“I’ll eat it well.”
"Then, you accept my apology?"
"Yes.”
"Thank you. And I'm so sorry."
Sebastian's hand touched Esther's slightly as he handed her the apple.
Sebastian then retreated, a sudden shudder vibrating through his head.
“The, the, then I’ll see you later.”
He headed towards the pathway and ran away, not caring to glance back. Sebastian’s heart was beating like crazy.
“Why is he acting like that?”
Esther tilted her head as she stared at his distant back, then clasped the apple, proceeding to stroll around the estate.
She was working to search for Judy, who had at some point disappeared elsewhere when an unfamiliar voice called her from behind.
"Are you Esther?"
Esther followed the voice as she turned around. An unfamiliar middle-aged woman was smiling gently.
Although Esther didn’t realize who this person was, she bowed her head.
"Yes. Hello."
"Oh my, you’re also quite polite. I am Sebastian's mother. Everyone calls me Rose."
Esther's mouth slightly parted.
Rose's slender figure and the chubby Sebastian’s didn't match in the least.
"Thank you very much for coming today. I heard Sebastian committed an impolite act towards you?"
"We spoke of it a while ago and solved the problem."
"Is that right? That’s great news."
Rose rejoiced as her eyes gleamed in joy.
"Our Sebastian is not very talented in expressing himself. Still, he isn’t that bad of a child. Please take care of him in the future."
"Yes, ma'am."
Before she had realized, Esther's hands were grasped tightly by Rose. Esther smiled awkwardly as she slipped them back to her side.
"Come to think of it, you resemble Irene very much. Irene seemed exactly like you during her childhood. How could there be such resemblance?”
Esther blinked her eyes as she didn’t know who Irene was.
"I was childhood friends with Irene. I become saddened whenever I recall her.”
Rose reached out and patted Esther on the cheek. Her cold palm caused Esther to have goosebumps all over her arms.
"But who's Irene?"
"Oh... you don’t know? She is the Grand Duke’s deceased wife.”
Rose realized she had spoken useless things when belatedly noticing Esther oblivious of what she was hearing, and hurriedly shut her mouth.
"It’s nothing. Please don’t mind what I said and enjoy your time."
Rose laughed limply, avoiding mentioning anything more.
A maid then ran out of the mansion and whispered next to Lady Rose’s ear.
Rose then contemplated anxiously as she hurriedly rushed elsewhere.
Esther tilted her head and reviewed Rose's words.
‘We look alike?'
Then Judy, who had sneakily crept up, popped his head in front of her.
"Ta-da! It's me. What are you doing standing there?"
"Brother.”
Esther asked Judy the following, not surprised but rather blankly.
"Do I resemble your late mother?"
"What's with my mother all of a sudden?"
Judy's expression, which had been smiling broadly, hardened visibly.
"The madam said your late mother and I seem alike."
"You do? I don't know much since I’ve only seen her in pictures, but her hair and eye color are the same as yours."
"I see."
Esther forced herself to smile, her expression melancholic.
The idea that Darwin had chosen her merely because she reminded him of his ex-wife took over her thoughts.
Esther sensed she didn’t know anything about this, although it wasn’t like she was supposed to.
"Now let's head to the table."
Judy held Esther's hand and headed back to the garden. The empty area was now half-filled.
However, the moment they turned to the mansion, Esther suddenly heard the sound of a baby crying from above.
"Hyu... Hyung! Uwang!!"
Esther halted, startled.
"Brother, did you just hear that? I think there’s a baby crying."
"I didn't hear anything."
Esther proceeded to walk again, wondering if she heard wrong. Nonetheless, after a few steps, Judy was the one to stop this time.
"You’re right. I just heard that. A baby crying. Seems like they’re still crying.”
"What should we do?"
The cry was too grave to just ignore and simply overlook. It sounded like they were on the verge of losing their breath.
"Shall we go inside?"
"But the meal...”
"Sebastian ran away earlier. I think something has happened.”
Judy and Esther entered the mansion as they held each other's hands tightly.
"Uh... Uegh! Ueung!”
From the moment they entered inside, the baby's cry rang violently, and the maids were seen rushing around the hallway, carrying pressed expressions.
"Let's hurry and follow them."
Judy took Esther's hand and followed after the maids. The deeper they entered the mansion, the louder the baby’s cry blared.
Soon enough, a small room appeared in view. The door was left wide open, and a jolting cry chimed from the inside.
"Huh? It's Sebastian, isn't it?"
Judy muttered as he peeked into the room.
"There's the Duchess."
The room was occupied with Sebastian and Rose, a doctor dressed in white garments, and maids.
"Didn't Sebastian say he had a younger sibling?"
"Yes, was their name, Jenny…?"
Esther and Judy, who were gawking at each other, simultaneously realizing the baby's identity.
"That's them!"
"I think so."
There was no reason for so many people to be gathered unless it was Sebastian's younger sibling.
"But it's weird. I didn't know his sibling was ill."
