CH 105

Contrary to Veron's words that he was asleep, Sarah entered the room and could see Ethan reclining obliquely against the bedside. Looking at Ethan's face, it was exactly as Veron and Ronda had said. His complexion was slightly pale, his forehead slightly narrowed, and his lips seemed to lack complexion. His face was full of fatigue, and his eyelids were heavy.

'Did he fall asleep?'

Slowly and carefully, Sarah approached Ethan and sat down in a chair next to the bed. He might have felt a movement, but Ethan didn't even move as if he didn't feel anything.

"......"

Sarah cautiously reached out as she looked at his hair, which seemed to be a bit disheveled, unlike usual. Her intention was to tidy up his hair. However, at that moment, Ethan's closed eyelids trembled, revealing clear, bright navy blue eyes.

"Heok!"

Ethan grabbed the hand that had reached out to him at once. Surprised, she took a quick breath with her grabbed hand frozen.

"Sarah......?"

Ethan looked at Sarah's face and loosen his grip. He said as he gently stroked the back of Sarah's hand with his thumb as if he was sorry for the stronger force he had given her.

"Sorry, I was surprised......"

Ethan let go of Sarah's hand, and she hurriedly hid her hand behind her back. Somehow, the heat where he had held her seemed to remain on her hand.

"Did I wake you up?"

"No, I was lost in thought for a moment. Rather, I surprised you."

"......"

Ethan raised his hand and pressed his temples and his forehead as if he had a headache. Sarah was restless because it seemed that it was somehow her fault that he looked like that. Even if it wasn’t, she still felt bad, as she seemed to have added to Ethan’s worries, who had a lot of work to do.

"I’m sorry."

"......?"

"I ran away without saying a word today."

"Ah."

Ethan smiled slightly when Sarah became depressed and apologized. It was the first time he had seen her so depressed. He soothed her in a soft voice.

"Sarah doesn't have to apologize. Because I'm the one who made you feel worse."

"Duke-nim......"

"I've already talked to all of your disciples."

"You mean Benjamin and Belluna?"

Ethan nodded slightly. Belluna and Benjamin were researching the power of Ambrosia with Ethan's full support. Occasionally, Ethan would remove the ring Sarah had given him and use the power of Ambrosia for their research.

'Duke-nim, you need to focus.'

'Please pull it up a little more. This is only about half the amount of power Master can handle.'

The despair he felt whenever he conducted research with Benjamin and Belluna always weighed heavily on him. Every time he felt a burning thirst that hit him like a tidal wave, it was as if he had turned into a monster instead of a human. His nerves were always standing sharp as he adjusted his power to the extent that it did not hurt anyone.

"They said that there is no harm to your body when you use other magic except when dealing with Ambrosia's power."

After learning that Sarah was vomiting blood, he had been obsessed with her. The image of her falling into his arms, sprinkling red blood in front of her, was still vividly pictured in his mind. The thought that one day he could make Sarah like that made him terrified and just wanted to struggle.

"Only Ambrosia would be bad for you."

A faint smile formed on Ethan's lips. There was no strength in the voice that sounded bitterly muffled. He recalled the conversation he had with Benjamin and Belluna.

* * *

"She may become progressively weaker. It’s true that Master can withstand that power better than others due to circumstances that cannot be said, but it’s Master's body that vomits blood......"

Benjamin clenched his fist in anger.

"I don't know how long Master's body will hold up now. Master said she had a side to believe, and we know that. There's nothing we can be sure of because of the lack of studying."

Belluna shook her head as if trying to shake off her anxiety.

"Are you saying we should just trust Sarah when she says she’s fine?"

"For now, yes."

There was often such a heavy silence between Sarah's disciples and Ethan. Everyone had different ideas, but what they wanted was the same. They just wanted Sarah to achieve what she wanted in peace.

"It's still too early to give up. Didn’t Ambrosia's power exerted by Young Lord Ambrosia actually heal Master?"

