DSPT 43

 Chapter 43

No matter how weak my magic power may be, wasn’t it because of my special trait that I managed to break the curse? Of course, when I jumped in front of Licht, I hadn’t calculated that far ahead.

“Well, I just happened to do that somehow.”

But in the end, Licht wasn’t wrong, so I answered in an awkward tone. When I said “just happened to,” his handsome brows twitched, but Licht simply smiled with that usual composed expression and continued.

“Yes. Once again, you threw yourself in for me. And I…”

For some reason, his smooth brow furrowed ever so slightly, as if something greatly displeased him. His deep ocean-colored eyes flickered, unlike their usual calmness. He shut his mouth, seemingly choosing his words carefully. I stayed still, waiting for his lips to open.

“The fact that I once again allowed you to stand in front of me like that—it makes me unbearably angry.”

“…What?”

Is he saying he’s angry at me? I looked up at him nervously, but Licht quickly softened his stiff expression and said:

“Of course, I mean I’m angry at myself. What right do I have to be angry at you?”

His face carried a trace of sorrow. But the intense flame burning in his eyes stood out in stark contrast to that subdued expression, locking my gaze in place.

“…”

Only then did I realize that Licht wasn’t just uneasy—he was actually angry. I couldn’t quite understand why he was so upset, though. His reply was still kind, yet tinged with strictness, and I had no words to respond with.

“Then, let us leave this place.”

The arms supporting my legs and back tightened again. Despite having carried me for quite a while now, Licht didn’t seem tired in the slightest.

Even though I could still feel the piercing stares all around, I lowered my head and ignored them until we left the banquet hall.

Perhaps that’s why I failed to notice the gaze that followed Licht and me intently.

A gaze that was sinister and heavy with malice.

“Lady Edel, are you all right?”

“Yes. Lelia, are you unharmed?”

“Of course. I’ve asked them to bring up some hot tea—you should drink it and relax.”

As soon as we reached my room, Licht carried me straight to the bed. Lelia, already waiting inside, draped a warm blanket over me once more. Though I wasn’t injured anywhere, she fussed over me repeatedly before finally handing me a small mirror.

That was when I understood why she’d been so worried.

‘What the—why do I look like this?’

My complexion was so pale it looked bluish, almost corpse-like. I thought I’d calmed down after leaving the hall, but…

‘I must have been more shaken than I realized.’

No wonder Licht refused to set me down.

In the end, he never did. Not even in the carriage—he held me the entire time. At first, I’d been flustered by it, but as exhaustion drained my body, I eventually relaxed against him.

Even after dismounting, Licht carried me all the way to my chamber bed. Then, he simply stood there, silent.

His lips were pressed shut, yet his eyes brimmed with countless unspoken words. Though he had said he wasn’t angry at me, I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze. I felt guilty—like some kind of criminal, though I hadn’t actually done anything wrong.

So I just kept my head bowed, saying nothing. My past life’s instincts told me: in times like this, silence is best.

If Lelia hadn’t timidly suggested that I needed to change clothes, who knows how long Licht would have stood there.

‘I still don’t really get why he was that upset… In the end, we both came out unharmed.’

I had only wanted to protect him. Well, more like buy him time. Still, I didn’t want him to get hurt.

‘If I hadn’t acted as a signal… he might not have had enough time to cast his defensive spell.’

A pang of anxiety struck, and I caught myself biting my lip—an old habit from my past life. I got up from bed and sat on the sofa, too restless to simply lie still.

Soon, Lelia handed me a steaming cup of tea. I clasped it with both hands, letting the warmth seep in and loosen my stiff body. Even so, goosebumps prickled along my arms.

With a deep sigh, I reminded myself: I’m safe here. Slowly, my thoughts began to clear.

“Where did His Highness go? Did he return to the banquet hall?” I asked.

“He went to urgently meet with His Majesty the Emperor.”

“I see.”

Of course—the Emperor would want to discuss what had just happened at the much-anticipated welcome banquet. Not that Licht knew the full truth yet.

“And also… Though I told him it might not be the best time…”

“Hm?”

“Sir Jen, Duke Evgenin’s disciple, came to visit.”

Jen! That name alone lifted my spirits. He was one of the people I wanted to see most right now. I nodded eagerly.

“Please bring him in right away!”

Lelia looked uneasy but left to fetch him. Before long, Jen entered, wearing a fine suit and draped in a cloak—clearly dressed for the banquet. He opened his mouth to speak, but froze at the sight of my face.

“What the hell happened to you? Why do you look like that?”

“What do you mean?”

I checked the mirror again. My complexion seemed better than before. No injuries either. Perplexed, I blinked at him, and he sighed deeply, exasperated.

“Forget it. Ugh, I can’t even find the words. Anyway, I heard what happened.”

“…Yeah.”

My voice came out small. The banquet had gone completely off script, and I had nothing to say for myself. Jen hadn’t seen the incident directly—he had left carrying the explosives.

‘In the end, nothing changed.’

I had wanted to prevent the crisis I knew was coming, to save Licht and avoid another victim like Lady Marine. Yet here I was, once again sending out the maids under Lady Meliz’s name.

After making sure the door was shut, Jen exhaled and began.

“As you said, the original box really did contain explosives. I’ll need to examine further, but that much is certain. The mana stone itself was fine—of course, since I was the one who brought it.”

Where did everything go wrong? I lowered my gaze and noticed my hands trembling.

‘When did I start shaking like this?’

For the first time, I found myself wishing to call upon this world’s god. Was this punishment? For daring to play the role of savior when I was nothing more than a third-rate mage? For presuming I could save the male lead, or rescue the innocent?

Like a floodgate bursting, suppressed bitterness welled up. My eyes burned faintly.

I didn’t want to cry here, but tears threatened anyway. I forced my gaze upward, silently begging them not to fall.

With my thoughts tangled and despair creeping in, I barely even registered Jen’s words.

“Damn it, this is so frustrating…”

“…Hey, are you crying?”

“N-no. Sorry, what did you just say?”

Damn. He noticed. Whenever I’m angry, I cry—it’s just how I am. But this was the worst timing and place. Hastily, I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, though it would only make them redder. And of course, the tears didn’t stop—they slid down my face endlessly, even though my expression stayed calm.

Maybe I’d held back my emotions too long. My own body’s reaction baffled me.

“Good grief… What’s the point of lecturing a child like you?”

Jen pressed his forehead with a sigh. Technically, we were the same age, but I didn’t have the energy to argue.

Like Licht, Jen seemed overly concerned. He barely paused before launching into a string of nagging. Why had I worn such thin clothes, why hadn’t I just stayed lying down until I calmed…

Still, thanks to him, some color returned to my face. Or maybe my blood pressure was just rising.

‘I was never the type to tolerate nagging, but…’

The thing was, he wasn’t wrong. And I knew he only meant well. So I just let him talk, quietly wiping my tears away.

But his nagging never stopped—it only shifted topics.

In short: “Who the hell did you think you were to meddle like that?”