Dead-End Villainess Who Makes Medicine

Julion naturally guided me to the bed.

As I plopped down, a small teacup was held out to me.

 

“Ginger lemon tea. It’ll warm you up.”

“Oh… thank you.”

 

I took a hearty sip, and the refreshing yet sweet taste lingered on my tongue.

It tasted even better than I expected, and in no time, the cup was empty.

Julion chuckled as he looked at me.

 

“Rest for a bit. I’ll go wash up.”

 

With that, he headed into the bathroom.

Zenid helped me, but Julion didn’t bring Freck.

Will he wash alone?

Meaningless thoughts swirled through my head.

Then suddenly, my gaze fell on the narrow bed.

Even in the imperial palace, we would often share a bed when it was time for intimate relations.

Aside from that, we often slept together for reasons like gossip from others.

But during all that time, we truly only slept side by side on the bed, nothing more.

 

‘The bed in the imperial palace was big enough for two people.’

 

But this is a mountain villa, and a guest room at that.

The bed was big, but barely big enough for two people.

 

‘Now I can’t say we should use separate rooms.’

 

Since I visited without notice, they suddenly had to clean three guest rooms.

My and Julion’s room, Zenid’s room, and the room for the knights who came as escorts.

Since Julion and I are married, naturally we were given the same room.

 

“Sigh…”

 

In the past, I would have just thought it was a bit uncomfortable.

But these days, Julion…

 

“Rohiriel, why do you look so serious? What are you thinking about?”

 

I was momentarily startled and almost dropped the teacup.

I cleared my throat and swallowed dry saliva.

 

“Oh, you’re already out? Why so quick…”

 

But I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Julion walked out, his footsteps leaving wet marks, his hair damp, and his robe loosely worn.

His white face contrasted with his wet black hair, which glistened with moisture.

Seemingly bothered by the strands of hair falling over his eyes, he swept them back.

In a fleeting moment, his robe opened slightly, revealing his chest.

 

“I don’t think I was that fast. Anyway, is something the matter?”

 

Julion scanned the room, moving closer to me.

With each step, droplets trickled down his jawline.

I instinctively stepped back, tapping my hands against my thighs.

 

“Oh, no, it’s nothing… really.”

 

As Julion came closer, the scent of soap wafted through the air.

It felt like my lips were dry and parched. Without realizing it, I licked my lower lip and swallowed nervously.

Was it because the room was quiet? That sound seemed to echo particularly loudly.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Julion’s gaze suddenly bore into me.

As we stared at each other, I awkwardly smiled and moved towards the corner of the bed, feeling my face heat up inexplicably.

 

“Well, I’ll go to sleep first. You rest well too.”

“Just a moment, Rohiriel.”

 

However, Julion climbed onto the bed after me and grabbed my wrist.

 

“There’s something I want you to see.”

“What……?”

 

A warmth surged from the gripped wrist, heating up fiercely.

I pushed myself back up as nonchalantly as I could, pulling my hand away.

Luckily, Julion didn’t seem intent on holding on, and he let go easily.

Instead, he turned his back to me and lowered his robe. I was startled by the sudden exposure of his bare skin and exclaimed,

 

“Wha… What are you doing right now?”

 

My heart started pounding as if it might fall to the ground at any moment.

But Julion, acting as if nothing was wrong, spoke in a calm voice.

 

“The scar I received as a child still hurts sometimes, and I was hoping you could look at it.”

“This… this is too forward, Julion! Even though we’re married, I haven’t prepared myself for… What? Scar?”

 

As I blurted out words without knowing what I was saying, I suddenly snapped back to reality at the mention of scars that caught my ears.

Julion’s exposed back was as pale as his face, but the muscles were toned and firm overall.

There were noticeable scars scattered here and there.

As I hesitated and mumbled, Julion turned his head to glance at me and replied.

 

“Yes. Scars. What were you thinking?”

 

I nervously bit my lower lip at his subtly gleaming golden eyes and slightly lifted corners of his mouth.

Julion was clearly enjoying this situation.

He was deliberately trying to startle me even more.

Finding it rather annoying, I decisively pulled down Julion’s robe all the way.

