Don’t Ask, It’ll Hurt If You Know - Chapter 39

Clomp, clomp-

Contrary to the expectation that he would do something to Anthony, Ian completely ignored him and walked past. The sound of his shoe heels echoed steadily down the wide corridor carpeted in red.

Only after confirming Ian had left the social club did Anthony let out a deep sigh of relief and wipe his chest.

“Tsk, tsk, why did you have to say something useless like that?”

When Hwiren clicked his tongue and spoke with disappointment, Anthony clenched his fists and flared up.

“What did I do! It’s not like I said anything wrong. You know the rumors going around—that Chloe Elena might die soon, or even if she’s lucky enough to wake up, she might have to live as an invalid for the rest of her life!”

“Just because you know it doesn’t mean you should blurt it out. Especially not in front of someone sensitive to that topic.”

“I didn’t blurt it out! I said it because I was genuinely worried!”

“Yeah, right.”

Hwiren shook his head and looked out the window. Seeing the brilliant golden light pouring onto the street, he naturally thought of Chloe Elena.

Hwiren was also very worried about her. Because they were friends. It hurt his heart to think that he might never see Chloe, who always smiled brightly and made everyone around her laugh, again.

But that was the extent of it. He wasn’t so overwhelmed with worry for Chloe that it disrupted his daily life.

Ian, on the other hand, was different. Since Chloe Elena’s riding accident, he had canceled all appointments except for the most essential ones.

Hwiren had only managed to bring him to today’s social gathering by pleading with him to just show his face briefly. Anthony had ruined that, but honestly, it couldn’t be entirely blamed on him. Ian was also extremely sensitive right now.

The reason that guy is so sensitive must be…….

“……Weren’t they just friends?”

At the question, which seemed to read his thoughts, Hwiren narrowed his eyes and looked at Anthony Grenville. Anthony looked in the direction Ian had disappeared and asked in a small voice.

“I thought Ian MacMilden and that woman were just normal friends…… but judging by his reaction, I guess not. Well, there’s no such thing as a friendship between a man and a woman, right?”

“Why isn’t there any friendship between a man and a woman? Chloe and I are friends.”

Hwiren patted Anthony’s shoulder, meaning to tell him to stop talking nonsense, and returned to the game table where betting was in full swing.

He was worried because he thought he knew why Ian was acting that way, but this too was worry as a friend. Not only did he not want to gossip about it, but since nothing would change anyway, he quietly tucked his worries away.

* * *

As he stepped out of the carriage, a familiar sight greeted him. The mansion, which had a subtle blue sheen when bathed in sunlight, was a characteristic of Count Elena’s mansion.

Perhaps that was why. All the people of the Elena family had blue eyes. Chloe Elena’s eyes, in particular, looked as if they held the vast ocean. The sight of her eyes, containing the sea, twinkling as she said she desperately wanted to see the ocean just once, was incredibly beautiful.

Ian momentarily set aside the thoughts of Chloe that arose constantly and ascended the stone steps. Before his climbing shadow even reached the door, it opened from the inside.

“Welcome, Young Duke.”

“Ian, you’re here?”

Behind the servants who bowed respectfully, Aaron appeared, waving his hand. Ian straightened his slightly ruffled collar and offered Aaron a light bow in greeting.

“Good morning, Hyung-nim.” (t/n: ‘hyung-nim’ used by a younger brother to address an elder brother with respect; in aristocratic settings, it carries both familial closeness and deference.)

“Hmm, I like hearing that title, Hyung-nim. There’s no one in my house who calls me properly, you know.”

Aaron grumbled that his house only had one guy who hadn’t grown up despite his age and one guy who was too mature for his young age, and he naturally put his hand on Ian’s shoulder. Unlike when Anthony Grenville had done it, Ian smiled faintly.

“How is Chloe’s condition?”

“She’s much better compared to the beginning. She even regained consciousness this morning.”

The smile on the corner of Ian’s lips vanished instantly at Aaron’s reply.

“She…… regained consciousness?”

“Yes. It was brief, but she did. She’s sleeping again now.”

Ian looked up at the second floor, where Chloe’s bedroom was, with a slightly unfocused gaze. The words that she had regained consciousness repeated in his mind like a broken recording stone.

That meant if he had come in the morning, if he hadn’t attended that damned social gathering, he would have been able to see her awake. He resented Hwiren for begging him to go just for a moment when he didn’t want to, and he was equally annoyed with himself for accepting the request.

