Chapter 10

“It is my fault”

Charlotte buried her face in her hands and blamed herself in deep remorse.

The nanny who came running after hearing the situation reassured her.

“No, miss. Children at this age usually get a fever easily for no reason. Like the doctor said, it might be because he’s nervous since he’s in an unfamiliar place.”

“I thought he was already used to ·····.”

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 can’t 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.

“Why didn’t I realize it sooner?”

I can’t help but feel guilty.

I couldn’t 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.

Wouldn’t this have happened if I had paid more attention to him?

“Miss…”

The Nanny helped Charlotteup, staring at Theo softly.

“I will take care of young master, so go into the room and rest.”

Charlotte shook her head

“No, I’ll take care of him.”

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.

“No, the odds are low, but what if it’s not a fever but an epidemic!? You could catch it miss. The young master is important, but the young lady is important to us.”

“But…”

Charlotte, who had tried to insist on staying here, remembered the reality coldly.

“Yeah, I can’t collapse.”

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 didn’t rest to receive them when they get here.

Charlotte got off his chair and barely got away.

Suddenly, she heard Theo whisper,

“My sister, my sister.”

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 couldn’t 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 Theo’s 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.

“Miss”

Charlotte, inadvertently tearing her nails off, heard her nanny’s voice and raised her head.

She had a moment of hope that Theo’s condition was a little better, but the nanny’s face was darker than before.

“Nanny?”

When Charlotte and her eyes met, the nanny closed her mouth and burst into tears.

“Miss, what do I do?”

Charlotte quickly approached and hugged the nanny who was sitting on the floor.

“What’s going on?”

“The fever didn’t go down, it just got worse.”

The nanny could not speak properly because she was crying.

Charlotte waved the nanny’s arms in a sudden wave of ominous omens.

“And therefore?”

“Oh, tonight ···.”

“It may be difficult to spend the night….his fever is severe, so even if his fever drops, his body will suffer some damage.”

Charlotte ran out of the room before she could finish hearing the nanny’s words.

It was the result of the body’s reacted first.

She ignored the voice of her nanny calling from behind and ran into Theo’s room.

As the nanny said, Theo looked more serious than before. His face was pale. His heavy breathing…he couldn’t even breathe as he opened his mouth reluctantly.

Charlotte sat beside the bed, and clasped Theo’s hand, which wasn’t even half hers.

Even his hands, which usually felt moderately warm, were as hot as a fireball

The tears she couldn’t hold back eventually fell down the back of Theo’s hand, Charlotte rested her forehead on the back of Theo’s hand.

“Theo…”.

And she remembered the Theo smiling face, who was chasing after her like a little duck.

“Get better soon.”

“·····”

“Get well soon and play with your sister. Let’s go to the garden, play with the soil, and watching the festival. “

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 can’t 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.

‘Or have you been playing in the garden for a long time? Or is it because your immune system is weak because you didn’t eat properly?’

‘I do not know why’

‘But I feel responsible for everything.’

“I’m sorry, Theo.”

When everyone was helpless, all Charlotte could do was apologize.

It was then. Theo, who was thought to have passed out, moved his lips.

“My sister….”

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 couldn’t open half his eyelids because he didn’t have the strength to lift them.

“Yes. Your sister is here.”

“Where are you going?”

My God, he still remembers about not going and leaving him.

“I’m sorry. I will stay here from now on.”

“My sister…”

“Yes.?”

“Do not cry.”

Charlotte burst into tears again.

“Theo, it’s okay”.

‘Who is comforting who?’

I’m not saying it’s okay. I don’t even dare say that.

I have to tell you that you’d 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 couldn’t stop crying.

“Sister, don’t cry.”

“Sister, don’t cry”

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,

“Sister, hug me,”

But he quickly drooped his arms.

I couldn’t open my swollen eyes properly.

“My sister.”

.

“Yes, I will hug you.”

Charlotte hugged Theo carefully, the baby’s body was hotter than usual, so she was even more frightened.

She couldn’t even hug him as tightly as she thought he would break if she put a little force on him, she was afraid she wouldn’t see that kid’s smile anymore.

‘I’m afraid I won’t hear my sweet “sister” from his mouth anymore.’

‘I really don’t want this kid to disappear from the world forever.’

“What if things really go wrong like this?”

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.

“Sister…the bad old man, is he coming again?”

“Bad man?”

‘Bad man? Bad man, …’

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

“The villain won’t come anymore. Don’t worry!…..I will protect you!”

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 couldn’t stop crying.

“Theo ·······.”

she couldn’t even speak properly because she was choking on tears.

“Theo doesn’t have to protect me. I will protect Theo. So Theo just needs to be healthy and brave. OK?”

“….”

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.

“Our Theo, you’ll be fine soon. I’m sure you can.”

It was a moment mixed with hope that Charlotte didn’t 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 Theo’s body and soon disappeared.

However, neither Charlotte, who closed her eyes, nor Theo, who could not properly control himself, saw the light.