If You Wish For A Married Couple’s Duties

Episode 50.
A Slight Disconnection (3)

“…What?”

At Margaret’s words, Dooha’s face hardened.

It was unlike her handmaiden, who had a refreshed expression on her face as if a heavy burden was lifted off her shoulders. 

“Dooha.”

Unlike usual, her voice had a sense of weight within it for some reason, making Dooha gaze up in surprise. 

Margaret’s eyes weren’t as innocent as usual, and for some reason, a sedate gleam was contained within them. 

She gave Dooha a smile.

“You know, Leon always talks about Dooha whenever he comes over.”

Even if Leonhart was busy, he would visit Margaret once every other day.

In the past, he would always be expressionless, and mostly spent his time listening to Margaret talk.

The most that he’d say was about what he’d done that day and the happenings in territory. 

“But after Dooha came here, he’d always talk about Dooha.
About what Dooha had said today, what expressions were on her face, what she’d done.” 

Margaret looked at Dooha, who seemed enraptured for some reason, and continued.

“And whenever Leon talks about that, he would always look like he’s very happy.
In the past, he would never smile, but whenever he talked about Dooha, he would smile occasionally.”

Dooha recalled the duke’s smile that she’d seen from time to time.

She thought that that teasing smile appears quite often. 

But he actually didn’t smile like that in front of others. 

Dooha couldn’t help but curl her hands into fists. 

“You know, it’s the first time Leon has told me about someone else.
Doesn’t that mean that Dooha is someone precious to Leon?

Margaret lowered her head slightly, and stroked Muffin, who still remained vigilant on her knees.

“But I also like Daniel, so I hope that the three of you will get along with each other.
Though I know I’m being greedy.”

Unlike usual, she could feel the traces of time from Margaret’s voice and tone. 

It was the first time that Margaret looked her age, and placed high hopes onto Dooha.

If she did this correctly, wouldn’t she be able to find out the reason for their poor relationship?

“…Margaret, do you know why Leonhart hates Daniel?”

At that, Margaret’s hand, which was stroking Muffin, stilled. 

At Dooha’s question, she hesitated for a moment and soon gave a bitter smile.

“…I’m not too clear about that.”

“Margaret.”

“But if someone doesn’t intervene, those two will hate each other like that for the rest of their lives.”

Margaret looked at Dooha with a grave expression.

“That’s why, Dooha, please do your best.
So that they can return to how they used to be…”

How they used to be?

Although Dooha’s brows furrowed with both surprise and anticipation, she still remained alert.

Perhaps it’s a clue she can use to understand the relationship between Leonhart and Daniel.

But at that moment, the solemn gleam disappeared from Margaret’s eyes.

“Hmm? What was I talking about just now?”

The elegant bearing of a noblewoman disappeared without a trace, and the childish spirit seemed to have taken over Margaret once again.

“Margaret, about Leonhart and Daniel…”

Just as Dooha bore feelings of disappointment, and tried to draw out her memories. 

Rustle.

There was a sign of activity nearby.

It was a slight movement that could have been dismissed as a result of wild animals, but not for Dooha, who couldn’t have not noticed. 

She jumped up from her seat and nocked an arrow onto her bow unhesitatingly.

She could feel the presence of someone from the large and tall trees, as well as the wall of densely shaded bushes.

“What’s wrong, Madam?”

“Something was moving over there.”

“What? But the knights are on guard, and who else besides us…”

“Shh.”

Dooha pressed an index finger on her lips to silence Layla, and then quietly stepped forward. 

‘Is it an intruder? But there are knights guarding outside…’ 

Amongst the people Dooha knew of, there was only one that’s capable of breaking through the tight security without being caught.

‘Don’t tell me.’

Dooha carefully collected her bow and went into the bushes.

Then, a familiar doll appeared.

With platinum blonde hair coming down to his collarbone, a man that’s as beautiful as a porcelain doll. 

Daniel, who had a pale countenance, was laying amongst the bushes like he was trying to take a nap.

No, does this guy think that he’s some kind of sleeping prince?

Why was he here like this?

“Daniel, what the hell are you doing here? If you want to sleep, go home and sleep.”

“……”

“Daniel?”

Dooha knelt down next to Daniel, who didn’t respond no matter how much she called him. 

When she looked at his exceptionally pale face, she had an ominous feeling. 

“Daniel, pull yourself together!”

Surprised, Dooha hurriedly tried to shake him awake. 

However, Daniel didn’t budge, and only then did Dooha realise that his whole body was covered in cold sweat.

Meanwhile, at the duchess’s cry, Layla, Margaret, and the annex’s handmaidens ran over out of surprise and were once again taken aback when they spotted Daniel.

“Oh my god, what is this person doing here?”

“Brother Daniel! Are you alright?”

Fortunately, Daniel’s eyelids gradually opened like he was listening to their voices.

His hazy gaze, which was slowly scanning his surroundings, stopped on Dooha’s face.

“…Madam.”

When Daniel realised the fact that Dooha was before him, his eyes curved into crescents. 

