to be okay, but somehow I had become a tough person.

‘I just… didn’t want to see it.’

The sight of my parents pitying me so much that their tear glands would never dry up.

Someone gently embraced me.

The warmth enveloped my entire body, and the patting hand gradually calmed my trembling.

The fine black hair that suddenly came into view and the familiar scent touching my nose let me know who was embracing me.

“I’ll be by your side. Until the end of this world, for a lifetime. On your side.”

A voice speaking heavily, as if making a sacred vow, was heard in my ear.

His embrace was so warm that my uncontrollable crying subsided, and I fell asleep in Luka’s arms.

* * *

Even, breathing sounds filled the quiet space.

Perhaps because they had only seen her composed appearance, it hurt their hearts deeply to see Ria showing such emotion.

The Duke looked down at the sleeping girl with her silver tresses spread out, seeming to have absorbed the moonlight floating outside the window.

She was the child who had boldly faced off against that Marquis Zeld in the banquet hall.

Even to the Duke’s eyes, who had met countless people, Laveria was a strong child.

His daughter, who seemed like she wouldn’t easily crumble in any situation.

“To think Ria has been enduring such pain to the point of crying like this… That assassin, Creya or whatever, I shouldn’t kill her too cleanly.”

Miller, who usually showed only a bright appearance like a tail-wagging puppy in front of Ria, spoke savagely while grinding his teeth.

“It seems Ria is hiding something from us.”

“I thought so too, Duke.”

Luka, who was holding hands with the sleeping Ria, agreed with the Duke’s words.

“Drehan, Miller. Don’t you have any hunches?”

Miller shook his head with a serious expression, but Drehan didn’t answer.

“Drehan.”

At the end of Drehan’s gaze, who was leaning against the wall, was Ria.

Drehan had only known Ria to be strong.

Because she never showed any weak appearance.

Should he reveal that she was suffering from an incurable disease with no current treatment, or not?

Drehan didn’t know which was the right choice.

However, in Ria’s face that Drehan saw earlier, internal conflict was evident.

‘Did father’s sincerity get through?’

If so, Drehan would not step forward hastily and would wait for Ria’s decision.

Even if her hesitation didn’t necessarily lead to revealing the truth, Drehan was always on Ria’s side.

“No, I don’t have any hunches either.”

Ria thought she had become a liar alone, but in fact, there was someone beside her who became a secret keeper together.

Drehan shrugged towards his younger brother who was looking at him suspiciously, perhaps because his answer was delayed.

“Let’s wait as father said. For now, let’s act as usual so as not to burden her.”

“Yes, Drehan is right. It’s important to act as usual.”

The Duke then spoke to the physician and water mage who were waiting anxiously:

“Ria said her internal injury has almost healed, but there might be something lacking even with healing magic…”

“It seems even the potion made in the imperial palace is not sufficient.”

A flinching sensation could be felt from the physician and mage outside.

‘Well, it wouldn’t be easy to talk to those doting fools guarding her like wounded beasts.’

Drehan let out a small sigh.

* * *

I blinked my eyes that wouldn’t open easily.

My swollen eyes told me what kind of disgraceful behavior I had shown last night before falling asleep as if fainting.

The first thing that came into view was, of course, Luka.

‘Has he been here continuously since yesterday?’

It seemed undoubtedly so. I have a habit of holding onto something when I sleep, and even now, I was holding hands with Luka who was sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

‘What if he gets a neck disc like that.’

Perhaps because he had given me his hand, he was sleeping in a position very unhealthy for his neck.

I tried to carefully untangle Luka’s hand and move him so he could sleep comfortably.

However, as soon as I moved the held finger joints, the plan failed.

“Mmm… Ria?”

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

Sleepy crimson eyes gradually revealed themselves like a rising sun.

Finally facing me properly, Luka smiled brightly as if nothing had happened last night and said:

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah…”

Luka treated me as usual to the point where I felt I might have worried needlessly.

“Here, drink this.”

Luka got up and handed me a blue potion that had been placed on the table.

It was the same as what I usually drink every morning.

My throat was already dry and my eyes were stinging, so I swallowed the potion without a word, feeling the extremely bitter taste.

“Ugh… Please tell them to improve the taste. It’s worse than the strawberry medicine I used to take at the pharmacy, urk…”

“Strawberry medicine?”

“Yeah, there’s one that’s only strawberry-colored… Urp.”

Somehow this seemed even more bitter and unpalatable than usual.

“Ah, here.”

Then Luka handed me some chocolate.

“Ah, ah-“

When I opened my mouth like a baby bird receiving food, Luka put the sweet chocolate in my mouth.

The chocolate melting on my tongue helped alleviate the bitter taste.

“Whew, what was that just now? It tasted exactly ten times worse than usual.”

But… my physical condition felt much better than usual.

Although I hadn’t eaten a peppermint candy, my stuffy throat felt refreshed, and my stiff joints moved well as if oiled.

As I stood there with a puzzled expression, Luka said:

“Last night, we succeeded in enhancing the potion. The potion you just drank is much more effective than the existing one.”

About ten times more, Luka added.

“What on earth happened overnight…?”

* * *

The answer to the question could be seen in the sight of the haggard-faced physician and mages leaving the mansion.

Watching dozens of high-level personnel leaving in groups, trudging along, it became clear that a historic development had occurred in this mansion overnight.

This was the scene I saw while walking down the corridor with Luka on our way to breakfast.

“Thirty enhanced potions have been prepared for now. More will be made next month, and I’ll instruct them to improve the taste as well.”

“Really, you…”

I’m intensely grateful…

In broad daylight, I almost impulsively showered that handsome face with kisses.