TFM 250

 Marisen and the medicine she gave is definitely suspicious.

Chapter 250

It was the head maid’s voice.

Thalia looked toward the door with a doubtful gaze.

“What is it?”

“A messenger has arrived from the northern border. His Grace the Grand Duke has sent several items, and I thought it would be best for Your Grace to inspect them personally, so I brought them here.”

At those unexpected words, Thalia’s body stiffened.

She could feel the two healers beside her quietly watching her reaction.

She steadied the expression that was about to falter and answered in a calm tone.

“Very well. Come in.”

A moment later, five or six servants entered the bedroom one after another, carrying glossy lacquered chests.

Thalia watched the scene with tense eyes.

“What is all this?”

“They are tonics to help restore your strength, along with rare medicinal herbs that grow only in the North. His Grace seems to have sent them in the hope that they would aid Your Grace’s recovery.”

The head maid explained in her usual businesslike tone, then held out a parchment document stamped with the grand ducal family’s seal.

“Would you please check whether any items are missing?”

No sooner had those words fallen than the servants opened the lids of the chests one after another, showing her what was inside.

On velvet cushions lay dark red dried meat that appeared to be animal organs, roots of various plants, and strangely shaped fruits, all arranged neatly.

Thalia gave them only a cursory glance before asking in an impatient tone.

“Is there no other news?”

“What news do you mean?”

Realizing that she had little interest in the inventory list, the head maid folded the parchment in half again and asked bluntly.

Thalia glared at her with an irritated gaze.

“I am asking whether you heard anything at all about the situation on the northern front!”

“The messenger His Grace sent only handed over the items, then headed straight for the meeting hall. Because of that, I was not able to hear the details of the situation.”

The head maid answered in a calm tone.

Thalia sent her a suspicious look, wondering whether she was lying. Then, in a dispirited voice, she asked,

“…Was there no other message for me?”

Instead of answering, the head maid gave her a strange look.

Thalia realized that the woman was recalling all the terrible things she had done to her husband, and her face flushed red.

The solemn eyes of the older woman seemed to condemn her shamelessness for expecting any word from him.

Thalia turned her head sharply to avoid the head maid’s gaze and snapped in a prickly tone.

“If there was nothing else, then that’s fine. You may leave.”

“…His Grace the Grand Duke said he intends to stop by the castle once before the season changes.”

After hesitating for quite some time, the head maid finally spoke.

At the unexpected news, Thalia’s eyes widened in surprise. The head maid glanced at the wolf in her arms, then added in a careful tone,

“I heard he expressed concern upon hearing that Your Grace had taken in a direwolf pup.”

Thalia instinctively tightened her arms around Khan. Then, feeling the wolf squirm its legs as though uncomfortable, she flinched and loosened her grip.

Instead of immediately slipping out of her arms, the wolf straightened its body and pressed its fluffy face against the tip of her chin.

At the gesture, as though he were trying to reassure her, the corners of her mouth lifted on their own.

The head maid watched that sight with a thoughtful gaze, then turned away with a low sigh.

“I will store these medicinal herbs separately in the valuables storage. Please let me know when you need them.”

“Is there any need for that? If you give them to me, I will decoct the herbs at once for Her Grace.”

Marisen, who had been silently listening to their exchange, suddenly spoke up.

The head maid looked down at her thoughtfully for a moment, then shifted her gaze back to Thalia, as though asking for her opinion.

Thalia nodded as if it were nothing important.

“Do that.”

“Understood. Then I will arrange these herbs in the storage cabinet in the preparation room.”

With those words, the servants all filed out of the room.

Only then did Thalia let the tension leave her shoulders.

Marisen, who had been observing her from the corner of his eye, was the first to gather up his treatment tools and rise from his seat.

“We will take our leave as well. Please call us anytime you need us.”

Thalia only gave a halfhearted nod, leaning limply against the back of the chair.

Soon their footsteps receded, and the sound of the door closing rang out.

Thalia had been staring out the window with a dazed expression when, suddenly, she felt an intense gaze fixed on her and lowered her head.

The moment she met those beautiful blue eyes, always turned toward her as though a sunflower chasing the sun, the anxiety churning in her chest quickly settled.

Thalia sometimes found herself seized by the illusion that this wolf truly understood everything she said.

Khan seemed to share every emotion she felt.

It was an entirely new experience for her.

A being she could pour her whole affection into without setting up any guard or suspicion. A being who returned as much love as she gave—no, even more than that.

Thalia, who had never once possessed such a thing, fell even more deeply for Khan.

“Shall I show you?”

Holding Khan in her arms, Thalia rose from her seat.

Then she walked to the bedside and opened the cabinet.

At the very back of the drawer sat a small jewel box.

When she carefully took it out and placed it on top of the blanket, Khan pricked up his ears.

Thalia set Khan down on the blanket and carefully opened the jewel box.

Then she saw yellow petals, dry and brittle.

From among them, Thalia took out a moonstone about the size of her thumbnail and proudly held it out in front of Khan’s nose.

“I found this not long after I came to the East. What do you think? It’s just like your eyes, isn’t it? Your father’s eyes are exactly this color too.”

The wolf stared fixedly at the small uncut stone without moving.

Thalia tilted her head at that strange reaction, puzzled for a moment. Then she took out a ruby brooch and an Eastern-style embroidered handkerchief one after another and showed them to him.

“Your father bought me this. Isn’t it lovely? They’re all my treasures.”

The wolf, who had remained motionless for a while, lifted his head and looked at her.

Thalia let the smile fade from her lips.

It was because the wolf looked as though he were in pain.

Startled, Thalia sat up abruptly and lifted the wolf into her arms.

“What’s wrong?”

The wolf trembled and burrowed into her embrace.

Worried that he might be hurt somewhere, Thalia grew restless. But when she realized that the wolf was simply anxious, she patted his small back.

How long had they stayed like that?

All at once, a languid sensation spread through her entire body.

It seemed the ointment the healer had applied was finally taking effect.

Her stiff leg muscles relaxed drowsily, and soon a floating sensation came over her, as though her body had risen into the air.

At the blissful feeling of her body melting away, Thalia closed her eyes.

Before she could even realize it, a song slipped through her half-parted lips.

It was a melody her mother used to hum whenever she was in a good mood.

Thalia, seized by a strange sense of happiness, let out a peal of laughter. Then, suddenly feeling her vision blur white before her eyes, she lay down on the bed.

At some point, she must have dozed off.

It was only when the sun had begun to sink toward the horizon that Thalia finally came to her senses. With hazy eyes, she looked out the window.

Beyond the glass, she could see the sunset burning like fire.

As she stared blankly at it, a scorching thirst tightened around her throat.

Groping blindly, she reached for the water pitcher on the shelf.

At that moment, a searing heat swept over her, as though she had stepped into a fire.

Thalia let out a harsh gasp.

It felt as though her entire body had become firewood.

Her eyes were strangely dazzled, and her skin burned as if it were being scorched.

Writhing in pain, Thalia hurriedly grabbed the cord beside the bed and pulled it.