Chapter 28
"Where... am I?"
Edel's hazy vision dominated the unfamiliar room. A large window with heavy curtains, a large, comfortable bed, a nightstand, a sofa, a table – everything was strange.
As she tried to call out to someone, a dry cough escaped her throat, leaving it rough and itchy. At that moment, she heard a movement nearby.
“Edil, are you awake?”
“Daisy…?”
“Yes, it’s me, Daisy. Are you feeling okay? Is there anything painful or strange?”
Edel was confused when she found Daisy next to her, but she moved her limbs and fingers to answer the question.
“Well… I think I’m fine, except for the tingling sensation in my toes.”
"Do you remember everything from before?"
"Everything before? ...Yes, I think I remember everything."
Even the memories she wished she could forget were still alive, so it seemed there was nothing wrong with her memory.
Daisy sighed with relief and spoke.
“You were unconscious for two days. The doctor said you were really close to death.”
" truly…?"
“Yes,” he said, “even if you woke up, you might have suffered some damage. You had an incredibly high fever, and you got some frostbite on your feet.”
Daisy gripped Idil's hand tightly with an emotional expression. When she heard about the frostbite, Idil's last memory flashed before her eyes.
“Now that you’ve mentioned that, what happened? You were in the laundry room, weren’t you…?”
She remembered standing in the icy cold water that felt like it would freeze her to the bone, stepping on the curtains. No, wait, Masha slapped her. What happened next...?
As she tried to remember more, Daisy gripped her hand even tighter and whispered, with a tense expression on her face.
“Mrs. Bohen tried to torture you, didn’t she? She’s truly awful! She’s a terrible person.”
Tears seem to be streaming down Daisy's large eyes, filled with frustration and anger.
Daisy took a deep breath to calm herself before recounting what happened while Edel was unconscious.
Marsha falsely accused Edel in front of Laszlo, and Celia and Lila blocked Laszlo's path to protest that Edel was ill. When Laszlo found Edel collapsed, he immediately summoned the doctor and gathered the servants to issue stern warnings.
“And so, Lady Bohen’s lies have been completely exposed. Not only her false accusations against you, but also her claim that she knows all the imperial protocols, and that no one can speak directly to the Count…”
“Wait a minute. So, up to now, the only maid allowed to speak to the Count is Mrs. Bohin?”
“To a large extent. We were told never to speak to the Count or the young lady unless they asked us something directly. We were only allowed to communicate through Mrs. Bohen.”
This statement was true in some respects and false in others.
Ordinary servants were not supposed to speak to their masters without reason, but they could speak to them directly if there was a good reason, without having to go through the head servant or the hostess.
'Lady Bohen used this to consolidate her power.'
In this house, the head servant became the only channel through which the master’s opinion could be heard and the only way the servants’ voices could reach him.
Most of the servants were probably inexperienced, so her lie worked.
Seeing Daisy shaking her fists with excitement, it seems she has accumulated a lot of grievances against Marsha as well.
'Daisy may also have been bullied because she was nice to me.'
Idil felt a pain in her heart.
Given the discrimination Celia and Lila faced for supporting her, it is almost certain that her suspicions were justified.
Edel smiled as she gently squeezed Daisy's hand.
"So, have you been taking care of me since then?"
“Yes, the Count gave me permission. Celia and Lila were very worried too, but the laundry work cannot be done with one person missing.”
“Ah, Celia and Lila had a tough time because of me.”
"Because of you? This is all Mrs. Bohen's fault."
Daisy frowned and grumbled in a way that Idell found wonderful.
“Thank you, Daisy. You saved my life.”
“My care was nothing special! It was the doctor whom the Count summoned who truly performed miracles.”
"Oh, the Count called the doctor?"
Daisy nodded vigorously.
Daisy recalls, saying:
“He was a rather strange man. I was terrified that something terrible might happen to you, but this doctor showed no emotion whatsoever.”
