Rushing to the bedside, Marianne yanked away the quilt covering Celitia's head.

The girl's face was suddenly exposed, her cheeks slightly flushed, looking as if she had more color than before.

"Do you have a fever?"

Marianne became even more anxious, reaching out to touch Celitia's forehead.

"Huh?"

The quilt being suddenly pulled away by Marianne caught Celitia off guard, leaving her unable to react to what was happening.

Seeing Marianne's hand reaching toward her, Celitia instinctively turned her head to dodge.

"Don't move around."

Marianne leaned down, cupping the girl's cheek with one hand while gently touching her forehead with the back of the other.

"It seems fine... you shouldn't have a fever."

Marianne gently smoothed the girl's fluffy curls, a trace of faint sorrow flowing through her azure eyes.

"Are you afraid of me, Celitia?"

Celitia was slightly stunned and quickly shook her head.

She simply wasn't used to other people's touch, especially from those she wasn't so familiar with, so she had instinctively wanted to dodge.

But... toward Marianne, Celitia seemed to not feel such resistance from the bottom of her heart.

"That's not the case," Celitia said earnestly. "By the way, I still need to thank Your Majesty the Queen for your help."

"No need to be so formal."

Marianne shook her head, saying gently, "Since you're Sophia's friend, just call me 'Auntie.'"

"That won't do." Celitia was startled and quickly refused. "You are Her Majesty the Queen, I cannot be so presumptuous."

A flash of disappointment crossed Marianne's eyes, but she ultimately didn't continue to insist.

Actually, Marianne had an even more unrealistic thought in her heart.

But seeing that Celitia wouldn't even call her "Auntie," Marianne had to temporarily bury that thought deep in her heart.

"Your Majesty," Celitia continued asking, "have you already met with my parents? What did they say?"

"Them..." Marianne's gaze turned slightly cold. "They came to apologize for yesterday's incident."

"Apologize?" Celitia's eyes widened in shock.

Charles was one thing, but Aloque... she simply couldn't imagine what her stepmother apologizing would look like.

The girl's surprised expression looked particularly adorable, and Marianne couldn't help but soften her expression, gently grasping her hand.

"I have imprisoned both Aloque and Olar on charges of attempted murder. Charles bears responsibility for failing to properly supervise them, so he has been stripped of his position and demoted in rank for one year."

"What?!"

Even Celitia hadn't anticipated such a development, and couldn't help but stare in astonishment.

She could already imagine her stepmother's screams and her father's face turning as red as pig's liver in embarrassment.

What virtue or ability did she possess to have Her Majesty the Queen personally intervene to help her get revenge?

"That's right, this is the lesson they deserve. For a short time, you don't need to worry about them."

Marianne didn't want to say much more.

She only hoped that this child could be healthy and safe.

As for those unnecessary matters, it would be best not to think about any of them.

It took Celitia quite a while to accept this turn of events, and her gaze toward Marianne inevitably became increasingly complex.

She didn't even know whether she should apologize for causing Marianne trouble, or thank her for her help.

Seeing Celitia's inner conflict, Marianne raised her hand and very gently rubbed her head.

"You don't need to think so much. Just focus on recovering your health and getting better quickly—that would be repayment enough for me."

At this point, Marianne's voice paused slightly, and after hesitating for a moment, she slowly said, "Also... you're not allowed to hurt yourself this badly ever again."

Celitia's gaze flickered slightly.

She tried to use the same excuse she had used with Sophia to deflect Marianne:

"Olar's battle energy did indeed exceed my expectations somewhat. I will definitely be more careful in the future."

Marianne pressed her lips together, gazing deeply at Celitia.

"I still know what that boy Olar is capable of. With his abilities, he couldn't accomplish something like this."

Marianne hesitantly voiced her doubts one by one.

"Your body's circuits were severely damaged. Although I treated you, I actually couldn't do much to help. But this morning, when I examined you again, I found that your body is repairing itself, with your condition gradually improving..."

At this point, Marianne was both puzzled and worried.

"What exactly is going on? The power that caused such massive trauma to your body, and that incredible recovery ability..."

Listening to Marianne's questions, a faint bitter smile appeared at the corners of Celitia's lips, and her purple-gray eyes became increasingly misty.

"Your Majesty, if I said that I also don't know why, would you believe me?"

Marianne held her hand like she was guarding some precious treasure, firmly protecting that thin, delicate hand within her own palm.

"I believe you."

Her voice still carried inevitable worry and fear. "If there are any abnormalities in the future, remember to tell me, understand?"

Under that gaze so gentle it penetrated to the bone, Celitia couldn't help but slowly nod.

"The medicine is ready!"

The voices of maids came from outside the hall, and soon Luna entered hurriedly carrying a bowl of medicine, along with Rebecca and Gidi.

"Ah, Your Majesty the Queen!"

The three maids hastily curtsied. Luna, holding the medicine bowl, found her movements awkward and nearly burned herself.

"No need for such formality, come over."

Marianne didn't put on any airs, letting the three maids approach, and smoothly took the medicine bowl from Luna's hands.

"Luna, help Celitia sit up. I'll feed her the medicine."

Although it felt somewhat inappropriate, since Her Majesty the Queen had said so, Luna could only comply.

Her Majesty the Queen plus three maids surrounding her to help her drink medicine.

Celitia had never received such luxurious treatment before, and for a moment felt so embarrassed her face turned red.

"Come, drink this."

Marianne held the bowl, scooped up a spoonful of medicine with a spoon, gently blew on it a few times, and brought it to Celitia's lips.

"It will be a bit bitter, bear with it, good child."

Her Majesty the Queen was actually personally feeding her medicine. Celitia felt even more embarrassed and quickly tried to take the bowl and spoon from her hands: "I can do it myself."

But Marianne refused to let go, and despite Celitia's several attempts to take them, she couldn't manage it.

Afraid of accidentally knocking over the medicine bowl, Celitia had no choice but to embarrassedly withdraw her hands.

She had to open her mouth and drink the medicine brought to her lips.

The temperature was just right, and Celitia quickly finished the medicine.

"Was it bitter?" Marianne asked gently.

Celitia shook her head—actually, she couldn't taste whether it was bitter or not.

"What a good child."

Marianne reached out and, without any concern, used her own gorgeous, exquisite sleeve to wipe away the medicine residue from the corners of Celitia's lips.

"Next time I'll remember to prepare a candy for you, I promise."

Celitia didn't even have the nerve to explain to Marianne that she actually couldn't taste bitterness.

In front of Marianne, she seemed to truly become like a small child.

She didn't need to do anything, didn't need to think about anything—she just needed to act spoiled toward her to her heart's content.

Marianne handed the medicine bowl back to Rebecca, and before she could signal to Luna, Celitia had already efficiently laid back down on her own.

Looking at the girl lying quietly wrapped in the quilt with slightly flushed cheeks, a faint sense of relief floated in Marianne's eyes.

She gently tucked the corners of the quilt around Celitia and stood up from beside the bed.

"Well then, rest well. I'll come see you again this evening."

Her gaze involuntarily followed Marianne's retreating figure until the hall door closed, and only then did Celitia slowly close her eyes.

After a long moment, she let out a soft sigh.

In her previous life, Celitia had been a left-behind child.

Before being reborn in another world, her parents had died, and she had depended on her sister from a young age.

She had hardly ever experienced the feeling of maternal love.

Now, she was actually experiencing on Her Majesty the Queen some of what she had once desperately longed for.

No... that was just wishful thinking.

She must not develop any unnecessary desires for things that could never belong to her.

Celitia silently admonished herself, forcibly snuffing out certain budding feelings that were growing in her chest.