A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I returned to the pharmacy and immediately began reviewing the documents I had received earlier.

They were Jaden’s medical records.

I’ve already heard a summary of his history…

But that wasn’t enough.

Since he was still a child, I needed to be extra cautious—especially in case I had overlooked something subtle.

As I read through the dense notes—

As expected… something’s strange.

Tamutur Disease was known to be incurable, but Kain had never simply surrendered to that conclusion.

That’s why he purchased such large quantities of Spike-Leaf Herb in the first place.

For the past several months, Jaden had been prescribed medicine made from it.

Even if it wasn’t a cure, it should have suppressed his symptoms to some extent.

So why was his condition that severe?

It was almost as if he hadn’t been receiving treatment at all.

A possibility surfaced.

No… I need to confirm this directly.

Jaden might not know the full truth—or might even be hiding something.

But there was another way to verify.

If anyone knows, it would be his personal attendant.

I stood and headed toward Jaden’s quarters.

The attendant waiting room was empty.

When I stopped a passing maid to ask, the answer was absurd.

“Ah… Lady Celia hasn’t arrived yet.”

“…Not yet?”

The sun was already high in the sky.

“Is she unwell?”

“Well… she’s still asleep. If we wake her, she gets angry…”

“…Then what about the young master’s breakfast and medicine?”

“I handled it. Lady Celia is often late…”

I didn’t even know where to begin.

When I had first entered Jaden’s room, something about the environment had felt neglected.

Now I understood why.

Two hours later, I finally heard the sharp click of heels echoing down the corridor.

Celia approached leisurely, dressed in her usual extravagant gown.

The moment she saw me, she frowned.

“What are you doing here?”

“I have something to ask you.”

“Honestly. This is why lowborn commoners are hopeless. No manners. No appointments. Do you know how busy I am?”

Normally, I might have endured it.

But this wasn’t about pride.

It was about Jaden’s health.

“I apologize, but I’m not here to meet Count Dorn’s daughter.”

“What?”

“I’m here to speak with Young Master Jaden’s personal attendant. For work.”

Her face flushed.

“So? What is it? Trying to nitpick again?”

“I’m not nitpicking. I need to confirm something about his medication.”

“Confirm? Are you my superior? Who do you think you are?”

“I’m asking as his apothecary. There’s something odd in the records.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“You’re suspecting me, aren’t you?”

“…?”

“You think I didn’t give him his medicine? That I slacked off?”

“That’s not what I—”

“I delivered the medicine to his room every single time! Whether he actually took it isn’t my responsibility!”

“…Did you ever confirm that he swallowed it?”

She let out a sharp laugh.

“Ha! Do I look like a servant? Do you know how exhausting it is to cater to a child’s moods?”

That was enough.

I turned and walked back to the pharmacy.

As I suspected…

Jaden must have been secretly throwing away his medicine.

But why?

I remembered him burning with fever.

Then his earlier words echoed in my mind.

“Do I really have to take it? I’m not in pain right now…”

At first, I thought it was ordinary childish reluctance.

That was why I prepared a syrup—to make it sweet and easier to swallow.

But…

What if that wasn’t the real reason?

I need to know.

Treatment doesn’t begin with medicine.

It begins with understanding.

With my plan forming, I headed back to his room.

“Young Master, I brought something special today.”

“Medicine… right?”

His bright expression dimmed immediately.

“You don’t seem to like medicine, so I made something extra special.”

Ta-da!

I opened my hand.

A neatly wrapped, round piece that looked more like candy than medicine.

“This is medicine?”

“Yes! Viola’s special candy medicine!”

“It’s not bitter at all. Back in Heiron Village, children lined up for it—”

I exaggerated shamelessly to spark his curiosity.

He perked up slightly—

Then pouted.

“I’m not that young.”

“Correction. Even adults lined up.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Maybe a little.”

I grinned.

“So today, you’ll take this instead. Much better than bitter powder, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“You can take it now.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

My voice remained gentle.

But my eyes did not waver.

He hesitated.

Then slowly reached out and accepted it.

Now? Right now?

He stared at the candy in his palm—

And for the first time, I noticed something wasn’t simple reluctance.

It was fear.