May Every Wound Be Fatal - Chapter 62.2
Just as that thought belatedly crossed her mind, her body slowly tilted backward, and something soft touched her back. At the same time, his face—so close that their noses nearly brushed—gradually moved away.
When she came to her senses, she realized she was already lying neatly on the bed.
Reyna felt her face burn hot.
So… he wasn’t trying to kiss me…
He probably had no idea about her misunderstanding, but Reyna felt deeply embarrassed at how far ahead her thoughts had run. Once again, she found herself grateful that he had come in the darkness of night.
She had shut her eyes tightly out of embarrassment, but it seemed he had mistaken it for her enduring pain.
“I’ll call the scholar, so please wait.”
At his worried voice, Reyna grew even more flustered and quickly grabbed his sleeve.
“No, there’s no need for that. It’s not that serious….”
“…But.”
“I’m really fine. It’s enough if you just stay here beside me.”
At those words, his shoulders seemed to relax, as though his tension had eased. Even so, his eyes continued to carefully examine her.
Unable to overcome her embarrassment, Reyna’s vanished smile slowly returned. She hadn’t seen his smiling face, but somehow, this wasn’t bad either.
Before long, he sat down on the floor as usual and leaned his head against the bed. Reyna watched him with a curious gaze.
The man who had just held her as if he might crush her—who on earth had that been? Now he looked so calm and composed. It made her want to prod him, to speak to him.
Just then, she remembered another piece of news that might make him happy. In an excited voice, Reyna spoke to him.
“The scholar said I might be able to walk again soon.”
Her deep green eyes sparkled with the hope that he might smile.
Elizer blinked as if lost in thought, then lowered his gaze and quietly replied,
“That’s good to hear.”
His reaction was weaker than she had expected, and Reyna felt a little flustered. What could she do to see his smile again? She felt a slight stubbornness rise within her.
So she kept chatting.
“When I can walk again, please show me Elmaril. We can go up to the watchtower. And then we can walk along the castle walls together. It will surely be wonderful, don’t you think?”
She was certain it was something that would make him happy.
“……”
But for some reason, no reply came this time. More precisely, it seemed he couldn’t answer.
Sensing that something was wrong, Reyna quietly closed her mouth. At the same time, a realization struck her like lightning.
Ah… I can’t go outside.
She had always known that Elizer was hiding her here to protect her from something. But hadn’t it already been three months since the “incident”? She had vaguely assumed that things must have improved at least a little by now, and the thought unsettled her.
What in the world was happening outside?
Come to think of it, Elizer still only showed himself at night.
The problems she had been trying to ignore came crashing back into her mind all at once.
Someone had tried to kill her, and the royal palace had been in turmoil.
“The ducal house has committed a grave mistake.”
And perhaps that matter involved the ducal family…
Just as Reyna was about to be consumed by an ominous feeling, the man who had been silent spoke.
“It’s alright.”
Reyna turned her gaze to him.
“You… you’re alright.”
The desperation and anxiety in his eyes as he said she was fine made it feel as though something terrible would happen if she said otherwise. And so, Reyna found herself smiling without thinking.
“Yes….”
As she answered with a faint smile, relief spread across his face. For the moment, that alone felt enough. Still, the unease that had begun to grow didn’t completely disappear, and Reyna could no longer act playfully.
A silence followed for a while, and then—surprisingly—it was he who spoke first.
“Does it feel very stifling?”
Reyna looked at him for a moment, as if finding that unexpected, then answered honestly.
“…Yes.”
His eyes wavered with sadness.
If she paid just a little attention, it wasn’t that hard to read his emotions. Perhaps that was why even their brief conversations felt satisfying. And because of that, Reyna didn’t want to see Elizer sad. She wanted him to feel even a little happiness.
“But I know that if I stay here, it’s easier for Your Majesty to protect me.”
And it seemed the same was true for him.
“…Then, Reyna.”
“Yes?”
“How about going out to the garden in front of here?”
“…Is that allowed?”
It seemed that today was going to become a very special day.
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