CWMBR 157

Chapter 157

***

Magnus's expression remained unconvinced, prompting Iliont to add an explanation as if to reassure him.

"The orphanage director has strictly separated the volunteer areas. Since Lord Ain won't need to leave this playground, he shouldn't encounter Miss Pennington either."

Bridget's volunteer duty today was to prepare milk for the babies. She would be in the large feeding room at the end of the hallway inside the orphanage building, while Ain would remain in the playground connected to the backyard outside the building. Their paths definitely wouldn't cross. Magnus himself wouldn't have known Ain was here if he hadn't come to the playground looking for the children for medical volunteer work.

Iliont was right, but Magnus still felt uneasy.

"He really didn't follow the young lady here?"

"No."

Iliont shook his head firmly and glanced briefly toward Ain. After a moment's hesitation, he added an explanation in a low voice.

"………………he knows Miss Pennington volunteers here regularly. I told him that. But I only mentioned it after he decided to volunteer here himself, so it absolutely cannot be said he followed her."

It wasn't a particularly satisfying answer. However, Magnus couldn't very well arbitrarily kick out people who had arrived at the orphanage before them to volunteer. He crossed his arms, his expression stern.

"Our young lady is not feeling well. So please be careful not to draw attention to yourselves."

"Lord Ain isn't in the best condition either. Just dealing with the children today will be exhausting enough for him."

"Huh, how can you compare a sturdy man to our young lady..."

Magnus, who had turned to look at Ain with a snort, paused abruptly. What others might mistake for a sunburned complexion under the hot sun appeared to Magnus, the physician, as if it had turned completely black and lifeless. Narrowing his eyes and focusing his vision intently on Ain, Magnus muttered with an expression of incomprehension.

"Are all his attending physicians just sitting around doing nothing?"

"There are circumstances………………."

Iliont, who had been about to make an awkward excuse, suddenly stopped speaking. After a moment of thought, his eyes lit up as he looked at Magnus.

"Doctor."

"Yes?"

"Would you be able to examine Lord Ain?"

Magnus, who had been absentmindedly scrutinizing Ain's complexion, frowned and turned to Iliont.

"………what?"

"I don't mean right now. Just when you have a quiet moment."

Magnus thought he was making a joke that wasn't even funny, but Iliont's face was utterly serious. Magnus took a slight step back, a bit flustered.

"There must be many in the Wise family far more skilled than I... What on earth..."

Magnus was a physician with a long career, but he knew there were countless doctors far more talented than himself. And the Wise family? They'd surely handpick only the most outstanding talents, the kind who wouldn't be embarrassed anywhere, to serve as their personal physician. Yet, they'd entrusted treatment to someone as ordinary as him?

"Due to certain circumstances, Lord Ain is currently avoiding physicians publicly."

"But I am a physician."

"Doctor Magnus would be acceptable. You are Miss Pennington's personal physician."

At those words, Magnus's eyes narrowed sharply.

"I am not the young lady's physician, and what does that matter? If this is some scheme to gain access to our young lady...!"

"When it comes to anything connected to Miss Pennington, whether person or object, his judgment becomes somewhat clouded. So he won't make a big deal out of it."

"………………What the—"

Before he could retort with "What the hell nonsense is that?", Iliont spoke to Magnus in a somewhat desperate tone.

"I beg you. Doesn't even you, Doctor, find his current state somewhat peculiar?"

At those words, Magnus unconsciously glanced back at Ain. He hadn't formally examined him, only observed his complexion from a distance, so he couldn't be certain, but to Magnus's eyes……… Well, he did seem a bit off.

Come to think of it, back when he first appeared at the Grand Theater, hadn't Wayna mentioned something about him reeking of blood? That had apparently led to complaints from the audience.

"That's true, but……………"

Magnus couldn't bring himself to say he looked perfectly fine, even as a polite lie, and instead gave a vague nod in response to Iliont's question.

That response made Iliont's face brighten slightly.

"I will persuade Lord Ain."

"………………Was that even an agreed-upon proposal?"

Was this really okay? Iliont kept smoothing his chest, seemingly oblivious to Magnus's skeptical gaze. Yet the way he glanced back at Ain showed, despite everything, that he was clearly worried about his superior. Having observed Iliont interacting with Jane, Magnus knew he was perfectly normal compared to his own boss.

