Chapter 197

The interior of the Adelheid Duke Mansion had not changed much compared to before.

The antique corridor, the staff quietly walking around with dignified steps and bowing towards me, and the size that seemed excessively wide yet made me nod in agreement when thinking of the number of people who had passed through it until now.

Settled in the parlor of such a mansion, I was able to engage in various conversations with the Duchess of Adelheid.

No, I had to. If it were up to my heart, I would want to see Riina right away, but it was difficult to meet her immediately since she was currently receiving treatment from her home visit doctor.

While waiting for Riina’s treatment to conclude, I had to spend time idly in the parlor under the guidance of the Duchess of Adelheid and Alfred.

“I really don’t know what to do about him. Honestly, it’s so embarrassing to do those things at any time…”

“…Ah, yes.”

I had to respond to the Duchess of Adelheid’s conversation with a soulless answer.

“This necklace too, it’s the necklace he gifted me last week. What do you think?”

“It looks good on you.”

“He’s really something; he suddenly handed me a custom-made necklace from a famous jeweler… I can’t tell you how surprised I was. Really…”

“…You must have been quite troubled.”

“To some extent, yes. Hah… And do you know what he said? He wanted to see my surprised reaction, saying it was so lovely to see me surprised…”

“Haha…”

I chuckled stiffly, as if reading a textbook, while glancing at my wristwatch. The hands of the watch pointed to one o’clock in the afternoon.

“I’m glad I had lunch early.”

It had already been a little over thirty minutes since I had been listening to the Duchess of Adelheid boast about her husband.

When simply passing the time, thirty minutes might not feel long, but during that time, the Duchess of Adelheid had not once paused her lamentation.

Talking nonstop for over thirty minutes is certainly no easy task. Doesn’t the Duchess of Adelheid’s mouth hurt?

“Please take this to heart, Sub-Priest. While it’s important to find a good husband, it is essential to meet someone who loves you as you are.”

“Yes, I see. Ahaha…”

“Once, he handed me a bouquet and said, ‘I feel immensely happy to have met you, who is more beautiful than these flowers.’…”

Even Sofia, who usually enjoyed chatting with others, was at her wit’s end, so there was no point in asking any further. I caught a glimpse of Sofia Sub-Priest glancing at me, sending a signal with her eyes.

“Head Priest! Please save me…!”

Like the incessant signaling from Sofia Sub-Priest, I too responded to her with a look.

“Please just hold on a bit.”

Reading my gaze, Sofia Sub-Priest unwittingly showed a desperate expression. Fortunately, the Duchess of Adelheid did not notice and continued her praises about her husband.

“By the way, Professor, I heard our Laura got full marks in the recent integrated theology exam… Is that true?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Oh my… Come to think of it, Laura has been bright and quick-witted since she was little. She reminds me so much of my own school days at the academy.”

“……”

“She looks like her father and has my inner qualities. I can’t tell you how adorable she is. When Laura was six…”

As the husband praises began to dwindle, it was shocking to see her switch to boasting about their daughter. I was at the point where I wanted to raise my hands in surrender.

At that moment, just as it became increasingly difficult to keep listening to the Duchess of Adelheid’s unending chatter…

“Hah… I need to wet my throat for a moment. Hmm…”

The Duchess of Adelheid’s mouth finally stopped. Calmly calling my name, she took a sip of tea with a gentle posture, closing her eyes briefly as if savoring the aroma of the tea.

When she opened her eyes again after enjoying the scent of the tea.

“Professor Antorelli.”

The image of a love-struck wife and a foolish mother, who had been incessantly boasting about her husband and daughter, had completely vanished. Her bright blue eyes shone deeply.

“Yes, Duchess.”

“I already know the reason you are here from him.”

Her lips were sealed. I too kept my mouth shut as I found no appropriate response.

Soon enough, an almost suffocating silence enveloped us.

“You wish to take Riina to the festival?”

“That is correct.”

“I am against it.”

…What? Did I just hear that right?

I doubted my ears. However, the Duchess of Adelheid was looking at me with an incredibly composed expression.

That piercing, deep blue gaze seemed to engulf me without resistance.

I unwittingly looked at Sofia Sub-Priest. She too was staring blankly at the Duchess of Adelheid and had just turned her head towards me.

The eyes of the two of us met, and we were able to have a conversation with just our gazes.

‘What in the world is going on suddenly?’

Since we were both asking each other the same question, the conversation that connected through our gazes was hardly progressing satisfactorily.

“…I’m sorry, could you please repeat that?”

In the end, I had to question again, holding onto the anxious certainty that the Duchess of Adelheid must have misspoken.

“Oh my, you didn’t mishear anything.”

