Chapter 012: Unease
Rosa's nervousness piqued Alwyn's curiosity. He felt that he was on the verge of discovering something from Atthy's three servants, but the answers remained shrouded in mystery.
"Sir... There's no problem at all. It's just... we're not used to the behavior of Miss—uh, I mean, Lady Galina," Stela said. As the senior servant, she managed to hide her nervousness better than the others, but to Alwyn, the impression wasn't convincing enough.
Alwyn squinted slightly. He leaned back in his chair, maintaining a calm expression. Inside his mind, an annoyed voice echoed. "Damn, I was too careless. I should've called them one by one. They protect each other, and that only strengthens their defense."
"Alright." Alwyn finally nodded slightly, his tone flat. "You may leave."
The three servants looked relieved upon hearing the order, though Alwyn was not finished. "But remember," he continued with a sharp tone that halted their steps, "if anything makes your Lady uncomfortable, you must report to me immediately. Don't hide anything."
"Understood, Sir," they replied almost in unison, before bowing and hurriedly leaving the room.
When the door closed, Alwyn exhaled sharply, leaning forward, his elbows resting on the table. His left hand rose to massage his temple, as if trying to dispel the thoughts swirling in his mind.
"Damn... I was too rash," he muttered softly, more to himself. "But it's becoming clearer. There's something they're hiding—and it's related to Lady Atthaleyah."
He folded his arms in front of his chest, staring at the stack of documents now appearing unimportant to him. Stela's words earlier, Rosa's excessive nervousness, even the tension felt between them... all of it formed pieces of a puzzle that wasn't yet complete.
"Rosa. She's the key." The thought came suddenly. Alwyn knew that of the three servants, Rosa was the weakest. She might not speak directly, but with the right pressure or situation, the door to the information now sealed tight could be opened.
For now, however, Alwyn chose to hold back. He decided to return to the documents in front of him, trying to distract himself from his unease. But as time passed, thoughts of Atthy and her servants continued to slip in, disturbing his concentration.
"What's really going on behind all this?" Alwyn wondered in his mind, spinning the pen between his fingers. "The more I think about it, the less it makes sense."
The room was now silent. Only the faint ticking of the clock in the corner kept Alwyn company, but his mind was never truly still. He knew, sooner or later, the secret would be revealed.
"And when that happens, I have to be ready."
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"Good afternoon, Lady," greeted Alwyn with a soft yet authoritative voice as he entered Atthy's private carriage.
"Ah, Sir Alwyn, good afternoon. What brings you here?" Atthy responded politely, her smile sweet.
"Are you alright, Lady?" Alwyn asked, his gaze slightly probing, though still within the bounds of politeness.
"Me?" Atthy straightened her posture and then nodded gracefully. "Of course. I'm fine." Her tone was firm, yet still gentle. "Why, Sir? Is something bothering you?"
Alwyn was momentarily taken aback, his eyelids lifting slightly. All this time, almost no one had been able to read his mind other than Duke Griffith or his closest colleagues. But this young lady in front of him, with her innocent yet sharp manner, had managed to uncover a bit of his doubts.
"My apologies for my impertinence, Lady," Alwyn said, regaining his composure. "But what made you think so?"
"I'm not sure," Atthy replied casually, her shoulders lifting slightly. "It's just my instinct. Your smile looks different today, and those words came out on their own."
Alwyn fell silent, his eyes studying Atthy's face intently. The young lady appeared naive, but she radiated a confidence that stood out. There was something about her demeanor that made Alwyn unable to disregard her. Atthy exuded a noble aura—strong and elegant, yet without the slightest trace of arrogance.
"Please forgive me if my words have troubled you, Sir Alwyn," Atthy continued, her voice sincere, accompanied by a bright gaze that conveyed respect and youthful energy.
Alwyn took a deep breath, then smiled faintly. "No, Lady. Not at all. On the contrary, I'm flattered by your attention."
He adjusted his position, his hands now folded behind his back. "I only wish to ensure that you are well. The journey is already half over, and in five days, we will reach Alpen. I worry that you might be feeling bored or fatigued from spending too long in the carriage."
Atthy looked at Alwyn, and this time a deeper smile graced her face. There was a sincerity emanating from him, something that made Atthy feel valued.
"It's been a bit boring," Atthy admitted honestly, "but the books you've brought from each stop have been quite helpful in chasing away my boredom. Thank you so much, Sir Alwyn."
"I'm glad to hear that, Lady."
But in her heart, Atthy felt guilty. "Sorry, Alwyn," she murmured to herself. "I don't even know what's in those books. I'm too weak to actually read them. But how can I tell you this? This journey has already been exhausting for you and everyone else. If I complain, I'll just become a burden."
Alwyn, unaware of Atthy's thoughts, smiled wider. "Well then, I'll take my leave, Lady. I hope the rest of your journey continues to be pleasant."
"Please, Sir Alwyn," Atthy replied with a gentle nod, her smile unwavering.
As Alwyn left the carriage, Atthy leaned back into her seat. Her face remained calm, but beneath it, her body was weakening. Since the first day of the journey, the constant nausea that wouldn't subside had been haunting her, compounded by a lack of appetite. Her physical condition was slowly deteriorating, but with all her pride, Atthy chose not to show any weakness to anyone.
"I must endure," she thought, closing her eyes for a moment. "I can't trouble them. If this journey is delayed because of me, what will they think?"
