What Regina had treated was the part of Iberis’s body that could never improve despite taking daily medication and receiving consistent guidance – the part that was essentially dead.
In other words, this 4% was a number that they could never eliminate no matter what they did in the future. It wasn’t simply a reduction in damage.
The disease that was eating away at Iberis’s life even at this moment could only be considered cured if the body damage rate fell below 10%. Because of that 4%, there was a possibility that he might not escape being terminal after all. Even if he had recovered by luck, as she had warned, there was a high chance it would recur soon. So he couldn’t help but be happy.
Of course, that didn’t mean the anxiety completely disappeared. After all, what Regina had fixed was only ‘a part’.
The future course of treatment would depend on how much of the irreparable area remained in Iberis’s body that even her power couldn’t heal. As long as they couldn’t eradicate that, they would need to manage carefully to prevent another terminal diagnosis even after being declared cured.
But that was for later. For now, they could enjoy the miracle that had happened to Iberis. The day of escape from the tiresome fate of being terminal was approaching, and they could now envision a more hopeful future.
“I’ve received an overwhelming favor from Regina……”
Iberis mumbled in a choked voice. He and Regina had only met yesterday. Even though they were to become like family in the future, he honestly hadn’t expected her to open her heart so easily. Much less to step up for him at her own risk.
After all, even for family or lovers, one would usually hesitate if it meant sacrificing oneself. It was never easy to be prepared to devote oneself to someone else to that extent.
Moreover, to Regina, Iberis was just her brother’s lover. Two days was too short a time to build an emotional bond.
A relationship where they still knew less about each other than what they didn’t know. That was precisely their relationship.
Yet, for the sole reason that he was her family’s precious person, Regina willingly offered her body as a sacrifice. It was fortunate that she succeeded; if something had gone wrong, she could have been in danger. Knowing this, she had acted solely for the happiness of others.
“Indeed……”
Lucas also struggled to continue speaking. If something had gone wrong with Regina’s body, he would have fallen into terrible self-loathing. Iberis would have been extremely distressed too. It was truly fortunate that all results turned out well.
“How can I repay her?”
“Well……”
“Should I give her a gift? What does Regina like? I saw her reading a lot yesterday….. Hmm, I wonder if she already has all the good books? Or dolls? Clothes? Snacks? Nutritional supplements?”
Iberis, lost in thought, sent a look to Lucas asking for help. In truth, he felt that no gift would be enough for Regina. Would she even lack anything, being financially well-off? Whether books, toys, or clothes, she probably already had more than enough.
Moreover, he didn’t want to give just anything. It was a matter of owing his life, after all. He didn’t want to settle it with some trivial item.
“She’ll like anything you give her, Major.”
“Don’t say that… Don’t you have any good ideas?”
“Hmm, what that child wants is for you to get healthier… So maybe you could show her an improved version of yourself the next time you meet?”
“What?”
Iberis blinked at the unexpected suggestion.
“And I think it would be enough to play with her to her heart’s content……”
“Just that?”
“That girl lacks nothing materially. Since she can easily obtain any object she wants… she cares more about who gives something rather than what is given.”
“Ah.”
“She likes you tremendously, Major… The very fact that you care for her would be a better gift than any object.”
“Hmm.”
Iberis hummed, biting his lip. Now that he heard it, it made quite a bit of sense.
“Above all, though she doesn’t show it, that girl tends to get lonely.”
“Regina does?”
“Yes. I should have paid more attention… But I got busy with various things after entering medical school and establishing the company. After joining the defense force, I barely visited home once every few months. And after being assigned to N-zone, yesterday was the first time I came home……”
Lucas trailed off with a bitter expression. Images of Regina’s face, desperately holding back tears each time she saw him off, began to surface in his mind one by one.
His younger sister, naturally intelligent, matured quickly despite the mental shock from losing their parents. She understood why her brother couldn’t always be with her and knew how to hide her sadness and resentment with a smile.
