With Klaus’ guidance and the help of magic, I managed to debut as a pretty good dancer.
I fled to Klaus’ office, completely exhausted.
“I can’t dance anymore.”
“Isn’t your physical strength too weak?”
“Other people only eat and practice dancing? Don’t they spin around like that and get dizzy?”
The dazzling ball still taking place outside the office window dazzled my eyes.
Lariette, wearing a golden dress with a sunlight motif, continued to enjoy dancing with Rudiate.
Is that why you say people should exercise?
“I said you don’t have to dance.”
“But if you don’t dance and stay out of it, people will keep talking to you.”
“That’s right.”
Of course, there was also the option of enjoying refreshments in the outdoor garden and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
The problem was that this was the worst option that seemed very plausible.
As soon as the rumor spread that Klaus Ertikev had not only made his debut at the capital’s ball, but that his partner had never once given up a seat next to him, everyone was clamoring to have a chat with me.
“The people at the salon were nice.”
“They came to save their partners anyway.”
“I feel the worst when they come pretending to be a gentleman and talk to me subtly.”
Several mustachioed men approached us and asked us what our family background was and how we became involved with Klaus.
If they had simply asked, I wouldn’t have felt bad, but there were some people who took the Count Sebes lightly and spoke in subtly condescending terms.
In particular, there were people who looked at me with a sinister look and asked me what my relationship with Klaus was, and they were the most annoying.
“If only I had fewer eyes, I would have been stabbed in the back.”
“They were Count Jensen, Baron Lupe, and Count Horden.”
“yes?”
“People who can’t decide what to say and what not to say to the lady.”
uh… … I guess it was a name like that?
When I looked up with a face that asked, “What does that have to do with it now?” Klaus smiled brightly, pretending to be a harmless person in the world.
“Oh, and the person who said the most trashy thing was Count Belém.”
“How do you remember all that?”
“You want to hit me in the back of the head?”
“No, yes. That’s true, but….”
I looked at Klaus’s intentions for a moment, and he tilted his head and looked at me with a calm expression.
… … Yeah, whatever. It’s a bit strange that you insist on taking revenge on me when you say you’ll do it for me.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“What? I’m truly sorry and thankful.”
Klaus reacted more calmly than expected.
“Thanks to the young lady’s cooperation, the job was completed well, and I don’t want to hear a thank you from the young lady, even though I know for sure that she is hearing things she shouldn’t have to hear because of me.”
“No, well… I had some fun too. It wasn’t like I did anything in particular.”
I also had the experience of being stared at while walking around a ballroom with a handsome man I only saw in novels.
Klaus stared at me for a moment in response to my answer. And he laughed.
“Young lady.”
“yes.”
“Look here.”
What Klaus pointed to was a holy relic placed in the office.
As we got closer, it became clear what Klaus wanted to show us.
“Oh, it’s more transparent than before.”
It would not be strange to think of it as a gold-leafed model, but here and there the relic, which was once a shining gold, began to return to transparent crystal.
“As this began to turn golden, the world began to show signs of destruction.”
“Yes. You said that back then.”
“But after meeting the Lady, the omens of destruction I remembered disappeared so easily.”
“The flowers are all gone. Don’t you think this is a sign of destruction?”
“As a result, one harbinger of destruction was easily eliminated.”
Ah, now that I think about it, the material used in the corpse transformation plan was flowers, so the snowball rolled around a lot.
“And even if that is not the case, it is also true that the holy object returned to its original state after meeting the Lady.”
“Couldn’t it be a coincidence?”
“Even if it was a coincidence, thank you, young lady.”
I nodded awkwardly.
When Klaus spoke so honestly, it was difficult to pass this off as a joke.
I asked cautiously.
“majesty.”
“why?”
“Aren’t you uncomfortable with me looking at this world too much as if I were someone else’s?”
This was the part that kept bothering me.
I was, after all, a stranger in this world. Somewhere in my mind, I was still looking at this place as a novel or a world similar to a novel.
I understood Klaus’ desire to protect the world by sacrificing his life, but it did not really resonate with my heart.
I could intellectually accept Klaus’ innocent expression of gratitude, but it was not a feeling I could truly empathize with.
“that…….”
That was the moment Klaus opened his mouth.
“Cough…!”
Embarrassed by the sudden cough, I covered my mouth and laughed awkwardly.
I’m about to say that the timing is really bad, but the look on Klaus’s face when he looks at me is strange… … .
“Young lady!”
what… … ?
Something just came out of my mouth… … ?
“……blood?”
“sister!”
“Elena!”
