Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 37

“Me?”

“When we arrive in Bellachen, I’ll treat you to a meal. One of the real powers of our family will be there as well, so it wouldn’t hurt to exchange greetings.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just appreciate the thought.”

“Ah, that won’t do then. The real power already has a fiancée. My mother-in-law insisted, absolutely insisted, that it had to be this person and brought her in. I haven’t even seen her face yet, though… If only she were as sharp as you.”

I had no idea what any of this had to do with me.

Why was I even hearing this right now?

As I fell silent, looking serious while turning it over in my head, the woman laughed and waved her hand.

“I’m not asking you to chase that fiancée away. It’s true I don’t like the girl, but it’s not like you suit my tastes either. And besides, I don’t even know your name. What is it?”

Something told me that giving my name here would only make things bigger. Like at the party before—my face wasn’t famous, but my name seemed to have become rather well known.

“You can remember me as just a healer.”

“So you won’t tell me until I say who I am first?”

No, that’s not it…!

“Very well. Then let me formally introduce myself.”

Please don’t.

“No, really, I should be going—”

“Naya Kellen Cloyden. The wife of the Young Duke of Cloyden, or the Second Director of the Capital Investigation Bureau. Call me whatever is easiest.”

“Pardon?”

My voice slipped out weakly, like sand scattering.

Did I hear that wrong?

Seeing my dazed expression, the woman burst into laughter and repeated her name.

“Naya Kellen Cloyden. Or you can keep calling me ‘madam,’ as you were.”

She gave a soft chuckle. My head felt light, and the sounds around me seemed to fade into a dull ringing.

One word lodged firmly in my mind.

‘Cloyden. That means…’

This woman was Ehit’s mother.

“…!”

Without realizing it, I hiccupped and jumped to my feet, pounding my chest until it stopped.

‘Ehit’s mother? No—so, his stepmother?’

The current duchess was the young duke’s second wife, so to Ehit, she was indeed a stepmother.

But the important thing wasn’t whether she was a stepmother or not—it was that she was my potential mother-in-law.

And there was something even more important.

‘Naya was a villain in the original story!’

Naya Cloyden, Ehit’s stepmother.

She disliked Ehit, locked the female lead Ridel in a warehouse for days, and once tricked Ehit into taking poison disguised as medicine.

She was a villain who committed evil acts with a calm, arrogantly relaxed face.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Goodbye.”

“Stop.”

“I’m on a tight schedule!”

I hurriedly ran out of the train car.

The train could start moving again at any moment, and being stuck out here with the mother of the man I was going to break off an engagement with—and a villain—was about as bad as it got.

‘What on earth is going on today?’

To make sure I wouldn’t be caught again, I went all the way outside the train.

The sky, already gloomy, was now almost completely covered with rain clouds. Perhaps because this area was known for strong winds, the weather kept changing rapidly.

‘I need to get as far away as possible.’

As I stepped forward, I glanced toward the distant sea. Beyond the ominous weather, I could see something like a massive whirlpool forming.

‘The weather really matches my mood.’

At that moment, I saw something approaching from beyond the sea. A ship was docking nearby, avoiding the near-disastrous whirlpool.

‘That ship is…?’

It looked familiar.

I narrowed my eyes and watched the vessel, then the people disembarking from it.

They wore black naval uniforms adorned with silver patterns.

Brushing rain from their wet hair, they pointed toward the train.

“The navy? Looks like they made an emergency stop because of the weather.”

The voice behind me belonged to Naya.

When did she get here? I almost stumbled in surprise, but barely managed to keep my composure and tried to slip away as if I hadn’t heard her.

But Naya grabbed me and pointed toward the ship.

“One of our family’s real powers is among those navy officers walking over there. If you live in Bellachen, you’ve probably heard the name. Ehit Cloyden.”

“……”

Of course I had.

“So, what’s your name? I need to know if I’m going to introduce you to Ehit.”

“I forgot.”

“You forgot your name?”

“I—I’m just very flustered right now.”

“That happens when you’re tired. You must’ve overworked yourself treating people here.”

That’s… acceptable?

“Lady Cloyden!”

At that moment, someone called out to Naya from inside the train.

She looked at me for a moment, her hand still on my shoulder, then gently patted me and turned away.

“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you. Though you’ll regret not working with the Cloyden family.”

