âIt is my faultâ
Charlotte buried her face in her hands and blamed herself in deep remorse.
The nanny who came running after hearing the situation reassured her.
âNo, miss. Children at this age usually get a fever easily for no reason. Like the doctor said, it might be because heâs nervous since heâs in an unfamiliar place.â
âI thought he was already used to ·····.â
I thought it would be nice to eat well, sleep well, and hang out with him by myself all day.
But Theo was only three years old.
It canât be okay.
When we first met, he cried, saying that he misses his brother.
I was just holding back his longing with the word that his brother would come to find him soon, and it would be fine.
âWhy didnât I realize it sooner?â
I canât help but feel guilty.
I couldnât do anything for Theo even though I knew he missed his family.
I took care of Theo in the best way, but I will take care of him better from now on.
Wouldnât this have happened if I had paid more attention to him?
âMissâ¦â
The Nanny helped Charlotteup, staring at Theo softly.
âI will take care of young master, so go into the room and rest.â
Charlotte shook her head
âNo, Iâll take care of him.â
Theo was always anxious without me.
If he wakes up and bursts into tears for not being there, the fever could be worse.
But the nanny was determined.
âNo, the odds are low, but what if itâs not a fever but an epidemic!? You could catch it miss. The young master is important, but the young lady is important to us.â
âButâ¦â
Charlotte, who had tried to insist on staying here, remembered the reality coldly.
âYeah, I canât collapse.â
Three days had passed since I sent a letter to the Heinst family.
If Carcel read the letter, it was time for him to arrive.
It would be a big problem if she didnât rest to receive them when they get here.
Charlotte got off his chair and barely got away.
Suddenly, she heard Theo whisper,
âMy sister, my sister.â
From behind her back.
Theo took medicine and fell asleep, again.
Despite returning to her room, Charlotte could not sit still for a moment.
She couldnât swallow water properly, let alone eat, as if a big thorn was in her throat.
She skipped dinner and hung frantically in the room.
Sometimes she asked about Theoâs condition from the maid who was looking after him, but the situation remained the same.
There is no improvement. Even though they gave him the medicine, the fever kept rising, not going down.
Only an intense silence reigned in the Lannia mansion that was filled with the laughter of a child.
Charlene continued to sit, standing up over and over, and wandering nervously around the room, unable to sit up properly.
It was only a few hours, not several days.
âMissâ
Charlotte, inadvertently tearing her nails off, heard her nannyâs voice and raised her head.
She had a moment of hope that Theoâs condition was a little better, but the nannyâs face was darker than before.
âNanny?â
When Charlotte and her eyes met, the nanny closed her mouth and burst into tears.
âMiss, what do I do?â
Charlotte quickly approached and hugged the nanny who was sitting on the floor.
âWhatâs going on?â
âThe fever didnât go down, it just got worse.â
The nanny could not speak properly because she was crying.
Charlotte waved the nannyâs arms in a sudden wave of ominous omens.
âAnd therefore?â
âOh, tonight ···.â
âIt may be difficult to spend the nightâ¦.his fever is severe, so even if his fever drops, his body will suffer some damage.â
Charlotte ran out of the room before she could finish hearing the nannyâs words.
It was the result of the bodyâs reacted first.
She ignored the voice of her nanny calling from behind and ran into Theoâs room.
As the nanny said, Theo looked more serious than before. His face was pale. His heavy breathingâ¦he couldnât even breathe as he opened his mouth reluctantly.
Charlotte sat beside the bed, and clasped Theoâs hand, which wasnât even half hers.
Even his hands, which usually felt moderately warm, were as hot as a fireball
The tears she couldnât hold back eventually fell down the back of Theoâs hand, Charlotte rested her forehead on the back of Theoâs hand.
âTheoâ¦â.
And she remembered the Theo smiling face, who was chasing after her like a little duck.
âGet better soon.â
â·····â
âGet well soon and play with your sister. Letâs go to the garden, play with the soil, and watching the festival. â
The doctor and the maids, who were nursing Theo, calmly moved from their seats.
