Chapter 4

"How is she doing now?" Winter asked a health expert from the kingdom whom Winter had intentionally called to examine Ivy.

"Mrs. Ivy is fine, Mr. Winter," the health expert said.

"Then why did she faint like that?" Winter asked again, still not losing his worry.

"It seems that Mrs. Ivy was just exhausted. I'm not sure of the exact cause. Her condition is now stable, and she needs some rest," the health expert replied.

Winter breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded and turned his gaze toward Ivy, who was sleeping peacefully.

"What happened? She couldn't have just fainted suddenly from exhaustion," Winter thought.

After the health expert left Ivy, Winter sat on a chair beside Ivy's bed. He stared at Ivy with a face full of questions. The door of Ivy's room opened abruptly, and Race ran in. Winter stood up and looked at his cousin.

"Why are you here, Winter?" Race asked, confused.

"I've been here since earlier," Winter replied casually.

Race didn't ask any further and looked at Ivy now. "What happened to her?" he asked.

"She fainted," Winter answered briefly.

"How could that happen?"

"I don't know either. She hugged me and asked me to be quiet momentarily, then fainted. I've been thinking about it since then, trying to figure out what's happening."

Upon hearing Winter's explanation, Race looked back at Ivy.

"Why didn't this incident appear in my dream? Why didn't I know that something like this would happen?" Race wondered inwardly, feeling strange about not knowing beforehand about the unfortunate event that would occur to Ivy.

***

Ivy slowly opened her eyes and groaned, feeling the lingering pain in her body. She also sensed a slight warmth in her chest. Ivy held her chest and took a deep breath.

"Why hasn't the effect worn off?" Ivy whispered.

"What effect?" Race suddenly asked, startling Ivy.

Ivy looked towards Race and slightly recoiled.

"Why are you here?" Ivy asked, seemingly disbelieving that Race was in her room.

Unbeknownst to Ivy, Race breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Ivy's voice, which sounded healthy.

"Why do you think I'm here?" Race replied curtly.

"I don't know," Ivy innocently answered quickly and succinctly.

Unconsciously, Race let out an exasperated sigh upon hearing Ivy's response. On the other hand, Ivy took a seated position and leaned back. She looked at Race, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

"Didn't you say you only come home when there's an urgent matter? What's so urgent this time? This morning, you were here and only discussed the ruby stone with Winter while having breakfast. Couldn't that have been discussed at the base camp or not at Winter's house?" Ivy voiced her thoughts.

Race didn't immediately answer Ivy's question because he needed clarification about why. Upon hearing that Ivy had fainted, he immediately rushed home from the base camp. His original purpose for being at the pavilion with Ivy and Winter this morning was to protect Winter, as Race had dreamt that Winter would be affected by magic while watching the knights train at the base camp.

"Race!" Ivy called out again, raising her voice slightly.

Race startled and looked at Ivy now. He cleared his throat to dispel his sudden nervousness.

"It is urgent, my wife fainted, and everyone at the base camp knows. I can't stand idly by; there will be nasty gossip spreading about me later," Race tried to find reasons.

Ivy fell silent and looked at Race now. She gazed at the man she had never known before. It seemed that Ivy had become too presumptuous, thinking that Race was concerned about her.

"Don't use your feelings, Ivy! You are nothing more than a prisoner in this grand house," Ivy said to herself, awakening her realization.

"So, that's how it is. I'm awake now. It would be best if you went back to the base camp. No one will gossip about you anymore because you ran to the pavilion earlier.

Race was slightly surprised by Ivy's response, then he took a deep breath and stood up. "Okay, I'll return to the base camp for now," he said.

Ivy nodded in agreement. Race seemed to wait for Ivy's response, but it turned out not to be the response Race had hoped for. He left Ivy's room without saying anything more. After Race left, Ivy looked towards the door and sighed deeply.

"Why am I disappointed by Race's reason for coming here? Didn't he expect me from the beginning?" Ivy murmured, monologuing to herself.

***

After resting for several days, Ivy regained her health and enjoyed a warm bath. She had gotten used to not being attended to by her servants anymore. Her three female servants only prepared her meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ivy even had to dress herself and care for her needs since the day she fainted while helping Winter. Gareta, who used to be so friendly and cheerful while caring for Ivy, now seemed distant. Moreover, Ivy had always been independent since childhood, so she wasn't too bothered. However, she was growing increasingly lonely in Race's luxurious house.

After her warm bath, Ivy stood up and reached for her towel. Just as Ivy wrapped the towel around her body, the bathroom door suddenly swung wide open, causing Ivy to be highly startled. She stared blankly at Race, who looked awkward now.

"Ra... Race, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly enter the bathroom?" Ivy asked, taken aback and, more precisely, afraid that someone would see the scars on her body.

Race turned his face away and covered his mouth. He cleared his throat to dispel his unruly feelings. "Sorry, I thought you were somewhere else."

Ivy furrowed her brow in confusion upon hearing the concerned tone in Race's voice. She tightened her grip on the towel and used magic to cover the scars on other parts of her body. Ivy approached Race, causing her husband to take a step back.

"Why are you looking for me?" Ivy asked.

"Uh... change your clothes first! After that, we can talk," Race said, then chose to leave Ivy alone in the bathroom.

Race's behavior took aback Ivy, but she shrugged it off. She then proceeded to change her clothes.

Ivy sat facing Race now, and it was the first time they had sat facing each other since she became Mrs. Ivy Agnito. Ivy glanced briefly at Race and then cleared her throat softly.

"Why did you want to talk to me alone?" Ivy asked without looking at Race.

Race himself looked at Ivy and took a deep breath. He took something out of his pocket and handed it to Ivy.

"What is this?" Race asked straight to the point.

Ivy looked at the small book Race showed her, and her eyes widened. She then looked back at Race.

"Where did you get this book?" Ivy asked, quickly grabbing the tiny book.

"Answer my question! What is it? Why does it contain all these magic spells and divination mantras?" Race asked, full of intimidation.

Ivy couldn't answer. She couldn't possibly reveal the truth that she was a descendant of witches and had studied magic and divination. Ivy swallowed her difficulty, then looked at Race with a fearful expression.

"So, it's true. You are the last descendant of witches and diviners in the north?" Race asked again.

Ivy widened her eyes in disbelief. How could Race know about that?

"Race, how did you find out?" Ivy asked, her voice trembling.

"So my guess was correct? So, you are a witch," Race said, staring sharply at Ivy.

***