I hurried into another train car and looked out the window toward the Bellachen navy ship. I could see several sailors approaching quickly.

‘Dell…ers?’

A brown-haired man soaked from the rain was running this way with long strides.

I’d hoped it wasn’t so, but if Dellers was here, then Ehit had to be on that ship too.

The navy group drew closer. I grabbed the railing below the window frame and peeked out.

‘At least it doesn’t look like Ehit is coming with them. Thank goodness.’

If I had to face Naya together with him here, it would be a complete disaster.

Even if Dellers noticed me, I’d have to firmly tell him not to say anything to Ehit.

‘But why are they coming here instead of staying on the ship?’

Dellers scaled the rocks in one swift motion and climbed onto the hill where the train stood. I could see a red scrape on the back of his hand.

I watched them for a while, then realized why they were coming this way.

‘Someone’s injured.’

After getting caught in a whirlpool like that, the ship must’ve shaken badly. It’d be stranger if no one was hurt.

I clutched my head and hesitated for a moment, then sighed and stood up.

Stepping out into the field where rain seemed imminent, I ran toward Dellers. Spotting me, he shouted in surprise.

“Dapflen, why are you here?”

“Someone’s hurt, right?”

“Knew it was you, Dapflen. We need a healer.”

“Who’s injured?”

It might be Ehit.

I remembered that when I treated him before, there had been no wound on his upper left shoulder. The fact that there still wasn’t one meant that someday, he would get hurt there.

In the original story, he said it happened on a rainy day when he slammed into rocks.

Looking at the waves, the sky, and Dellers’s injured hand, it wouldn’t be strange at all if that day was today.

“How do we get there? You climbed down that rock, but I don’t think I can jump like that, Dellers.”

“For you, Dapflen, isn’t that just like walking barefoot on a road? Feels like you could jump down even doing a handstand.”

“Be quiet.”

Just then, I almost slipped on the wet path, and Dellers caught me.

After a brief hesitation, he held out his arm.

“Grab on before you fall.”

“What?”

“Grab it. If you get hurt, no one’s getting treated, Dapflen.”

That was true. As long as there were people who needed treatment, I couldn’t afford to get injured.

Agreeing with him, I quickly grabbed his arm.

We looked for another route, but the only option was going back down the rocks he’d climbed.

He jumped down first, then helped me down as if holding me.

“Thanks.”

“If you’re thankful, buy me a meal already.”

Always asking for food. Come to think of it, I still hadn’t paid up from last time.

“Alright. I won’t forget this time.”

“Yes, yes. Cue your next bout of forgetfulness.”

“I’ll just get rid of your mouth so you can’t eat. Hurry and lead the way. Isn’t the injured person waiting?”

“I’m taking the fastest route.”

After guiding me for a while, Dellers asked,

“Are you worried the colonel’s hurt?”

“Is Ehit injured?”

“Let’s just go, Dapflen.”

“Is it serious?”

Dellers didn’t answer, only pulling me along.

Is Ehit really hurt?

My job was to ease patients’ pain, so it was only natural that worry kept building. It came with the profession.

“Let’s hurry.”

I urged Dellers again. With an oddly blank expression, he nodded and kept leading me.

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

When I reached the ship, I climbed the ladder and hurried aboard.

Ariel, who was on deck, saw me and cried out in surprise.

“Lady Aileta? How did you get here?”

“Please take me to where the injured are.”

I moved quickly along the wooden corridors of the large ship. Deeper inside the cabins, Ariel opened a door.

With each step, my unease grew.

‘If Ehit really is injured, there’s no guarantee he’ll recover well this time either.’

In the original story, the wound was treated and eventually left only a scar.

But judging by the description of the scar’s size and shape, the original injury must’ve been a deep gash. There must have been heavy bleeding, and the pain wouldn’t have been minor.

The fact that things could change for the better compared to the original also meant they could change for the worse. Just because it healed back then didn’t mean it would now.

“This way.”

With a growing sense of urgency, I opened the door. Several people lay on beds inside the cabin.

I started treating those with the most serious injuries first. One had a broken leg, another had a deep scrape along his abdomen.

But even as I worked, my eyes kept searching for someone.

‘Where is Ehit?’

At that moment, I remembered how Dellers had dodged my question earlier.