CH 11

“…”

Under the light of moonlight, Redian was quietly sleeping.

They didn’t give him sedatives or anything. Fortunately, there was no sign of that.

“There are still some scars left.”

The bruises and wounds left on his fair face had faded a lot. But there were still traces of red.

He’s sleeping like an angel who just fell from the sky.

If you touched him while he was awake, he would have already growled… How can he be so calm when he falls asleep?

The word ‘doll-like’ came out naturally when I saw his long eyelashes that fell down.

“You must be sick and tired of it.”

I tried applying the ointment to his forehead, but I felt strange.

Deep darkness, cold floor, the night that came every day.

“Me too.”

“…”

There was no difference between Redian and myself when being trapped. It had been a long time since Lee Juyong’s memory had faded. Now I didn’t even know how many lives I had gone through.

“You and I are in a similar situation.”

Redian silver hair swayed in the night breeze. His bangs will stab his eyes. I carefully combed the boy’s hair. To my surprise, it was soft. I couldn’t help but touch it.

“You must be wondering why I was doing this to you.”

“…”

“It’s nothing much.”

He showed no signs of waking up as he slept curled up.

“Just for me to stay alive.”

The original story was decided anyway. That Redian would leave the basement and become the heir to the imperial family. If only I could help… the ending of me being decapitated by Redian, who had become evil, could be changed. Also, if I held out well until I sent Redian to the imperial family, my life after that would be free.

I’ll run away and disappear.

I didn’t care about other stories, whether he fell in love with Luna or not. I would just spend money freely and live my life to the fullest. I would escape from this tiresome world, no matter what it takes.

“Let’s do well until then.”

I wanted him to remember how nice I’ve treated him, if possible.

His neck is still bad. Upon closer examination of his face, his neck and collarbone were also red.

The time when I smeared the ointment and applied it to his neck. What? His eyelashes seemed to flinch, so I looked at it again, but he was silent.

Did I see it wrong? If he had been awake, he would have shaken my hand immediately because of his temper.

“Who is the master, and who is Norma?”

“…”

This time, it was the turn to apply ointment to his collarbone. However, it was too dark and hidden by his clothes, so I couldn’t see it properly. In the end, I had no choice but to pull back Redian’s clothes and come closer.

Since he won’t wake up, I’ll do it as gently as I can.

I applied the ointment very carefully over his neck and collarbone. Even when I was a famous doctor, I never concentrated on this much.

Does he have a nightmare? After applying it, I noticed Redian’s complexion had turned slightly pale. His breathing was choppy, and the nape of his neck seemed red.

“Um, let’s count ten from now on.”

“…”

“Then it will disappear soon. It’s all a dream anyway.”

Someone must have said this to me, who was suffering nightmares, but I couldn’t remember that person either. They must have been precious to me at that time. But everything was useless now.

I’ll have to come to the basement during the day.

I stroked Redian’s hair again. From now on, I was thinking of taking a closer look at the basement and Norma.

“I’ve driven out all the bad trainers.”

“…”

“I will come again. Take care.”

Seeing how gentle he was, he seemed to be in a very deep sleep.

* * *

“T-the princess is gone, right?”

“I can’t believe it. My heart is still trembling.”

After confirming that Siani had left, the trainers entered Redian’s cage. Following John’s order, they checked to see if Siani had left anything for Redian.

“Is he sleeping?”

“I think so.”

“Why did he fall asleep without a sedative?”

They approached Redian, who lay curled up.

“What is that on his face and neck?”

“It looks like someone put something like ointment on it. Huh? Did the princess even treat him herself?”

What on earth was going on? The trainers reached out to check Redian’s neck.

“What on earth is th— Ugh!’

But then.

“Uurgh!”

Redian, who opened his eyes, grabbed the trainer’s neck at once.

Bang!

“Ke-keheugh!”

The trainer straggled to the floor and struggled.

“Y-you were definitely asleep!”

The other trainer, who saw it, just slumped and couldn’t even scream.

They saw Siani step into the cage before. No matter how princess she was, she was a slender woman. Besides, Redian wasn’t bound by any shackles. Even in a very dangerous situation, there was no fuss, so they thought Redian was deep asleep.

“S-save, save me, ugh!”

“Save you?”

“U-uurgh!”

