When I woke up the next morning, the snowstorm had thankfully stopped.
“Wow, it’s beautiful.”
The view out the window was nothing short of breathtaking. As if to prove the snowfall overnight, the whole world was blanketed in white.
I wanted to breathe in the crisp winter air and was about to open the window when Julion reached out from behind and took my hand.
“It’s cold. You’ll catch a cold if you do that.”
His voice rang in my ears—a low, slightly submerged tone that was a slight departure from his usual sweet and gentle voice.
At the same time, the scent of Julion brushing against my nose made my heart unexpectedly warm.
Turning my head, I found Julion’s face right beside my ear.
His still-sleepy golden eyes slowly blinked open and fixed on me with a dreamy gaze.
“You should get more sleep; why are you up so early? You must be tired.”
“I’m fine. You’re the one who looks sleepy.”
In response, Julion chuckled softly, lowering his gaze.
Then he swiftly pulled my hand that was resting on the windowsill.
Before I knew it, I was pulled into Julion’s embrace. It was startling at first, but I found myself unable to escape as my view suddenly changed.
“……!”
I felt something soft against my back. Before I knew it, I was lying back on the bed again.
Julion pulled me closer, burying his face in my neck.
“Yes, you’re still sleepy. So, go back to sleep.”
“…But I’m not sleepy.”
“Then stay like this for a little while longer.”
Julion held me tightly, as if holding something very precious. His gesture was so loving that I couldn’t help but relax into it.
“Just a little longer, okay?”
“Yes, just a little longer.”
Julion let out a satisfied, sleepy laugh. Although I said I would get up, I was indeed tired, and my eyelids began to feel heavy again.
‘Just a very brief moment. I really, really need to close my eyes for just a minute.’
Count to ten. No, fifty… No, one hundred, and then I’ll wake Julion up.
Then hurry back to the palace.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Gasp…!”
As I opened my eyes, everything felt different.
The early morning chill was nowhere to be found, and warm sunlight filled the bed.
When I looked out the window, the sun was already high in the sky.
“Oh my goodness, Julion!”
After counting to a hundred, I had planned to get up and wake Julion up too, but everything had gone awry.
Moreover, Julion, who had put me back to sleep, wasn’t on the bed.
“Are you awake, Rohiriel?”
He was calmly sitting at the table, leisurely drinking coffee.
Feeling quite aggrieved, I frowned deeply and got up.
“What is this, really? It’s all your fault that I fell asleep, too. And if you were going to get up, you should have woken me up rather than enjoying it all by yourself.”
I was about to say more, but my words were cut off.
Specifically, my mouth was covered.
With a light noise, a fragrant coffee aroma spread.
As I stared at Julion, who had just pulled away, he curled his lips into a sly smile and said,
“Enjoying? What’s there to enjoy? I just had a cup of coffee.”
“Why are you smirking like that?”
“Well, enjoying might be the right word. I had a good look and touch at your sleeping face for quite a while.”
Unfair.
I also wanted to freely look at and touch Julion’s defenseless sleeping face.
…No, not that. I just regretted that I couldn’t see that disheveled look from earlier for a little longer.
“Why the sour face?”
“Never mind, let’s go home.”
“Home?”
“The imperial palace… We need to leave before it gets any later. We can’t stay here again tonight.”
“Oh, right. Yes, we should go back home.”
Julion’s smile deepened.
He’s been in a good mood since earlier.
His complexion looks good, too.
I couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed, so I gave him a sidelong glance before starting to prepare to leave.
What hasn’t changed.
After waving goodbye to Ratman and Nadiel, I left the villa.
The path down the mountain was rough. It was due to the snow that had accumulated overnight.
Julion and the knights dug and cleared the snow, almost as if forging a new path.
“Watch your step.”
There were many stones hidden under the snow, so Julion kept stopping and holding my hand to guide me.
After walking for some distance, one of the knights uncovered something red and shiny in the snow pile he had cleared.
If this hadn’t been the Hale Mountains, or if it hadn’t been covered in snow, I would have passed it by.
I stopped and reached out through the scattered snow piles.
“Wait a minute, Julion.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Here, a winter flower has been uprooted.”
It was a red flower called Yukarif, one that blooms only in the Hale Mountain range during the snowy season, and one of the flowers my mother had loved.
At first glance, one might mistake it for a rose due to its color, but its petals are distinctly different upon closer inspection.
“To see a flower blooming in this snow is astonishing.”
“That’s how these flowers are. They’re called Yukarif.”
“Is it also used for medicinal purposes?”
“Well, it could be used as medicine.”
“This means it’s not commonly used.”
“It doesn’t have much medicinal value. It’s more famous as an ornamental flower because of its rarity as a winter flower.”
It even had a pleasant fragrance.
Some called Yukarif’s scent the fragrance of winter.
My mother also adored its refreshing and resilient scent.
“Fortunately, the roots don’t seem damaged. We should take it to the palace.”
“You seem to really like flowers.”
“It’s not for me. I want to put it in my mother’s room.”
If there was anything that could provide a bit more stimulation, I would try anything.
