Sickly? Husband’s Contractual Wife - Chapter 57

Chapter 57

“Amoide!”

His body collapsed into me helplessly.

“Amoide, Amoide! Is there anyone outside?! Call the doctor!

I shook his limp body that was too heavy to lift up.

Bang!

In only a little while, the door opened urgently and the maid, who I had a spat with earlier, came in and paused in surprise as she took in the sight of the room.

I raised my voice even more in frustration.

“Are you just watching?! Go and get Raymond! Cold water and towels as well!”

“Y-Yes.”

The flustered maid, who froze not knowing what to do, finally rushed out of the room as though she had come to her senses after hearing my voice.

The time needed to wait for Raymond felt endless.

And in the meantime, the body I was hugging only became warmer and warmer.

I tried to untie the strings of his shirt one by one. When the strings were all loose and I was able to take off his shirt, I saw how red his body was.

There were places where the heat made his body bloom red. His condition was far more serious than I thought.

His lips had turned dark blue and his entire body was like one huge fireball.

As I saw his condition, only one thought came into my mind.

Death.

‘No, no—not yet.’

There was still time to make everything right. The time of his death was still far off. Even so, why… why…

I sobbed and said to him,

“Amoide, don’t die.

I spoke in a tearful voice.

“Don’t die, okay? Don’t die… You can’t die like this…”

Plink, plink. One, two drops of tears fell down on his chest at the sudden outburst. Feeling the touch, Amoide opened his eyes.

His gaze, which was very blurred, turned to me.

“Amoide? Do you recognize me?”

There was no need to ask. As Amoide opened his eyes, he was glaring at me.

…He recognizes me.

At that moment, I breathed out a sigh of relief without realizing it.

And in the midst of this, I was even relieved to think that his temper was still the same. He’s not dead.

“You… Please…”

Even as he breathed heavily, he didn’t stop trying to say something to me. I could tell what he wanted to say even without having to listen carefully.

“Get… lost…”

I pretended not to hear this and shouted for the doctor once more.

* * * 

“We overcame a crisis.”

Raymond sighed heavily after taking out his stethoscope which was previously on his ears.

The sweat on his forehead expressed just how urgent the situation was just a moment ago.

“I’ll just ask Voth for the prescription. I’ll be back soon so that His Grace can drink the medicine on time.”

Voth was Raymond’s pharmacist and assistant.

Upon saying this, he bowed and left the room, and then promptly came back with the medicine.

“Is it okay now?”

I asked as I watched Amoide sleep.

He was breathing heavily just earlier, but now it seemed like he was breathing more comfortably and more even.

This alone made my heart beat properly again. It felt like it was going to stop just a moment ago.

Although his face was still pale, his complexion was more normal than it was compared to the redness. The heat spots all over his body had also subsided, so overall, he looked better.

Considering the situation earlier, it felt like I was floating on cloud nine now.

Until his fever subsided and his seizure stopped, all the people of the Ducal estate were on high alert.

Camilla cried the whole time next to him, and after his fever went down, she almost fainted. She had to be carried back on an attendant’s back.

The faces of the maids, attendants and the butler, who ran around here and there, were also full of fatigue.

“Enough, everyone. Go and rest. I’ll call you if you’re needed.”

At the other side of the room by the wall, Rona, who was trying to stop a yawn, quickly stood up straighter at what I said. Then, she left the room along with the other maids.

When the door closed, only Amoide, Raymond and I remained in the room.

“Why did he suddenly have a seizure?”

“Has His Grace been stressed lately?”

“Stress?”

“Has there been anything that happened to make him feel overly nervous, angry or any other strong emotions?”

Raymond’s gaze was focused on me.

“Does it have something to do with his seizure?”

“Of course.”

Raymond sighed lightly.

“If you look at it on the surface, the Duke’s condition seems to be no different from normal healthy people.”

“……”

“That’s why it’s scarier.”