“Then…”

Redian murmured as he looked down at the trainer, who was running out of breath. “Why are you crawling in like a rat?”

Those were eyes that had never fallen asleep.

“G-gasp.”

The slumped trainer also hardened. This sight was so unreal that he couldn’t even scream.

“You shouldn’t have come in if you didn’t want to die.”

Dark blue eyes and hair resembling moonlight. There was no emotion on his face as he watched the dying man at his hands.

“Or, have the ability to tie me down like that woman.”

“Argh!”

“What is this?”

It was only a matter of time before the necks of the two were broken.

“This is not fun…”

However, Redian threw him away just before the trainer’s breath stopped. The body of the unconscious trainer fell to the floor.

“Get lost. Before I really kill you.”

“G-gasp, gasp!”

The trainer, who had been slumped down, grabbed his colleague and ran out desperately.

“I’ve driven out all the bad trainers.”

What did you mean driven out… They came in and harassed me.

In the silence of the darkness, Redian looked into the air. From the time he was on duty in the underground guild until now, he had never been caught off guard. Because he always had to live in the dark. He could catch even the slightest sound. Moreover, it was easier for him to notice someone’s presence.

The same was true of the moment Siani came in here. He thought the woman was finally showing her true colors. So he held his breath to see what she was going to do to come on this deep night…

“There are still some scars left.”

When that warmth touched his body, the sweet scent tickled his breath, and a friendly hand ran through his hair… Redian had no choice but to freeze. Whenever that woman’s hand reached him, it seemed as if he was bound by shackles. When she got closer, he couldn’t move, as if he was drunk.

She really came to apply ointment?

In addition, the ointment had a sweet scent that he had never smelled before. He couldn’t understand why the woman was like this to him and why he became stiffened.

What on earth is her identity? Is she using black magic to bewitch people?  

“Um, let’s count ten from now on.”

“…”

“Then it will disappear soon. It’s all a dream anyway.”

The words that the woman left behind made him dizzy again. Why did she always leave so many strange memories behind?

“…It’s annoying,” Redian murmured annoyedly.

His whole body was burning. It must be because of the ointment permeating his wounds.

* * *

“Your Grace, as you have instructed, we have purchased the land in the Belleng district in the name of the princess.”

Duke Felicite’s aide, Rubel, put the contract down at his desk.

“Really? Good job.” The duke, who reviewed the contract one more time, nodded.

“But why did the princess buy land in Belleng district, which is not even worth money?” Even though Rubel obeyed his order, he had an expression of disbelief.

For investment purposes, there were plenty of better lands than that. In addition, why did the duke, who owns numerous lands, purchase that place?

Out of all places, why in that remote district?

“There is no reason to stop her from buying it with her own money.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Perhaps she thought there might be some hidden treasure in that remote district.”

Rubel felt the duke’s reaction had changed. He would have clicked his tongue for her doing something pathetic in the old days.

“I thought she had no interest in family’s work or business… That’s a surprise.”

Rubel also felt that Siani had changed recently.

“By the way, Your Grace.” Rubel, who just remembered something, opened his mouth. “There’s been quite an interesting rumor going around among the servants these days.”

“Interesting rumor?”

“They said that the ointment, which lady made for the servant, is so effective.”

“What ointment?” The duke asked back as if it meant something else. “Lady made the ointment for the servant? Who? Siani?”

“Yes. There are rumors among the servants who have tried it themselves.”

The duke furrowed his brow and thought about something. It was surprising that Siani had such a talent, but…

She’s not very sociable. It was all more surprising that she showed mercy to her servants.

“Actually, I also shared some with the butler.” Rubel pointed at the back of his hand and uttered admiration. “Look. In the afternoon, my dry skin became soft like pudding.”

“…”

The duke looked closely at Rubel’s hand. His skin was really smooth, as if he had been taking a milk bath.

“I heard that the lady made it by mixing herbs. Maybe that’s why it smells good and makes me feel better.”

“I see.”

The duke held his pen again. His hands were torn here and there as he held pen and sword alternately. He didn’t pay much attention to it because it had always been like that… But after seeing that pudding-like skin, he never thought he’d hate to see his hand like this.

“Oh my gosh, could it be that Your Grace didn’t receive it from the lady?”

At that time, Rubel asked with a look as if he were teasing him.