I was reaching the limits of relying on just medicines.
I couldn’t let her sleep like this forever.
“I’m worried because I didn’t check on her yesterday.”
I needed to give her injections at the same time every day.
Due to an unexpected delay in the Hale Mountains, I couldn’t even check on Mother’s condition.
Julion responded calmly to my worried words.
“Don’t worry too much, Rohiriel; I’m sure Hemion Martin will take good care of her.”
“Of course she would; Hemion is a capable physician now.”
She may be a young physician, but I’d taught her how to give injections long ago.
Since I wasn’t there, Hemion must have taken care of everything.
Even though I knew that, I couldn’t help but worry, so I quickened my pace involuntarily.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Dr. Martin, have you organized the list of medicinal herbs I mentioned yesterday?”
“Yes, here it is, Dr. Barmid.”
Hemion handed over the prepared documents to Dr. Barmid.
She was undergoing training under Dr. Barmid’s supervision to learn various practices and methods.
Taking care of patients, studying privately, and attending consultations at the clinic made the life of a trainee physician incredibly demanding.
However, Hemion was joyfully managing all aspects of life.
“Well done. Next, let’s organize information about medicinal herbs that can be used as poisons.”
“Yes!”
In response to Hemion’s energetic answer, Dr. Barmid chuckled and stroked his beard.
“When you’re done with that, you can directly see patients related to the information you’ve compiled.”
“Thank you!”
Hemion bowed gratefully.
Dr. Barmid looked down at her with a kindly gaze, as if looking at a grandchild.
“You look like you’re busy, so get to work.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
After finishing the conversation, Hemion turned and left the infirmary.
Out of nowhere, Ares appeared, smiling brightly.
“Hemion Martin, where are you going?”
“Oh, you startled me…! I told you not to sneak up like that!”
“What do you mean ‘sneak up’? I’ve been walking from over there.”
“Whatever.”
“Yeah, whatever. Where are you going? Busy?”
Ares asked, following closely behind the hurriedly walking Hemion.
Hemion adjusted the medical box in her arms and replied.
“To Garnet Palace. Aren’t you busy, Sir Ares?”
“Not really. I’m on vacation these days. But why Garnet Palace? Her Highness isn’t even there.”
“Because Her Highness isn’t there.”
She had said she would just be gone for a bit yesterday, but in the end, she didn’t return until now.
While Julion and the knights went with her, she wasn’t overly worried, but it was still concerning.
‘Her Highness wouldn’t be absent for long, especially regarding Lady Shahadna.’
Yesterday was the time to inject Lady Shahadna with medicine; Rohiriel hadn’t returned, so Hemion had to give the injection herself.
She had done it several times before without error, but the burden on her mind hadn’t fully gone away.
Now she was on her way to administer the morning injection.
“What will you do after work?”
“Study.”
“And after studying?”
“Work.”
“And after… work?”
“Study.”
At Hemion’s monotone response, Ares eventually stopped in his tracks.
As he watched Hemion’s backside shuffle away, Ares yelled at her.
“You’re not eating, not sleeping! Work, study, work, study! What’s with that?”
“Oh, I didn’t mention eating and sleeping because it’s a given.”
Even as she walked away, Hemion dutifully responded to Ares.
Eventually, Ares grumbled, but he caught up with Hemion again.
“Let’s talk. Make some time for me.”
“Maybe later, but I’m really busy right now.”
“You, really……!”
Ares’s crimson eyes scrutinized Hemion. Hemion glanced at Ares briefly, then quickly turned away.
“I’m really busy! Don’t follow me!”
“Hey, Hemion Martin!”
Ignoring Ares’s call, Hemion slipped into Garnet Palace.
The attendant who managed the palace greeted her, but Hemion had no time to respond.
‘Ah, seriously! This is driving me crazy.’
It was obvious Ares wanted to have a serious conversation, but Hemion wasn’t mentally prepared for that.
Hemion felt herself getting heated for some reason; her face flushed.
She fanned herself to cool down and swiftly entered Shahadna’s room, where she was sleeping.
“Excuse me, ah.”
She didn’t expect an answer, but out of habit, Hemion greeted her anyway.
Unexpectedly, she heard a response, and Hemion widened her eyes.
“Yes, so you’ve come in place of the princess.”
“Your Majesty, the Empress?”
“Why so surprised? I’ve come to visit the sick.”
The Empress smiled as she set down a tea cup.
“Oh, yes. Um, then I’ll quickly check on the patient.”
“Don’t mind me, and take your time.”
It was not uncommon for the Empress to come here, so Hemion quickly composed herself and approached the bedside.
As Hemion gently found the vein and administered the injection, the Empress’ soothing voice was heard again.
“I see you’ve been learning from the princess.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, administering injections.”
“Ah, yes. I’m still quite inexperienced…”
“That’s great. I have to brace myself to even look at you.”
“Haha…….”
Hemion awkwardly laughed as she finished the injection.
The Empress kept talking, making her nervous.
“Then rest well, Your Majesty.”
With that, Hemion turned away before she could see Shahadna’s finger twitch ever so slightly.