“What do you mean…”

“We won’t know when, how and what kind of symptoms of the disease would make his condition worsen.”

I already heard this countless times, so I knew this. His seizures didn’t have any triggers, and he always just collapsed suddenly.

“I’m saying this because there’s only the two of us here, Your Grace.”

“…What is it?”

“It would be great if the time to get ready for it… is much longer.”

What he said should have been the opposite, but the meaning was clear.

“Raymond, what do you mean?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Say it ‘til the end.”

I urged Raymond and clutched his hand.

“I believe you understand what I mean.”

Tak.

The strength in the hand that held Raymond’s was released at once.

My eyes became blurred again.

“…You did a great job. You should go back now.”

Raymond tried to say something more, but he only sighed. Then, he stood up and picked up his bag.

“Then, see you next time, Duchess.”

As his footsteps moved further and further away, I heard the sound of the door opening again.

“Excuse me, Milady?”

Rona opened the door and called me.

“Milady, please go back and rest as well. We’ll take turns nursing His Grace, so please don’t worry.

“I’ll be the one nursing him.”

“You’ll have to stay up all night, Milady, that would be too hard on your body. What if Milady collapses again? Please at least take a nap.”

At Rona’s words, I shook my head helplessly.

In fact, being next to him didn’t mean much because I couldn’t help him, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave his side.

It’s not like he would be alone if I left this room, but strangely, I really couldn’t leave.

On one hand, there was something else I was worried about.

If Amoide wakes up and the first thing he sees is my face as soon as he opens his eyes…

I think he’ll have another seizure again.

The worst thing for him to see would probably be me sitting beside him.

And if I looked down at him with concern behind my gaze, he’d probably tell me again to get lost.

“…Let’s go then.”

I stood up because I was afraid of the possibility that he’d collapse again after not being able to overcome his temper.

But I couldn’t get out of my seat as I intended.

“……”

I shifted my gaze to look for the cause. Amoide was holding my hand tightly.

It didn’t hurt as much as last time, but it was still a tight hold that I couldn’t remove easily.

“Goodness, it seems like His Grace wants you to stay next to him, Milady.”

“…Probably not.”

He was still unconscious. People who are sick only instinctively want to lean on anyone when they’re like this.

Even if it was someone who they hated until death.

“Even so, I should just stay here.”

I sat down again, not being able to leave as I was about to.

* * * 

“Mmm…”

I felt a sting as I grew conscious of the sunlight over my eyelids. Did I fall asleep without closing the curtains? I slowly opened my eyes.

I couldn’t see anything clearly yet due to my hazy gaze.

I blinked several times and tried to clear my vision.

Anyway, why is my body so sore? Did someone hit me or something while I was sleeping?

“……”

Finally, as my eyes got clearer, I bewilderedly stared at the man in front of me in clear view.

Those cold blue eyes, as turbulent as the sea.

Unconsciously, my back stiffened. All the memories from last night rushed in.

“Get lost.”

He spoke in a hushed voice.

“No, I…”

I wanted to leave, too. I looked at him with a tearful expression on my face. It really felt so unfair this time.

I looked down at my hand to prove my innocence.

The hand that had been holding onto me had already loosened.

Now I had no valid explanation for why I couldn’t go.

“Why is it always you every time I open my eyes? Do you think my words are nothing but a joke? The gracious Duchess who takes care of her husband all night—is that what you’re aiming for?”

He asked this with a contemptuous tone.

“Did you change your tactics because you think you can’t give birth to my child? I told you already, stop playing the same tricks. It won’t work.”

Tak. He grabbed my hand once more and glared at me.

Right then, I felt rationality slipping away from me for a moment.

“No, I, I’m… hiic…”

I had no energy to maintain my composure anymore. That’s why.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

“……”

As he was scowling, he closed his lips suddenly because of what I said. Slowly, his grip over my hand was released.

“Hicc…”

And I ran out quickly, shedding a tear.