Chapter 17 (1/2)

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 17

I made a slip of the tongue, but it was already too late to stop myself. Theodore’s face became flushed with embarrassment. I hurriedly smiled and added in a hurry.

“It’s just, I mean… I wish to rest alone. It’s uncomfortable for me when there’s someone next to me, so…”

“……”

Theodore stared at me with complicated eyes, but he soon smiled bitterly and replied.

“I should have noticed. I’m sorry.”

“……”

I bowed my head deeply without answering back. In fact, it was hard for me to just keep talking to him.

“…Then, I’ll get going now. Rest well.”

“Yes, you should rest, too.”

He paused for a moment as he listened to my response. A strange expression passed through his face. I glanced at him, just hoping that he would leave already.

Theodore stood there, looking at me with a tender expression without moving. Then, he spoke cautiously.

“From now on…”

“……”

“I would like it if you call me by my name. Or a nickname.”

With a faint smile on his face, he slowly walked towards the door.

After he closed it behind him, for a while, only heavy silence filled the room.

“I was surprised to hear that you suddenly fainted, Madam. Really… I thought my heart was about to stop. You’re really okay now, right, Madam?”

Charlotte asked me as she moved busily. She also placed a hand on my forehead to see if I had a fever, but she soon sighed with a little relief.

Seeing Charlotte bring in a trolley that she had left in the doorway, I replied to her with a smile on my lips.

“Actually, I wanted that to happen.”

“Pardon…?”

Charlotte’s hands froze as she was about to lift a tray. I sat up from the bed and calmly continued to talk.

“I fainted on purpose. I have a way to do that.”

“A way to do that…?”

I explained to Charlotte how it was possible for me to faint. But… after listening to my explanation, doesn’t her face look a little blue?

“Charlotte?”

As I called her name with my head slightly tilted to the side, Charlotte looked as though she was about to cry. For some reason, she bit her lips as tears welled up in her eyes, then she suddenly came close to hold my hand.

“Madam, that’s… Please don’t do that again.”

“……?”

The reason Charlotte was being like this… Was it because my method of fainting was a bit too extreme?

It didn’t feel that way to me, but perhaps it’s too shocking for others to accept that easily. Well, no one would normally faint like that after all. As I looked at Charlotte, I nodded softly.

“Okay. I won’t do it again.”

“Really? Promise me, please.”

“Okay.”

Charlotte’s expression grew relieved as she let out a sigh. Lifting the tray again, Charlotte said.

“It’s warm soup. It should be cool enough for you to eat now. Please eat, even if it’s a little.”

“Alright. Give it here.”

I don’t have any appetite and I don’t think my stomach’s going to agree with it, but Charlotte’s sincerity convinced me to eat even a spoonful or two. I accepted the tray with a smile.

Steam rose as I opened the lid of the bow on the tray, and along with the steam, a savory scent came up.

I picked up a spoon with my hand that was still trembling. The tip of the spoon quivered terribly. However, I somehow took a spoonful slowly, and the soup was lightly seasoned.

“…Do you like it, Madam?”

“Mm, it’s alright.”

In the end, I couldn’t eat half of it, so there were leftovers. Still, she successfully ate some.

With Charlotte’s help, I took a short bath, put on some new clothes, and then lay back down in bed. As I closed my eyes, I suddenly remembered what Theodore had said as he left earlier.