* * *
The servant, who had reached out to support me, hesitated, his hand hanging awkwardly in midair.
His pitiful expression tugged at my conscience.
“I rested a bit and feel better now. If I’m struggling, I’ll let you know.”
“Ah, yes! Understood!”
Softening my tone, I saw him exhale cautiously, relieved, before falling in step behind me.
I walked slower than before, still slightly unsteady, my thoughts wandering again.
Fortunately, turning the pages of the proverbial book jogged my memory of the rough sequence of events.
However, since the novel’s perspective followed the protagonist, obtaining detailed information was difficult.
The protagonist wouldn’t arrive here until much later.
It would be hard to pinpoint the exact timing of my death.
Moreover, since the protagonist didn’t directly question Klen much, the accuracy of his information was uncertain.
The reason he gathered intel from others was simple.
‘The protagonist fears Klen Valunsio.’
Judging by the current Klen, that reaction seemed incomprehensible.
It would be more believable to think he misunderstood Klen as incompetent and sought out others’ accounts instead.
The protagonist of the novel, Hugo, had learned from those around him that Klen’s cold demeanor had emerged after the death of the countess.
The abrupt succession to the title and the loss of his beloved spouse were cited as the reasons.
They even subtly mentioned that the spouse had been assassinated.
Surprisingly, the “countess” in question referred to me.
The word ‘beloved’was likely an embellishment added by others, so I dismissed it.
Regardless, it meant I would die around the time of an incident significant enough to reveal his true nature—or, rather, to change it.
That was all the novel revealed about me.
I guessed my death wouldn’t impact him much.
The real causes were probably his succession and the ensuing war.
‘So I die around the time he becomes the count, huh.’
Klen was the third son, yet he inherited the title due to an upheaval that shook the entire estate.
Did they kill me after he succeeded, instead of during the chaos?
If so, the cause might indeed be related to his title.
‘Alright.’
I’d found the most likely reason.
Until new information came to light, focusing on this would be my best bet.
I abruptly halted.
A faint path appeared before me—not a means of escape, but perhaps a way to survive.
“Are you feeling faint again?”
“…What?”
“Please lean on me. If you collapse again, Master Klen will be worried.”
I’d merely stopped walking for a moment; I wasn’t acting weak.
While hunger had left me lightheaded, I wasn’t swaying.
Yet the servant hurried to my side, grasping my shoulders to steady me.
Leaning on someone when you’re perfectly capable of standing on your own is more uncomfortable than you’d think.
“No… I’m fine…”
I declined his offer as gently as possible.
“Please don’t say that. The young master specifically instructed me to assist you to your room.”
“…”
Klen truly seemed to believe I was fragile.
Yet my instincts screamed that he didn’t fully buy into it.
If that were the case, his reasons for such behavior were a mystery.
Surely, he wasn’t testing me with such orders?
“Very well. I’ll rely on you.”
“Yes!”
Given the opportunity to act, there was no reason to refuse.
I pretended to falter further, as though I could no longer walk unaided.
The servant quickly supported me, trying to minimize contact while exerting his utmost effort to keep me upright.
I felt bad for him, but leaning on someone was more strenuous than walking alone.
By the time we reached the room—taking twice as long as necessary—I was utterly exhausted.
“What happened? Quickly, lay him down!”
A maid who saw us opened the door in a panic, rearranging the bed to make it comfortable before rushing back to assist.
Even with support on both sides, it felt anything but pleasant.
Balancing my weight to avoid burdening them while feigning weakness provided an unexpected workout.
I slowly lowered myself to sit on the bed.
“Hah…”
A deep sigh escaped me, as though I’d completed a marathon.
My face felt hot, and sweat began to form.
Misinterpreting this, the two fussed over me, trying to lay me down.
“Are you alright? I’m sorry.”
“Please, lie down.”
“…”
In the end, despite the early hour, I found myself quietly lying in bed.
I was only pretending to be a slightly frail person, yet they were treating me as if I were a terminally ill patient.
While this level of caution would mean I wouldn’t be dragged around to various places as originally planned, it was still problematic.
Staying bedridden all day wouldn’t allow me to accomplish anything.
On top of that, the attendants here were surely reporting my every move to the Count.
If they exaggerated my frailty, it could backfire.
“I’m fine. Starting today, please bring me something other than soup.”
“But…”
The maid hesitated, examining my complexion.
Unfortunately, I didn’t possess the ability to alter my appearance at will.
My face must have looked quite healthy, with some color… though it might have seemed a bit pale from only consuming soup.
Still, it shouldn’t have looked deathly.
“Understood.”
Finally, my will prevailed.
To regain my strength, I needed proper meals to recover physically.
‘Meat… they’ll bring meat. They have to, right? There’s no way a noble’s meal wouldn’t include meat.’
“Your meal is ready.”
A short while later, she brought in a trolley, and the attendants carefully helped me to the table.
I wanted to insist I could walk on my own, but I had to suppress that urge and match their pace, feigning weakness.
What would have taken a moment on my own instead took several minutes with their assistance.
Once seated, a clear soup was placed before me.
Alongside it were a bean salad, thinly sliced meat wrapped in vegetables and grilled, a modest loaf of bread, cheese, and honey.
‘No roast meat… disappointing.’
Still, the maid had clearly tried to be considerate, given my recent diet of only soup.
The bread was soft enough to tear apart with ease, and the meat was so thin it didn’t require much effort to chew.
‘They could’ve been a little less considerate.’
I started with the soup to settle my stomach, then quickly moved to the meat.
The slices were so thin that they lacked both juiciness and texture, but my body welcomed it enthusiastically.
“I’m glad to see you enjoying the meal,” the maid said, pouring wine into a glass beside me.
No doubt this would also be reported to the Count.
I glanced at her briefly while chewing my food and sipped the wine cautiously.
It was no longer the time to fret about whether the food was poisoned—otherwise, I’d never be able to eat anything.
As I suppressed the urge to devour the meal quickly, I organized the information from the novel in my mind.
The reason why Klen becomes the Count:
It’s because of the forest guarded by the Valuncio family.
More specifically, the ‘sacred beast’ that resides deep within the endless forest.
Those who covet the beast aim to conquer this land first as a gateway to the forest.
“Oh my, you finished everything.”
“Please prepare meals like this from now on.”
“Yes!”
The maid beamed as if my recovery was her personal achievement.
She cleared the empty plates with a spring in her step and left the room.
In truth, I could’ve eaten twice as much.
Since this was the first decent meal I’d had since arriving, I held back.
Afterward, I was escorted back to bed with as much fuss as before.
“You may rest now.”
“Please call us if you need anything.”
Once the attendants left and the hallway fell silent, I immediately collapsed onto the bed.
My full stomach left me in a good mood, and I felt a wave of drowsiness.
‘No, no.’
I still had more to figure out.
* * *
