The pain— vanished instantly.

All of a sudden.

Lucas gasped, his breathing heavy, yet his body felt strangely hollow. Weak. As if all his strength had been drained at once.

"Haah… haah…"

His hands trembled as he tried to move his fingers.

At that moment—

the bedroom door opened.

"Luc— Young Master?" Liona's voice rang out in panic.

She had just arrived, carrying a tray of food. The moment she saw Lucas's condition, she quickened her steps. She set the tray down on the small table beside the bed without caring about neatness.

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly.

Lucas swallowed. His head felt light, but it was spinning.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "It hurt earlier… now I just feel weak."

He forced himself to sit back against the bed.

Only then did he realize—

he was still wearing his shoes.

"…Tsk."

Lucas lowered his head, trying to take them off himself. His hands felt stiff, his vision slightly swimming.

"Ugh—" his head tilted. "I'm dizzy…"

Liona immediately knelt down.

"Don't force yourself."

Swiftly, she untied Lucas's shoelaces one by one, then pulled the shoes off slowly. Her movements were careful, as if Lucas might collapse at any moment.

A few seconds of silence passed.

Lucas stared at the floor, then asked quietly, "The village… how is it?"

Liona nodded.

"It's safe now. Silvara and Healer Mae are helping the common folk. The seriously injured are being treated first."

Lucas let out a relieved breath.

"What about the Baron and the Baroness?"

"They're in Voss Town," Liona replied. "In a meeting. About the bandit attack."

She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "They say… the bandit leader was carrying documents. With a forged Rosevelt seal."

Lucas's brows furrowed slightly.

"…Was Aldric really that far gone?"

Liona looked at him seriously.

"I don't know, but… if all of this is proven—"

She paused.

"Sir Aldric could be sentenced to death."

Lucas leaned back slightly, his body still weak.

A forged noble seal.

Documents.

A bandit attack.

His thoughts spiraled.

"…Insane," he muttered quietly.

He stared at his own hands.

Lucas reached out toward the glass on the table.

Halfway there—

his head felt light again.

"…Tsk."

His hand wavered. He stopped.

Liona immediately sat down beside him.

"Let me help," she said shortly.

She took the glass herself, supporting Lucas's back with one hand, then guided the rim to his lips.

"Drink slowly."

Lucas complied. The cold water flowed down his throat, easing the dizziness a little.

"That's enough," he said after a few sips.

Liona pulled the glass back, then glanced at the plate of food.

Lucas swallowed.

He reached for the plate—

and almost spilled it.

"Whoa—"

Liona quickly steadied it.

"…Hahaha."

A small laugh escaped her lips.

Lucas glanced at her, one brow lifting.

"What's funny?"

Liona held back a smile, then said lightly,

"Even if you're not him… seeing that face looking this weak is a little… funny to me."

Lucas let out a quiet breath.

Her sense of humor really needs to be questioned, he thought.

Liona then took the plate from his hands.

"That's enough. I'll do it."

She scooped up some food and brought it toward Lucas's face.

Lucas went still.

A little flustered.

"…This isn't necessary," he said, half-refusing.

But then—

his stomach let out a soft sound.

Krrk.

A brief silence followed.

Liona raised an eyebrow.

Lucas looked away.

"…Alright."

He opened his mouth.

And finally—

ate.

Lucas was still confused—why the Baron and Baroness possessed power as overwhelming as what he had seen last night, yet their family lived in such poverty and hardship. The thought wouldn't leave his mind.

As he ate, they talked a little.

Then he remembered something else.

The tomato field.

"…The fields," Lucas asked carefully.

Liona answered right away, "Lady Silvara said the fields— the tomato fields, are safe."

Lucas let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Relief washed over his face.

Not long after, the sound of footsteps was heard—

soft, almost unnoticed.

Lucas and Liona were still chatting lightly, the topic somehow drifting to horses. Liona insisted, in a strangely serious tone, that something called a car should never have existed.

"A soulless metal beast," she said flatly. "A bad idea."

Lucas only gave a weak snort in response.

At the doorway—

Silvara stood still.

She did not enter. She made no sound.

Her body leaned slightly forward, one hand resting against the doorframe. Her jaw tightened subtly, almost imperceptibly.

Her gaze fixed on the scene inside the room.

Lucas, sitting weakly on the bed.

Liona, feed him.

The tone of their conversation— casual.

Silvara drew a slow breath, but her chest still felt tight.

She remained standing there.

Watching and finally stepped inside.

The sound of her shoes touching the floor was enough to make both of them notice.

Liona turned immediately.

"Lady Silvara—"

Lucas also lifted his gaze.

"…How is the village?"

Silvara stopped beside the bed. Her expression had already returned to calm, her tone controlled as usual.

"It's stable now," she replied shortly.

"Only a few residents' houses need renovation due to the damage."

Lucas nodded faintly.

Silvara continued,

"Sir Valeric Rosevelt has agreed to cover the entire aftermath of this chaos."

She paused briefly, then added in a colder voice,

"Because there's a strong possibility that Sir Aldric had a hand in this incident."

Silvara glanced at the plate in Liona's hands.

"Liona," she said flatly, "feed the Young Master some more. Look at him—he's clearly starving."

Lucas stared straight ahead.

His face was blank.

What the hell—

Before the thought could finish—

the pain returned.

Suddenly.

His joints felt as if they were being crushed from the inside, strong and brutal. His fingers stiffened, his arms locked up. His chest tightened abruptly, his breath catching.

"…—ngh."

His shoulders trembled. Cold sweat instantly beaded at his temples.

The pressure spread fast, as if something inside his body was being forcibly twisted.

Lucas clenched the bedsheets.

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