Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 77

‘If the medical center doesn’t have it, then nowhere else will.’

Do I even have time right now to go around visiting multiple medical centers or herb shops looking for Bazan?

My eyes went back to the line in the book.

Bazan, a plant that blooms in forest caves.

Cold sweat began to form.

‘There’s no time to think any longer.’

I wanted to deny it, but there was only one answer.
I had to go find Bazan immediately.

‘Someone should come with me…….’

But I stopped myself almost right away.

What would I even say to ask someone to come along?

That Enric sent poisonous mushrooms, that I got poisoned by them, so let’s go find medicine together?

「Hel×ke Marquis’s Son Suspected of Poisoning Academy Classmates with Toxic Mushrooms……」

The headline from the article I’d read earlier flickered through my mind.

Looking only at the facts, Enric had also sent poisonous mushrooms to Cloyden. That alone was perfect gossip material.

And it probably wouldn’t end with just gossip.

“…….”

For now, this poisonous mushroom must not be discovered.

I went back to the kitchen, took the basket of mushrooms, and hid it in my room.

‘I have to find Bazan.’

Treatment was urgent. The poison was spreading, and if someone found out, I didn’t know what kind of suspicion it might cause.

I left my room. And just as I was about to secretly slip out of the estate—

“Dapflen?”

Of all people, I ran into Ehit.

When I flinched, he looked at me strangely and leaned closer.

“Are you alright?”

“……About what?”

As I turned my gaze away, Ehit’s large hand covered my forehead.

‘Cold.’

Only after feeling how cold his hand was did I realize how high my fever had become.

“I’m fine.”

“You know yourself that you’re not fine.”

Eyes without a trace of a smile.
Eyes that looked like he might scoop me up and carry me to the medical center at any moment.

But I couldn’t lean on those eyes.

I pushed his hand away and spoke firmly.

“I’m fine, really.”

I had to say that. I couldn’t tell him why I was sick.

If I asked for help, Ehit probably wouldn’t refuse. Whether out of duty as my fiancé or for some other reason, he would help me.

But that was only if he didn’t know the cause.

What if he found out Enric had sent poisonous mushrooms?

The article was in the central newspaper—Ehit would know about the Helbike heir. In that situation, telling him this—

To Ehit, it could easily feel like a threat to Cloyden.

That thought weighed heavily on me.

Part of it was fear that Ehit might come to despise Aileta and that my family could be ruined.

But that wasn’t the only reason my heart felt heavy. There was another reason.

And without me realizing it, that reason was growing larger.

‘I just…… don’t want Ehit to think like that.’

Ehit disliking my family.
Being disappointed.
Whether it was a misunderstanding or the truth, having negative feelings about me.

I didn’t want that.

I didn’t know what to call this feeling, but that was how I felt now.

“Let go, Ehit.”

“Where are you going?”

He asked as I walked past him. I slightly turned my head and forced a smile.

“I’m just going for a walk.”

 

***

 

 

‘Bazan grows in caves near wetlands.’

I went into town and asked people where there might be a forest with wetland caves nearby.

I didn’t have time to read books covering every forest in Bellachen, and asking knowledgeable locals was the fastest option.

“Healer! It’s been a while. I went to the medical center a few days ago, but you weren’t there, so I wondered where you’d gone. I heard you went to the capital for your engagement?”

“……Yes. Haha.”

“But why do you look so unwell? You’re sweating cold sweat. Is something wrong? Wait—could it be……?”

“Do you know where there’s a forest with a lake nearby?”

“A lake?”

“Yes.”

I swallowed hard and nodded.

“Oh, a lake, you say.”

“……Yes.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know that sort of thing! But you really don’t look good. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Ah…… is there anyone who might know?”

“Why don’t you try the Herdens fortune-telling shop next door? The fortune teller knows how the world works.”

Would they really know something like that……?
Or maybe they might?

‘Come to think of it, they talk to lots of people and hear all kinds of stories. Maybe they have a lot of information.’

I couldn’t think of anyone else to ask right now, and my body was getting worse.

I hurried to the Herdens fortune-telling shop.

In the familiar mysterious atmosphere, the fortune teller smiled gently.

“What brings you here today? Your future, your feelings, your present…….”

“Do you happen to know where a wetland cave is?”