Daisy's thoughts drifted back to the pale, thin man who looked almost identical to the patient himself. He examined Edel, who was burning with fever, with a calm, unfeeling expression that conveyed little confidence.
After a quick inspection, the man opened his large bag, mixed various substances from several bottles, handed him some medicines, describing them as a fever reducer and stimulant, before suddenly leaving.
Daisy was deeply impressed that the doctor showed no sign of being intimidated, even in front of Count Laszlo.
“We must make sure to thank the Count and this doctor.”
“We may never see this doctor again, but you should certainly thank the Count. He stayed by your side the entire time the doctor was there.”
"What?"
Idil was completely taken aback.
It was generous of the Count to summon a doctor for a sick maid, but to stay by her side as well?
"This is surprising... to say the least."
But when Edel thought again about how little had happened in her life according to her expectations, she felt a little ashamed that she had judged Laszlo so quickly.
I listened to Daisy's enthusiastic ramblings, and she sometimes smiled, but she decided inwardly that she would thank Laszlo as soon as she recovered.
* * *
Two more days passed.
As Daisy had suggested, the doctor's medicine seemed to be working. By evening, Edel was well enough to get out of bed.
She sat on the edge of the bed, moving her frozen feet slightly.
“My toes hurt, but the dizziness has mostly subsided.”
The pain that had ravaged her body, making her feel as if she had been beaten, had almost disappeared, and even the persistent pain in her back and knees from work had noticeably lessened.
Judging by the deep twilight outside, Laszlo should have already returned from the palace.
"It would be rude to delay thanking me now that I am able to move."
Laszlo usually left for the palace early in the morning, so this was the best time to capture him.
Despite feeling some fear about facing him, Idell knew she had to fulfill her commitment.
She put on a shawl Daisy had lent her over her underwear and made her way to his office. She tried to adjust her posture and knocked on the door.
"Count, I'm Idle."
"Come in."
His voice was low, steady, and dry, as it always was.
When I opened the door, the room was filled with the scent of leather, the unique aroma of parchment, and the earthy smell of soil after rain, mixed with the scent of burning wood.
I suddenly remembered Idyll.
'Now that I think about it, he doesn't wear any perfume.'
That doesn't mean it smells bad; quite the opposite. But the fact that its natural scent reminded us of fields was interesting.
Because he lived among people who immersed themselves in all kinds of perfumes, Lazlo's natural scent made him seem almost "raw" to her.
“Hmm? Idyll Lancaster… or rather, she’s no longer Lancaster.”
"Please, just call me, Edel."
“Then… Edel.”
Although she corrected him before entering, Laszlo seemed a little surprised by her presence.
Edel also found it strange to be called by her first name only, but she knew she had to get used to it.
She bent down deeply.
“I heard you called the doctor and saved my life. Thank you.”
Laszlo remained silent until Edel was completely straight, then casually said to her, “You’ve lost weight.”
Idell instinctively clasped her hands together and noticed how thin her hands were.
She had always been slim, but the illness had caused her cheeks to hollow out, making her look even thinner.
'As if I wasn't already a clumsy maid, now I'm weak and feeble too. I must look pathetic to him.'
She tried to smile.
“I will do my best to recover quickly.”
“There’s no need to put in much effort. Just relax.”
"Thank you. I'll then take another day off before returning to the laundry room."
"Has the fever affected your hearing?"
"Sorry?"
Edel wondered if she had made a terrible mistake. But with his usual nonchalant tone, Laszlo explained.
“I asked you to rest, and you replied that you would return to work.”
“Ah… but I’ve recovered enough that I don’t need to stay in bed much longer, and the laundry must be piling up…”
“You are overconfident just because your fever has gone down. While Ilan’s medicine is effective, overexerting yourself will make it all for nothing. Are you planning to waste the expensive medicine I gave you?”
He seemed to barely notice her, as he was shuffling through some documents while he spoke. However, he quickly put the papers down and looked directly at her.