‘…Have I gone crazy?’
Now that she thought about it, she had been unusually emotional—unlike her usual self.
‘Then did he bring me here too?’
Seeing her in a comfortable nightgown, it was clear someone had taken care of her. There even seemed to be a faint medicinal smell lingering in the air.
‘No way. No, that can’t be it. If he just left me alone, maybe—but there’s no reason for him to go this far for me… wait, what time is it?’
Hastily checking the clock, Estelle was shocked.
‘What? 10 o’clock? Aeer!’
If the hour hand pointed at 10 and it was this bright outside, it meant 10 a.m. And that also meant at least a full day had passed since she had collapsed after taking Aeer to kindergarten.
This was bad. If Peter had noticed she didn’t show up at the merchant guild and taken care of the child, that would be fine—but if not…
‘I’m really insane. How could I collapse like that while leaving Aeer behind?’
Just as Estelle hurriedly tried to sit up—
“I see you’ve returned, my lord. You seem unusually in a good mood.”
“Yes. Aeer even sang on the way to school today. He has quite a talented voice.”
A conversation between Kaiyan and Cedric came from outside the door. Unlike Estelle’s chaotic mind, their voices were calm.
“Also, he finished all the pancakes you made.”
“Right. I was worried since he usually doesn’t eat my cooking, but that’s a relief. He seems to be getting used to it now.”
‘What? Kaiyan made pancakes?’
She couldn’t imagine Kaiyan raising a child, but the conversation clearly implied he had personally taken care of Aeer.
“What about Estelle?”
“Nothing unusual happened while you were out.”
“Is that so? I thought I heard movement in the bedroom just now. I should check.”
Hearing the topic shift toward her, Estelle panicked and quickly lay back down, closing her eyes.
Click.
Just in time, the bedroom door opened, and Kaiyan’s footsteps drew closer.
‘Wait, why am I pretending to sleep? If I get caught, it’ll be even more embarrassing.’
But it was too late to turn back. So she desperately pretended to still be unconscious.
“Hmm. Her recovery is slower than expected.”
Fortunately, he didn’t seem suspicious.
But her relief didn’t last long.
‘Ah…!’
Kaiyan suddenly pressed his lips against hers.
The sudden kiss made Estelle freeze completely.
‘What… is he doing…’
Could this still be a dream?
Her heart pounded violently, and her remaining sense of reason faded far away.
Memories buried in time—longing, resentment, regret—all mixed together, distorting her senses as if space and time were breaking apart.
‘Mm…’
A faint bitter taste flowed into her mouth from him. Estelle instinctively accepted it all.
Soon after, his lips finally pulled away when there was nothing left to transfer.
For a brief moment, she felt a strange sense of reluctance at the warmth leaving her upper body, but she forced herself to stay composed.
She sat up.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
Her sharp voice was an attempt to hide her shaken emotions.
“Were you awake? How unfortunate.”
“Whether I was awake or unconscious, how could you do something so shameless—”
“Shameless?”
“Pressing your lips on someone without warning is hardly gentlemanly!”
“How absurd.”
Kaiyan frowned instead, as if he were the one offended.
Only then, meeting his cold gaze, did Estelle realize this was no longer a dream.
“This is how you treat someone who took care of you?”
“What?”
“Isn’t giving medicine to someone who is ill part of care?”
Kaiyan leaned casually beside the bed.
Only then did she notice the bitter medicinal taste lingering in her mouth.
“I tried feeding you medicine, but you kept spitting it out. So I used a proper method. What’s the problem?”
“……”
“Or were you imagining something improper? How unfortunate.”
His cold, mocking voice pierced her ears.
“I wasn’t.”
It was a lie.
Fearing her expression would be exposed, she lowered her gaze and replied quietly.
“Then finish it.”
Kaiyan leaned in again.
‘What? He’s going to do it again?’
“No! No!”
What is wrong with him?
Estelle was completely confused.
Until just before she collapsed in the rain, he had looked at her with disgust—yet now he was taking care of her?
This same man who used to brush off even accidental contact with irritation was now doing this.
Why?
And if their lips touched again, she felt like she would truly lose her mind.
“I’m fine!”
She quickly covered her lips.
“How precious do you think this medicine is?”
Kaiyan held out a ceramic bowl.
“Drink it. All of it.”
‘Ah. So that’s what he meant.’
Of course. There was no way Kaiyan would suddenly start kissing her just to give her medicine while she was awake. He wasn’t insane.
Her face burned with embarrassment at her own misunderstanding.
“Are you perhaps still waiting for me to feed you?”
“No!”
She quickly took the bowl. The green liquid inside swayed like infused tea, almost spilling over.
Ignoring the bitter smell, she drank it in one go.
The warmth of the medicine calmed her racing heartbeat, and her mind cleared.
Only then did she remember something important.
“Aeer—”
“I already took him to school. And made sure he ate a proper breakfast.”
“Was he okay? He must have been scared.”
“He was a little overwhelmed at first, but he waited for you to wake up bravely. He’s a strong kid.”
Kaiyan’s tone was dry, but his answer was careful.
“Could it be that my condition is contagious—”
“Everything is fine. For now, focus on yourself, not the child.”
He left the room after saying that.
‘Does that mean he doesn’t even want to be in the same space as me?’
And yet he still took care of me like this? What is he thinking?
Estelle was still confused. She couldn’t understand his intentions—someone who seemed to hate her but still stayed by her side.
But before she could think further, Kaiyan returned, pushing a trolley filled with food.
On one plate was a steaming mushroom soup, its rich aroma instantly filling the room.
“Eat.”
“Huh?”
“I said eat.”
Kaiyan even brought the food himself. It felt unfamiliar.
“If you don’t eat, how will you even have the strength to hold a child? Hurry.”
“I need to go see Aeer—ah!”
The moment she tried to sit up, dizziness overwhelmed her.
“Please stop. Just stop being difficult.”
Kaiyan pressed her shoulder gently back onto the bed.
“Don’t act foolish. Eat first, unless you want to be taken care of again.”
At his urging, Estelle finally picked up the spoon.
She hesitated, then took a bite.
The deep flavor of mushrooms spread through her mouth—perfectly seasoned, perfectly balanced.
Her eyes widened.
She hadn’t even realized she was hungry, but her appetite surged unexpectedly.
Her hand naturally moved again. One spoonful, then another.
Before she knew it, she had finished the entire bowl.
“So the child likes mushrooms that much. He must take after his mother.”
Kaiyan, who had been waiting until the plate was empty, finally spoke again.
“You were asleep for four days. You must’ve been starving.”
“…Four days?”
“Yes.”
It was longer than she expected. Four days.
Aeer, and so many other things—she had missed too much.
Estelle immediately left the room and checked the kitchen.
Everything was neatly organized. Freshly washed dishes still had droplets of water on them, and a warm food scent lingered in the air.
Ingredients had been used properly, and newly stocked items were arranged neatly.
On one corner of the table were Aeer’s colored pencils and several unfamiliar drawings.
It was clearly evidence of careful housekeeping and childcare.
“Haah… thank goodness.”
Estelle let out a deep sigh of relief.
“I told you. I’m good at everything.”
Kaiyan followed behind her, speaking casually as if praising himself.
“You did all of this? Everything?”
“Yes. Aeer liked my cooking from the very first day. Oh, including the soup you just ate.”
She had thought maybe a maid had been hired temporarily—but it was impossible to imagine the emperor himself doing housework.
Estelle was completely speechless.