Miss, It’s Just a Cold

Chapter 47: Abnormal

I wiped my mouth.

“It must’ve been some jam that got smeared while eating.”

“…Don’t say such ridiculous nonsense.”

The blood on the back of my hand wouldn’t come off.

I hated it so much that I closed my eyes for a long time, and when I opened them again, the blood was gone.

Did I unknowingly wipe it on my clothes?

“Just let me go. You say I shouldn’t ask for help, but then you say I can’t leave either. Do you want to control me as thoroughly as my mother does?”

At those words, Aria shouted furiously.

To be honest, it scared me.

I didn’t show it, though.

Was it because my body was in this condition?

Or because I was tormented by paranoia?

Everything around me felt terrifying, so much so that I wished it would all just disappear.

“That’s not what I mean! Even if you went back, all you’d get are cheap, ineffective medicines that barely work!”

Cheap medicines were enough for me.

After taking them, my coughing lessened, my fever almost disappeared, and painkillers made me feel lethargic, numbing the pain.

It was much better than asking my mother to call a physician only to end up locked in the wardrobe without treatment for daring to say such a presumptuous thing.

Was it wrong to take those cheap medicines?

Maybe someone like me wasn’t even supposed to be alive in the first place.

Unbidden, negative thoughts welled up, crowding my mind.

Cheap. Yes, that’s right. Cheap is all I have.

And it suits me perfectly. Cheap things fit me best.

That’s exactly what I am. I guess I was born to be this way.

Born to be crushed underfoot by some successful protagonist, only to disappear forever—a piece of garbage created for that sole purpose.

Maybe I was born to be discarded, so the story could move on without someone as unpleasant as me.

No matter who Aria ends up with, someone like me wouldn’t be part of the epilogue.

One breath, then another—my emotions wouldn’t settle. I took a third.

I closed my eyes, plastered on a smile, straightened my back, clasped my trembling hands together, and spoke.

My feelings are cheap, and my behavior is downright disgusting.

I can’t even muster the courage to be angry at my mother, yet here I am whining to you, begging to be let go.

Even a streetwalker who charges the price of a loaf of bread doesn’t flip-flop this much.

“…For now, I’ve already gotten the medicine, so just stay here,” Aria said.

“You got me expensive medicine? Wow, how generous.”

I knew that wasn’t what she meant, but I couldn’t help myself.

“My family couldn’t care less if I live or die, yet here you are, a stranger, trying to help.”

“A friend can do at least this much. Now, calm down and go to your room—”

“Ha, how touching. But my pretty young lady, my dear sweet young lady, this isn’t the kind of help I’m asking for.”

What I wanted wasn’t to cure the illness in front of me but to eliminate the direct cause.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter if this sickness doesn’t go away.

If I can achieve what I want, I don’t care if I die bleeding out.

People might think the causes are starvation, cold, unsanitary conditions, stress, a cramped room, or abuse, but in the end, it boils down to one person.

If I could just get rid of that one person, everything would be resolved.

You don’t die from a mere cold.

It’s just a damn cold. What I need isn’t a cure for myself but a way to deal with the people killing me.

But no one would ever acknowledge me.

Because that person gave birth to me.

That person gave birth to me.

Not me, but Emily. Yes, goddamn Emily.

It’s not me. I’m not their child.

What makes me is my parents.

Not the damn Reichten family, but my parents… who were they?

I can’t even remember their faces, names, or how much they might have loved me.

“I thought I was special, but I’m not.

If I had lived under the delusion of being special, maybe I could’ve been happy. But someone pulled me down to reality.

If that person disappeared from the world, I think I could finally be happy.”

“So, you want to…”

“They’re not my family.”

“…”

“They’re not my family. Family is what you just showed me—people laughing and chatting together.

All I have are terrible people I share blood with.”

“And why are you suddenly calling me ‘young lady’?”

“Because a flower-filled head, or perhaps an empty one, is best addressed as ‘young lady.’

Go a little further, and you might be a princess, but calling you that might be treason.”

“…Are you mocking me?”

Probably not.

I genuinely thought Aria was that kind of person.

“It’s not a mockery. It’s just the truth.

Just let me go. I don’t need your medicine, your help, or anything else.”