They leave Charlotte in the deserted room with Theo after closing the door.
Charlotte still canât figure out why this happened.
Lannia territory is located in the southern part of the empire and has a milder climate than other regions.
Even in the fall, it was not time for the children to catch a cold because the night air was not cold yet.
But he should have worn thicker clothes.
Perhaps because he was wearing thin clothes, while he was only well-dressed in the capital.
âOr have you been playing in the garden for a long time? Or is it because your immune system is weak because you didnât eat properly?â
âI do not know whyâ
âBut I feel responsible for everything.â
âIâm sorry, Theo.â
When everyone was helpless, all Charlotte could do was apologize.
It was then. Theo, who was thought to have passed out, moved his lips.
âMy sisterâ¦.â
A faint sound that seemed to disappear at any moment.
Charlotte raised her head and looked at Theo.
Theo seemed to be trying to open his eyes, which he was closing, but he couldnât open half his eyelids because he didnât have the strength to lift them.
âYes. Your sister is here.â
âWhere are you going?â
My God, he still remembers about not going and leaving him.
âIâm sorry. I will stay here from now on.â
âMy sisterâ¦â
âYes.?â
âDo not cry.â
Charlotte burst into tears again.
âTheo, itâs okayâ.
âWho is comforting who?â
Iâm not saying itâs okay. I donât even dare say that.
I have to tell you that youâd get better soon and that everything would be fine with your sister by your side.
But I was suffocated and could not open my mouth.
Theo cried because Charlotte couldnât stop crying.
âSister, donât cry.â
âSister, donât cryâ
Charlotte quickly wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeves to comfort him, then smiled.
It must have been a very distorted smile, but Theo smiled as if he was satisfied with it and extended his hand.
Saying,
âSister, hug me,â
But he quickly drooped his arms.
I couldnât open my swollen eyes properly.
âMy sister.â
.
âYes, I will hug you.â
Charlotte hugged Theo carefully, the babyâs body was hotter than usual, so she was even more frightened.
She couldnât even hug him as tightly as she thought he would break if she put a little force on him, she was afraid she wouldnât see that kidâs smile anymore.
âIâm afraid I wonât hear my sweet âsisterâ from his mouth anymore.â
âI really donât want this kid to disappear from the world forever.â
âWhat if things really go wrong like this?â
If Theo gets worse, then after a few days,Carel Heinst, who arrives, will be furious, and Baron Lannia will be in real trouble.
For the safety of Charlotte and her family, this child had to recover soon.
But this did not cross her mind now.
Without that selfish thought, Charlotte simply hoped Theo would be cured soon.
âSisterâ¦the bad old man, is he coming again?â
âBad man?â
âBad man? Bad man, â¦â
Charlotte felt her heart sink when she found out Theo was talking about Baron Routine.
Even in this case, what happened earlier was shocking enough to talk about it now?
Theo murmured firmly, his eyes closed
âThe villain wonât come anymore. Donât worry!â¦..I will protect you!â
Theo finally muttered.
Charlotte had no choice but to pour out the tears she could barely hold.
She wiped her tears with her sleeve in case Theo was worried, but she couldnât stop crying.
âTheo ·······.â
she couldnât even speak properly because she was choking on tears.
âTheo doesnât have to protect me. I will protect Theo. So Theo just needs to be healthy and brave. OK?â
ââ¦.â
There was no response. Whether he fainted or fell asleep again, Theo closed his eyes and had no movement.
The weak breath shivered unsteadily as if it would stop at any moment.
Charlotte hugged Theo tightly and rested her forehead on his.
âOur Theo, youâll be fine soon. Iâm sure you can.â
It was a moment mixed with hope that Charlotte didnât know what Theo or himself wanted.
A faint light erupted from the foreheads of the two people who were in contact.
The warm light that resembled spring sunshine quickly spread throughout Theoâs body and soon disappeared.
However, neither Charlotte, who closed her eyes, nor Theo, who could not properly control himself, saw the light.