The World Mistakes Me for Terminally Ill - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The World Thinks I’m Terminally Ill Episode 022

“…Shubel?”

I looked at him with confusion, wondering why this man was here.

If it were some open area, I might understand, but he had come deep into the garden to a place that wasn’t even finished yet.

Unless you were someone like me, this wasn’t a place you’d come to visit, so I wondered how he appeared at such a coincidental timing.

Unless he had been watching me the whole time.

“Why are you here?”

At first, Shubel seemed not to understand my questioning gaze, but then he blinked as if belatedly realizing the meaning of my words.

He smiled gently.

“I was taking a walk.”

The excuse was too flimsy to be believable, but the man’s face smiling under the moonlight looked quite refreshing, so I decided to let it slide. He had helped me, after all.

“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to face the servants. If I had broken my nose while walking alone in an unfinished place, I wouldn’t have been able to lift my head.”

“Hmm, if it were the Duchess, she’d probably say ‘Isn’t this interesting? Come look at this.'”

“What did you say?”

When I glared at him and smacked his forearm, Shubel laughed softly.

But I couldn’t argue back either, so I grumbled quietly and tried to stand up using him as support.

The problem was-

“My lady!”

I must have twisted my foot because my ankle was throbbing.

When I swayed again, he urgently wrapped his arms around my waist.

I inwardly trembled with embarrassment.

‘I wasn’t supposed to get carried away by dawn sentimentality.’

Having no choice, I endured the awkwardness and asked Shubel for help.

“Sorry, but could you help me walk to my room?”

However, instead of helping me walk, Shubel silently sat me down on a nearby bench.

He knelt on one knee in front of me, took off my shoes, and placed my twisted foot on his thigh.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

I was a bit flustered seeing him skillfully examine the painful area.

‘Isn’t bare feet a bit, you know?’

Though I had gotten used to physical contact with Shubel lately, casually touching someone’s bare feet was a bit.

A bit, too, embarrassing.

Since feet are located at the lowest part of the body, there’s usually no reason to have contact with others there.

In short, when delicate touches reached a place I had never even thought about, my body involuntarily trembled.

“Does it hurt when I touch it like this?”

“A little…”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

He checked for tenderness and examined whether there was any damage to the bone.

I felt bewildered by the man’s downcast eyelashes as he concentrated, his careful touch as if handling a precious craft-

And the firm body of another person touching beneath my foot.

‘There’s no need to go this far.’

But it would be awkward to ignore the other person’s kindness and tell him to stop when he was already examining me.

Should I say something or not? After pondering, I ultimately remembered that all of this happened due to my carelessness and reflected while repeating ‘This is medical treatment, medical treatment.’

I would never take a walk alone at night again.

“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like you’re seriously injured. It’s a mild sprain, so you’ll be fine if you apply compresses for a day.”

“Is, is that so? That’s a relief.”

Then I should ask him to let go now, so I subtly moved my foot away from his thigh and tried to put on my shoes.

“Yes, of course you shouldn’t overdo it until then.”

Shubel naturally took away my shoes.

I stared blankly at the man who had taken away even the shoe I was wearing on the other foot.

‘What does overdoing it have to do with my shoes?’

Perhaps noticing that look, he spoke gently.

“It would be better if you don’t walk right now.”

“Then how am I supposed to get to my room?”

“You could ride on my back, my lady.”

“What?”

“You asked me to help you walk.”

It was a truly shocked “What?” without a hint of composure. The help I had asked for was really just ‘help walking.’

When I widened my eyes, Shubel naturally turned his back to me.

I was at a loss seeing the broad back that I had once thought I’d have no regrets if I could hit it once appear before my eyes.

“Shubel, there’s no need to go this far-“

“For sprains, it’s best for recovery to move as little as possible, but your shoes have height so your ankle will shake. This is the best way.”

He cunningly hit people with facts. I eventually covered my face and got on Shubel’s back.

“Give me the shoes.”

“It’s fine.”

“I’m not fine!”

“I’m fine though.”

What kind of conversation is this? Really.

When I buried my forehead in his shoulder, wanting to bite my tongue from embarrassment, Shubel’s body vibrated faintly.

I heard a low laugh.

“My lady, this is something I should rightfully do. Don’t feel burdened.”

Something he should rightfully do.

What exactly should be rightfully done between a contract couple?

Just like how you have to pay a fair price if you want to have something. It’s the law that if something comes into the world, something must also go.