That’s why Regina was always Lucas’s sore spot. It hurt his heart to see his sister pretending not to be lonely even when she was, smiling so that he wouldn’t worry.
“Anyway… Regina would be happier if you played with her or contacted her often rather than buying her something.”
Lucas soon composed himself and spoke with a confident voice.
“Really?”
“Yes. So instead of thinking about repaying everything at once, why don’t you send gifts occasionally, call her once in a while… and make small and big repayments like that every day, little by little. Until you feel it’s enough, Major.”
“Hmm, I feel like I couldn’t repay her even if I tried for a lifetime… but okay. I’ll do that.”
Iberis nodded, accepting Lucas’s opinion. It seemed he could trust the advice of Regina’s brother, who knew her much better than he did.
“What’s Regina doing? Is she still in the infirmary? Can I go see her?”
“Ah, she’s asleep. She’s receiving nutritional supplements.”
“Nutritional supplements?”
“Yes, to replenish her energy……”
“I see. We can’t disturb her sleep. I’ll exchange numbers with her when she wakes up later.”
“That’s a good idea. Since it’s getting late, it looks like we’ll have to stay one more day……”
Lucas narrowed his eyes as he checked outside the window. The sun was already setting. If they went to the airport now, they’d have to take a night flight.
“Is it alright if we stay one more night?”
“Of course it’s alright. We still have a few days of vacation left anyway… And we’re meeting Major General Bismarck the day after tomorrow, right?”
Iberis smiled readily. Before returning to N-zone, the two had planned to have dinner with Winfried in Paris. It was to deliberately expose themselves meeting him to provoke Livio.
“Ah, that’s right. Hmm, I should contact the Major General just in case. Let’s rest until dinner time then.”
Lucas suggested as he got up and lightly massaged Iberis’s neck and shoulders. Though he seemed relieved that Regina had no problems, his complexion was still not great, as if the shock hadn’t fully worn off.
“Rest?”
“Yes, your skin is quite cold.”
Lucas gently stroked the skin that felt cool to the touch. As he cupped the cheek that looked paler than usual with his palm, he remembered that they hadn’t done any guiding today.
“We should go to the room and raise your body temperature a bit. A nap would be good too.”
Lucas slightly pressed his thumb against the soft lower lip, then turned his head towards Thomas.
“Thomas, we’ll be resting in the bedroom. Call us when Regina wakes up or when dinner is ready.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Stand up, Major.”
Lucas lowered his hand from Iberis’s lips and grasped his wrist, pulling him up. He wrapped his arm around the slender waist, almost embracing Iberis as he pulled him towards himself.
* * *
“They didn’t come out today either?”
“No, Guild Master.”
Livio frowned at the report from the man who had recently become his second secretary.
“Not just one day, but two…?”
Livio muttered as if in disbelief, leaning back in his chair.
“We still don’t know what they’re doing inside?”
“I’m sorry. Those monitoring around the mansion say the security is too tight to approach beyond a certain distance……”
“Even with the Esper with clairvoyance abilities we brought?”
“It seems the property is so vast and security devices are installed at regular intervals, making it difficult to use abilities freely. Armed guards patrol quite far from the mansion every hour.”
“Tsk, we recruited them for a hefty sum, but they’re useless. Fire them when they return.”
Livio clicked his tongue at the unsatisfactory answer. For the past 10 years or so, he had tried hard to insert people into the Blake family mansion. But he failed every time. Even if they somehow managed to get in, their identities were quickly discovered, and they were either kicked out or their whereabouts became unclear.
In the end, he became practically blind to what was happening inside the Blake mansion. Given this situation, it was no wonder that the guild’s information team couldn’t bring any useful information, and that his secretary gave unsatisfactory answers to his questions every time. Still, he couldn’t help feeling irritated.
“What on earth are they plotting in there……”
Gritting his molars, Livio glared at the laptop monitor. On the screen was a photo of Iberis and Lucas Lowell Blake shaking hands in the headquarters lobby. Ever since he obtained information a few days ago that the two had met, he had been in a state of low pressure.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
