The Grand Duke gave a slight frown to Vivian’s own words.
“I had strictly given my reply that stated you don’t need to come over here. So, why did you show up?”
Vivian could barely endure the words that had struck in her throat saying: ‘It’s all because of the Young Lady who had commanded me to do so’.
“It’s because I’m just worried about you.”
“Huh. The fiancé who had never bothered to see your face before?”
The words he spat were cold. Just for a brief moment, Vivian could sympathize with the Young Lady who had been forcefully betrothed with this person at hand.
Nevertheless, Vivian didn’t express it at all. She wasn’t even the real opponent. As she thought of how those harsh words were actually directed straight to Alexia, Vivian felt more at ease.
“Was it not because of the Count who asked you to stop by?”
“I can’t absolutely deny that fact.”
As she recalled the Young Lady’s mannerism, Vivian quickly gave a quite blatant response.
“However, travelling over here as well as being here myself was by my own free will. It wasn’t intended by anyone else.”
“How amusing.”
A quiet snicker had trailed after Vivian’s words. Even if she could have seen his eyes properly, she would have still avoided his gaze as his face was too vicious to lay her eyes upon.
It was only then that Vivian realized why he had been branded as the monstrous Grand Duke.
“Instead of refusing this engagement straight out because of the condition of my body, you should take this as a chance to…”
Then, Grand Duke Bright had raised his upper body while locking his incredibly precise gaze towards Vivian.
“I had expected it to some extent, but it looks like you are more opportunistic than I thought.”
“Think as you may. Since I’m already here, I thought of nursing you as what my father had asserted before.”
“Nursing, you say? Didn’t you hear exactly what my illness is all about? It could be contagious, even.”
Vivian paused for a while at the words of the Grand Duke. Come to think of it, Alexia did seem to have briefly told her about this recent illness of his.
Still, Vivian was nonchalant about that fact. Not to toot her own horn, but she possessed a strong body that had never gotten sick in all her life.
“I’m stronger than I appeared to be. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“…what?”
For the first time ever, the Grand Duke didn’t give a snarky retort to Vivian’s words.
“Are you not afraid?”
She could just have only guessed to an extent as to how dreadful the illness was to be endured for the man who was labelled as a monster. But strange enough, Vivian wasn’t terrified at all.
She pulled a nearby chair before taking her seat while staring intently at the Grand Duke.
“I’m not afraid.”
“Even though you have to nurse a man whom you’ve just met today, for the first time ever?”
“Not at all. We’ll be married soon, anyway.”
Not to me, of course, but to Young Lady Alexia. Vivian muttered softly inside as she lifted the wet towel that was beside her. After wringing out the excess water from the towel, she carefully placed it on his hand.
The Grand Duke flinched at the touch of the damp towel. Perhaps it was due to his fever that was higher than it looked as Vivian could feel the blistering heat seeping from his fingertips right down to her hand.
“Please hold it in even if it’s too cold. It’s actually good to let the heat escape.”
She began to wipe down his body slowly while recalling what had been done by the people around her whenever she was sick with fever. The Grand Duke’s hand winced at each time the towel was dabbed slowly against his arm, but still Vivian didn’t let it go at all.
Vivian’s hand then steadily approached his face after she had already wiped down the most visible areas. Suddenly, the Grand Duke swiftly blocked the damp towel that was just reaching towards his cheek.
“…just leave my face alone.”
“But your face is actually the most important area, though?”
“I can do that on my own.”