TAVBZ 62

Chapter 62

“Ah….”

When I entered the fortress on Dorian’s back, Uben came running from far away and looked up at us.

The child’s eyes darted around restlessly before stopping on one place.

He reached out as if to grab something, but when our eyes met, his lips twisted messily and he withdrew his hand.

“Uben, let’s go to Penelope’s room first.”

Spoken in a low voice, Dorian resumed walking.

Even as Uben followed him up the stairs, he couldn’t take his eyes off me.

Because of that, the child who was walking sideways almost tripped over his own feet. Heresden, who was walking behind him, hurriedly grabbed him.

“Be careful.”

Even with Heresden’s warning, the child stayed glued to my side until Dorian laid me down on the bed.

“You’ll still have a lot of the drug’s effects left. Stay lying down a little longer.”

Dorian adjusted the blanket over me as he spoke.

“I’ll bring you some water.”

I didn’t really need to lie down, but it seemed better that way, so I nodded obediently.

“I should bring something to treat your wound too.”

He said this as he looked at my neck.

His brows narrowed slightly.

But he quickly composed his expression and rose to his feet.

“Your Highness should also drink some water. Uben, you too.”

Heresden, who was standing by the door, added that.

“I’ll move the others to their rooms.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He glanced at Dorian, Uben, and me in order, then turned away.

“I’ll be right back.”

The moment Dorian left, Uben’s persistent stare made me even more uneasy.

He definitely had something he wanted to say, but even with just the two of us in the room, he didn’t open his mouth for a long time.

Was he worried about me?

Or maybe the lingering effects of the drug had left him not quite himself.

“Uben, are you feeling all right?”

In the end, I broke the silence first.

Thinking back, Dorian’s feverish body and the way he winced were also from the drug’s lingering effect.

It must have been even harder on young Uben.

“I’m fine, but you should go to your room and rest….”

At that, Uben’s head dropped.

Then he nodded as if he understood and turned his back to me.

“…I’m sorry.”

His slumped shoulders expressed his guilt.

“Because of me…”

His fists clenched tightly, and his small body began trembling.

He was crying.

“Uben, it wasn’t because of you.”

It was the first time he had ever apologized to me.

The first time he’d hovered beside me like this. The first time he’d spoken without his usual sharp, defensive tone.

He must have been badly shaken by what had happened earlier.

Shaken enough to forget how much he disliked me.

“And I wasn’t badly hurt. So don’t worry too much.”

“But you were bleeding so much.”

I tried to soothe him, but the child only cried harder.

“I was so awful to you. I lied so much, and I acted so terribly…”

“Ah…”

I got up from the bed to comfort the sobbing child.

“Uben. Don’t cry.”

Unsure what else to do, I touched his shoulder lightly.

“I’m sorry…”

Even so, the child showed no sign of calming down.

So I knelt on one knee and gently rubbed his shoulder.

“It was a choice I made myself. You don’t have to feel bad.”

“Hngh… hic…”

“You’re not feeling well—crying like that isn’t good for you.”

The moment I said that, his body swayed.

“I should’ve listened— I won’t do it again. I thought you were going to die…”

“Uben, slowly…”

“I thought they killed you… you weren’t there, you were nowhere…”

Uben tried to continue, but his breathing became rough and shallow.

“Uben, try to breathe slowly.”

But even with my words, he couldn’t stop gasping, and soon he collapsed into my arms as if dizzy.

It looked like hyperventilation.

“Uben!”

Moments later, his eyes closed as though he had lost consciousness.

I scooped up the tear- and saliva-streaked child just as Dorian entered the room.

“I think he fainted. He was crying and suddenly—”

“Don’t get up.”

Dorian hurriedly set down what he was carrying and took Uben from my arms.

Then he laid the boy on one of the beds.

“It’s probably the drug. And I heard he was running all over the fortress right after waking up.”

His large hand brushed over Uben’s face.

“He seemed to be hyperventilating…”

“He’ll be fine once the drug wears off.”

After pushing back Uben’s hair, Dorian helped me lie down again.

“And don’t get up yet. You might fall and hurt yourself. Stay still until the drug fully wears off.”

He filled a cup with water and placed it in my hand.

He nudged with his eyes for me to drink, then turned to look at Uben again.

“I’ll take care of him. You take care of yourself.”

With those words, Dorian winced slightly.

Probably from a headache.

Telling me to take care of myself while he worried about others first—typical.

“Penelope, want some more water?”

He brushed the back of his hand across his forehead, then changed the subject. His breathing was slightly rough.

“No, I’m fine.”

He took the empty cup from me and set it down.

Then he opened the box he had brought along with the water bottle and took out medicine and bandages.

“I’ll make this quick. Try to sleep.”

“You should rest too, Your Highness.”

“…Yeah. I will.”

He finished treating my wound and stepped away, pulling the curtains closed.

“I’ll leave the water here. Drink more if you need it.”

He picked Uben up gently.

“We’ll talk about everything else later.”

I nodded.

I’d just pretend to sleep until Lillia and Lumi woke up.

“Rest.”

“Yes. Thank you, Your Highness.”

When our eyes met, he gave a small nod and closed the door behind him.

“It’s all thanks to the lady.”

“You were really incredible. How did you have the courage to offer yourself as a hostage?”

It was Heresden’s and Lillia’s voices.

When I opened my eyes at the soft murmuring, bright light seeped in through the curtains.

“I never imagined they approached us to steal our supplies.”

“They did give me a warning…”

Dorian had laid me down around five.

Yet somehow the world looked brighter than before.

“If it were me, I could never have done what the lady did. I wouldn’t have been able to finish the attack to keep the zombies from gathering at the gates…”

“Oh! You’re awake?”

Just as I lifted myself slowly, Uben suddenly popped his head close to mine.

“My lady, you’re awake! Are you feeling all right?”

“Let me get you some water.”

Without even giving me time to answer Lillia, Uben poured a cup of water and handed it to me.

“I’ll go call the others!”

Before I could stop him, he ran out of the room in a hurry.

“The lady is awake!!”

His voice echoed through the fortress.

I must have been asleep for half a day.

“It’s 1 o’clock now.”

Seeing me look toward the window, Lillia gave me the time.

“Are you feeling better?”

I nodded.

I didn’t really want to drink anything, but with so many watching, I pretended to sip the water Uben gave me.

When I went to set the cup aside, Lillia gently took it from my hands.

“His Highness Dorian and Grand Duke Heresden found the food you hid.”

It seemed they had discovered the supplies I’d hidden in the beer barrels at the storage.

“That should last until the Imperial Army arrives.”

“Thank goodness.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Penelope.”

Heresden placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Thank you.”

His eyes were steady, his tone sincere.

I merely nodded, and then the door burst open.

Uben, Lumi, and Dorian all rushed in.

All their gazes landed on me.

In their eyes were worry, relief… and perhaps a sense of affection shared between comrades.

I exhaled quietly.

For the first time, it felt like I had truly been accepted as part of this place.