CH 32

“What? Oh, it could be faster. Technically, only until the stretched ligaments are back in place…”

“Oh, come on, no, that’s enough. Go away.”

The doctor, who had seen the crown prince about to curse, quickly left as soon as he was told to go.

‘… Damn.’

Caden swallowed hard at the rush of regret.

He couldn’t bring himself to ask the sick woman if she was okay or to console her for her troubles.

‘You must have been in a lot of pain, and you’ve been keeping it to yourself?’

He paced in front of the tent in a manner that would make anyone question his sanity. Guilty, then angry, then worried.

‘Did the doctor give her painkillers? Why don’t I go check now… No, I can’t be that angry and then go back inside and deliver painkillers.’

In the end, his face blushed with great shame, but then he realized that his father had foreseen and advised that it was because he had foreseen this situation.

‘He told me to think and live… Father, why didn’t you raise me to be a thoughtful person?’

Caden raked his fingers through his full head of hair as if he were going to pull it all out.

‘I can go in there right now and apologize and give her some painkillers. If it gets really dangerous, then what? What if she’s really in unbearable pain? She’s got a pale complexion…’

Damn!

His kicks uprooted a patch of grass and turned it upside down.

A face that looked like it hadn’t even occurred to her that someone might be worried about her.

Probably because she’d been treated that way the entire time she had been at Krembel.

Gillian Krembel was certainly a man with a blunt disposition.

He had assumed it was merely a clumsy way of expressing herself, but now that he knew the full story, he realized he’d been wrong.

She and him were both just tools.

He wondered if anyone had ever shared a connection with him in the first place.

He was the one who betrayed him, even though we were supposed to be close friends. He made his spouse, whom he promised to spend his whole life with, decide to divorce him.

From the other side of the room, he saw the doctor coming, carrying a large bag with him.

“You!”

“Yes?”

Caden’s call stopped the doctor as he headed for the tent.

“If she says she’s in pain, be sure to give her some painkillers. It’s important that she heals, but it’s also important that she doesn’t feel hurt.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

“You must. You must!”

The doctor threw his hands up in the air, saying he doesn’t dare disobey.

Now, if the physician would just finish her treatment, we could move on.

Caden breathed a sigh of relief, one big thing off his mind.

It seemed to ease his discomfort just a little bit.

‘That’s right. When we get back to the palace, I’ll tell her to take care of her meals, and make sure she gets the best room in the palace, because sick people need to eat well. Speaking of which, I’ve got some good herbs…’

Concerned about her injuries, Caden decided that as long as he was in charge of her recruitment, he would give her treatment that everyone else would envy.

When he thinks about it, all the help he’s ever given her hasn’t even scratched the surface of what she’s given him.

So he might as well even the score.

‘Besides, I just got stupidly emotional and angry. I really have to put my best foot forward, or else…’

Like Gillian, he might throw in the towel too.

He clenched his fists, a chill of fear passing through his chest.

Caden called on one of the knights waiting nearby.

“I’m going to go back to tidy up the hall, so you’ll be in charge of protecting her once she’s healed. Make sure no one, not even the Duke of Krembel, gets close to her. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“You will not let anyone through except me. I don’t mind being a little rough with them, do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll leave you to it.”

He made several such assurances, and then stepped back to the chair.

* * *

Golden statues that seemed to come alive, and decorations that dazzled with every stitch of craftsmanship.

Inside what must have been an imperial carriage, a woman in red riding clothes sat far away.

‘What is this…?’

Ellen was now in a state of mild panic.

Suddenly there was a rush of people and they were carrying her away on a stretcher.

She was fine up until that point.

But then she was carried to the front of a carriage that looked like it belonged to the imperial family.

[We will take you in].

[This carriage is…?]

[His Highness’s instructions, I’m going to lift you up, hold on tight].

[Yes? Aah!]

She couldn’t even climb into the carriage with her own feet.

It would have been difficult for her to climb up under her own power anyway, but this was too much.

They were determined not to let her feet touch the ground.

[If you need anything, just let me know. You can tell me anything].

[It’s okay, I’m comfortable enough already].

[You’ll need a cushion to put under your feet, please hold on].

[Ah…]

And with that, the man walked away before Ellen could answer.

But the surprises didn’t end there.

She had expected to find herself in the imperial palace.

But she didn’t expect it to be the Crown Prince’s.

Arriving at the main entrance to the palace, she asked.

“…Is it true that I will be staying at the Crown Prince’s Palace now?”

“Yes. His Highness has graciously agreed to let you in.”

“Ah… yes.”

Ellen’s heart sank.

She’d been so angry at the man that she felt sorry for him, and now this.

And, of course, it was the same when she came to the Prince’s palace that she could not tread the ground with her own feet.

Bringing a well-maintained wheelchair from somewhere, they gently placed her in it, nervous that she might try to roll herself.

“The room we have prepared for you is on the top floor, the Rose Room. If there is somewhere else you would like to be, please let us know.”

“That’s fine, I’ll go where you’ve arranged.”

At her nod of approval, the group scrambled.

To reach the top floor, three bodyguards stuck to her, and she was transferred to an enormous room in a wheelchair.

“These are the servants who will serve you. If you need anything, you can send any one of them to me. May you rest well.”

With those last words, the chamberlain left.

She could finally get away from the stormy crowd.

“I’m Maria Ashhill, and this girl next to me is Christie Wilton, and we’ll do our best to make you comfortable.”

“Oh, and I’m Ellen Kryant.”

Maria smiled at Ellen’s introduction.

“Why don’t you take a bath first, I’m sure you’re uncomfortable, so we can help you.”

As Maria spoke, Christie disappeared to prepare the bath water.

Soon, they were leading Ellen into the bathroom.

As she was being wheeled away, Ellen asked.

“Are there any other rooms on the top floor besides this one?”

“Yes. His Royal Highness’s bedchamber is right next door.”

“… Are there any others?”

“Yes. This is the only room on the top floor besides where His Highness stays.”

With that answer, the whole situation began to make sense to Ellen.

All of this excessive hospitality was based on an illusion.

Like the fact that the Rose Room she was staying in had been used by princesses throughout history.

‘I thought it was a bit suspicious…’

I mean, what was the crown prince thinking?

It was really amazing.

She knew why the servants acted that way.

But it didn’t solve the underlying question.

How did the man who stormed out with such anger suddenly turn around and make me a guest in the princess’s chambers?

And she was still married to Gillian, with divorce rumors still milling around.

It would be as easy for him to be swept up in the rumors as it would be for me.

Ellen almost groaned at how careless she was being.

‘I know. I mean, the whole reason he got angry in the first place was because he was worried…’

Come to think of it, the man had always been like that.

From a long, long time ago, in a time that is now gone.

She thought she’d seen so many unexpected sides to him over the years, but now that she thought about it, in a way, she was the same.