C41
"When did this happen? Can someone become vegetative just like that?"
It felt like she was being pulled by a familiar voice. But her eyes wouldn't open.
The whole place was completely dark, and the memory felt distant, but she didn't know why that voice was so vivid.
"The patient's physical condition is perfectly normal now. I can't believe such a big accident happened... It seems like she's in a very deep sleep now, but there have been few reports of this in the academic world... Even in EEG... deep REM sleep... as if she's continuing to dream a long dream..."
The voice cut off intermittently.
Who were they talking about? An accident? It couldn't be her because she had just gone to sleep.
She had doubts, but she stopped thinking because she didn't want to think about anything.
"...Since birth until now, she's been useless. Pathetic. If she was born, she should have lived well. Tsk... How long can this condition last?"
"Yes, respectfully... This is the first time I've seen this in my life... I think she just needs to wake up, but she's not responding to any stimulus. It's like she doesn't want to wake up..."
"Hey, doctor. Haven't we spent a lot of money on this? Then, stop the unnecessary noise. If you keep losing money like this, I'll just bury my sister."
"Don't get so worked up, ■■. My sister is a tough cookie. She's still alive, so she'll wake up soon. She's such a stubborn person, she won't die like this."
She didn't even want to hear the unsettling and familiar malice. The thought sank deeper and deeper into her mind.
"I want to sleep a little more."
She didn't want to wake up.
"...irin."
She didn't want to wake up from her dream.
"Oh? Hey, didn't she move her finger a moment ago?"
"...Eirin."
Two voices seemed to overlap in the air.
"Eirin!"
She slowly opened her eyes at that clear call.
The first thing she saw was Callan Etham, the red-haired boy dressed in white.
"You woke up."
"She woke up because my brother keeps calling her like that. Why do you keep waking her up when she's sleeping?"
Next to appear was Silian Etham, a black-haired boy a bit shorter than Callan Etham.
The corners of her mouth lifted.
"I'm back."
As soon as she smiled, both boys opened their eyes wide, then their faces reddened, and they looked away.
She covered her mouth and slowly turned her head.
"You, don't laugh like that."
Callan Etam's words startled her. What did she say wrong?
Callan's expression hardened, and he shook his head quickly.
"No... don't laugh anywhere else... It's cute, so... I felt like throwing Silian away."
"How does that feel, brother?"
"There's something like that."
"I was in the mood to throw you out the window too."
"What? How can you be rude to your older brother?"
The two boys began to argue right in front of her eyes.
It was as if her mind was blank, and she had been asleep for a long time.
She couldn't remember exactly what she had dreamed, but the rapid beating of her heart made her anxious.
"Aren't you injured anywhere else? I heard some guys tried to sell you as a slave... So why did you go out without saying anything?"
Callan leaned in and lifted her chin off the bed, scolding loudly.
The corners of her mouth turned toward the sky at all the concerns and scolding lined up.
"Were you worried about me?"
Who had ever worried about her like this before?
None in her past or present life.
"Of course! A little thing like you went and left the house, right? Even if you wanted to leave the house, if you had told me before, I would have found a secret hiding place for you..."
"If you tell me instead of him, the consequences will be cleaner. My brother has a long tail."
"Hey, if you leave it to him, won't it take another year to find a house?"
Callan snorted and ignored Silian. The corners of his mouth naturally loosened.
"Anyway, I'm glad you're okay. Even if you hate my father, make sure to talk to me next time and leave. I, because... um... because I have the ability to take care of you alone."
Callan raised his hand and scratched his cheek, blushing.
"Yes..."
"Because I can help you too."
"Thank you."
She smiled widely as she said that. Her chest tingled.
"Because we're a family."
"A family?"
"Yes, my father said he would put you on the family register soon."
Callan gently held her hand.
"Please take care of me, Eirin."
"Yes. You too..."
"It will be tough if I don't."
Silian suddenly raised his head.
We looked at each other and ended up laughing. She didn't know how long it had been since she had smiled like this, but it felt good.
"Oh, and I want to say. The medicine that kills those bugs... You asked me to make it, so I did... What's this for?"
Right, the repellent!
The fact that Callan had already done it meant that some time had passed.
"Richard and Lucilion..."
Her head was already throbbing.
Not only that, the most urgent ones were Enosh and Duke Miriel.
"How long did I sleep?"
"A week. I was surprised that you didn't wake up."
I'm in big trouble!
"...Did you deliver it?"
"Yes, I did everything you said. Five days ago, someone from the imperial family came and asked for medicine, so I gave it to them..."
Throughout the time Callan talked, he seemed not to understand why he had to do this.
Still, she was a bit surprised that he believed in her letter and did it.
"Did you... do it too...?"
"Yes, my father told me to... Because you said so."
Callan Etham smiled as he sat under the bed and rested his chin on the mattress.
"You helped my father with fruits we didn't even know existed. So, again, I thought you must know something we don't."
"...Yes."
I was about to ask if it was strange, but I kept my mouth shut.
Even if the answer came out, it didn't seem like I would feel very comfortable.
"Recently, a strange illness has been circulating among the aristocrats of the capital. They suddenly develop high fever, go mad like maniacs, and even bite people..."
"Yes."
"Everyone who took the medicine you talked about improved. It seems some people have lost their minds because the treatment was delayed..."
"Grandfather...?"
"I also gave medicine to the patriarch when he started developing a fever."
It was a bit strange that the suspicious duke took it obediently.
"He heard that you had returned and came to see you, but my father and he fought a lot in front of the room."
Callan Etham added with a smile.
It was clear that they would have fought fiercely.
"Grandfather, isn't he angry...?"
"Hmm..."
Callan Etham hesitated to answer.
My heart began to beat fast.
"As expected, he must have been very angry."
I didn't even respond, and I disappeared like that, then appeared brazenly, which made him angry.
"Because the patriarch is always angry... I don't know what to say."
Callan Etham said with a serious expression.
"Ah..."
"Still, he searched for you quite a bit, and it was the patriarch who asked my father to go to the underground auction."
"Oh? Really? He didn't tell Kylo?"
"Hyung, do you use your hair as decoration except when you're studying? Whose right-hand man is Kylo?"
"That's right, the patriarch... ah... The patriarch ordered it, so he moved!"
"That's right. Due to the patriarch's nature, he wouldn't have said it openly, but... Kylo wouldn't move unless it was the patriarch's will."
Well, Kylo was also the most loyal among the loyal in <Adopted>. A loyalist who never gives in to anything.
"When I said it was the medicine you gave me, he simply complained and took it."
"Just like that?"
"Yes, everything that happens in the house is destined to reach the patriarch... He probably heard about how you helped father."
I nodded slightly.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I made a madness inhibitor with the red fruit you told me about."
Callan Etham said proudly with a smile.