Meanwhile, Alwyn, now back in his room, continued to reflect on their conversation. Atthy's smile was indeed reassuring, but there was something off, something he couldn't simply ignore.
"She's hiding something," Alwyn thought. "I don't know what it is, but something's not right. Lady Atthaleyah's eyes seem to try and appear calm, but there's a hint of exhaustion that she can't fully conceal."
For now, however, he chose to hold back his curiosity.
---
"Randy, find me a doctor!" Alwyn called out to Randy as the carriage was nearing the station halfway to Alpen.
"A doctor?!" Randy exclaimed, surprised. "Who's sick?"
"Lady Athaleyah..."
"Lady Galina?! Just a moment ago, her servants said Lady Galina was fine and didn't need anything…" Randy replied, sounding doubtful.
"Her servants?!" Alwyn responded sharply, almost mimicking, "They can't be trusted... how can they call themselves personal servants if they can't even recognize their own mistress's condition?" he added, his tone clearly irritated.
Randy furrowed his brow, surprised to see his friend, whom he had known since academy days, making such an expression for a woman he'd only met five days ago. But soon, the corner of Randy's lips curled upward. He was somewhat pleased to see his friend finally showing an interest in someone new.
"Alright, I'll get a doctor," Randy agreed cheerfully.
"Ah, Randy!" Alwyn called as Randy turned to leave. "If possible, try to find a female doctor!" he added, making a note of his specific request.
Randy raised an eyebrow in response, then gave Alwyn a strange look. But Alwyn ignored him and quickly turned away, trying to escape Randy's curiosity.
---
Seven days had passed since Atthy left Nauruan.
"Lady, how are you feeling?" Alwyn asked, his face full of concern, his voice hanging with worry.
"Ehm... As you can see. Sorry for troubling you all," Atthy replied apologetically, her voice weak, but her eyes still radiating an unwavering resolve.
"Lady, this is because of my negligence in not considering your condition..." Alwyn said regretfully, his eyes locked on Atthy with deep concern. He couldn't suppress the guilt, feeling as though he was responsible for Atthy's suffering.
"It's alright, don't blame yourself... This is my first time traveling by train. I didn't realize I'd get car sick. And on top of that, as we get closer to our destination, the temperature is getting colder... I'm used to the desert and savanna regions, so my body is probably just adjusting as we near the cold territory of Alpen..." Atthy explained, holding back a cough, her eyes briefly closing as she tried to ease the pain in her throat.
"Desert?! Savanna?!... I know Nauruan has a warm climate, but is it really a desert? A savanna? From what I know, Nauruan is just a tropical region, but a desert—this is new to me..." Alwyn thought to himself, surprised by the explanation Atthy had just given. Something felt off.
"Well, I hope it doesn't get worse. Maybe in a little while, Lady Athaleyah's body will adapt," Alwyn said softly, his expression still full of concern, but he tried to reassure Atthy.
"Hmm... I hope so," Atthy replied with a faint smile, though her face remained pale and exhausted, her inner strength still evident.
"In three days, we'll arrive at Bellhaven Station, in Alpen, and then we'll continue on to Eldoria in Skythia. It'll take one day from Bellhaven to Eldoria. I'm sorry, every day I'm saying this—please bear with me just a little longer..." Alwyn said again, his voice full of sympathy, his face showing deep care.
"Eldoria?! Skythia?!" Atthy gasped, her eyes widening in shock. The words barely escaped her, choked by the increasing pain in her throat.
Atthy's reaction caught Alwyn slightly off guard. He felt as though Atthy had just heard of Skythia, even though that was the destination they had planned all along.
Atthy wanted to ask more, but the sharp pain in her throat caused her to pause. She tried taking a deep breath, attempting to calm herself.
"Sorry, Sir Gusev..." Sarah called out, "It seems Lady Galina's throat is hurting... maybe she should rest now..."
"Ah! I'm sorry, Lady... Alright, I'll leave now... Please rest, don't push yourself!" Alwyn said regretfully.
"Hmm... Thank you, Alwyn. Don't worry too much!" Atthy responded with a smile that tried to appear sincere, though her lips felt stiff and her body was weak.
"Lady, don't hesitate!" Alwyn urged, his eyes filled with deep concern. "You can call on us anytime you need..."
Alwyn was truly puzzled. Atthy's condition was so bad, yet she never complained. Whatever medicine or food was offered, Atthy always took it without protest. Even in pain, Atthy never called the servants to attend to her. It was as though she was used to doing everything herself—something very different from most ladies he had encountered.
"I understand, don't worry!" Atthy replied, her eyes still meeting Alwyn's with unwavering determination, despite her pale face and weak body. The aura around her still exuded immense strength. "Besides, Doctor Windfold is always with me now..."
"You... seem to prefer Doctor Windfold's company, I see..." Alwyn said, his face showing a relieved expression, a genuine smile spreading as a sense of calm started to settle in.
Atthy was momentarily confused by Alwyn's words, but eventually, she decided not to dwell on it further.
Doctor Sarah Windfold, who had been sitting next to Atthy, smiled with both pride and happiness upon hearing Alwyn's words. That smile reflected her satisfaction with the attention Alwyn had shown to Atthy.
Alwyn eventually left Atthy to rest in her room, though his face still showed signs of worry. He wanted to stay and keep her company, but he knew it wasn't appropriate—he was only a servant, and Atthy was the guest of his master.
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