“What a pleasant coincidence it is to meet Madam at a place like this.”

“A coincidence…”

At that moment, Dooha suddenly recalled what the Duke said.

“A coincidence.
That punk always makes the same excuses.”

She flinched for a moment and immediately changed her words. 

“Whether it’s a coincidence or not, what are you doing lying here?”

Dooha frowned.

Come to think of it, on the day that the monster appeared in the lake, Daniel’s complexion didn’t seem that well. 

“Daniel, as expected, you’re not feeling well, right?”

“Haha, it’s nothing much.”

Daniel burst out laughing feebly, and barely managed to get to his feet.

“I’m sorry to have troubled you.
I was dizzy for a moment, so I laid down with my eyes closed for a while…”

But for someone pretending to be fine, his complexion was too poor.

In the end, Daniel grabbed his chest and fell forward. 

“Daniel!”

Astonished, Dooha supported his collapsing body reflexively.

Daniel’s body felt like a fireball that’s in contact with her arm.

Dooha shouted urgently, while holding Daniel, who had lost consciousness. 

“Let’s move him inside.
Call for a physician!”

* * *

How long has it been since an untimely uproar occurred in the annex.

Fortunately, with the physician’s prescription and the handmaidens’ nursing, Daniel’s condition improved quickly. 

Daniel slowly opened his eyes in one of the annex’s large bedrooms.

His eyes shook slightly when he saw Dooha, who was seated next to the bed.

The last thing that he’d seen before losing consciousness was Dooha’s face, but he didn’t think that the first thing he’d see upon regaining consciousness was Dooha. 

Daniel opened and closed his dry lips and spoke with difficulty. 

“…You’re still here, Madam?”

“How can I leave someone that’s unwell by themself?”

“As expected, Madam is a kind person.”

“It’s a principle that’s but a matter of course.”

Dooha looked at Daniel, who regained his consciousness, got up from his seat, and bent down towards him.

“I’m glad that you woke up quickly.
Your fever was so high that it was chaos.
Margaret, in particular, was very worried.”

“…Is Grandmother alright? She must have been very surprised.”

“She was here a while ago, then she went to her bedroom to sleep.
She seemed to be very tired.”

“I see.
That’s a relief.”

“Anyways, don’t wander about and rest properly if you’re ill.
Why did you faint at this kind of place? I heard that only smart people can become wizards, but I guess that’s not the case?”

Dooha placed a hand on his forehead with a playful rebuke.

When her silver thread-like hair fell on his face, Daniel’s body stiffened like a stone for a moment. 

“It seems that your fever has completely receded now.
Then, return back after you’ve regained your energy.
I’ll be going first…”

Just as Dooha was about to turn away.

Daniel gripped her slowly retracting wrist lightly.

At the sudden grip on her wrist, Dooha looked at him with surprise, 

Daniel also had widened eyes, like he was startled.

He realised that it was the first time he’d made contact with the duchess’ body, and it seemed to give him a shock. 

He could feel a strong and slow pulse being transmitted from the portion of Dooha’s bare wrist that he was touching. 

She was different from the other women, who were always incapable of hiding the pathetic and frivolous sound of their hearts when they were with him. 

But why, why did he find that fact regrettable?

Daniel tried his best to shove the thought he had unconsciously into a deep corner within his heart.

Just then.

“…what are you doing?”

The Duke of Esbaden stood in front of a door that opened all of a sudden. 

He, who’d looked as though he’d ran over without even taking off his armour, looked at Daniel’s hand that was holding Dooha’s wrist, and jerked his chin. 

His blue eyes flickered, filled with indescribable emotions.

Leonhart strode over, wrenched Daniel’s wrist off and tossed it aside. 

“To dare to lay your hands on the Duchess’ body, you must be out of your mind.” 

Daniel groaned lowly, expressing his dissatisfaction at his cousin’s power. 

“What are you doing to a patient?”

At that, Dooha frowned and rebuked Leonhart.

No matter how much Leonhart hates Daniel, she couldn’t believe that he’s treating a sick person like that.

Meanwhile, Leonhart’s face turned even colder when his wife spoke like she was taking Daniel’s side.

“What are you doing right now? I’d definitely told you not to get involved with that.”

“Then am I supposed to just ignore someone that fell ill and fainted in front of me?”

“My wife seems to think that the maidservants are just there for show, right? There’s no need for you to come forward directly.”

“You’re—!”

Dooha, who wanted to raise her voice, forcibly swallowed back the following words and gritted her teeth.

She didn’t want to fight with him in the annex where Margaret was, nor did she want to fight with him in front of Daniel.

Eventually, Dooha left the room without a word.

Leonhart did not stop her either.

However, he looked at the place she disappeared from with an expression that’s as dark as an overcast sky. 

“I heard that a man’s jealousy is ugly.
Now that I’ve seen it in person, I would say that it’s more unfortunate than ugly.”

At that moment, a voice from behind caused a frown to appear on Leonhart’s forehead.

He turned his head around slowly.

The blood relative that he hated the most in this world was laying on the bed, looking at him with an incomparably crafty smile on his face.