I Married a Sick Husband Vol. 2 Chapter 51

Chapter 10: Fabian

 

“Your Royal Highness, you have received a letter from Valtejain.”

 

Fabian Valtejain heard those words exactly a month before Theodore’s birthday.

 

Fabian, who had just returned to the dormitory after his classes, asked with a puzzled expression.

 

“A letter? Is it from my mother?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Fabian expected it. No one from Valtejain would send him a letter apart from his mother.

 

“….”

 

Nevertheless, his expression was not so bright.

 

“Give it to me.”

 

“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”

 

The servant handed over the sealed letter to Fabian.

 

When he opened the letter, he noticed that the letter was written in a neat handwriting.

 

The content of the letter was not quite long.

 

 

How are you, Fabian? It’s mother.

 

It’s been a while since I wrote a letter.

 

How is the weather there?

 

I wonder if you’re doing well or not in a foreign country. I can’t help but think only about you whether I’m asleep or awake.

 

 

When Fabian read that part, he laughed involuntarily.

 

 

The Emperor’s birthday celebration will be held soon. By the time you receive this letter, there should be about a month left before the occasion.

 

I believe you will join the celebration. You’re not planning on using your studies as an excuse to absent yourself, are you?

 

Seeing you in good health puts me at ease.

 

I haven’t seen you in so long. Please come, at least to see me.

 

-Sending love, Blair

 

 

 

“Sending love….”

 

The last line was commonly used as a greeting.

 

Repeating that aloud, Fabian chuckled again.

 

‘This is the most unsuitable greeting that mother could have used.’

 

Fabian folded the letter as it was and put it back inside the envelope.

 

His attendant, who was watching him, asked:

“What does it say, Your Highness?”

 

“She is asking me to attend His Majesty’s birthday celebration next month.”

 

Fabian could use the excuse of his studies saying that he was about to graduate in order to avoid returning to Valtejain.

 

If it was possible, he wanted to wander abroad forever, just the way as his mother had wanted to.

 

But Fabian knew that he had to return.

 

He couldn’t disobey his mother’s words.

 

“You will attend the celebration, won’t you, Your Highness? Hasn’t it been a long time since you last saw Her Highness the Empress Dowager?”

 

“… Yes.”

 

Fabian nodded briefly.

 

“I’ll write her a reply saying that I will return.”

 

It had been a long time since Fabian returned home.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Jerome Bowner welcomed a guest as unexpectedly as Fabian, who had received Blair’s letter.

 

“Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”

 

“Wow, so this is Sir Jerome’s laboratory.”

 

Meredith looked around with a curious look on her face.

 

“I came here because I wanted to ask you something.”

 

“You could’ve call for me directly, Your Majesty.”

 

“I just sat around all day today.”

 

Meredith complained.

 

“I needed a reason to go out for a walk.”

 

“Oh, you can’t do that.”

 

Jerome’s brow furrowed when he heard Meredith’s words.

 

“It’s fatal to your health, Your Majesty. If you want to live a long life, you need to go outside and get some sunlight at least once a day.”

 

“That’s exactly why I came here. I did well, didn’t I?”

 

“Yes, you’re welcome.”

 

Jerome laughed involuntarily at the sight of Meredith smiling cutely.

 

Seeing Jerome laughing, Meredith also had a soft smile on her face but then asked with a curious look on her face.

 

“And what were you doing?”

 

“Ah, I was making medicine for His Majesty’s insomnia.”

 

“… I guess His Majesty suffers from severe insomnia?”

 

Meredith’s expression quickly darkened, as if she hadn’t been smiling a second before.

 

“Actually, I first heard that story from Sir last time. I was very surprised.”

 

“Well, His Majesty is not the type of person who talks about himself very often. It’s a pretty difficult part of being a doctor.”

 

“Can’t he stop taking the medication?”

 

Meredith asked, still sounding concerned.

 

“Of course, I believe in Sir Jerome’s ability. But I learned that medicine is not good for long-term use. Whatever type it is.”

 

“You’re right. It seems that His Majesty is also trying to reduce the dosage… It looks like it wasn’t easy for you.”

 

“…….”

 

“More often than not, I give it at Sir Felix’s request. His Majesty doesn’t take anything very seriously as long as it doesn’t interfere with government affairs.”

 

“It’s because I care about the person I’m with. Maybe I’m doing something wrong… At least I want to know.”

 

“That’s not it. After His Majesty got married, there was a slight improvement in his condition.”

 

“Well then, I’m glad…”

 

“I am also researching treatment methods.”

 

This time, Jerome told a slightly different story.

 

“It isn’t easy, perhaps because there are a lot of psychological factors involved.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“From what you told me, he seems reluctant to close his eyes.”

 

“To close his eyes… Are you saying he was reluctant?”

 

“Literally. He said it was difficult for him to close his eyes because his chest felt tight and his breathing became unstable.”