As soon as I opened my eyes, what I saw were the pale faces of Lariette and her father, Count Sebes.
Dad, I thought you were doing well because you haven’t been around lately, but why have you aged so suddenly? … .
“Elena. I’m sorry. I was so focused on politics in the capital that I couldn’t take proper care of my daughter! I’m a sinner! Let’s go down right away, even tomorrow.”
“No, father. I’m really enjoying monastic life right now….”
“Is that possible? Look. How hard his body must have been for him to become skinny and pale. As a father, I have committed a great sin.”
“I actually gained weight after coming to the capital…”
“Wow, Elena…!”
It was bad, it was bad. He’s not listening.
I glanced at Lariette next to him.
It meant that you should try to fix something.
“Sister, I really thought you wouldn’t open your eyes like this….”
Are you shedding tears too?
I looked closely and saw Rudyard behind Lariette, holding her hand tightly and lowering his head with a sad expression.
‘Why is this couple preaching about the happiness of love by my bedside?’
I decided to become soul friends with Klaus.
Oh, now that I think about it, my last memory was playing with Klaus… … .
I think Klaus called me.
“His Highness Klaus?”
In response to my question, Lariette pointed backwards with bulging eyes.
“Young lady.”
Klaus was standing there, looking extremely sad.
“What kind of chaos is this all of a sudden? I think I just dozed off and then woke up and there was chaos.”
“I vomited blood, young lady.”
“Ah… I think I have that memory too.”
The hospital room was quiet, with only Klaus and I leaving the others behind.
Instead of looking at me playfully like usual, Klaus was looking at me with a rather sad expression.
I don’t think there’s anything that will suddenly set the mood like this… … .
“The violet disease hasn’t healed.”
Klaus said with a dark face.
When I vomited blood, I wondered if I had an incurable disease.
I thought it was a misunderstanding, but it turned out to be a real illness… … .
“Is the medicine wrong?”
“No. The first violet disease was cured. But the lady got violet disease once again.”
“Then you can take the medicine again.”
If you’re sick, you can take medicine. Isn’t it simple?
I looked up just in case, and saw that the sparkling health bar above my head had turned purple and was falling little by little.
It seemed that if you got sick with violet disease, your health bar would turn purple.
‘okay. ‘It’s because I’m addicted.’
I like how simple it is.
However, Klaus’ expression hardened even more. Now he didn’t even seem to want to make eye contact with me.
No, it was clearly visible that he was trying to avoid his eyes.
“What you have contracted is a subspecies of violet disease.”
“Mutant?”
“okay.”
Well, the scary thing about cold viruses is that they keep mutating and existing treatments are constantly rendered ineffective.
Just because it’s a violet disease, there’s no way such a subspecies won’t occur.
“Then it can’t be treated with existing medicine?”
“I tried while the lady was unconscious, but….”
“It looks like there is no improvement. The health bar above my head is still purple.”
A mutant virus was discovered, but it can be treated with existing medicine. The plot is a bit strange.
While I was nodding my head in understanding, Klaus’ expression became increasingly grim.
“I may have become arrogant after meeting the lady.”
“yes?”
No, this is the sound of a dog eating grass again.
Of course you’re arrogant, but isn’t that part of your charm?
I don’t think it was necessary to meet me… … .
“I thought that if I had a lady, I would no longer be helpless.”
“You’re not helpless even now.”
“But I couldn’t even protect the lady.”
“I’m still alive….”
Am I not dead yet, Klaus? I’m pretty healthy! Plus, I’ve died once, so I’m not scared.
But my attempt to playfully appease Klaus was thwarted midway.
It was because I saw Klaus’ fingertips trembling.
“majesty……?”
Klaus is truly upset because of me?
While I was confused by the information I received with my own eyes, Klaus, who had been silent, jumped up from his seat.
“Where are you going.”
“……To the Sisena Dukedom.”
Violet disease is a disease that originated in the Cicena duchy.
It could be said that the Cissena Duke family was also responsible for the outbreak of a subspecies of violet disease.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to get a cure for violet disease from the Sicena Duke’s House… … .
“Punishment, will you do it?”
“I thought it was good to minimize confusion. I believed that if the dukedom was destroyed, chaos would increase in the empire. But what am I trying to minimize when I can’t protect even a single person around me?”
Klaus’ expression was cold.
It was an ominous atmosphere, as if an accident would occur at any moment.
… … We’ve been doing well so far, like a cheerful novel.
Are you going to suddenly turn black like this? Besides, in the meantime, I’m waiting here for Klaus?
“Perhaps I can go with you?”
I asked. Klaus turned to me.
“I also want to find a cure for violet disease.”