 

“……!”

 

Julion twitched as if surprised, but he didn’t stop me.

The robe, hanging on his wing bones, slid down to fully reveal his lower back.

As Julion had said, there really was a significant scar.

It appeared to be an old, sutured wound.

Now that I think about it, I vaguely remember catching a glimpse of it when treating his injury from Roxis before.

I reached out without hesitation and gently touched the scar.

 

“I remember this. I mentioned it was stitched up by a clumsy physician from the Yalon Kingdom.”

“…… That’s right. You criticized the clumsy stitching.”

 

Julion replied with a hint of laughter in his voice.

I rubbed the scar and shook my head.

 

“But does it sometimes hurt? It’s an old scar now, so there shouldn’t be any reason for it to hurt.”

 

It was marked by clumsy stitching, but still, it was just an old scar.

Until now, it hasn’t been painful.

I leaned closer to get a better look, and Julion gave a small laugh.

 

“Your breath tickles.”

“…Can you explain more about how it hurts?”

“Mmm. It’s kind of tingling.”

“Tingling?”

“It feels itchy.”

“What?”

“I wanted to show that I’ve healed well. That’s all.”

“No, what do you mean?”

 

I straightened up again and looked at Julion’s face. I adjusted my posture and looked directly at Julion’s face again.

He was smiling gently, though I could only see the side of his face.

 

“To the person who treated this wound, I wanted to show them how well I’ve healed.”

 

I found it difficult to understand what he was saying.

He was clearly speaking the Imperial language, so why did I have to make such an effort to interpret his words?

As I waited, perplexed, for Julion to continue, I heard a soft chuckle from him.

 

“It was here, in the Hale Mountains, that I received this wound as a child.”

 

Julion’s voice became nostalgic as he recalled old memories.

 

“Back then, during a snowstorm like this, it was impossible to see even an inch ahead.”

 

The window rattled a few times, as if echoing Julion’s words.

Simultaneously, a thought flashed through my mind.

Hale Mountains, snowstorms, Yalon’s traces, a young child.

 

“I don’t even remember when I lost consciousness. I thought that was the end, buried in the snow.”

“Surely, you’re not…”

“When I opened my eyes, the wound had already been treated, and the most beautiful physician was sleeping beside me.”

 

Julion pulled his robe back up and turned his body.

His face, facing me directly, wasn’t clear due to the shadows, but his golden eyes staring at me were clear.

 

“It was a girl with hair the color of water. I didn’t know her eyes were such a beautiful shade of blue because she was asleep.”

 

Julion’s hand brushed my eyelid.

My eyelids fluttered open at the touch of his large, warm hand.

I placed my hand on top of Julion’s hand.

 

“Julion, so you were…”

 

You were that child?

I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t find the words.

The corners of Julion’s mouth curled up in a gentle arc.

He spoke slowly, as if looking into my mind.

 

“Yes. I was that little child, buried in the snow, dying. It was thanks to you that I was saved as Rohiriel’s first patient.”

 

This was something I had never thought about, not once.

I had never imagined it.

My first patient, the child who made me who I am today, the little kid I had always wondered about…

 

“Julion, it was you.”

 

Indescribably complex emotions rushed through me.

I held Julion’s hand quietly, trying to sort through my thoughts.

Looking at me like he understood, Julion spoke with a hint of resentment.

 

“How can you not recognize your own stitches?”

“No, it’s just that it’s been too long. You see, scars change a lot as a person grows up. That’s why it’s amazing if I could recognize it.”

“Your hair color has changed, but mine has always been black, just like before and now. That’s enough to make me recognizable.”

“It’s not like you’re the only one with black hair! Well, not a lot, of course, but still.”

 

It was at that moment.

Julion’s hand, which had been touching my eyelid, gently moved down, and his thumb was firmly pressed against my lips.

The tension between Julion and me was palpable.

I don’t know who initiated it.

Whether I closed my eyes first or felt the touch on my lips first, I’m not sure.

But what I clearly remember is Julion’s arms firmly holding me close.

 

“I love you, Rohiriel.”

 

It was a sweet whisper in my ear.

Many times, filled with excitement, passionately, and endlessly.