Don't Remember Me - Chapter 59

Episode 5 – Chapter 59

“…Huff.”

After carefully wrapping the bandages, Rosé let out a sigh. She was accustomed to applying splints and wrapping bandages around arms, but it still felt difficult.

‘Maybe when I finally get used to it, I can take the bandages off, right?’

She chuckled at the absurdity of her thoughts and then stood up, clearing away the bandages and scissors laid out on the table.

Having to manage everything with one hand made many tasks cumbersome. Washing up, changing clothes, and grooming were all more challenging than usual.

Above all, it was hard to apply a splint and wrap it on her own. Especially at the end when she needed to tie a knot. She had to struggle to use one hand and her mouth to secure the bandages, which always left her feeling frustrated.

“… I can’t even ask anyone for help.”

Since returning from her inspection, the nanny had become increasingly cold toward her. The nanny often picked on her for trivial matters and the verbal abuse was growing more frequent.

Because of this, the other servants in the Duke’s household kept their distance from Rosé. They had already been dismissive of her unexpected presence, but now it felt more intense…

‘… Jealousy? Resentment?’

“…That’s ridiculous. I’m just a nobody.”

Rosé found her own thoughts laughable and adjusted her clothes. The dawn was breaking. She turned off the lamp she had kept on while wrapping the bandages and stepped out of her room.

As she entered the hallway, a chilly breeze greeted her. It had only been a week since her trip, yet it felt as if the season had already shifted from autumn to winter.

“Today, her cough should have eased up…”

Rosé hurried her steps, shivering slightly in the cold. Worry was etched across her face, stemming from the lingering cold symptoms that Flitta had developed toward the end of their journey.

‘What kind of cold lasts this long?’

Sighing as she climbed the stairs, Rosé recalled how the doctor had initially claimed it wasn’t a cold, only to later change his diagnosis to a cold and prescribe medicine. By now, Flitta should be showing some improvement.

Knock, knock.

Rosé stood at Flitta’s bedroom door, knocking gently. There was no sound from inside, which was to be expected at this early hour.

Being courteous, she knocked first before cautiously turning the doorknob. Upon entering, the warm inside enveloped her. The fireplace had kept the chill of the hallway at bay throughout the night.

After adding a few more logs to the fire, Rosé approached the bed where Flitta lay sleeping. The puppy, who had been dozing on a cushion nearby, perked up at her presence and lifted its head.

“Good morning, Hayang.”

The intelligent puppy, brought from Middlepion, didn’t bark but instead greeted her with a wagging tail, as if trying not to disturb Flitta’s slumber. Feeling a surge of affection, Rosé bent down to pet the puppy’s head before looking back at the bed. Because of the heavy blanket, it was impossible to see Flitta’s small head.

As she smiled at the sight of the round blanket, she turned away. There were many tasks to complete before the child woke up. First, she needed to bring Flitta a warm cup of water as soon as she got up…

“Cough!”

At that moment, a harsh cough echoed from behind her. Instantly, Rosé’s expression tightened. It seemed Flitta’s cough had worsened since the previous night.

“Cough, cough!”

She coughed again, as if to confirm that something was indeed wrong. Rosé quickly turned back toward the bed.

“Your Highness?”

She called out softly, but no response came from under the blanket. Assuming the child was still deeply asleep, she felt an uneasy foreboding.

“… Your Highness?”

“Cough, cough! Ugh… Rosé… cough! Rosé…”

As Rosé called out again, a choked voice emerged from beneath the covers, accompanied by more violent coughing. She hastily pulled the blanket aside to check on Flitta.

“Your Highness!”

The child’s body felt like a furnace. Had she been sweating all night? Flitta’s pajamas, the blanket, and the sheets were all damp.

“Rosé.. I’m… I’m so sick… cough! It hurts…”

Flitta barely managed to open her eyes, recognized Rosé, and then burst into tears. She instinctively embraced the child’s burning body but soon realized she had no choice but to lay her back down. With one arm immobilized, she couldn’t lift Flitta and move her anywhere else.

