Chapter 118.2
Instead, she headed for the bathroom.
“Come to think of it… I should’ve started with the bathroom.”
Because it was used so frequently, the space was filled with black fog. Grace couldn’t predict what state she’d be in once she purified all of it.
‘Still… it doesn’t feel overwhelmingly threatening.’
She recalled the ledger Benjamin had given her.
‘The bathroom items were among the oldest replacements.’
Because so many things were connected to the plumbing, they couldn’t be replaced often.
‘Maybe the older the item, the weaker this strange, unpleasant force becomes.’
Watching the fog creep toward her, Grace took a deep breath.
A teal-colored light flickered.
⋆★⋆
Heat surged through her body.
Her vision blurred, moisture shimmering at the edges as the warmth made it difficult to stay conscious.
As she exhaled uneven breaths, a familiar gentle voice—tinged with mild reproach—reached her.
“I said it wasn’t necessary to go that far.”
“……”
“You always put others before yourself. Have you ever considered how it feels for me, watching you do that?”
Benjamin sat beside the bed, quietly grumbling while carefully checking her condition.
Her face—reddened more than her carrot-colored hair from the fever—couldn’t respond properly, and instead broke into a small, foolish smile.
“…I’m sorry.”
“I wasn’t asking for an apology—no. This time, I think I’ll accept it.”
“Hehe.”
“Don’t laugh. I nearly felt my heart drop.”
Benjamin reached out toward her, then stopped.
“May I touch you for a moment?”
“…Of course.”
Only then did he release a soft breath. He gently tidied Grace’s sweat-damp hair with his bare hands, then wiped her face with a damp cloth.
It was something he could’ve delegated. But he tended to her as naturally as if it were his own role.
“Another maid changed your clothes. Don’t worry.”
“……”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Breathing unevenly, Grace asked,
“Is the contagion… all right now?”
“……”
The faintly gentle expression Benjamin had been wearing crumpled.
“Wife.”
He tried to call her gently, but his voice was tightly restrained.
“Do you know how many days you were unconscious?”
“…Was it a long time?”
“Yes. After you isolated yourself, you collapsed for several days. Some suspected a contagious illness—and I was afraid.”
Grace blinked at his words, about to apologize. But Benjamin spoke first.
“I wasn’t afraid of a contagion. I was afraid you had fallen ill.”
“……”
After that, Benjamin pressed his lips shut.
Grace looked at him, then carefully reached out and took the tip of his finger.
With her feverish heat, his hand felt cool.
“Someone must have been just as afraid… as you were worried about me.”
“……”
“So I wanted to help. Even though I’m not a saint, and there wasn’t much I could do.”
It was selfish. But being worried about felt really nice. Grace smiled faintly as she breathed out. Benjamin smiled back at her.
“My parents are worried about you as well.”
“I’m sorry to have caused them concern.”
“And they also said they’re proud of you as the young Duchess—and that they look forward to your future.”
“…That makes me feel even more sorry.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not that remarkable.”
At her words, Benjamin stared at her with widened eyes.
“You are remarkable, Wife.”
“You might be the only one who thinks that.”
“No—my parents do, too. The servants of this estate do. The people of that village do as well. And in a few years, the entire empire will. I’m quite good at predicting these things.”
“…That level of doting should be considered a serious crime.”
One should dote in moderation. As Grace frowned and muttered, Benjamin chuckled softly, pressing his index finger against her furrowed brow to smooth it out.
“More importantly, get up soon. There’s a child waiting for you.”
“A child?”
“Yes. One sent from the village. They said it was a small token of gratitude for you. I think you’ll like them quite a bit.”
“…If you say that, I’d better recover quickly.”
“Exactly. That’s why I said it. I’m surprisingly calculating, you know.”
⋆★⋆
Her body felt heavy, her breathing labored.
As the overflowing memories shattered and she opened her eyes, she saw an ornate ceiling—then soft, wheat-colored hair.
“……”
“Wife, you’re awake? Are you all right? You collapsed suddenly, so we moved you to the main house to make the examination easier.”
Benjamin was seated beside the bed. The moment he confirmed she was awake, he jumped to his feet.
“Another maid changed your clothes. Don’t worry.”
In her memories—and now—
Whenever Grace was ill, Benjamin was always by her side.
“May I ask why you chose that name?”
“Because embers are blackened charcoal—and I heard they’re the hottest at that stage. Not amber the gemstone, but ember as in glowing coals.”
“That’s a name that suits the child very well.”
And in every moment even when Grace couldn’t remember, Benjamin had always been there.
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