“Dorothy said she’ll wake up by tomorrow morning at the latest, so we shouldn’t worry too much…… but I don’t understand what that means at all. Can she control when she wakes up?”

“…….”

“What is that expression? Is something wrong?”

Seeing Ian’s seriously hardened expression, Aaron asked worriedly. Ian forced the corners of his tightly pressed lips up and replied.

“It’s nothing. May I go see Chloe now?”

“Yes, sure. Go ahead.”

Ian offered a final polite bow and ascended the stairs. His initially unhurried steps became faster and faster. Dorothy, who had just come out of Chloe’s bedroom, widened her eyes when she saw the Young Duke of MacMilden approaching, crossing the long corridor in an instant.

“I greet the Young Duke!”

It was only for a moment; she then bowed deeply to offer her respects. She was about to open the door for him, but Ian opened it himself and stepped inside, so Dorothy awkwardly withdrew the hand she had extended. The door, closing soundlessly, seemed to draw a firm line, demanding no one enter.

Dorothy quietly retreated and, upon meeting Aaron, who was heading back to his room, said worriedly.

“Even if he is just a friend, he is a man…… I’m a little concerned about him being alone with the Young Lady.”

“It’s alright.”

Aaron grinned and looked toward Chloe’s bedroom.

“Ian MacMilden won’t be able to do anything to Chloe. Absolutely not.”

* * *

Worried that her parents would be anxious if she remained unconscious for too long, and hoping she might be able to meet Jeremy in person, Chloe returned to her original body that evening and again the following morning.

Fortunately, it was possible because all the maids who brought her meals were on the bucket list, and the level of revenge was low, such as simply spilling the terribly tasteless soup or forcing them to eat moldy bread.

When she woke up in the alternate body, there was no particular discomfort other than the feeling of emerging from being submerged in water for a long time. So, she thought it wouldn’t matter if she kept doing this, provided the conditions were met, but that was a huge mistake.

“Ugh–”

Having returned to Bianca Lloyd, Chloe had to rush into the bathroom, unable to check the time or even the diary due to the overwhelming nausea surging up.

Since she hadn’t eaten anything much in this body, all that came out was a sour, yellow liquid. After struggling with the toilet bowl for a long time, her throat and stomach were not only burning but her body also felt weak.

“Ah, I’m going to die.”

Chloe, who didn’t even have the strength to leave the bathroom, plopped down onto the floor, unconcerned that it was wet. The dampness soaking up from the floor near her bottom was unpleasant, but it was nothing compared to the discomfort in her stomach. Her head also hurt, as if someone was constantly hitting her on the back of the head.

The symptoms were very similar to a terrible hangover. Recalling the time about two years ago when she drank alcohol without knowing any better to celebrate becoming an adult, Chloe groaned softly and rubbed her wrinkled brow. The memory might be hazy due to time, but she felt like this was more painful than back then.

“……Is it an aftereffect?”

Now that she thought about it, her head had hurt, and her stomach had felt a little queasy when she returned to her original body this morning. However, since her original body was greatly weakened by the riding accident, Chloe had simply dismissed it as a result of that. Now that she had returned to Bianca, she was in this state.

“It seems like it really is an aftereffect…….”

Concluding that it was definitely an aftereffect of being too greedy, Chloe performed a dry wash of her face. If she had managed to meet Jeremy, it would have been worth it, but since she hadn’t, her greed felt foolish.

She couldn’t sit on the wet floor forever, so Chloe forced her body, heavy as waterlogged cotton, to stand up. After throwing up and sitting still for a while, she had recovered enough energy to make it to the bed.

She didn’t have the energy to change her damp clothes, so she just tossed them aside and lay down on the bed.

I showed my face to my parents this morning, so I should rest well until tomorrow and not do anything. That way, I’ll be able to return to my original body later.

She briefly thought about checking the diary, but since nothing would change by checking it late, she focused on recovering her body for now.

She thought she would feel better quickly if she was examined by a doctor and took medicine, but she doubted they would call a doctor, and not wanting to have a useless argument, she waited for a natural recovery.

I’ll feel much better after a good night’s sleep. Chloe took someone’s famous quote—that sleep is a panacea—to heart and closed her eyes. However, her head hurt too much, and her stomach was too uncomfortable to fall asleep easily. She tossed and turned for a long time before finally dozing off, only to be shaken awake violently by someone.