“Ernst will be here soon—”

“What does it matter if Ernst comes?

That idiot who calls himself my friend doesn’t even know how I’ve lived in that damn house for the past few years. What does he matter?”

Was “idiot” too harsh?

Maybe I should’ve softened it to “oblivious friend.”

I took a deep breath.

I wanted to yell, but I couldn’t.

It was like my strength had drained away, forcing me to stay calm, which only made me feel more miserable.

“I’ll leave. Should I return these clothes?”

“…I said I’m not letting you go.”

I gently pushed Aria aside and tried to leave the room.

But she grabbed me, and with the servant who had been lingering by the wall, they carried me back into the room and shut the door.

I struggled to escape, but Aria crossed her arms and stood firmly in front of the door.

The room had a chair, a bed, a table, and a window.

It was neatly arranged, the perfect size for one person—a room Aria must have prepared in advance.

I walked to the window and touched it without much thought.

The latch on the window was securely fastened, locked tight.

Had Aria anticipated that I might break the window and escape? At some point, she silently moved to stand beside me.

I let out a hollow laugh and sat down on the bed.

It was large and ornate, but fundamentally, it didn’t feel much different from my room.

What’s the point of having a spacious room?

What’s the point of being born into a bloodline with just enough prestige to avoid outright dismissal?

What’s the use of knowing how to play countless instruments or memorizing endless movies and novels?

For some reason, I can’t even remember my parents’ faces anymore.

“Are you going to keep me locked up here and raise me like this?”

“Just until your body is well enough. You should rest here.”

“Fine, whatever. That works.”

I spent the time sitting on the bed.

Aria, seemingly neither bored nor occupied with other tasks, kept watch over me like a hawk.

When lunchtime came, I didn’t go to eat.

Aria had a servant bring the food to my room, then personally fed me.

Afterward, she forced me to take some bitter, nameless medicine.

I tried keeping my mouth shut, but she pried it open and shoved the medicine in.

When dinner came, I didn’t go again.

Once more, Aria had the servant bring the meal to the room, and she fed me again.

And once again, she shoved that same bitter medicine into my mouth when I tried to resist.

I don’t know if it was laced with a sedative, but I felt incredibly sleepy afterward.

The last thing I saw before drifting off was Aria’s concerned face.

***

The next day arrived.

I stayed in the room, doing absolutely nothing.

Aria, for once, seemed to have other matters to attend to and was nowhere to be seen.

It was a refreshing morning.

Though I couldn’t open the window to enjoy the morning air.

But then, what can’t be done?

If you try, everything is possible.

I can do it.

Lifting the chair, I hurled it at the window.

The sound wasn’t quite a shatter—it was more of a thud-crash sound.

Regardless, the glass broke.

Despite getting a few minor cuts here and there, including on the soles of my feet, I managed to climb over the window frame.

I heard the door open behind me, followed by the sound of commotion.

Looking back, I saw startled, perhaps horrified, servants talking amongst themselves.

It was only the second floor.

Though it seemed higher than the third floor of the ballroom, jumping down wasn’t anything new to me.

Looking at the ground below, I spotted Ernst, his face painted with surprise.

I, too, felt a bit flustered and scratched my cheek, waving at him.

“Hey, Ernst! I’m jumping, so catch me!”

I spoke softly; maybe he didn’t catch my words.

The servants were clearing the broken glass from the window frame and preparing to climb out after me.

I didn’t want to be caught and dragged back inside.

It felt a bit rude, considering this wasn’t even my house, but Aria was the one who locked me up, so it wasn’t entirely my fault.

If I landed headfirst and Ernst failed to catch me, I’d probably die.

But surely, he’d catch me somehow.

I stepped onto the edge of the roof, then launched myself toward him.

I let my body go slack as I leaped.

And just as I expected, Ernst caught me with ease.

“Knew you’d catch me,” I said with a smirk.

Our eyes met.

“Why do you look like that? It’s no big deal.”

“…I wasn’t expecting to catch a girl jumping off a roof this early in the morning.”

“Well, that must’ve been shocking.”

“Yeah… incredibly shocking.”

His response struck me as amusing, and I burst out laughing while still in his arms.