Chapter 68

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 68

Chapter Title: Ordered to Rest

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When I opened my eyes again, no thoughts came to mind.

As I blinked to adjust to the intense sunlight piercing through my blurry vision, the familiar surroundings gradually came into focus.

The bedding that faintly smelled of sunlight, the bookshelf lined with comic books.

...It was my room in the duke's residence.

'By the way, when did I get back?'

As I tried to piece together my hazy memories, a throbbing headache pounded at the back of my head.

"Aghhh..."

On top of that, my body felt as heavy as if it had been doused in lead. It was like someone had pinned me down tight.

Anyway, by the time my wits fully returned, the first thing I saw was an elderly man with a gravely serious expression. He was the duke's residence head physician, someone I'd run into a few times before.

But why was he in my room?

"Oh, hello...?"

Still not fully grasping the situation, a bewildered voice slipped out.

The grandfatherly figure, who always wandered around with a hearty chuckle, replied with a rigidly stern face.

"My lady. You nearly worked yourself to death."

"...Pardon?"

Only then did fragments of yesterday's memory resurface.

On the way back from Baron Pavron's house, I'd blacked out from severe motion sickness during the teleport...

But overwork? Wasn't it just intense nausea that made me faint?

Noticing my confusion, the physician shook his head slowly and added,

"Your body was already weakened from accumulated fatigue. Using a teleportation circle in that state puts far more strain on you."

"So then..."

"It wasn't mere motion sickness. Your physical balance collapsed."

Ah, I see.

No wonder it felt so extreme.

"You need complete rest for the time being. Keep a normal day-night cycle. Regular meals and exercise are essential."

"...Pardon?"

Exercise?

Me, a total shut-in who's lived my life avoiding anything like that?

But the odd thing was, the physician's gaze wasn't on me—it was directed elsewhere.

"...Understood."

The response came naturally from that direction.

"Ah."

Only then did I notice the duke standing in the blind spot of my vision.

"Ahem, then I'll take my leave."

"W-Wait, where are you going?"

I reflexively grabbed the grandfather's sleeve as he turned to go.

"All that's left is for you to rest. There's nothing more for me to do."

"You're just leaving me like this?"

Alone with His Highness the Duke, who's wearing such an ominous look?

Even in the face of my desperate plea, the grandfather stood firm and walked past the duke, out the door.

With just the two of us left in the room, a heavy silence began to settle.

It was a little while later that the duke finally spoke.

"Your teleportation sickness has been getting worse lately?"

"How did you...?"

I tilted my head at the unexpected question, and his next words followed.

"The princess's maid told me."

"Ah, yes. That's right. I've felt it since the Magic Tower, but this time it was especially bad."

I was still convinced that my collapse was due to motion sickness, not overwork.

But he countered my thinking with a stiff reply, as if to refute it.

"As the physician said, using a teleportation circle when your body's balance is shattered from excessive fatigue or labor causes extreme motion sickness."

"Y-Yes..."

"And usually, that leads to death."

"Pardon?"

Why jump to such an extreme conclusion all of a sudden?

I couldn't hide my bewilderment.

"I-It doesn't seem that serious...?"

Aside from the heaviness and fatigue, I felt perfectly fine—no real severity.

But the duke didn't soften his stern expression.

"Do you have a constitution that doesn't notice fatigue well?"

"Um, no."

If anything, I felt it too keenly—that was the problem.

But... when I got absorbed in something, the dopamine from it made me forget everything else.

Doesn't everyone do that?

Snapping out of my thoughts, I mumbled an excuse toward the duke, who looked thoroughly displeased.

"Th-There've just been a lot of urgent tasks lately. And if I slack off, everyone else has to pick up the slack... or wait for me... Ha, haha."

My faltering voice grew smaller and smaller, eventually dissolving into an awkward laugh.

'This is driving me crazy.'

I stole a glance at the silently standing duke.

Come to think of it, I couldn't quite understand why he was here.

I knew better than anyone how busy he was with work during the day.

'No way.'

He hadn't waited until I woke up, had he?

I shook my head inwardly at the improbable guess.

A man with little interest in others' affairs, perpetually swamped— no way he'd do that.

If he had...

'It'd be like he was actually worried about me.'

Of course, I knew his current attitude stemmed from concern.

But the kind of worry I excelled at... went beyond mere frustration over a capable slave falling ill.

Haha. Letting out another unnatural laugh, I shrugged.

"I'll take it easy from now on. Still, I won't let up on paying my room and board..."

"Room and board? Are you worrying about how to pay for that right now?"

"W-Well, shouldn't we separate personal and professional matters...?"

"In this situation?"

Perhaps it was just me, but his voice sounded especially cold.

I shut my mouth, unable to continue.

"Hoo..."

He let out a deep sigh, as if something was bubbling furiously inside him, then crossed his arms and walked right up to me.

"First off."

"Yes."

"Step away from all duties for the time being."

"Pardon? But...!"

Wasn't this too abrupt?

"Others will cover the shortages, so don't worry about it."

"Still..."

He pressed on as if he hadn't heard me.

"And once your body's a bit better, you should take a one-hour daily walk for exercise. I'll assign a trainer if needed."

"Excuse me, Your Highness?"

Horrified at the word "exercise," I grimaced, and he snapped back in an icily detached tone.

"Build up your stamina first."

"......"

Truth be told, I had a mountain of retorts ready.

And I knew he wasn't wrong. But...

One moment he's demanding insane room and board for dog-like labor, and now his attitude flips like a pancake.

While I just gaped at him feeling wronged, the duke turned away without a second thought.

"We'll talk about the rest later."

Practically radiating "I'm pissed."

A week passed since then.

In that week, my daily life underwent massive changes.

For starters, whether it was the duke's consideration or whatever, I didn't have to step foot outside my room while resting.

Not that I wanted to... the situation just turned out that way.

It started with Bonita.

"Ah, miss, you just stay put here. I'll handle everything you need."

Bonita, who'd been glued to my side almost every day, was truly... an exceptional maid.

Not content with bringing delicious meals and desserts three times a day on the dot, she'd even fetch romance novels from somewhere if I looked the least bit bored.

Anyway!

She anticipated my needs as if she'd read my mind, delivering even things I hadn't voiced. But there was one thing she absolutely wouldn't allow.

"Bonita, please... just once."

"No, miss."

"Just one time, really. I won't even linger. Just a quick glance."

"Still no! If you keep this up, I'll have to tell His Highness the Duke...!"

Work.

"Come on, not even being able to look at the comics I made myself?"

I vented my building frustration, but Bonita didn't blink.

"Yes, no."

Thud.

She shook her head firmly and left me alone in the room, shutting the door behind her.

"...Ah."

I reached toward the closed door, suppressing the anxiety bubbling up inside.

'Work thoughts are driving me insane.'

Thus began the symptoms of work withdrawal.