 

“….”

 

“So, he tried to keep his eyes closed for as long as he could, and only when he was about to fall asleep that he was able to actually close his eyes.”

 

“… I did not know.”

 

Theodore and Meredith always fell asleep while maintaining an upright posture.

 

It was because such a posture was the most comfortable position to sleep while holding Theodore’s hand.

 

So once he lay down, it was difficult to check his condition.

 

“Is there really such a disease?”

 

“Well. It has not been reported in the academia, but that does not mean this problem is light.”

 

“Of course it is not. Why does he show such symptoms when he is about to close his eyes?”

 

“Even if he died, he wouldn’t say anything about that part. He seemed very reluctant.”

 

Meredith had a hunch that there was definitely something serious about it.

 

She was frustrated because she didn’t know what it was.

 

“I don’t think he’ll ever talk about it again. He might just ask me to prescribe medicine.”

 

“…..”

 

“Your Majesty, you came here because you had something to ask. Could it be about His Majesty’s insomnia?”

 

“Oh, no.”

 

Meredith quickly opened the medical book she had brought and showed it to Jerome.

 

“I was reading this book, but there were some parts that I didn’t understand. Here, this part.”

 

“Oh, you probably don’t understand this. An allergic reaction…”

 

It was while Meredith was listening to Jerome’s explanation about allergic reactions.

 

-thump thump

 

Footsteps were heard from afar.

 

However, neither Jerome nor Meredith thought it was strange or serious.

 

This was because their situation was the type where absolutely no suspicion would arise even if someone came in and questioned them.

 

“Ah! Then, we end up trying to protect our bodies excessively….”

 

“… Empress?”

 

But when she heard a familiar voice, Meredith naturally panicked.

 

Lifting her head, she saw Theodore looking at her with equally perplexed eyes.

 

“… Your Majesty.”

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“That is…”

 

Meredith, who was taken aback for a moment, soon regained her composure and answered, telling him the truth.

 

“I was reading a medical book and came across something I didn’t understand. So I came to see Sir Jerome. I was just listening to the explanation…”

 

Meredith asked with a puzzled look on her face.

 

“Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”

 

It was very rare for Theodore to visit Jerome.

 

Because he always called the latter to the central palace.

 

Meredith couldn’t believe that Theodore had come to Jerome with Felix.

 

“… I feel like I’m healthier than usual today.”

 

Theodore answered, still in a dazed voice.

 

“I have to go to a political meeting right now. It’s too late to call for him.”

 

“Ah, you came because of your illness.”

 

‘Sick medicine’ was a medicine developed by Jerome to hide Theodore’s condition, who was getting healthier day by day.

 

If someone ingested the ‘sick medicine’, then he or she would look like a very sick patient for three to four hours.

 

However, because it was a medicine that did not harm one’s health, Theodore was ingesting the ‘sick medicine’ when he was being examined by palace doctors other than Jerome or when his condition was excessively good.

 

In short, it was a medicine developed for faking illness, but the term ‘faking sickness medicine’ did not have a good connotation, so it was called without the first word.

 

“Can I drink it now?”

 

“Of course, Your Majesty. I’ll make it right away.”

 

Due to its special nature, ‘sick medicine’ could not be stored for a long period.

 

So it had to be manufactured and ingested whenever needed.

 

Jerome disappeared into the apothecary to make the ‘sick medicine’.

 

So, Meredith was left alone with Theodore.

 

“….”

 

Theodore asked, glancing at the book Meredith was reading.

 

“Were you also studying medicine?”

 

“Yes. Whenever I have time…”

 

Meredith answered.

 

“If I study medicine, it might be more helpful in activating my healing magic. I originally studied it for that reason.”

 

“You’re diligent. You must be busy with your palace duties.”

 

“I have to study diligently. That’s how I can stay alive like this by Your Majesty’s side.”

 

“What?”

 

“Isn’t being able to treat Your Majesty the reason why I can still be the Empress?”

 

Theodore, who heard her words, looked quite uncomfortable, although he didn’t know why.

 

It was clear that it was like that, as he didn’t respond for a long time.

 

‘… Did I make a mistake?’

 

As the silence grew longer, a thought occurred to Meredith.

 

‘It’s not a mistake. I only said the truth.’

 

Meredith was thinking over what she had told and was looking for problems.

 

“… It’s not necessarily because of that reason.”

 

He suddenly said that.

 

Meredith looked at Theodore with wide eyes.

 

“The reason I keep you by my side.”

 

“…”

 

“It’s not just because you saved me.”

 

“What is that….”

 

“… Because you are also my helper. There are few people who know of my condition.”

 

“Ah… yeah. That’s right.”

 

It was when Meredith muttered under her breath ‘Isn’t that what I said?’, Theodore asked her:

“Are you close to Sir Jerome?”

 

Why was this happening all of a sudden…?