“Just a moment, Your Highness. Please wait a little longer.”

“Ugh, okay…”

Flitta nodded despite her tears, trembling as if she were experiencing chills. First, she had to change the damp sheets and blanket. Wet bedding would only steal away the child’s warmth.

‘I need to ask another maid for help since I can’t do this with one arm. And I have to call the doctor, and inform the Duke…’

“Ah, it hurts. Rosé, something’s wrong. I have… these red spots all over. Cough!”

At that moment, Flitta’s trembling words pierced Rosé’s ears, causing her to freeze in place, as if doused in cold water.

It couldn’t be. 

‘…No way. The doctor didn’t say anything serious. It’s just a cold.’

A memory of a boy flashed in her mind—a boy who had shown cough and high fever symptoms, who had developed a rash. The boy who had collapsed in front of Flitta during the festival in Middlepion.

They had taken him to the healer for treatment…

“Your Highness!”

Rosé dashed back to the bed seeing Flitta barely holding back her tears, showing her arms and legs. They were covered in red spots, much like the boy’s.

‘What does this mean?’

With a dry mouth, Rosé stared at the child’s pale face.

“Cough! It hurts here too…”

Flitta pulled Rose’s hand down to her abdomen. It felt just like the boy’s symptoms. Rosé couldn’t shake the image of that boy screaming in agony as the healer touched him.

“I’ve treated a child with similar symptoms a few days ago. It wasn’t as severe, but it was still similar.”

A child with similar symptoms. And now Flitta showing the same signs – the implication was clear.

This illness was contagious.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll call the doctor right away and let the Duke know.”

“Ugh, sniffle…”

‘How scared and in pain was she all night?’

Rosé consoled the child, remembering what the healer had said.

“Well, I don’t know exactly what the illness is, but we can use medicine to alleviate the symptoms. That’s what we did for the last little one.”

‘Yes. Whatever this illness is, it can be treated. A healer from a small territory like Middlepion was able to cure it, so surely the Duke’s physician can too.’

With desperate hope, she kept murmuring to herself. 

* * *

“Where’s Flitta?”

Haven burst into the room with a tense expression. The physician was examining Flitta’s condition when he saw Haven and attempted to greet him. Haven waved his hand dismissively and spoke again.

“How is the child?”

“Yes, she has a cough and high fever, and a rash has developed… She’s also complaining of pain below the ribcage.”

“I’ve already been informed of that. What illness is it? Can it be treated?”

Haven urgently turned to the physician, his expression tense. The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied cautiously.

“It appears to be Dunfer’s disease.”

“Dunfer?” 

The name was unfamiliar. Haven frowned, echoing the physician’s words before asking again, 

“What is that?”

“It’s an infectious disease. Particularly deadly for young children…”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Dunfer’s disease initially resembles a common cold, making it difficult to diagnose. However, after about a week to ten days, the progression accelerates dramatically, leading to severe symptoms. Once it reaches that stage, treatment becomes very difficult. Even if we manage to subdue the symptoms with medication, the condition can quickly worsen…”

As the physician explained the illness, Rosé ‘s face turned pale. Haven, too, lost color as he listened, his brow furrowing deeply.

Seeing the Duke’s reaction, the physician hesitated, struggling to continue until, with a grim tone, he finally spoke.

“… In the case of young children, nine out of ten die from this disease.”

Rosé  staggered, nearly losing her balance but thankfully Haven instinctively caught her as she swayed.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“Get a grip. Are you going to collapse first?”

Though his words were harsh, his grip provided not just physical support but emotional strength for Rosé .

‘Right, I need to stay strong.’

It was crucial that she didn’t succumb before the child did. She bit her lip hard with a nod. She bit down so fiercely that she tasted blood. Once Haven saw her expression harden, he turned back to the physician.

“Is it definitely Dunfer’s disease?”

“Yes. The rash’s appearance and the pain below the ribcage are both characteristic of this illness.”

“With such a serious disease, why hasn’t it been known? I’ve never read about it in any medical texts.”