I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 237

It had already been a month since the delegation, which had stayed for a week, left.

Perhaps the time spent drinking the popular alcohol from the Ortensia Republic had paid off, as the Republic’s view of the Sortenic Empire was now more favorable than before.

There were rumors that Clive’s influence had played a significant role in this shift, as he had been a part of the delegation. While Johann’s private relationship with the delegation made it hard to fully trust these claims, there was some truth to them.

Later, when Johann looked into it, he found that Clive was simply a man with high self-esteem, prone to picking fights wherever he went.

‘But judging by the information Clive gathered about the Empress liking chests, he’s not an ordinary man.’

It seemed wise to dig a little deeper into Clive’s background. Herix might soon inquire about his intentions.

Today, Johann was alone in the empty office, working. Normally, he would have grumbled inwardly while glancing at the vacant seat where Herix usually sat.

But today was different. This morning, Ivonne had collapsed. She had been unusually sleepy for the past few days, but this morning, while preparing, she had fainted.

‘According to the imperial physician, it was due to accumulated fatigue…’

It was strange. Recently, Ivonne had been resting more than ever, getting plenty of sleep.

‘Could it be that the Emperor has been tormenting her behind the scenes?’

Johann had a reasonable suspicion, but he quickly dismissed it. The person most concerned about Ivonne’s increasing sleepiness had been Herix. Her sleep wasn’t just increasing a little; it had become so much that it was almost impossible for her to carry out daily tasks without rest.

‘Isn’t that called narcolepsy?’

Ivonne would doze off while eating, walking, and even while bathing, which led the maids to worry that she might fall into the tub. It wasn’t the first time Johan had heard such concerns, and she had even canceled half of a day’s schedule once because she had dozed off while applying makeup.

Ivonne herself didn’t know why this was happening and was terrified, apologizing to everyone.

‘But the imperial physician said that even after thorough examination, there’s nothing unusual…’

Johann had considered the possibility that she might be pregnant and had suggested a test, but it yielded no results. There was nothing physically wrong with Ivonne.

Even though doctors from the Sortenic Empire, the Ortensia Republic, and other renowned countries were summoned, there was still no significant result.

Because of this, the Imperial Palace was in a state of extreme emergency, teetering on the edge of collapse like thin ice. Herix was the one who insisted on sealing every window if Ivonne even sneezed.

‘I really don’t know what’s going on.’

Johann desperately hoped it wasn’t something serious. Ivonne wasn’t just Herix’s anchor, nor was the tense atmosphere in the palace the only reason for the urgency.

Ivonne was the Empress of the Empire, and a precious person to the people of the Sortenic Empire. Everyone loved her. Herix, too, was jealous of how much she was adored. And Johann was no exception.

Meanwhile, Ivonne lay there, gazing blankly at the ceiling, murmuring to herself.

“I feel like I’ve become a newborn…”

The comparison was spot on. Lately, Ivonne seemed to sleep about 21 hours out of every 24-hour day.

Even a newborn puppy wouldn’t sleep this much. Ivonne had barely eaten, only slept. She didn’t need to bathe or use the restroom, and as a result, her muscles had weakened over the past few days. Her once-thin arms had become even thinner, and her already fragile torso now seemed to reveal the bones of her spine and ribs.

“It’s okay. Sleep more. You can sleep as much as you want.”

Herix, sitting beside her, cleared his throat once, though his voice still sounded muffled.

“If you just wake up once in a while…”

He wasn’t sure if his words were even appropriate and fell silent. There was a strange feeling, as if Ivonne might slip away completely. She was so thin now, so frail. Even when he had killed Blitzen, she hadn’t been like this. What was wrong?

“Okay… I’ll wake up later…”

Unable to resist the overwhelming sleepiness, Ivonne’s eyes fluttered shut again. Herix’s heart sank with a heavy thud, but he didn’t force himself on her.

She had said she would wake up later. He had to believe that. Ivonne had always kept her promises. No matter how long it took, no matter how much she returned, she always returned in the end.