Chapter 79

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*T/N : You might get annoyed with me because I left quite a few notes along the chapter. Sorry I can’t help it ????*

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Heris recalled the dangerous situation earlier and asked Chaylen. 

“By the way, did the Duke feel it too? About Ellea.”

“What do you mean?”

“Until now, I passed it without thinking, but today, somehow, I felt she is like a different person.”

Chaylen knew what she meant. It was natural to have such a question.

“How could she stay calm in that situation? No, how many people would jump in such a dangerous situation?”

“But.”

To be honest, that was something that Chaylen recognized as well.

Ellea was a princess but she could do what a knight could. Even though it was possible through training, Chaylen could never assert that he would be able to achieve that far.

There was no way that he couldn’t feel strange.

“Is she hiding something from us?”

“If that’s true, what would the Young Lady do?”

“Hmmm….”

While Heris was contemplating an answer, she arrived at the front of the carriage. Contrary to Chaylen’s thoughts, she answered surprisingly easily.

“Still, I will be Ellea’s  friend just like I am now. Ellea is still Ellea. Should I say that it’s even better? I fell in love with her coolness once again.”

Heris could be sure of that. This time, she looked at Chaylen. She wondered what kind of answer he would give.

“It’s the first time the Young Lady and I agreed on that part.”

“Is that so? As before, thank you so much for coming with me.”

Heris nodded as if satisfied with Chaylen’s answer and got into the carriage. And before leaving, she opened the window and asked him.

“By the way, I am thinking about what to do with the person who caused this accident, what do you think, Duke?”

“I’m thinking the same as the Young Lady.”

“I like that answer. We’re on the same page in this regard.”

Heris smiled pleasantly as she closed the window and the carriage drove away.

As Chaylen watched the carriage moving away, he could understand why Ellea was friendly with Heris.

Most of all, he liked that Heris had the same thoughts about Ellea.

‘By the way. I’m curious what kind of person did this.’

Chaylen was also thinking about the person who had put Ellea in jeopardy and planning to find him.

One thing was for sure, he had no intention of keeping it alive.

***

Terban entered the room where Ellea had finished her treatment and was resting.

He saw that she had taken off her riding clothes and changed into the dress that Borence had brought, and she was leaning on the bed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. It’s not something to be concerned about.”

“It’s different from what the royal doctor told me.”

Terban, who was watching the whole thing from start to finish, only vividly remembered the moment Ellea fell off the horse.

The situation was so urgent that he didn’t even have time to act.

Feelings of regret or guilt made his heart heavier. (*of course you should feel guilty about your incompetence)

After treatment was over, Ellea was going to return to her palace. Jane must have heard the news and was concerned.

“I will go back to my Palace now. Thank you so much for your help today.”

As Ellea stood up with the support of Borence, Terban looked at the darkened sky and for some reason didn’t want to let her go like this, so the words came out first.

“If it’s okay with the Princess, let’s have a meal before you go.”

“Yes? A meal?”

“Yes.”

“Uh, that’s…”

After a moment’s hesitation, Ellea looked at Borence next to her, as if asking what should they do. 

There was, of course, only one thing Borence could say to her gaze. 

“It sounds good. The Princess hasn’t been able to eat properly until now.”

‘Borence, are you going to do this?’

‘I’m sorry.’

After secretly conversing with each other through their eyes, Ellea had no choice but to nod her head.

“I like it too.”

“Then let’s go straight to the dining room.”

So, Ellea and Terban left the room and went to the dining room, but as soon as they reached the stairs, they stopped.

‘A stairway.’

Ellea stopped because her legs and thighs were bandaged, but immediately grabbed the railing and took a careful step.

As Borence, who was following her, tried to approach Ellea to support her, a hand reaching out to Ellea at a faster speed.

“Huh?”

Ellea looked at the hand and raised her head, and Terban was reaching out to her from one square below.

“Hold it.”

“Hold….”

“I’m sure it’s uncomfortable to walk.”

(*I’m sure you can pick her up again and take her to the dining room. Wouldn’t it be easier on a patient? And you have already done it before ????)

Looking at the hand he reached out to support her, Ellea was momentarily taken aback.

But as Terban calmly waited for her, she carefully placed her hand on his.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“It’s okay, come down carefully.”

“Yes.”

Terban stopped at her pace, one step at a time, helping her to descend safely. 

At that sight, Elea’s inner thoughts popped up.

“I didn’t know Your Majesty would do this.” 

(*Ellea, he had picked you up a few times already, so what’s the deal with helping you down the stairs? And don’t you think a decent person should help a patient?) 

“I don’t know what kind of person the Princess thought I was.” 

(*of course not a good one ????)

“I just meant I didn’t think Your Majesty would pay attention to the smallest details.”

(*You’re wrong again Ellea. He doesn’t pay attention to any details. He’s incapable of doing that. Ask him where’s the handkerchief you gave him. Oh, he didn’t know he lost it a few chapters back ????)