Sebastian always bragged about his sibling to Judy, yet he never mentioned they were in poor health.
When they had a conversation in the garden earlier, there was also no mention of his younger sibling.
Judy peeked more attentively into the room as he thought it was strange when the baby burst into tears once again.
"Hwang. Eung… Ma!”
"Shh... Baby, it's alright. Mommy is right here. Hm? Please stop crying."
Dutchess Rose continued acting soothing and sweet, in fear that little Jenny's stamina wouldn't last. However, it was all of little use.
"Halbert? Are you going to stand still? Hurry it up and bring the next medication!"
"B, but... we’ve used most of the drugs... and it's dangerous for us to use them anymore as the young lady is still young...”
The doctor, called by the name Halbert, stuttered as he hurriedly bowed his head.
"Then what do you mean for me to do? The fever won't recede!! It's already been three days, and if something happens... Hah."
The Duchess turned sensitive as she raised her voice, then felt dizzy and clasped the wall with her palm.
"Mother!"
Sebastian, surprised, grabbed his mother's arm and wept.
"I'm so sorry... I've been searching all over the place... it's just extremely rare..."
She had called the doctor numerous times continuously for three days, yet all he did was repeat the same words; that he did not recognize the name of the disease.
"...I see, so leave this place.”
Duchess Rose chewed on her lips as she hurriedly waved her hand to dismiss him. She didn’t wish to see the incompetent doctor any longer.
As soon as Halbert left, she sighed and slumped on her chair.
"Madam... How about sending someone from the temple right now?"
The butler hesitated in presenting his opinion.
"Why the temple?"
"The doctors don't seem to know of the cause... perhaps the priests will figure it out with their mana powers."
In fact, the Duke of Vissel, just as the Grand Duke of Tercia, leaned more towards the imperial side than with the temple.
It had been a while since they had parted ways from the temple, so the Duchess was reluctant to request their help.
However, given the situation, the butler was right. Rose clenched her lips well and nodded after concluding her decision.
"Alright. Send someone now."
"Yes, Madam."
The butler left with the maids and the order bestowed upon him.
He flinched after he stood in front of Judy and Esther. In the end, he simply nodded since they were invited guests.
Judy, who had been observing the whole situation, lowered his voice as he mumbled apologetically.
"Sorry. It must be very painful.”
"Yes, we'd better just take our leave."
Esther also nodded as she attempted to withdraw. Sebastian then glanced up as he spotted the two.
"Huh?"
Sebastian shook his plump body as he ran towards the door.
"How did you know about this place?"
"We heard the baby crying."
"I’m sorry. You were probably surprised my mother and I suddenly disappeared."
"No... but is your sibling sick?"
"Yes, she had been burning with a fever since the day before yesterday. The doctor claimed he didn’t know what the disease could be classified as, and... She doesn't even take any medicine."
Sebastian's voice lacked any strength. The anxiousness and worry over his sibling even caused tears to form.
Judy glanced at Jenny, who was still crying and placed his hand over Sebastian's shoulder.
"You should have just told us. If I had known, we would have canceled the date."
"It’s because she was suddenly sick... and we thought she’d soon be alright."
No matter how much he fought and degraded him every day, Judy was the only one Sebastian placed under the category of his friends.
It didn't seem to be of anyone else's business that Sebastian's sibling was sick. It was even more so since it was his younger sister.
Esther listened to their conversation and approached Jenny.
Jenny seemed very small as she lay her in her cradle. The heat spread from her face throughout her whole body, turning it beet red.
Nonetheless, Jenny's eyes seemed a little strange. In the middle of both her pupils, there was a black, pointed mark.
Surprised, Esther quickly rushed and clutched the edge of the cradle. Then she carefully examined Jenny.
‘...Ekatu disease?’
A rare disease occurrence that appeared in children less than a year old.
The reason for the outbreak is unknown, and the illness was characterized by a black spot directly in the middle of the pupil, while the infant suffered from an incessant high fever.
The only cure was to receive salvation through the High Priest’s prayers. It should have occurred within the first three days of the sudden outbreak.
As a result, most of them died, unaware they even carried the disease. This was the reason why the Ekatu disease was not well known to the public.
Esther recalled the lesson she had learned while taking the female candidate classes.
However, physicians did not know of the Ekatu disease, as they had no way to examine the disease which could only be treated through mana powers.
"What's wrong?"
Rose asked so, her voice weary.
"N, nothing."
Esther shook her head and retreated a step from the cradle.
Given Jenny's already overly warmth spreading to her face, there didn't seem to be much time left.
She had already reached the breaking point, so even if it was a little while longer, she might die due to the lack of treatment given on time.
‘What to do.’
If Esther was by herself, she could heal Jenny without facing any difficulty.
However, it was not possible to use her power in such a place, surrounded by so many eyes.
"...Eun! Oung!!"
While Esther agonized deeply, Jenny began to struggle and cry again, as if in extreme pain.
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