That such a man would show such obvious concern made Magnus inevitably curious.

"Well, is he seriously ill?"

Knowing full well he wouldn't share details with an outsider, Magnus still asked cautiously. To that, Iliont nodded without hesitation.

"If it's a serious illness, then yes, it's serious. Incurable, even."

Magnus's eyes widened at that answer.

"Incurable...! If that's the case, you shouldn't be asking me—you should seek out the capital's renowned medical experts!"

"As I mentioned, there are circumstances. It's not a matter best made public. As you know, Lord Ain has been suffering from various troubles lately."

"Well, well."

Magnus was a doctor who had never refused a sick person in his entire life. In the end, he shook his head with a resigned expression. At least in his eyes, Ain was definitely a patient.

***

Bridget soon realized Ain had been appearing at the orphanage.

Just as at the Grand Theater, Ain wasn't the kind of man who could easily hide his presence at the orphanage either. The children constantly ran back and forth, chattering about the tall, handsome newcomer at the orphanage. They even went out of their way to tell Bridget, who had been inside feeding milk to the babies the entire time. To the children, it was just casual chatter with Bridget, a familiar volunteer, as usual. Thanks to them, Bridget learned the orphanage director had deliberately stationed him in the farthest corner to prevent them from meeting.

Given he was the man circling around her with excuses about apologies and such, his appearance at the orphanage wasn't particularly surprising.

So Bridget tuned out the children's chatter and focused on caring for the babies. Thanks to the children's chatter, she learned he hadn't left the playground the entire time.

Patting a baby's back, Bridget responded casually to the children's chatter. When she heard he was telling the kids foreign folktales, she almost snorted in amusement, but mostly reacted calmly.

Otherwise, it was a typical day of volunteer work. When she came back for another day of volunteering the next day, she heard Ain was at the playground again, but ignored it just as she had the day before. Ain didn't bother seeking out Bridget.

Meanwhile, the local festival period ended, and Glynford returned to its usual routine. Bridget's daily life did too.

………………Well, not exactly the same.

"Magnus, didn't you say you had to leave right away?"

"Ahaha, my schedule changed a bit."

Magnus, who would normally have left Glynford after finishing his business, was still there. Bridget now gave Magnus the guest room in the mansion whenever he came to Glynford, which meant she inadvertently saw his entire schedule. As far as she could tell, Magnus was currently examining a patient. His meticulously packed medical bag proved it. It wasn't unusual for a doctor to visit a patient. Yet, Bridget found herself, how should she put it, strangely captivated, observing Magnus. More precisely, she was unconsciously checking his reaction, which naturally made her question his behavior and pay closer attention.

Why was he checking on her while going to treat a patient? Was it because he'd be staying at the mansion for a few more days? He'd stayed in the guest room for over a month before. Magnus was like family to Bridget, a close acquaintance, and he, too, regarded and cherished Bridget like family. There was no reason for him to feel bad about staying now.

So, in the end, Bridget vaguely guessed that there must be some problem with the patient Magnus was caring for.

"…what brings you here at this hour, young lady……"

"It's because of the children's play that started yesterday. I came to discuss the group viewing date with the director."

She hadn't known Magnus's patient was at the orphanage.

"Ah, I see. Please go to the director's office right away."

Magnus, whom she encountered in the first-floor lounge, looked startled by the unexpected meeting before quickly waving his hand.

"Magnus must be waiting for someone?"

"Haha, who else would a doctor be waiting for?"

"Is there a sick child? You said just a few days ago when I came for volunteer work that there were no sick children, thankfully."

"………ahaha, children grow up getting sick, you know."

Bridget narrowed her eyes. But she soon smiled faintly and turned away. On the way to the director's office, children who recognized her greeted her. Bridget smiled back at their greetings and asked in a soft voice.

"Has anyone been coming to the daycare every day lately?"

"Someone coming every day?"

The children looked at each other, tilted their heads, and then said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Those men?"

"Uh, yeah, some men do come every day. They're at the playground right now."

"I see. Thank you for letting me know."

Just as Bridget was about to walk past the children, she suddenly stopped.

She spun around, turning to head in the opposite direction from where she had been going.