"It was."

Recalling the power that had been manifested in Claude at that time, Ethan said, soothing his twisted stomach.

"But not Claude. You can't make him use Ambrosia’s power to confirm that."

"Of course, we have no intention of doing that."

Belluna waved her hand, thinking of the cute and lovely Claude. There was a faint red glow on her cheeks as she remembered Claude in her master's arms. Belluna would occasionally take a walk in the garden or spy on Claude as she wandered around the mansion, and she made that face each time. Did she say that Claude walking around with small gestures like a small animal was cute? Benjamin squinted at Belluna's face as if he had never seen it before.

'......He’s an insolent brat though.'

Benjamin remembered that Claude had made a bold move with his innocent face to keep him away from his master. But at the same time, because he was Sarah's disciple, Claude allowed Benjamin to hover nearby.

'He's more mature than the other brats. Is it because he has been taught by Master?'

Benjamin, who had been thinking of Claude, felt his lips loosen involuntarily and hardened his face again. Then Benjamin took a deep breath and said.

"Among the records left by Ambrosia's ancestors, there is a record about a head of the family that ran away from home when he was young and then returned. It seems that he wandered because he could not accept Ambrosia's power. If we look into his whereabouts, we'll find something."

"Whatever you need, Ambrosia will give it to you, so do whatever it takes."

At Ethan's words, Benjamin's face softened. He was realizing the weight of the word that Ambrosia would give anything these days. Even when he did research in the magic tower, he had never felt that it was insufficient. However, the Duke of Ambrosia's full support felt very different. Usually, when he needed something, he first thought about where he could get it. However, it seems that Ambrosia already had everything ready, so it didn't feel like he needed something.

"......Thank you."

Benjamin bowed his head as he watched Ethan Ambrosia treat all of that as if it were nothing.

"You say there's nothing wrong with Sarah's body right now, so the only thing she has to be careful about is me."

Ethan's cold voice was filled with a deep hatred of himself, so Benjamin and Belluna couldn't say anything.

* * *

Ethan was as afraid of the power of Ambrosia as it would harm Sarah.

"So Sarah can stay comfortable as usual. I will not force you anymore."

Sarah could leave because of his overprotection. And Ethan was so frightened that he couldn't even breathe properly. He didn't realize it until earlier when he saw her get out of his grip with ease.

'Even if she disappears overnight, it's not strange at all.'

Who would like a terrible man with a curse? The only thing Ethan believed in was the oath that Claude and Sarah had made.

"I appreciate that, but......"

Sarah stretched out her words, looking at Ethan, who seemed somehow in a bad condition. He was polite and gentle as usual. It looked like something was going on. Ethan, who had supported her greatly and firmly, was now shaking violently. Sarah was gripped by the feeling that Ethan was going to let her go.

"I'm not afraid of Ambrosia."

"......"

"I didn't hate that you were worried about me, I just wanted to get in touch with Claude-nim, and I just wanted to go out and play. I didn't hate it."

At Sarah's words, Ethan looked at her with his eyes wide open, astonished. His navy blue eyes were shaking slightly.

"Duke-nim must be very busy, but you often come to see how I am...... Actually, it was good. It was good."

Sarah felt a bit embarrassed and stuttered. In fact, when she was tired and exhausted, once she saw Ethan's face, she would feel better. It was good that Ethan's face, which had been expressionless, had been softened as soon as he found Sarah. Sometimes, when he unconsciously raises the corners of his mouth at her words and smiles, it was as fantastic as the snow melted. She could see the face that she had never been tired of, and she could see that he was worried about her, so she could never hate it.

"Do you know the saying that the face is welfare*? That's what the servants said. Everyone is saying that Duke-nim's face is spectacular, magnificent, glorious, and marvelous......"

"Ha."

At Sarah's words, the sound of laughter leaked out of Ethan's lips.

*It roughly means who looks good must have a good life