There was no particular reaction to whether Terban also recognized Ellea’s laughable reply. Eventually, when she came down the stairs, she thought he would take his hand away, but this time, Terban held out his arm. As Ellea stood still, he stood close to her.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to walk?”

“That’s… Thank you.”

With a bewildered mind, Ellea placed her hand on Terban’s arm carefully. Leaning on him, walking was definitely more comfortable.

“I will be waiting outside. Please enjoy your meal.”

“I’m fine, so Borence should go back to the palace first.”

“No. You’re still not feeling well. I’ll be waiting.”

Ellea was sorry and tried to send her home first, but Borence had strong will and waited for her outside while Terban and her entered the dining room.

Borence, who was soon left alone, fell in thought. She was honestly surprised to see Terban supporting Ellea.

She knew that the rumors surrounding the two of them were false, but seeing it with her own two eyes how close they were, her thoughts were a little shaken.

‘Is it really the emperor I’ve seen so far?’

(*oh I know what you’re thinking Borence, how can that dull emperor be so generous. ????)

The way he cared for Ellea, as well as his friendly gaze towards her. Was it her own illusion that all of Terban’s nerves were directed toward Ellea?

Besides, the way they treated each other was so natural that she couldn’t even take her eyes off them. 

“I don’t even know anymore, Princess.”

Meanwhile, the two people who entered the dining room sat down at their respective seats and waited for the food to be served. Suddenly, the emperor was having a meal with the Princess, the servants felt pressured and were busily moving.

Shortly after, the food was served, and just by looking at it, she could see how much effort was put into it in a short time.

“Today, high-quality meat arrived and we prepared steak.”

“Thank you.”

“I hope it suits your taste.”

The main dish, the steak, was placed in front of them, along with salads and other side dishes.

Soon after, the servants disappeared, leaving only the two of them, and Terban spoke first.

“Princess, please enjoy.”

“Your Majesty, enjoy your meal too.”

Ellea saw him lifting the tableware and stopped for a moment.

‘Oh, I didn’t even think of this.’

Her right shoulder was wrapped in a bandage, so it was uncomfortable to move, so even using utensils was inconvenient. 

Ellea looked at Terban enjoying his food leisurely, then pretended to be okay and touched other foods. (*oh here comes, I’ll cut the meat for you ????)

Many things happened today, and she was hungry, but the feeling of not being able to eat even the meat in front of her eyes was beyond words.

‘Why does meat look so delicious like this?’

While she was rummaging through the salad feeling self pity, there was a hand taking her plate of meat.

“Huh?”

She looked at the plate and saw that Terban was holding her share of the plate for some reason.

“Why are you taking it?”

Instead of answering, Terban placed his own plate in front of her. Seeing this, Ellea couldn’t help but be more surprised.

“Your Majesty, this is…”

“Eat it, Princess.”

Looking at the plate in front of her, she saw a steak cut into bite-size pieces for easy eating.

She thought he wasn’t paying attention, but he was cutting them one by one for her.

It was something that could be done by telling the servants.

A smile slowly spread across Ellea’s lips as she lowered her head when she saw Terban eating the meat, which was originally hers.

“Thank you.”

She felt touched by his consideration for her. Terban deliberately made a joke out of embarrassment when she was just looking at the food.

“Should I feed the Princess myself?”

“Oh, no….”

Ellea was embarrassed and immediately put the meat in her mouth. The food was as delicious as it looked.

“It’s really delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I never thought that Your Majesty would do something like this…..it’s very kind.”

Terban was very embarrassed to hear that he was kind. He didn’t even imagine hearing such a thing, and he didn’t hear it from anyone.

Elea, who actually spoke up, was also embarrassed. So, she was just concentrating on food.

‘Why does it feel so hot?’

It wasn’t bad to see Terban not knowing what to do. Even the awkward air of this moment.

In fact, as soon as he saw the steak, the first thing he thought was that it would be inconvenient for Ellea to eat.

All of a sudden, his hands were slicing the meat so that she could easily eat it.

At that small consideration, the atmosphere was instantly relieved.

The conversation went on so smoothly that he couldn’t remember the discomfort he felt when there were only the two of them at first.

“But the Princess seemed quite familiar with archery.”

“When I ride a horse, I add fun to it. Of course, it’s because I have a lot of great teachers around me.”

“It would not be an exaggeration to say that your skills are better than most knights.”

It wasn’t a word of mouth, it was sincere. Terban was expected to see Ellea look confident, but it was even more surprising to see it with his eyes.

“I’m happy to hear that from your Majesty. I’m talented, aren’t I?”

Ellea passed over the doubts and surprises of Terban without any hesitation. As if she was in a good mood.

“Actually, I haven’t been able to do it before, so I tried to learn a lot in a short time while being a bit overworked. So my parents worried a lot too.” 

“Anyone would.”

“I am already worried about today. There’s no way Zevenica will know, right?”

There was only one thing that Ellea was worried about right now. She hoped this news stayed only in Rubain.

‘Please don’t let it reach their ears.’

Terban didn’t say anything, but he was expecting something. What happened to Ellea will be known.

They didn’t know it now, but their worries soon became a reality.