CH 11

gulp.

I saw you swallowing your saliva.

“Eat.”

As Rylenne held out the sausage to Aiden, Aiden looked down.

“… … Do you think you are poisoned again?”

Oh no, I forgot to mention excuses.

Rylaine lowered her eyes and nodded slightly.

“Hmmmm, yes.”

Aiden accepted the sausage only then. Just like the last time, it was an instant to eat.

Rylenne knew exactly what the word meant to eat in a pinch was used in situations like this.

It was said that the handling was bad, but as the eldest son of the Bedsian duchy, he would have been on an elite course, but Aiden ate sausage in a hurry to save face.

The busy movement of the hand suddenly stopped, as if the throat was blocked.

'Ew.'

Rylaine hurriedly poured a glass of water and held it out to Aiden.

Aiden reached out and his fingers touched.

He hastily put his hand away.

'Yunan with just a finger touch.'

The more he looked, the more Aiden looked more like a herbivore than a beast of prey.

“Come on, drink. I don’t want to see the absurdity of choking to death while eating in a hurry.”

Only then did Aiden reach out again and take the glass of water.

I could see his earlobes turning red.

Aiden gulps down the water and seems to realize that he hurriedly ate his sausage.

'It's really easy to understand.'

“Poison is… … There is not."

Of course not.

That sausage is made from black pig, a specialty of the Ergen dukedom.

Finely ground black pork, which is classified as the highest grade, is filled with more than 90% of the sausage.

'Next time I'll prepare it with beef.'

It's got a lot more protein than pork. Is there anything else you want to eat?

Rylane, who was worried, asked.

“Do you have any favorite food?”

Aiden made a puzzled face.

“… … yes?"

“Don't make me say it twice! I asked if there was a favorite food!”

He felt Aiden looking at him strangely.

But Aiden answered right away, as if he didn't want to argue.

“My favorite food is… … There is nothing.”

don't have anything?

How can you not have your favorite food?

“Really… … ?”

Aiden sighed at the persistent question. he looked exhausted

"just… … It reminds me of warm food.”

For a moment, I felt pity.

He said that he could only eat simple food during the three-month war, and even ate grass while enduring in the hills.

And even after coming here, I could only eat bread.

They gave me mushroom soup, but it wasn't warm because it took a while to cook.

'I'll remember the warm food!'

Rylenne wrote down Aiden's words in her head.

“It is my job as a warden to know clearly about prisoners! That's why I'm asking, so don't expect anything strange!”

And he didn't forget to make excuses in case Aiden misunderstood.

Fortunately, Aiden didn't seem to mind.

'Come to think of it, the bruises on my face have subsided a lot.'

Aiden had a quick recovery. I don't know if it's because of his male lead buff, but he's noticeably improved in a few days.

If he recovers like this, he will be able to escape this place before the end of the year.

Lailene was looking at Aiden with a satisfied face, but Aiden's eyes were turning red.

Then he slowly lowered his head.

'what?'

Why are you doing this all of a sudden? Where else are you sick?

Lailene hurriedly got up from her seat and moved closer to Aiden.

Then he grabbed Aiden's chin and lifted his face.

“Are you sick again?”

Aiden's eyes turned elsewhere.

“That, not that… … .”

“Isn’t that what it is?”

“It was because I was staring too hard.”

Aiden hesitated and continued.

“The face… … Isn't it ugly?”

Lailenne thought it was surprising that Aiden was so concerned.

It wasn't unsightly, of course, but it certainly wasn't far-fetched.

The same was true of his rag-like clothes, his messy hair, and most of all, the purple bruises covering his face.

But what does that matter when you are standing at the crossroads of survival?

Mentioning her appearance suddenly reminded me of Helis.

It wasn't as good as Carverion, but he was definitely a handsome man with a cute impression.

[It's enough to defeat a beast that doesn't listen. Because pain works for both animals and humans.]

But remembering what Helis had said, his face looked ugly.

Rylane murmured.

“More than appearance, a bad personality makes a person look ugly.”

Aiden was staring blankly at himself.

Lailene realized that she had strangely comforted Aiden.

I hurried away from Aiden.

“Certainly, a thin body is unattractive, so eat a lot for the time being!”

Then, he took out the glass bottle he had brought with him. It was a medicine specially formulated with ingredients that quickly relieved bruises.

When I told Helen I needed this medicine, I was startled and asked where the bruise was.

I couldn't bear to say that I would give it to Aiden, and I was just sweating over it, but Aiden doesn't know what he's doing.

But what can I do?

Aiden never had to know this for the rest of his life.

Rylenne held out a vial of medicine to Aiden.

“Okay, take it.”

Aiden inspected the suspicious glass bottle. The vial contained a yellow liquid.

“It is a medicine that quickly relieves bruises.”

“Why are you doing this… … .”

Rylenne shouted, clearing her throat.

“The bruises are ugly, so treat them with these!”

I handed over the glass bottle as if tossing it, and Aiden accepted it without hesitation.

'Hoo, I've done everything I have to do today.'

Lailene got up from her seat.