Since I’d come here with Ehit before—and visited a few more times afterward—I felt some familiarity and asked more comfortably than I should have.

“……Pardon? A wetland cave?”

“Yes, a wetland cave.”

As soon as I said it, I realized I’d messed up.

I hurriedly stood up.

“I’m sorry. Please forget I asked.”

“It’s in the Senner Forest to the west. If you follow the walking trail straight in, you’ll find it…….”

“Wow, how did you know?”

“I just enjoy forest walks.”

After paying, I rushed to Senner Forest. By the time I arrived, the sky had grown cloudy.

Just like the weather, my condition was steadily worsening.

“……Haa.”

I stood at the forest entrance, gasping for breath.

After checking the map for the wetland cave’s location, I hurried inside.

‘Let’s go quickly.’

The dew-covered path was a little slippery.

Still, I began to smell the misty scent unique to lakes.

‘It’s close.’

A few steps later, the cave came into view.

My fever felt like it was rising. The hand visible between my sleeves was blotchy and red from the poison.

I leaned against a tree for a moment and looked toward the cave. Inside the dark entrance, I could see a few plants growing.

‘……That’s Bazan.’

But why was the cave entrance in such a dangerous spot?

To reach it, I had to go down a steep slope next to a small lake.

I looked around for another way, but any alternate route would take at least thirty minutes longer.

With no choice, I stepped onto the slope. Wet leaves squished under my feet.

I moved carefully, tense—but it wasn’t as slippery as I’d feared.

‘If I’m just careful, I should be fine—’

Before I could even finish thinking that, dizziness suddenly hit.

The path might not be bad, but this changed everything.

Slip.

My foot lost balance on the wet leaves.

I squeezed my eyes shut as my body pitched forward.

“……!”

Cold leaves—or sharp branches—would tear at my skin through my clothes.

I braced myself.

But instead, something wrapped tightly around me.

A familiar scent. A familiar embrace.

I knew instantly who it was.

We slid together all the way down before finally stopping.

I was fine, like I’d been wrapped in a blanket—but the person holding me wouldn’t be.

Our breathing mixed with the sound of crushed leaves.

In the cold autumn air, I hurriedly lifted my head—but got dizzy again.

My head bumped into Ehit’s chest.

“Ugh.”

As I tried to lift my head again, Ehit gently placed a hand on the back of my head to stop me.

His firm hand supported me, so I had no choice but to stay still.

Without a single scolding word, I lay there for a moment, listening only to his heartbeat.

Then I asked weakly,

“How did you get here?”

“Would I really let you go alone when you looked like you were about to collapse?”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“And yet you collapsed just now.”

Only after my breathing steadied did Ehit help me up.

Just then, a drop of water landed on my cheek.

‘Rain?’

As I looked up, Ehit suddenly grabbed my hand.

“……Ah.”

Of all hands, he had to grab the poisoned one.

I didn’t want him to see.

Even though it was partly covered by my sleeve, the swollen purple marks were visible.

Seeing that, Ehit’s eyes wavered.

Holding my other hand, he started running toward the cave.

What I thought was light drizzle quickly turned into heavy rain. Even though we rushed inside, we were soaked by the time we reached the entrance.

“What is this?”

As soon as we entered, Ehit lifted my hand.

“I just got a little hurt.”

“You think I can’t tell this isn’t an ordinary injury? This is clearly poison—”

“……No!”

Even I could tell it wasn’t just a simple injury.

Still, I couldn’t admit it. He would definitely ask how it happened.

“It happens sometimes. I have a strange constitution.”

“You’re saying it’s not poison? Honestly?”

“……Yes.”

I said that and pulled my hand out of his grasp.

I hurried to pick the Bazan. My body had started trembling from the cold, and I needed treatment immediately.

‘Why won’t it come out?’

The Bazan was lodged firmly between rocks and wouldn’t pull free easily.

The cold grew worse, and strength drained from my hands.

‘I need to pull it out with the roots.’

As I struggled, Ehit struck the rock hard with the handle of his dagger.

Crack.

The rock beside the Bazan split.

‘Do rocks normally break that easily……?’

While I was speechless, Ehit casually pulled the Bazan out like he was uprooting a radish.

Startled, I looked at him and thought,

‘If this man hadn’t become a naval officer, he could’ve been a successful herb gatherer instead.’