Chapter 2.6

“I don’t see Lady Weiand anywhere?”

“Is it because Duke Tonz isn’t here?”

“Maybe she’s going around the whole place trying to find him. She did that last time.”

“Oh my, didn’t you hear? Back then, she just got lost for a while.”

The chattering women’s voices weren’t small, so he could hear them all the way from here. Ver, who went out in search of a quiet place, escaped from the sound of their scathing laughter.

They were indeed aristocrats. They may be smiling in front of you, but you wouldn’t know what faces they have behind your back.

It was an event he would not have attended normally. If it wasn’t for Prillance who said she didn’t want to leave him by himself.

And if it wasn’t for himself who felt emotionally agitated.

Nevertheless, as he made this decision suddenly, he was very regretful. Since the time he entered the ballroom, he faced the eyes of the curious nobles and remembered his situation that he had forgotten for a while.

After receiving Prillance’s harmless gaze for a few days, he had briefly forgotten.

Eventually, Ver decided to avoid all the nobles’ eyes. He would have already found the furthest exit in the hall where the ball was held, if he hadn’t found Prillance.

Prillance, coming out of Roman’s lounge, wanted to get as far away from the second floor as possible. She managed to reach the front of the stairs with her trembling body. But she eventually collapsed in the middle of the staircase, which seemed longer than when she had come up earlier.

She had already expected that it wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t know it would be this terrible. Prillance curled up and tried to calm her trembling body. She leaned slightly against her gathered knees and closed her eyes.

‘Think happy thoughts……Think happy thoughts……Think happy thoughts…….’

She grasped the dress held in her hand and tried to think of pleasant thoughts on her currently blank mind. Even though no thoughts came to mind, she repeated it as if placing a spell on herself.

Ver watched such a Prillance. She hadn’t noticed anything, even when he came to her side.

Prillance was curled up and her body trembled. He didn’t know what the cause was, but he could see from her clenched fist that she was trying to overcome something herself.

Even Ver, who was not familiar with Prillance’s pride, knew.

She did it because she didn’t want anyone to see. He tried to leave her without her noticing.

“There are times when just being by someone’s side helps.”

Her voice came back to haunt him. Wouldn’t Prillance’s own words apply to her as well?

Eventually, Ver sat down next to her. After feeling someone’s presence nearby, only then did Prillance open her eyes. Her eyes met Ver’s, who was sitting next to her.

“You have a fever.”

Before she could even call out his name, Prillance became startled as Ver’s hand touched her forehead.

“Are you sick?”

‘Was this why she hadn’t come to the promenade for days?’ Ver thought while looking at her flushed cheeks.

Did she think about going to the ball with this body? While enduring her burning fever?

He frowned. He didn’t like it.

“You still have a fever.”

“Here…How….”

The fever rose as Roman’s energy channeled towards her already weak aristocratic body. Because of that, her voice cracked slightly.

Prillance became surprised at her cracked voice and could not speak.

“I will send you off to your carriage.”

Ver, who was trying to stand up, had to sit back in her hand holding her. Prillance’s hand that held him trembled. The hand reminded him of her fist holding on to the dress until it was white.

Eventually, Ver took off the coat he was wearing and covered Prillance’s shoulders. There was no way she was well in this situation.

Ver’s clothes were big enough to cover half of her body. His warmth was felt through the coat that covered her shoulders.

He knew that he had given her his coat because of his consideration for others. Probably not just to Prillance, he was the type who could give up his coat to anyone without hesitation.

Prillance liked that about him in the novel.

Prillance pulled the coat around her a little more. He looked at her covered body and thought she was very thin. The neck, shoulders, waist, wrists, and the ankles he held last time. No wonder she was sick.

“The Lady needs to build up her stamina.”

“What…”

“I will teach you next time.”

He could see the curiosity written on her face. He thought about why he would say this himself. But he didn’t want to see Prillance being sick by herself.

Nothing was more sad than being sick on your own. Ver decided to think so.

“If you build up your stamina, you will not suffer from a light cold.”

“Ah…”

“That would be better than just walking.”

Prillance understood. He was giving her permission to keep coming to see him.

“I…I’ll do my best. ”

Prillance said with a twinkling eye.

Ver felt the heat in the place where he touched her. It was the heat he felt from her hand that he held. This meant the fever was getting worse.

“Lady.”

The moment Ver thought he had to send Prillance to her carriage, her forehead fell to his shoulder. Her forehead, which leaned on his shoulder, was also hot. Her face also seemed a little redder.

“I will take you to the lounge first.”

Perplexed, he tried to raise her up, but her helpless arm stopped him.

“…Home…I want to go home…”

Prillance said desperately, gathering her senses. They say you know your body best. She felt her fever wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. It was better to get proper treatment at home. Moreover, Roman was in the lounge.

She didn’t want Ver to meet him.

“…Alright. Instead, please excuse my actions for a moment.”

Ver lifted her into his arms. Fortunately, they were at the farthest exit from the ballroom, so they didn’t meet anyone on the way to the prepared carriage.

“To Marquis Weiand’s estate, as soon as possible.”

Ver said hurriedly, positioning her head to lean against him. The carriage soon disappeared at a rapid pace.