I eventually spoke in a crawling voice.

“…Thank you.”

I really won’t go out for walks alone at night again.

Really.

Shubel looked at Elisia, who had fallen asleep immediately due to fatigue and the effects of medicine.

He unconsciously brought his hand toward her lips.

When he felt her warm breath, he finally pulled his hand back and asked.

“How is my lady’s condition?”

The doctor who had been examining Elisia’s ankle quickly looked up, then answered tensively after seeing Shubel’s expressionless face.

“There’s nothing wrong with the bone, and it’s a mild sprain, so if she applies compresses for a day…”

“I’m asking if it’s severe enough to cause coughing up blood again.”

The doctor broke out in cold sweat at the emotionless gaze looking at him.

He swallowed and answered.

“She is fatigued, but not to the extent of coughing up blood.”

“I see.”

Shubel turned his head again.

While he wasn’t a bad master who committed sadistic acts against servants, there was such a thing as a person’s basic atmosphere.

To the doctor and other people in the Grand Duke’s Castle, the Grand Duke’s son was a difficult master.

The castle’s servants would all say that Shubel had become much more gentle after Elisia arrived.

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

The doctor left almost as if fleeing.

Shubel watched the sleeping Elisia motionlessly for a while, then slowly opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry.”

He stood up from his seat.

“Nothing will happen.”

That was the arrogance of a man who had never experienced ‘failure’ in what he wanted to achieve in his lifetime.

Shubel continued to watch over Elisia, observing the mana inside her body.

As long as he was by her side, she would never cough up blood again.

‘So please, madam, until I become accustomed to your color and this interest fades—’

Shubel checked Elisia’s breathing once more.

It was him unconsciously worrying that her color might fade, but he himself didn’t realize this.

Of course, he had never felt such emotions before.

‘May you remain as beautiful as you are now.’

This was merely a game with a predetermined end.

Click.

The door closed.

Finally, the morning of the inspection day dawned.

‘Fortunately, my ankle is fine.’

I had been a bit worried about whether I could move according to schedule, but after sleeping soundly, it had healed cleanly as if someone had tended to it all night.

I came out to the capital city an hour earlier than the appointed time.

Since I was supposed to meet Jerkhal at the train station construction site at the scheduled time, I went to check on the medical center first.

As I entered the medical center, I gently waved at the people who now recognized me and looked surprised.

‘At least there won’t be anyone acting like that gatekeeper knight anymore.’

Fame could be tiresome at times, but it was still essential for someone in business.

I was inwardly satisfied as I checked the medical center’s ledgers and usage records when I heard a familiar voice.

“Good day, Lady Elisia.”

“Hmm? Oh, Sir Jeron.”

It was Jeron, the Gray Wolf Knight whose younger brother had contracted an endemic disease.

“It’s been a while. How is your brother?”

“He’s much better. The doctor says it will take some time, but he should be able to make a full recovery.”

“That’s a relief.”

When I smiled and spoke, Jeron opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“Thank you so much. It’s all thanks to you, Lady Elisia.”

He bowed politely. The knight’s voice trembled slightly.

“I know the medicine is extremely expensive.”

“It is rather costly. After all, it’s a rare disease that hasn’t been fully researched.”

The disease his brother had contracted was one that could be cured simply by taking medicine, but it belonged to the category that was difficult to obtain due to the extremely high cost of that medicine.

However, problems that could be solved with money were no longer difficult.

‘Because I can help.’

Since we had met anyway, we went together to see Jeron’s brother who was occupying one of the beds.

He said he was the youngest child born late in life. He looked like he was barely seven years old.

I was looking at the child with his chubby cheeks as if finding him adorable when I was startled by Jeron’s solemn voice.

“My salary has increased this time, so I’ll pay back at least that much.”

Wait, what is this knight saying?

“Sir Jeron.”

“Yes.”

“Did you perhaps not hear that all welfare for affiliated knights is free?”

“That’s… no, I did hear that.”

He cautiously added.

“But this is too expensive. I think it would be better to use it first for developing the duchy.”

I shouldn’t say this, but now I understand why he remained with a family that was going bankrupt.

Like family, like knight order. The Gray Wolf Knights were… a collection of pushovers.

“Sir Jeron.”

“Yes.”

“Of course, it’s true that Lunein has had difficult circumstances until now. The estate could barely function only by relying on everyone’s dedication. But not anymore.”

I looked straight at him and said.

“Because I’m here now.”

The knight’s eyes widened.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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