OLOTV 14

Chapter 14

He had never wanted to return to the mansion as quickly as he did today.

As Keris finished up his work and slipped on his coat to head back, he thought to himself.

It wasn’t simply that he didn’t want to work anymore.

He was worried about Sarina, who was alone in the mansion.

To be precise, he was worried that people might have discovered Sarina’s original nature as a doll while he was away.

But his work was done now, so he could return.

Even though it was earlier than his usual homecoming time, Keris felt restless, wishing the carriage would go just a little faster.

The great Keris Layton, feeling anxious because he couldn’t get back to the mansion quickly—it was something he never could have imagined in the past.

Upon arriving at the mansion, he immediately asked the steward who greeted him.

“Was Sarina alright?”

If they had realized Sarina was a doll, it would show on the steward’s face.

Keris observed the steward’s expression intently.

The steward remained composed, without any hint of change in his demeanor.

No matter how good he was at hiding his emotions, he couldn’t possibly conceal them this well if he had discovered a doll had become a living person.

“She is fine now, sir.”

Fortunately, it seemed the feared situation—like her identity being discovered—had not occurred. However, the steward’s reaction was slightly peculiar.

‘What is this strange atmosphere?’

Before he left for the imperial palace, he could feel everyone in the mansion avoiding Sarina.

But he detected none of that in the steward’s tone just now.

Moreover, why had he specifically said ;now’?

Eventually, Keris asked again.

“‘Now’? Does that mean something happened earlier?”

The steward seemed reluctant to explain in detail.

Keris stared at him intently.

The steward let out a small sigh and then began explaining the events of the afternoon.

He told Keris about losing the pocket watch he always carried in the lake some time ago, and how Sarina had spent nearly half a day in the lake near the mansion searching for it.

“The young lady retrieved the pocket watch for me.”

Keris’s eyes fell on the pocket watch now hanging from the steward’s sleeve.

Had the steward always carried that watch? He couldn’t remember.

He himself was rarely in the territory, always away at the imperial palace.

It was natural he wouldn’t know.

While finding it remarkable that Sarina had known about something even he didn’t, Keris grew worried hearing she had been swimming in the water for half a day in this cold weather.

He asked the steward another question.

“Where is Sarina now?”

“She bathed in warm water a short while ago and went to her room to rest. She didn’t look very well, though… I hope she will be alright.”

The steward furrowed his brow, seemingly genuinely concerned about Sarina.

Keris didn’t show it, but he was utterly astonished inside.

This was the first time he had seen the steward look genuinely worried about someone.

No, to be precise, it wasn’t the first time.

He vaguely remembered the steward often making such expressions when his father was alive.

Looking at the motionless pocket watch on the steward’s clothes, Keris said.

“I’ll go check on her.”

After saying that, he headed towards Sarina’s room. He was worried since the steward said she didn’t look well.

‘Even though she was originally a doll, can she get sick like a person? Well, now that I think about it, she feels hunger and sleeps like any ordinary person, so I suppose she should be considered fully human now.’

That made him even more concerned.

He didn’t know the extent of Sarina’s stamina in her human form, but if she had been in the lake on such a chilly day, even someone with iron-clad health would likely fall ill.

Arriving at Sarina’s door, Keris hesitated, his hand raised to knock. For a moment, he wavered over whether he should enter this room. After a moment’s deliberation, he finally knocked. But there was no response from inside.

Keris knocked once more.

“…Sarina, are you in there?”

But again, there was no answer. Eventually, Keris had to open the door without Sarina’s permission.

What met his eyes was Sarina on the bed, almost collapsed, moaning and suffering.

Keris hurriedly rushed to Sarina, gently lifted her, and called her name.

“Sarina!”

Sarina kept muttering that she was thirsty.

Even just touching her cheek, it was burning hot enough to scald his hand.

A sudden fear gripped Keris.

The thought struck him—was he going to lose Sarina like this? He didn’t know why he felt this way.