“… … Are you leaving?”

"okay. I have a lot of work to do.”

In fact, when I go up, I will be in the room all the time. Rylenne's daily routine was to come here.

But I can't stay here with Aiden and go back, so I'll have to go back.

Rylaine got up and brushed off the dust from her clothes. There was too much dust here.

Thinking that they should do some cleaning next time, Aiden carefully grabbed Rylenne's clothes.

"for a moment… … .”

“What is it?”

“Someone said it was like poisoning the food.”

Rylane blinked.

'… … I did.'

It was a lie to say that the food was poisoned, but it was true that his life was threatened recently.

I fed Aiden again today, saying that the sausage was poisoned.

"okay."

“My opinion is a little different. If you don't mind... … Can I check it out for a minute?”

How do I check it?

Rylenne thought Aiden's words were vague, but he didn't seem to have any ill intentions.

But it felt strange that Aiden was suddenly benevolent.

'no… … If that's the case, I'm the strangest.'

Thinking of Aiden, who was more calm than she thought, Lailenne concluded that it wouldn't matter if they checked.

“Check it out.”

“Then wait… … .”

Aiden tucked Rylenne's hair over the front of her left shoulder.

When the right nape of her neck was exposed to the cold air, Rylaine immediately flinched.

“… … Excuse me."

Aiden quietly approached and slowly lowered his head on the nape of his neck.

'Ah, what is this all of a sudden... … ?'

His face didn't touch, but the sound of his breathing reached my ears. It tickled as his feeble breath brushed against his skin.

Why do I have to come this close to check?

I was contemplating whether I should push it or not, but Aiden gently stroked the nape of my neck.

very relaxed and soft.

I felt strange. The first situation she encounters is somewhat strange.

The moment Rylaine was at a loss for what to do with her mouth,

“It’s done.”

Aiden walked away.

“I checked it because there was a star-shaped red spot on the nape of my neck, and it looks the same as when I used sancho.”

“Sanacho… … ?”

“Sancho is a drug that acts as a sedative. However, if used excessively, it acts like a poison.”

Aiden rubbed his chin and muttered quietly.

“If the red spots spread like this... … I don't think it's being used for good.”

Rylaine frowned at the first sound she heard.

But looking at Aiden's serious expression, it didn't look like he was playing a joke.

“How do you usually use the medicine called sanacho?”

“I use it to make scented candles. It works by smelling it. Since it is only used on mortally wounded soldiers, ordinary lawmakers will not know much about Sancho.”

That's why the doctors who went through Rylenne didn't know about this.

Lailene pondered how the culprit used sancho on her.

“A scented candle… … .”

Lailene thought of the room where she stayed the longest, but there were no scented candles.

“If you wanted to do it secretly, you could have put it on something that would smell like sanacho. for example… … Like flowers.”

Railene raised her head at Aiden's low voice.

There was something that immediately came to mind.

'magnolia.'

Like Aiden said, it exhaled a strong scent and stayed in the room all year round.

Only then did Ryrene know for sure.

It was a fact, not a dream, that someone was trying to kill him.

Besides, he wasn't using food, he was using the magnolia in the room to weaken Rylenne's body.

“When the hell did you see the birthmark on the nape of my neck?”

Aiden slowly turned his gaze to the floor.

“… … The day I came back with her hair tied up, I caught a glimpse.”

Come to think of it, I had my hair tied up yesterday.

Still, the spot was in a place where I couldn't even see it well. So, I mean, you have a good eye.

Admiring Rylaine, she held Aiden's hand tightly with both hands.

Thanks to Aiden, I learned a great truth.

'This smart guy.'

Rylenne's heat touched Aiden's cold hand.

“Aiden, go… … !”

“… … .”

Aiden's hardened expression was reflected in Rylenne's sparkling eyes.

"go… … .”

For a moment, Rylaine realized that not only had she almost thanked Aiden, but she was holding his hand.

"sweet potato… … .”

It seemed as if Aiden was staring at the sudden outburst of words, as if asking what nonsense he was talking about.

I had to stay calm the more I did.

Rylaine raised her chin proudly.

“I’ll bring sweet potatoes next time.”

“Sweet potatoes shouldn’t have been poisoned.”

“How dare you throw up at my words! It's just because the yield of sweet potatoes is so high that it's difficult to process them.”

Aiden just stared at Rylaine.

Embarrassed at raising her voice alone, Rylenne hurriedly prepared to leave.

“Then come tomorrow. Until then, apply medicine and sleep well.”

After escaping from the cell, Rylaine collected her panicked feelings.

Then he turned around and looked at the cell where Aiden was being held.

'thinking about it… … . Why did Aiden tell me that I smell like medicine?'

There would be no reason to tell you.

Perhaps he didn't notice his favor... … ?

Still unsure, but feeling a sense of crisis, Lailenne decided that starting tomorrow, she would be a little colder towards Aiden.

Rylenne, who narrowed her brows and looked at the cell, turned her head again.

First, I had to go back to my room and get rid of the damn magnolia right away, and find out who was applying the medicine called sanacho.