The shirt that had surely been white that morning was now a complete mess.
The child—wearing shorts, stockings, and loafers—looked astonishingly like Victor.
Except for the part where he thrashed around and growled like a wounded fox.
“Damian?”
Ivel had never expected their first meeting to happen under circumstances like these, but she intended to handle it calmly.
They said he reacts when his name is called.
He wasn't entirely devoid of reason. He simply acted according to instinct.
And when he was calm, he was supposedly very calm.
Ivel quietly studied the boy as he whipped around to glare at her.
His eyes were clear, and there was no swelling anywhere on his body. The only thing that bothered her was the way his chest rose and fell so rapidly.
It was as if he was struggling to breathe—and trying desperately to hide it.
“Damian.”
She called his name once more.
The servants, already flustered and overwhelmed, jumped in surprise at Ivel's sudden appearance. Their grip loosened for the briefest moment.
The boy seized that opportunity instantly and shot forward like a bullet—
“!”
He sank his teeth into Ivel's hand.
“My goodness!”
“Miss!”
The horrified servants rushed forward to pull him away, but the more they tried, the harder he bit down.
The strength in his jaws was unbelievable for a child.
Pain shot through her hand, but Ivel didn't show it.
“Everyone, stop. Step back.”
Even those few words were difficult to get out.
With a slight twitch of her eyebrow, Ivel did not try to pull her hand free.
Instead, she shoved her fist deeper into the boy's mouth.
“Ugh—!”
Just as she expected, the sudden gag reflex forced him to loosen his jaw.
The instant he did, Ivel yanked her hand free and moved with lightning speed.
She grabbed the back of his head and slammed him face-first into the floor.
The boy growled furiously and struggled with all his might, but Ivel pinned him down with her full weight and didn't budge an inch.
“Who taught you to bully the weak and fear the strong? That kind of spineless behavior isn't right.”
“Grrrrrr!”
“If you're upset because of your mother's bedroom, I've already ordered everything to be restored. Once you've calmed down, would you like to go organize it yourself?”
For a moment, the boy froze.
No one else would have noticed.
Only Ivel, whose body was pressed directly against his, could feel it.
And that was enough.
He understands every word I'm saying.
I don't think he's actually insane. It feels more like he's pretending to be while throwing a tantrum.
Haa...
Haa...
Listening closely, she could hear it clearly now.
His breathing was not normal.
There was no redness in his skin, so it wasn't a fever.
Ivel still had no idea what the Bayern family's hereditary illness was.
By process of elimination, it's definitely not a mental disorder.
Then what exactly was wrong with him?
Lost in thought, she felt the boy finally go limp in resignation.
She immediately instructed the servants to carry him away.
“Lay him down in the room Lady Sersanna used to use.”
A short while later—
“Did you hear the news?”
“You mean how the young lady completely subdued the young master? Toby was there and has already told everyone!”
“They say she even saved Eloy!”
“Incredible. The young masters finally met someone who can put them in their place.”
“When Eloy asked how she did it, she said that when a vicious dog bites you, you're supposed to shove your fist deeper into its mouth!”
“Amazing. How can she be so fearless? No wonder His Grace fell for her.”
“Exactly!”
The tale of Ivel's feat spread through the entire mansion in an instant.
The servants and maids who had witnessed everything firsthand ran from place to place, practically forgetting to breathe as they retold the story.
With every retelling, the story grew larger.
By the time it reached the kitchens, Ivel had practically become a legendary hero.
“We don't even know what foods she likes yet! This is serious. She's injured, so we should prepare plenty of meat.”
Barnes, the elderly head chef, immediately rolled up his sleeves.
The kitchen staff gathered around him, listening excitedly as they churned expensive butter and kneaded dough with renewed enthusiasm.
“Today we're making Wellington! Time to show our skills!”
At Barnes's booming declaration, everyone sprang into action.
For the first time in a very long while, a positive atmosphere flowed through the entire estate.
Meanwhile...
Ivel found herself sitting with Victor once again.
After hearing everything that had happened, he had stopped working and come looking for her immediately.
“I can bandage something like this myself.”
“I know.”
Embarrassed, she muttered the comment, but Victor simply replied calmly as he wrapped the bandage around her hand.
At this point, even apologizing hardly seemed enough.
Yesterday, at least, she hadn't actually been injured.
Today, unmistakable bite marks had been left on her delicate skin.
Ivel looked perfectly unconcerned, but Victor felt far from at ease.
“It was my fault for calling Damian while he was agitated. I'm not saying it's fine because I have some saint complex. Objectively speaking, it was my mistake.”
“You were trying to save a servant. There's no reason to blame yourself.”
You're the one blaming yourself, she thought.
After quietly watching him, Ivel spoke firmly.
“You weren't there, so you don't need to blame yourself either. It's not as though you can abandon your work and follow me around every hour of every day. And I wouldn't want that anyway. This was an accident. The sort of thing that could easily happen.”
“......”
“More importantly, I examined Damian as a doctor. He looked like he was struggling to breathe. Didn't you say he was healthy?”
What exactly was a doctor?
To Victor, it was simply someone who treated injuries and illnesses.
He couldn't understand.
How could that identity alone make her so unwavering?
“Victor.”
As he remained silent, Ivel met his gaze directly and spoke without hesitation.
“I know exactly who I am. I'm the daughter of House Claren, the adopted daughter of House Evershtein, and your contract wife. But before all of those things... I'm a doctor.”
“...Yes.”
“That's why I'm fine. Getting hurt a little while examining a patient's condition isn't a problem. If people keep apologizing or worrying every time that happens, I won't be able to continue treating patients. And that would mean they don't respect me as a doctor. Tell me, Victor—did you bring me here because I'm a doctor? Or because I'm a noble lady?”
Her eyes were fierce.
Beautiful like marigolds, yet strong enough to seem filled with sunlight itself.
Faith in herself.
A steadfast identity.
Conviction.
Strength.
Everything about her was vivid enough to pull a person in.
Victor stared at her quietly before finally speaking.
“I was mistaken, Ivel. You're a doctor with more than enough experience and skill.”
“Yes. I'm a doctor. And I dislike people interfering with the way I practice medicine. Excessive worry isn't consideration.”
The sharpness of her words drew a low chuckle from him.
Even if Ivel was currently trying to act like a proper lady...
Yes.
This was who she had always been.
The woman who had rushed into surgeries she'd never learned in university just to save dying soldiers.
The woman who had gripped sobbing patients' hands and shouted, I'll do everything I can to save you, so don't you dare die on me!
The woman who, after staring at blood-soaked corpses gone cold, would grit her teeth and move on to save the next patient.
He had never once seen her stop.
Maybe that's why I kept looking at her.
In that place where everyone became dirtied and broken, Ivel alone had remained unchanged.
Back then, he hadn't understood what drove her so relentlessly.
Now he thought he did.
A sense of duty.
The pride and dignity of a physician.
An unshakable belief in herself.
Put simply...
She was admirable.
Only now did Victor fully understand why he had searched for Ivel, why he had wanted her by his side.
“I learn a great deal from you.”
“What have I done?”
Shrugging, Ivel straightened into a more serious posture.
Victor released her hand and sat down properly as well.
“I think it's time I told you about the hereditary illness.”
And for the first time, he prepared to reveal the secret that had haunted the Bayern family for generations.
