🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 39
“Halara.”
When I arrived at the annex, I found Dotchev waiting there.
The moment I saw him, a deep sense of relief washed over me.
“Your Highness!”
I took a few excited steps toward him, and Dotchev tilted his head.
“What’s with you? You look like you’ve missed me.”
“I have.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I honestly thought I’d only see you in the afterlife.”
I had almost died after being captured by Helbern.
“If you missed me that much, you shouldn’t be wandering around—just eat with me at the banquet.”
“Oh, did you enjoy your meal? Your Highness, you supposedly awakened to 4★! Why didn’t you tell me then? I mean, everyone around knew, and here I am not even aware I’m 4★!”
If Nikolai and Junel hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have even known he had awakened—let alone to 4★.
“I see. If I’d known it would make you this happy, I would’ve told you.”
Dotchev gave a faint smile.
Even a small smile from him made me grin widely.
“Was your meal good today?”
“It was. Who made it?”
That was a relief.
Even if I had just fought Helbern, at least Dotchev seemed to enjoy his food.
“But why did you just leave it and run off?”
“My stomach hurt suddenly. Not feeling so great.”
I didn’t tell him about playing tag with Helbern; I didn’t want to ruin his mood.
“Hmph.”
Dotchev’s eyes narrowed. I slowly avoided his gaze.
“I’ll take you to the family doctor right away.”
“What? No! I’m fine now!”
“No. Now that you’re part of the family, it’s only natural you receive care.”
Dotchev gripped my shoulder firmly.
It felt as if a snake had wrapped around me; my body moved according to his will.
“Ugh! I really am fine!”
“No. You even made me breakfast today; I owe you this much at least.”
My stomach was perfectly fine.
In fact, running away from Helbern had made me hungry.
As I clung to him, he stared straight at my face.
For a moment, my long hair slipped down, revealing my hidden eyes. Beneath thick lashes, his deep gaze scanned me. I knew he had a breathtakingly handsome face, but having lost some weight recently, it looked even sharper.
“Your Highness.”
“Goodness… you must have been in so much pain you were sweating cold.”
Dotchev brushed my forehead with one hand.
The sweat wasn’t from illness—it was the honest sweat from my battle with Helbern.
“So it’s true you weren’t feeling well. It would take a while to get to the doctor.”
“I really am fine. I, I even went to the bathroom already.”
I wondered if I even needed to say that, but I refused the trip to the doctor.
I didn’t want some unnecessary blood test or body examination exposing me as a yokai.
But Dotchev didn’t listen.
“You should stay still.”
His low voice brushed against my ear.
His hand slowly moved to my waist. I felt my heart sink while my body lifted.
Then he fully wrapped me in his arms.
Though his body was solid as ever, the way he held me was gentle and careful.
“W-Why are you picking me up!?”
What is he doing, while I’m barely able to stand?
“You’re being stubborn, so I have to carry you.”
“Why are you like this! It’s so… inappropriate!”
“Embarrassed? You called me ‘darling’ in front of everyone before, but now acting all modest?”
He tilted his head, reminding me of the past.
“That’s… calling Your Highness in front of everyone is also awkward. That’s why.”
“Yeah, yeah. I liked it. It sounded nice. You looked affectionate, happy, and prosperous. Here, there are three princes, but I’m the only ‘darling.’”
“Then, if I call you ‘darling,’ will you put me down?”
I was planning to say it once and run.
“No.”
Dotchev chuckled softly.
Then he stretched out his long legs and walked briskly.
“Ah!”
I really don’t understand why he’s acting like this today.
“Is that some kind of disgraceful sight?”
The late afternoon sun gently shone on the ducal garden. A pink lilac scent mingled in the air. There might be no other place in the world where peace in the wind feels so awkward.
The garden of the Bloody Mary Ducal House.
On one side of the garden, Nikolai, having washed the sweat from his training grounds with the floral scent, was standing.
Of all times, this was his moment of full relaxation. From the end of the corridor, he saw the two of them.
“Please, put her down! Who comes to the garden like this?”
“There’s no one here but the two of us. Stay still.”
Under the sunlight, Dotchev walked with a woman in his arms.
Halara struck his chest, but Dotchev didn’t care and strolled the garden holding her.
Looking closer, Halara struggled fiercely to get out of his arms, and Dotchev seemed to be testing her.
But to Nikolai, it looked like they were laughing happily and flirting.
When Halara pinched his chest, Dotchev let out a hollow laugh.
Nikolai, thinking he was laughing with happiness, felt a surge of nausea.
“Why do I have to watch this?”
He gritted his teeth, quietly exhaling, but every breath made his inner anger bubble.
“Shameless bastard.”
His gaze was sharp.
In the middle of the garden, the nuisance causing nothing but trouble was leisurely strolling.
Dotchev, whom he remembered always causing commotion with a sword in hand, now had a peaceful expression, gently holding a woman as if he lived in another world.
‘Is he feeling responsible because she’s carrying his child?’
Nikolai’s smile twisted into a sneer.
Even with training, he might barely become a knight. Yet, the head of a ducal family wore such an expression.
“I want to smash that face right now.”
A small laugh left a bitter taste on his tongue.
But he turned his head again.
He heard Halara laughing.
When she smiled, Dotchev lowered his head naturally.
At that moment, Nikolai shuddered with unbearable disgust.
‘He’s neither a true knight nor a man.’
He slowly retreated into the corridor’s shadow.
His fingertips trembled.
Clenching his fist to suppress his anger, his knuckles cracked inside the glove.
He immediately went to the training grounds to gather reliable knights.
“Select a few skilled, agile knights and send them to the border. If you encounter a Holy Knight on the way, avoid them and get to my father as fast as possible. And deliver this letter.”
It was a request to secure authority to deal with Dotchev.
Last time, he couldn’t deliver it due to Helbern’s interference and unexpected Holy Knights, but this time he would.
“Understood!”
The knights headed for the training grounds.
Nikolai planned to restrain Helbern at his door so Helbern couldn’t interfere.
He had thought it would be easy enough, as Helbern was weakened from the border battle.
But…
“Heh… heh…”
Helbern slowly raised his head.
The veins in his eyes had burst, turning the whites blood-red.
His original gray had vanished; the dark crimson color engulfed his irises, glistening like blood inside.
Everywhere he looked, red bled.
“Damn it…”
Helbern spat, looking like a completely different being.
“…Helbern?”
Why is there never a sane sibling around?
Helbern regained his senses about an hour after drawing his sword.
His vision was bathed in red.
When his entire body was whipped by an unknown sword energy, he thought he would die helplessly.
“Damn it! I haven’t even had a single romance yet!”
Standing on the edge of death, he burst into tears in frustration. His bloodshot eyes ached, but more than that, he was bitter that Dotchev had already succeeded in marrying.
At the edge of his red-tinged vision, he saw Halara.
An illusion of her stuck out her tongue.
‘Because of that woman!’
He reached out to grab her, but his thick, sword-bound hand couldn’t touch her, causing unbearable pain.
