Escape from the evil lady (GL)
Chapter 87 - 37. This feeling is in my heart

Chapter 87: Chapter 37. This feeling is in my heart

In the end, after talking to the Crown Princess, I still couldn’t get any results. The woman was genuinely perplexed as to why I wanted to postpone the engagement, and said she didn’t see any need for it.

«I would like to make you my official bride as soon as possible. Aren’t you of the same opinion?»

Even though it wasn’t a «full-fledged» wedding, but just an engagement, I was just as nervous about it. This was because the empire also attached great importance to this event. The engagement ceremony was considered an obligatory attribute before the wedding itself. And thus imposed certain obligations on two people.

In fact, breaking off the engagement would be no less difficult than the marriage itself. After all, it was an official presentation in front of people and god of your partner, with whom you are going to connect your life. And the ceremony that was held in honor of this was no less magnificent than the wedding itself.

So if this engagement really happens, I won’t be able to get away from it so easily. And the obligations that would bind me hand and foot in this case were not to my liking at all! I definitely needed to avoid all of this at all costs.

Therefore, before the main character came to my rescue and rescued me from the clutches of the villainess, I had to stall for time as long as possible. And the only thing I could think of was this... Pretend to be sick. In fact, my poor condition would be the only justifiable reason that even the main villain couldn’t resist. After all, who would lead a sick bride on her last legs down the aisle?

And since this was the only way out available to me, I decided to act decisively.

I rejected the option of just «pretending» to be sick right away. After all, I was sure that in case of my illness, some doctor would definitely come to examine me. And if my lies had been exposed... Then everything would be ruined. Therefore, as they say, the best bluff is to make it real.

Fortunately or not, the disease has not become a big problem for me. Camille de Walt has been in poor health since childhood, so it was easy for me to implement my plan with a small «ritual.» In the evening, before going to bed, the maids came out of my room as usual to let me rest. As soon as they left, I jumped out of bed.

I had taken a bath shortly before, so my hair was still wet. I went to the window and threw it wide open. The cold air immediately rushed into my room. Usually, the maids always closed the windows in my room, because in these lands the nights were cold even in summer. And now, as autumn approached, I felt the trembling especially acutely.

«Well, that should work...»

Now that the «job» was done, I went to bed as if nothing had happened. Despite the strong draft in the room, after a while I still managed to fall asleep. And the next morning... As I expected, I woke up with a high fever.

«Oh, my God, my lady!» The maids cried out when they found me in this state the next morning. Even though I only spent the night with the window open, I burned as if I had spent the night in the cold. And the subsequent doctor’s visit, of course, was also not long in coming.

— It’s almost forty degrees. She has a very high fever, — the doctor said worriedly, looking at my thermometer.

And as soon as he finished speaking, the main villain’s icy gaze touched me. To be honest, that look made me shiver even more than the night breeze.

Kaena de Ronan came to my room as soon as she found out about my illness. She stayed here the whole time until the doctor finished the examination.

— How could this happen? — seeing my condition, Kaena turned to my maids: — How the hell did you look after her to allow such a thing?!

After the Crown Princess’ furious attack, the poor maids trembled like aspen leaves. At that moment, I couldn’t help but tense up myself. After all, the maids were definitely not to blame for what happened, since it was entirely my initiative. So, lying in bed, I hurriedly said:

— Your Highness, don’t scold them. It’s totally my fault!

«What...?» the Princess turned to me, puzzled.

I coughed.

— I felt stuffy at night, and I decided to open the window to get some air... Of course, I didn’t think that I could get sick because of this.

«...»

Although Kaena continued to stare at the maids with cold eyes, it seems that thanks to my hastily concocted excuse, they still managed to escape the death penalty. Exhaling heavily, the woman turned back to me.

When I caught her genuinely worried look at me, I felt awkward.

«That’s enough,» Kaena said after a short pause, «now you can all come out.»

«But how...!» the maids involuntarily exclaimed. Considering that my body was hot as lava at the moment, they would certainly want to stay to look after me. But instead of that...

«I’ll take care of my bride myself,» Kaena said sharply, silencing all the dissenters.

— ...Yes, Your Highness.

As soon as the door closed, the Crown Princess’ soft expression returned to her face.

— Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to get you well as soon as possible.

«...»

After the main villain stayed in the room to take care of me on her own during my illness, she diluted the medicine left by the doctor and gave it to me. I drank it all without protest. A little later, she was also going to feed me porridge, which she cooked herself in a special way, adding medicinal herbs to it.

— Your Highness... How do you know how to do all this? — in such a situation, I couldn’t help but ask myself this question. After all, I used to think that the main villain only knows how to kill. However, at that moment, some unexpected side of her personality was revealed to me.

At these words, Kaena’s gaze softened, as if she was thinking about something at that moment.

«My mother was bedridden all my childhood,» she said, handing me a spoonful of porridge, «there was no one else to take care of her, so... I had to learn how to do it all by myself.

«...»

Really. How could I forget about this part of the main villain’s biography? The Crown Princess’s mother, the former Empress, has been seriously ill for a long time. And since they were outcasts in the imperial palace, Kaena had to take care of her from an early age on her own. Unsurprisingly, she has learned a lot since then.

And with that...

«Besides, doesn’t that remind you of something?» Kaena suddenly said.

I asked, puzzled.

«When you saved me...» Kaena said with a slight smile on her lips, «you also took care of me. So now it’s my turn.

«.....»

Hearing this, I was involuntarily speechless and felt extremely embarrassed. While the villain continued to court me, I tried to put it all out of my mind.

However, I couldn’t get rid of this strange feeling in my heart.