Yet, my shaky certainty crumbled right there. I stared blankly at the Duchess, unable to utter a single word.

After a moment of silence, the Duchess of Adelheid lifted her teacup and took another sip. After savoring the scent for a moment, her lips reopened.

“I oppose your intention to take Riina to the Academy Fall Festival.”

Once again, a statement I wanted to believe I had misheard escaped her lips.

*

“Miss, have you ever experienced severe pain after taking the medicine?”

“…No.”

“I see. Then… Have you ever felt a sudden and intense cold sensation?”

“I haven’t experienced that either.”

“Hmm… In that case…”

Riina did not particularly enjoy the current situation of answering repeated questions as she always did.

In the past, she might have responded cheerfully with hope. Back then, she vaguely believed she would recover soon and had no doubts about it. Those were pure times.

But now, the situation had changed. It had changed a lot.

“…So, I will prescribe you a medication that is slightly different from before.”

“…Yes.”

“Since you mentioned you experienced some abdominal pain, I’ll give you a different stomach medicine. This one is a bit milder.”

“Thank you.”

“The method of intake remains the same. Dilute a spoonful of the powder in half a cup of water thirty minutes after meals, both in the morning and evening. I’ll leave out pills since you can’t take them.”

Answering felt bothersome. No, had I even answered?

Although the doctor was merely doing his job, this act felt extremely tedious to Riina.

The routine check-ups that occurred repeatedly. Even if the details changed a bit, she found herself listening to the same questions and always giving the same answers.

The doctor would always ask if Riina’s condition had improved, to which she would reply no… That process was repeated. Again and again.

Riina was exhausted. She wanted to give up on not just the illness but also the doctor continuing to visit.

“Nevertheless, I believe you are in the best condition I have seen so far.”

A lie. Riina did not believe the doctor’s words.

Although she was grateful for the home visits from far away, having already consulted with several other doctors, she did not put much trust in this middle-aged doctor who had only begun to treat her a few months ago.

He must be trying to instill false hope, just like the previous doctors. Even if she thought that internally, she could only barely smile in response to the encouraging expression of the kindly smiling doctor.

Just when the appointment was coming to an end.

“…Miss.”

The doctor, who should have been packing up his home visit bag to leave, suddenly called out to Riina, who was forcing a smile. Riina tilted her head in confusion.

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Among the patients I have taken care of, you are not the one who is the most ill.”

“…Then?”

A surge of something rose in her chest. Riina unknowingly asked the question sharply.

“If I am not the most ill, then who is? I’m stuck here in a mansion unable to move!”

“…The most sick patient I have been taking care of, who still comes consistently for treatment, is someone whose heart is ill.”

“…A heart?”

Riina mumbled unconsciously. It was an unexpected statement. The doctor nodded.

“Correct. They suffer from a heart’s illness.”

“…Does that mean that they are suffering more than I am?”

“No. Rather, it refers to a patient who is afflicted with a disease that rots their heart to the point of losing their self.”

The doctor began to gaze into the distance. Riina followed his gaze.

Outside the window, autumn leaves were falling. Leaves dancing as they began to descend.

“There is a patient who had a major incident a long time ago, living with a semi-permanent disability and still buried in that past.”

“A semi-permanent disability means…”

“The visible injuries were treated. However, this patient, though not their fault, believes everything is their fault and is entangled with the past, living in such a state where they cannot die.”

“That patient is like that?”

“Yes. But, Miss.”

The doctor stood up, preparing to take his bag. Riina’s gaze naturally followed him.

“Even if one sinks, it is possible to bring them back up again.”

“……”

“And a heart’s illness is harder to cure than a body’s illness.”

At those words, Riina felt a pang in her heart.

“It’s important to treat physical illnesses, but I think treating a heart’s illness is also… important, Miss.”

The doctor’s words seemed to gently chide her for living resigned and having given up on everything. It felt as if it was telling her that her heart must not be broken.

“…Doctor.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Excuse me, but could you introduce me to that patient?”

“Haha… I’m sorry. Confidentiality about the patients’ personal information must be strictly maintained.”

After the kindly smiling doctor left the room, Priest Luciana entered. She came over to Riina, unable to hide her worried expression as she spoke.

“Miss, the examination….”

“…Luciana.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Riina gazed at the door the doctor had exited through and asked.

“What was the name of the attending doctor again?”

“…Doctor Moritz, Miss.”

“…Doctor Moritz.”

Riina repeated the name slowly, closing her eyes.

Her mind was too chaotic. She wanted to take her time to organize her thoughts.

“Miss, a guest of the Duke is expected to visit.”

“…I see.”

She hoped that the other guest, who was expected next, wouldn’t arrive.