27.
The duke said,
“If you take proper care of yourself, the wound will heal quickly.”
“Yes, I’ll rest well. But you really didn’t have to bring me back in person.”
“I wanted to. Don’t worry about it.”
The hands Jaka had wrapped around me suddenly tightened.
I could feel a fury close to hostility.
As if telling him to calm down, I lightly tapped Jaka on the shoulder.
The duke’s gaze flicked to my hand resting on Jaka’s shoulder, then lowered.
“It’s all my fault.”
“Pardon?”
“You were hurt because of me.”
I had not expected him to blame himself over this, and for a moment, I was at a loss for words.
“……That can’t be true.”
Now that I thought about it, he seemed to be thinking that way because he had taken me to the hunting festival.
“It’s not as if Your Grace knows everything that happens in the world. Nor can you prevent everything.”
I shrugged and added,
“I survived thanks to you, Duke.”
“…….”
“You’re not going to stop me from even saying thank you, are you?”
The duke silently nodded.
Though I wasn’t sure whether he had truly accepted it.
“If there is anything you wish to know about this incident, you may ask me.”
“Mm, is that really information I’m allowed to know?”
I doubted the imperial family would treat matters related to heresy lightly.
Of course, there probably weren’t many people who knew at this point that it was a matter of “heresy”…….
“Then we need only become close enough to share confidential matters.”
I felt Jaka’s body go rigid with tension.
I patted Jaka’s shoulder a little harder than before.
I told you it wasn’t the duke’s fault.
Even while being held, I could see Jaka’s brow and eyebrows twitching.
Fortunately, however, he did not interrupt my conversation with the duke and remained a quiet third party a little longer.
The truth was, my eyelids had been growing heavy again for a while now.
After receiving simple emergency treatment at the scene, I had spent the entire trip back to the manor repeatedly falling asleep and waking up.
I had also been told that the medicine I’d taken could make me drowsy.
And since that meant I had needed medicine that strong, a fresh chill ran through me.
Still, they said that once I fully recovered, I would have no trouble walking.
But the thought of recuperating in bed for the time being made the future look bleak.
On top of that, they were sure to forbid me from drinking……. That was the real problem.
When I delayed my answer, the duke spoke again.
“You may come to me at any time. I will be waiting.”
To be honest, what had happened today had sparked my interest in heresy.
There was probably no one who knew more about them than Duke Gladinair.
And if I became his subordinate, wouldn’t it be easy to pass off whatever I investigated as work-related confidential business from now on?
“Well…… I’ll think about it.”
To realize that I had gone to persuade him, only to be persuaded myself, I was honestly far too exhausted.
After barely managing to answer, I sank straight into a deep, hazy sleep.
* * *
Something cool touched my forehead.
It felt so good that when I leaned my forehead into it and rubbed against it, the cool sensation moved down to my cheek.
Then, this time, the nape of my neck felt hot. I wanted it to touch my nape, and as I struggled alone, perhaps noticing what I wanted, the cool touch that had been wandering hesitantly gently brushed past my earlobe and jaw, then moved down and covered the nape of my neck.
I suddenly opened my eyes.
All the bed curtains had been drawn, and something that might have been lamplight or sunlight was faintly diffused before my eyes.
Seeing that my vision was hazy and damp, it seemed the area around my eyes had grown moist from fever.
When I straightened my head, I saw the familiar ceiling beside my bed.
Though I had no sense of time, it felt as if I had been bedridden with fever for at least a full day.
Blinking, I waited for my mind to gradually clear, and once again distinctly felt the sensation moving at the nape of my neck.
I didn’t even have the strength to tilt my head, so I only rolled my eyes downward.
And…… I found him.
A man sitting with his body leaning between the curtains, half-draped in a hazy light.
‘Did I…… possibly die?’
For a moment, I wondered if I had come face-to-face with some being descended from heaven.
Wow…….
He’s handsome.
Seriously.
An absolute beauty that could easily crush the petty preferences of a mere human sat at the edge of my bed.
He was even faintly glowing.
