~CHAPTER 38~
“Youâre awake?”
The person who entered was Curden.
Beside him stood a middle-aged man in a doctorâs coat.
While Mayna reached for her glasses on the nightstand, Curden pulled a chair closer and sat by her bed.
Even in midsummer, he usually wore a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, but today he had on a simple black shirt.
His normally slicked-back blond hair was loose, falling naturally over his forehead.
“Exhaustion, stress, nervous tension, and malnutrition.”
Curden spoke flatly, crossing his long legs.
“Me?”
When Mayna asked in confusion, Curden sighed briefly.
Magia gently rubbed the back of Maynaâs hand and answered for him.
“You collapsed in the middle of the park. Fortunately, Lord Lotaâs secretary found you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The two of them were passing through the square when they saw you. Lord Lota was so shocked he carried you on his backâ”
“Letâs skip the unnecessary details.”
Curden cut her off.
For some reason, he looked very displeased.
“Ah⌔
Hearing Magiaâs words, Mayna began to recall fragments of what had happened.
The sharp pain that struck her before she lost consciousness, the secretary calling her name, Curden running to her, the feeling of being carried on his back, and the carriage racing through the night streetsâall of it.
“Thank you, Curden.”
Now that she looked closer, his shirt was soaked in sweat.
His hair hadnât been styled down on purpose; it had simply fallen that way from the sweat.
“Iâm sorry for troubling you because of me⌔
Seeing her apologetic expression, Curden shook his head.
“Doctor.”
Though his eyes stayed on Mayna, he called to the physician behind him.
“This patient is telling me I went through trouble. Could you explain that for her?”
Mayna turned toward the doctor.
The man, wearing thick glasses and a neatly trimmed gray beard, looked calm as he held her chart.
“As I said, severe stress and overwork have caused a serious inflammation in your abdomen, particularly in your uterus.”
Ah, so thatâs whyâŚ
Mayna sighed silently.
Over the past few months, she remembered feeling pain similar to menstrual cramps.
Come to think of it, itâs been over three months since my last period.
Nearly four months had passed, and she hadnât even realized.
Since stress often delayed her cycle, she hadnât thought anything of it.
Inflammation in the uterusâŚ
Even now, the dull pain in her lower abdomen brought a rush of mixed emotions.
“If the inflammation is that serious, what exactly⌔
Magia, her face clouded with concern, asked instead.
“The condition is called uterine inflammatory fever. In simple terms, prolonged exhaustion and mental strain have caused an infection thatâs irritating the muscles and tissue, resulting in abdominal pain.”
“Oh wow. The name sounds terrifying.”
Mayna tried to lighten the mood, but no one responded.
“I didnât feel that bad though. I feel fine nowâŚ!”
“Doctor.”
Curden called again.
“The patient still doesnât seem to understand. Could you repeat what you told me?”
Curden, who never raised his voice at Maynaâonly at Kalifâsounded unusually sharp today.
“Is it⌠terminal?”
Half anxious, half trying to break the tension, Mayna asked.
“⌔
For some reason, all three of them remained silent.
“Wait, seriouslyâŚ?”
“Lady Winslet.”
The doctor spoke gravely.
“Your inflammation levels are extremely high. Comparable to soldiers whoâve just returned from the battlefield or gifted fighters injured while hunting monsters.”
No way, that canât be right.
“Lord Lota said youâve endured intense workloads and stress for a long time. You managed until now, but your body has reached its limit.”
I did endure it, but itâs not that badâŚ
“Fortunately, medication can stop the progression for now. But you absolutely must rest.”
Rest?
A rest for an X-class knightâs aide? Thatâs impossible.
“You asked if itâs life-threatening?”
Mayna nodded blankly.
“If your condition doesnât improve, thereâs a high chance of severe complications.”
Curden interrupted, his tone firm.
“They might have to anesthetize you and remove the uterus altogether.”
“⌔
“The ovaries, bladder, and rectum could be damaged too. Your stomachâs already not in great shape. Once the inflammation spreads through your bloodstream, your organs start to rot.”
“⌔
The shock left Mayna speechless.
Curden, meanwhile, only grew more agitated.
“Then youâll spend half a year in a hospital, wishing you were dead, before you probably die. Does that qualify as terminal for you?”
“âŚYes.”
“Ha!”
Curden let out a dry laugh and clenched his jaw before suddenly standing up.
“Iâm going for a smoke.”
Muttering under his breath, he strode out of the room.
As Mayna watched him in confusion, Magia said softly,
“He was really worried when you collapsed.”
“I see.”
Mayna nodded.
Of course he was.
They had worked side by side for years, through every crisis.
Heâs been through it all with me. No wonder heâs upset.
But Curden, unlike Kalif, was someone who understood his emotionsâand knew how to control them.
If he was angry, it wasnât just because he was worried.
“Youâll likely have recurring pain, Lady Winslet.”
The doctor resumed his explanation.
“Make sure you rest and follow the prescription carefully. Otherwise, you could lose consciousness again, just like today.”
He continued for a while longer.
The minimum time she must avoid alcohol.
The importance of recording her cycle.
The warning that she must not overwork herself again.
After his final checkup, the doctor left the room.
Thanks to Magia, who took careful notes of everything, Mayna could relax a little and lie back.
“You heard him, right?”
“Yes. You two repeated yourselves so much I couldnât possibly miss it.”
Magia smiled faintly as she pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.
“You should tell Sir Renox too.”
“⌔
At the unexpected mention of his name, Maynaâs face darkened.
“Tell him you need to rest for a while.”
“⌔
“Youâve never had a proper vacation, have you? Even lower-ranked staff get time off.”
“Lower-ranked? What are you talking about⌔
“See? Thatâs exactly what I mean.”
Magia clicked her tongue.
“Really, is that what matters right now?”
Seeing her so worried, Mayna smiled gently.
“It does matter. To me, it does.”
“⌔
Magiaâs eyes shimmered with tears.
Her lips trembled into a faint smile before turning sorrowful again.
“Please donât get sick again.”
Her warm hand brushed Maynaâs hair.
“If anything happens to you, who at Renox Castle would manage to stay sane?”
Everyone else will be fine. Except maybe Kalif.
Mayna smiled faintly to herself.
