“I’m back, Master,” he announced.
“How was your outing?” Odelliana inquired.
“It was quite busy. I helped in the kitchen and then went to the market to purchase some ingredients.”
Knowing this was a rare opportunity for Matthias to leave the annex, Odelliana had entrusted him with several tasks.
“Excellent,” she replied with a satisfied smile. “Did you manage to sell the jewelry?”
Matthias reached into his pocket and produced a heavy pouch. “Here’s the remaining money after I purchased a small, abandoned warehouse.”
Odelliana accepted the pouch, her smile widening. “Well done. Did you have any luck with the herbalist?”
Matthias retrieved a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to her. “This is the ingredient analysis report for the medicine. I also managed to obtain the transaction records from the shop that supplies it to the servants.”
Odelliana eagerly took the report and transaction records. The medicine in question, which accompanied every meal, had aroused her suspicion. Unsure of its purpose or ingredients, she’d been secretly saving it. Now, thanks to Matthias’s resourceful outing, she finally had the opportunity to have it analyzed.
Disbelief colored Odelliana’s face as her eyes scanned the ingredient analysis report. “…Contraceptive?”
The list of medications was a bizarre mix, ranging from the seemingly absurd – contraceptive to heart medication, sleeping pills, and antipsychotics. The contraceptives and heart medication were the most glaring.
The contraceptives were obvious. They were likely intended to prevent any “accidents” with the two male servants, especially given Matthias’s recent presence.
The heart medication, however, was a mystery. Why would they prescribe this? she thought. Wasn’t this body only supposed to have leg problems?
Following her regression, her physical state had been dreadful. While she suspected other chronic illnesses beyond leg issues, she hadn’t considered heart disease. It would explain her debilitating weakness – sweating and feeling faint after a mere minute of crawling. Even with a disability, her body shouldn’t be this fragile. But if she’d been avoiding exercise due to heart concerns, it made a twisted kind of sense.
Yet, the doctor Blair had contacted previously diagnosed her solely with memory loss. Was that doctor a quack?
Her mind reeled. Accepting life as a cripple was already a harsh reality, but adding heart disease felt like a crushing blow. It transformed her body into a ticking time bomb, capable of exploding at any moment.
Even if I manage to improve my leg function with effort, what can I do about a heart condition? Despair threatened to engulf her.‘What’s the point of struggling if I’m going to die anyway?
Odelliana stared blankly at Matthias. A chilling realization dawned on her. If I die, what will become of this boy I’ve dragged into this treacherous situation because of my ambition? A heavy weight settled on her chest – a sense of responsibility for the young man standing before her.
Heart disease was a debilitating illness, a near death sentence that significantly shortened one’s lifespan. While death was inevitable, the prospect of a quick demise was far more terrifying than a gradual decline. Having already faced death once, Odelliana understood the stark difference.
Suddenly, a gasp escaped her lips. Her legs buckled, and she crumpled onto the soft mattress. The bed creaked beneath her weight as Matthias’s hand instinctively covered her eyes.
“Why are you crying, Master?” he asked, concern etched on his face. Tears streamed down Odelliana’s cheeks. Matthias gently wiped them away, his gaze filled with worry.
Overcome with despair, Odelliana clung to him desperately, seeking solace like a child seeking comfort from a mother. In this moment of utter turmoil, Matthias was her only anchor. He held her close, a silent source of strength.
“I need to see a doctor… get a proper diagnosis,” she choked out, her voice thick with fear. “What if I truly have a terminal illness…?”
Just then, as Matthias offered her comfort, a loud crash shattered the tranquility. The door splintered open, and heavy footsteps pounded on the floorboards.
“…This filthy…” a low, contemptuous voice echoed through the room.
Odelliana’s tear-filled eyes darted towards the doorway. A large, imposing figure with a hardened expression stood there. Beside him, Blair appeared frozen in shock.
A name flickered across Odelliana’s mind – a name synonymous with dread. …Hermann von Grüsewald. The uninvited guest who dared to disrupt the normally quiet annex, a place off-limits to outsiders, was none other than the eldest son of the family and Odelliana’s own brother.