Wrapped in a dazed feeling, I continued my thoughts in no particular order.
So this was what people meant by radiating light from within.
……But wait, it really does look like he’s glowing.
I began to feel genuinely confused as to whether something was wrong with my eyes or my head.
He was even gently stroking the nape of my neck, and each time he did, it felt so cool and pleasant that I thought I might start purring and let out a moan at any moment.
Fortunately, of course, I was still preserving my dignity as a human being for now.
……While earnestly hoping that I had not lost my dignity even as I hovered on the brink of death, I carefully opened my mouth.
“Lord Izanar.”
It was Prien Izanar.
The lashes that had cast shadows beneath his beautifully closed eyes lifted, and red eyes took me in.
His shining, long silver hair slid down from his shoulder.
To be honest, I wanted to touch it a little.
I simply didn’t have the strength to move even a finger.
But then…….
The face of this man, who had been updating the very pinnacle of beauty in real time, suddenly crumpled, and a sorrowful light welled up in it.
Tears shimmered in his vivid red eyes, and clear droplets fell, rolling down his cheeks.
My heart dropped with a thud, wondering if I had perhaps unknowingly committed some irreversible, terrible sin against him.
If he had not continued speaking, I might have apologized blindly first.
“Baron. Are you all right?”
I quickly nodded.
Then he carefully withdrew his hand from the nape of my neck.
His tear-stained eyes, having read the faint regret that crossed mine, flashed darkly for an instant.
But what drew my attention more than that was the fact that the moment he took his hand away from me, the light that had gradually been circling around him died down.
……What? So he really was glowing?
Perhaps reading my shocked gaze, he wiped his tear-streaked cheeks and said,
“I used divine power. Skin-to-skin contact is the most effective method, so…….”
So all of that light had been emitted by divine power?
Upon learning the truth, I quickly regained my composure.
What a relief. There was nothing wrong with my eyes. My head was fine too.
Only after a long while since coming to my senses was I able to bring up a question that felt somewhat overdue.
“But why are you here?”
I decided to pretend not to notice that it was a rather cold question to ask someone who had cried because I woke up.
“……Wounds inflicted by heresy sometimes do not heal easily, so I felt I could not possibly be at ease unless I examined you myself.”
“…….”
“I know it was my fault for shamelessly coming here like this. And for entering your bedroom without permission.”
He bowed his head deeply.
For a person to be this docile and this harsh on himself…….
Still, now he definitely felt like a person.
A moment ago, he had really seemed unreal.
The shock of opening my eyes and immediately witnessing a beauty enveloped in radiant divine power lingered for quite some time.
“No, thank you.”
I cleared my roughened throat, then asked again.
“How long was I asleep?”
“A day and half a day.”
Seeing my gaze move beyond the curtains drawn around the bed, Prien asked,
“The person called Julie went to see the physician. Shall I call her for you?”
“Ah, then… what about Zaka?”
Prien answered a beat late.
“…Well. I don’t know.”
He bowed his head to me, then brought his face—now with not a trace of tears left—close to mine.
“If there is anything you need done, you may tell me.”
Where had the person who had just gently whispered, “Shall I call her for you?” disappeared to? Had he sunk into the ground?
“…Don’t priests have some rule about not lying or anything like that?”
“I am not a priest.”
“…You’re even more shameless than I thought.”
Prien smiled faintly.
Then his gaze slowly moved from my forehead down to the nape of my neck.
“It seems your fever has gone down somewhat.”
“Divine power is a good thing, isn’t it? I’m getting better so quickly.”
He stared at me for a moment.
Then he slowly turned his gaze away at an angle and answered.
“It’s rare, but there are cases where the compatibility is unusually good. They say there are people on whom, with even a very small amount… the healing power can be fully exerted.”
“….”
“For me, just now was such a case. It was the first time it had ever happened.”
“….”
“I was truly… happy.”
I carefully turned his words over in my mind, then asked,
“Because it made you feel as if we were, what, destined for each other?”
“No.”
He whispered.
“Because I, and no one else, could be of help to you, Baron.”