But it seemed to him that if Sarina were to die, he wouldn’t be able to go on living in this world.

“Young master?”

The steward, who had followed Keris belatedly, entered the room.

Keris turned to the steward and spoke urgently.

“Fetch my personal physician immediately. And have a maid bring cold water and towels.”

“Understood.”

Without another word, the steward disappeared to carry out his orders, summoning the physician and sending a maid on the errand.

Shortly after, a maid hurried in with cold water and towels. Keris personally soaked a towel in the cold water, wrung it out, and began wiping the cold sweat from Sarina’s brow.

Whether because he naturally thought it was his duty or because the maid never expected the lord himself to nurse Sarina, she asked in a fluster.

“M-my lord, are you going to nurse her yourself?”

“……”

Keris hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. Until just then, he hadn’t even considered having the maid tend to Sarina.

‘Is it guilt? Guilt for leaving Sarina alone in this unfamiliar territory, using imperial palace duties as an excuse?’

Pondering his own actions, Keris concluded that must be it. He was grateful Sarina knew all his secrets and understood him, and he felt guilty about what had happened today. Having sorted his thoughts, he said to the maid.

“She is my guest, so I will do it. Please check if there is any medicine suitable for someone with a fever.”

At Keris’s words, the maid nodded with a dazed expression and left the room. Sarina, nestled in Keris’s arms, sweating and suffering, seemed unaware he had even arrived. Having rushed to the mansion without even changing his clothes to cool Sarina’s fever, Keris suddenly realized the steward was taking too long to fetch the doctor. Despite the steward’s ill feelings towards him, he was someone who properly carried out orders, especially in matters like this. For him to be this late…

Soon enough, when the steward returned alone, Keris learned the reason.

“My lord, it’s terrible. The personal physician is currently away renewing his license.”

Of all times, now? As Keris worried about what to do immediately, he instructed the steward.

“Then, look for medicine effective against fevers. No, bring an herbalist who knows medicine well. They’d know more than us.”

“Understood.”

“And also find out if there are any other doctors within the territory.”

The steward also seemed shocked that Sarina had become this ill. He quickly agreed and disappeared. He was probably feeling responsible since this happened because she was searching for his pocket watch.

‘If only you had remained a doll, you wouldn’t have to suffer like this.’

Looking at Sarina’s suffering form, that thought crossed Keris’s mind.

* * *

It hurt. It hurt unbearably.

I’d never felt pain like this, even when I lived in Korea. It felt like my whole body was burning up. I’d thought I might catch a cold from jumping into the cold water, but I never expected the fever to be this severe.

The pain was so intense I think I lost consciousness for a while. When I started coming to, I vaguely sensed someone holding me, continuously wiping my sweat.

‘Who is it…?’

I wondered who could be nursing me so kindly, but I had no strength to even open my eyes. Still, mustering all my effort, I managed to lift my eyelids and saw the familiar face of a man before me.

“Ke…ris…?”

“Sarina? Are you awake?”

Is this a dream?

Keris is holding me and nursing me? Sure, when I first saw Keris, I thought he was incredibly handsome and felt a flutter, but did I like him enough to dream about him like this? In my delirious state, unable to distinguish reality from dreams, I said to him.

“I’m sweaty… I’m dirty……”

“It’s fine.”

That short exchange drained all my energy. I half-closed my eyes, only emitting ragged breaths. Meanwhile, I faintly heard Keris conversing with someone, as if another person had arrived. Feeling my body being shifted, I opened my eyes to see Keris holding something and speaking to me.

“Sarina, try to sit up for a moment.”

I didn’t know what it was, but I nodded. Keris held out a spoon, and I obediently accepted it. It tasted bitter, like medicine. Keris also handed me a cup of water, telling me to drink. I tried to take the cup with my trembling hand, but I had no strength left. I ended up dropping it. The water from the cup began to soak profusely into Keris’s clothes.