“Since we can’t let people who came to visit the ailing with intentions of hurting the Grand Duke, who was unable to see well anyway.”
“Ah……”
“In any case, it’s true that he will act like a beast when his curse is in effect. Originally, it wouldn’t happen during this time, but it has been triggered far earlier. Or is this perhaps a side effect that ensued from treating the curse…?”
The physician gradually muttered under his breath to which made Vivian unable to hear it eventually before he quickly changed his expression.
“At any rate, now that you understand, right? Please, don’t come in. It was merely luck that you had made it safely back then.”
The physician threatened her with a frightening expression as if he was just trying to scare off a little child.
“You still don’t know how ferocious the Grand Duke truly could be.”
“Then, how will you actually calm the Grand Duke?”
“Well, there is no other way than to give him the medicine—or just leave him be.”
After saying so, the physician suddenly flicked his fingers—as if he had just remembered something.
“Ah, there is one other method.”
“What is that?”
“It is to release the heat somewhere else.”
“The heat?”
The physician lowered his head towards Vivian who asked back in response since she couldn’t really understand what he meant. He then drew closer to her face while looking at her with such an obscure smile.
“It’s like what I’ve just said. Just let him be until the heat gradually dissipates. You only have to stay still, even if he bares his claws against someone.”
There was no doubt that those words were being exaggerated in order to make Vivian terrified. Even so, Vivian still couldn’t easily reply to those words of the physician’s.
It was more than enough for her to understand the horror of that day even without the need for the physician to describe. The gaze wasn’t that of a human’s. The absolute hold that she couldn’t escape from that was unlike his usual. Thinking back on his actions that had somehow resembled that of a beast, there was a possibility that the physician’s words weren’t a lie at all.
“…will he be okay if you administer some sedatives?”
“On the surface, yes.”
Vivian took a deep breath for a moment at the physician’s significant words. But, it was only for a short while. Then, Vivian opened her eyes that had been shut for some time before staring straight at the physician.
“In that case, I’ll follow you inside.”
“You—”
The physician’s relaxed expression immediately broke apart at her unexpected words. He wrinkled his forehead just like she couldn’t comprehend her as he gave her yet another talk.
“Are you perhaps not able to properly hear what I’ve been saying all this while? I clearly said that even I, who had always been by his side all this time, could never predict what would actually transpire. Why can’t you even understand that?”
“Even so, I’d like to stay by his side.”
“Haah.”
The physician sighed conspicuously at Vivian’s adamant words. He might even have thought that Vivian’s demand was merely another whine.
Nevertheless, even if he thought of it like that, she still wanted to be by Knox’s side. No matter what kind of rumors were circulating around him, in the end, Knox was still undoubtedly Knox. He was someone who had believed in Vivian, who was full of lies on the other hand.
Vivian just couldn’t bear to turn her back on that belief. She was unwilling to be apart from him. Also, she just didn’t want to spend that little time left recklessly—even for a moment.
Maybe Vivian’s thoughts were just selfish, like what the physician had initially thought. However, as her time with him was evidently decreasing this time, she at least wanted to possess his side, no matter what kind of appearance he had.
When he saw Vivian’s determined gaze, the physician once again sighed as if he had already given up.
“Well, there’s also this part of yours that’s making him feel better much faster. So, who knows.”
He turned the doorknob in Vivian’s stead before entering the room.
“Follow me.”
Vivian, who immediately followed after the physician, carefully took a seat near Knox. As if to prove that Vivian had just been there until a while ago, the bedding that was next to Knox was still disheveled.
In contrast to Vivian’s slightly flushed face, the physician calmly strode closer to Knox and began to take action. While he was examining Knox’s condition, which still hadn’t been able to move his eyes even once, Vivian kept on holding Knox’s hand tightly.
Please don’t be sick.
Up until the physician had eventually finished his examination, Vivian persisted on repeating that only sentence—as if she was continuously chanting a spell.
* * *