Whispers in the Fever
I won't kill you.
"Is she still feverish?"
"Yes, Your Grace. I don't think she'll be getting up today."
"Well, whatever. We can't be sure yet."
I returned to the office. Alfredo murmured quietly beside me as I glanced at the paperwork.
Just a couple of rooms away lay Daniela, groaning and moaning in pain that echoed all the way to the office.
"Even so, she crossed the mountains, so it's no ordinary fatigue. And that cheap linen? It's like they wanted her to freeze to death in the North. Right?"
"Indeed, Your Grace. Clothes like that would make any Northerner laugh their heads off."
"Exactly. It's as if she came here determined to freeze."
As I reviewed the documents that needed handling today, I stole a glance at Daniela. From the desk, I could only see her feet, but she was nicely covered under a thick blanket—not just any stuffing, but the hide of a northern grizzly bear, made to preserve body heat.
"By the way, Your Grace, what do you plan to do with that young lady?"
"Hmm. It was all so sudden for me too."
"I was wondering if perhaps you had other ideas..."
"What kind of ideas?"
Alfredo cleared his throat. This old man didn't usually do that. Suddenly, a strange glint sparked in his eyes.
He probably harbored the same wish as any other noble. Alfredo had served several lords in the North. He knew all about my childhood now, and everything I did. And as a true Northerner, he served only Wintergard. Wintergard alone.
"Alfredo, you're not thinking anything weird, are you? You're acting odd today."
"How could I harbor such lewd thoughts, Your Grace?"
"I never even mentioned anything lewd?"
"Your Grace, even a bit of that lewdness is necessary to keep old men like me going, isn't it? The tale of the great Northern Grand Duke failing to take a wife and letting the lineage die out would be an enormous disgrace in my lifetime..."
"Enough! Stop! That's not it at all."
Of course, I liked women. Back in my other home—not the North—I'd tried to date, put in effort to dress up, but strangely, I never quite knew how to approach them. Coming here hadn't changed that suddenly. Even when women flocked to me, it felt awkward. Despite my position as Northern Grand Duke, ruling over so many made me a bit... clumsy when it came to pursuing anything.
"We'll follow Northern custom, probably."
A knock came from outside. Someone had arrived at Winter's Hall. The road construction was complete, and representatives from the distant territories had come.
Before leaving the office, I placed a hand on Daniela's forehead for a moment. The fever still burned hot.
I met with the people gathered in Winter's Hall, and received tribute from the cities now connected by the roads. I didn't need it, but I thanked them profusely and gifted each a bolt of fine silk in return. Give and take, but for the Northern Grand Duke, the act of giving back was the most important. That was the Wintergard name, after all.
"Speaking of which, the loyalty oath from the Empire is awfully late."
"There must be chaos inside by now."
"Why? Dorgon?"
Dorgon leaned in close and whispered in my ear. I got regular reports on Imperial movements, but this new intel was intriguing: the Crown Prince's squabbles with his siblings over Cartina, a lovers' quarrel. It would have been fine if it stayed confined to the Imperial Academy, but things were escalating.
The novel had been the same. Eventually, Cartina's cry of "War, stop!" halted it all, leading to a reverse harem ending. Reality was crueler.
"Rumor has it love letters are circulating, Your Grace. The intelligence department will soon bring leaked documents."
"They're splitting into factions?"
"Nobles around the Crown Prince, and the others. They're divided into several groups, testing each other's loyalties."
"Tricky business. No wonder our loyalty oath paperwork hasn't arrived. It's irritating."
Dorgon dropped to his knees in haste. I waved him off, urging him to rise. Northerners' excessive loyalty could be frightening at times.
"Anyway, Dorgon, things might blow up, so keep a close eye. Figure out what we can gain from this mess here."
"Understood."
"Oh, and... about the Bart family."
Dorgon's eyes lit up. The Barts were among the Empire's top guardian houses. Wherever Bart influence reached, it was gold. Their endless gold veins were their pride. But the Imperial family surely knew that.
"No matter the lover's quarrel, I doubt the royals would abandon the Barts."
The novel hadn't detailed it, but living in this world, an engagement wouldn't break so easily. Unless it was one of those absurd novel things—then what could I say?
"But a letter reached all the way to the North. Makes me think the board might be resetting."
"May I ask what game you envision, Your Grace?"
"One where we swallow the Bart gold mines whole. Check on the Bart family's movements first. As fast as possible!"
"Understood, Your Grace."
Dorgon left Winter's Hall. Now only my guards remained. All schedules wrapped up?
I stood from my seat, pacing around the chair. Too much to think about. Simple lines in the novel hit differently in reality, forcing my brain into overdrive.
By rights, Daniela von Bart should have been ravaged and killed by bandits. Then war, reverse harem end. But even if the novel "ended," I had no guarantee of going home. This world would keep going.
So what could I do?
Hmm.
"You've fully become the Northern Grand Duke now."
"Y-yes, Your Grace!"
"Ah, no. Not talking to the guards. Yeah, yeah."
The guard captain bowed deeply in surprise, startling me. What more could I do?
"Guard captain."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
"Are any nobles still here?"
"Some are preparing to leave, as I understand!"
"Hold a general assembly tomorrow, then. Tell them to prepare."
"Yes!"
The guards sprang into action. When no good ideas came, hearing people's opinions was best.
I returned to the office. Alfredo had stayed, nursing Daniela. She was still groaning.
"Alfredo, general assembly tomorrow. Plenty of fruit?"
"I'll check, Your Grace."
"Hm, and no alcohol this time. Things might get busy."
"...Busy, you say."
"Not like that, don't worry. Just prepare extra fruit."
"Understood."
Alfredo lingered. No sense of timing.
"You can go now. You know that."
"But what if this lady does something to you, Your Grace?"
"Don't worry. Would Wintergard fall so easily?"
"Still, Your Grace."
"It's fine. Go on."
Alfredo bowed and left the office. Guards stood outside the door, but inside, only the groaning Daniela and me.
Pretty...
Her appearance differed from the novel illustrations. The last one showed long golden hair, but now it was short, chin-length.
I examined the defeated heroine closely. Touching her forehead lightly, the fever still raged. Groans escaped her lips. I draped an extra blanket over her covers and placed a damp cloth on her head. My face flushed for no reason.
I sat back at the desk. Work remained.
"Ugh... ugh..."
The groans grew louder than before. Southerners coming North often fell ill. Even the strong lost their senses to the northern winds—let alone a woman's body.
"...please..."
"Hm? What?"
She was speaking to someone. Daniela waved her hands—as if begging, or pushing away.
"Sorry... sorry..."
"Sorry?"
I was getting drawn into her words. Rising, I approached the bed again and sat by her side, listening.
Her hoarse voice resembled a mourning dove's coo.
"Don't... don't kill me..."
"..."
I slipped my hand back under the covers. Her half-open eyes flashed blue. The light peeking through was unmistakably azure.
"What's your name?"
I whispered into Daniela's ear. I already knew, but it needed to be official. Introductions, right? Hi, I'm so-and-so. After becoming Grand Duke, I rarely introduced myself. But strangely, to this feverish woman, I wanted her to know who I was.
"Da... Dani..."
"Dani..."
Daniela nodded faintly. I whispered softly into her ear. In the North, not just anyone could utter the Grand Duke's name.
"I'm Theo. Theo."
Daniela closed her eyes again.