How long has it been since he planned to put shackles on me? His decisiveness is really top-notch.
Damn, the obsession passed down from Duke Pertelian’s grandfather remains strong.
“W-Why is something like that here? Those are for criminals!”
“You know well.”
Suddenly, Kasion leaned towards me, and a fragrant scent emanated from him. Unintentionally, my nose wrinkled, just like when he had done this before. Then, his fingers touched my nose. His hand felt slightly hot as if his desire had ignited.
“Are you planning to put that on me?”
“If you don’t listen, there’s no other choice, is there?”
My eyes widened. The door was already closed. Maybe it was locked from the outside. Perhaps the knights of the duchy were guarding the entrance. There was no escape route for me anymore. Tears welled up in my eyes.
“So, behave yourself.”
“No. Let me out.”
“I can’t.”
“Why? You signed the pledge of non-confinement!” I screamed desperately, but Kasion only sneered.
“And how does that matter right now?”
“Kasion, that’s too much! How could you break your promise?”
“What’s the point of the pledge if I didn’t even confine you?”
How shameless. Kasion had shut the door and barred people from entering, yet pretended otherwise.
When I glared at him in frustration, he sighed softly. “You never listened since you were young, and you’re still like this.”
Does that mean he’s wanted to confine me since childhood?
“Sit quietly and get treated.”
“T-Treated? Then what are the shackles for?”
“You’re not injured enough to struggle, so there’s no need for shackles. I’m just going to apply a poultice and some herbs.”
I blinked. Did I just misunderstand something entirely?
“Struggle?”
“Yes. Knights often break bones or get arrows stuck in their bodies. Sometimes the pain causes them to thrash, making it hard to treat them properly.”
“Ah…”
“So, the shackles are there to restrain patients during treatment so they don’t thrash around.”
So this was the knights’ infirmary.
“But what on earth were you imagining?”
“N-Nothing… It’s just a scene from a novel the maids were reading.”
“I should take a look at that. I need to confirm what kind of story made you have such bizarre thoughts.”
“Absolutely not!” I was flustered and waved my arms.
Kasion narrowed his eyes. “Why not? What’s in it?”
How could I explain that? If he read it, all the maids in our household would undoubtedly be punished.
“Y-You don’t need to know. Just treat me quickly so I can leave. I need to fix the cross and attach it to my clothes. I’m busy.”
“Alright. Put your foot out.”
This… was a bit…
A lady doesn’t just show her foot to anyone. If he was going to treat me, I’d also have to take off my socks. That was a bit embarrassing.
“My feet are dirty…”
“I’ll wash them for you.”
“That’s even worse!”
Kasion frowned. “Last time, when your shoe heel broke—”
“I was wearing shoes and socks then! And we’re not even lovers yet. If we were lovers, Brother Serhen might get angry if he found out…”
The words slipped out of my mouth without thinking. For some reason, Kasion agreed, scrunching his nose as he had earlier.
“Fine. I’ll have the maids at the march take care of it.”
That much I could handle. I nodded, and this time, Kasion grabbed a towel and leaned toward my upper body.
“But we should ice your bruises right away. You might end up wearing a dress with bruises at Serhen’s wedding.”
“Where are the bruises?”
I let him continue. He carefully placed an extremely cold towel on my body. It touched my neck, near my shoulder, close to my collarbone.
“Ah…”
“The bruise isn’t that big. But won’t your dress expose your shoulders? It’ll be noticeable.”
He knew my taste in dresses quite well.
“Besides, the shape…”
“What’s wrong with the shape?”
“It looks like… a kiss mark.”
This could easily be misunderstood.
My face turned red, and I became quiet. I sat still like a statue until Kasion finished applying the ointment after the cold compress, hoping the mark would disappear soon.
“It may not be gone completely by today. From tomorrow, do warm compresses and apply the herbal ointment diligently. That will help it fade faster.”
This was getting a bit awkward.
* * *
I returned home with Kasion. From the moment we boarded the carriage to the time I settled on the sofa, he showed no intention of leaving.
“Aren’t you… going home?”
“I want to make sure you’re properly treated before I leave.”
The maids noticed Kasion’s watchful eyes and nervously brought hot water and herbs for my foot bath.
“After the treatment, bring shoes with almost no heels.”
“I’m perfectly fine walking.”
Honestly, I still didn’t understand why Kasion’s support had been necessary. I even had to stop him from carrying me down from the carriage like a princess. What a sly man.
“Injuries like this often don’t hurt until the next day. By tomorrow, your whole body might ache.”
“Really?”
“Yes. As someone who’s been through battles, I know that well. You’ve worked hard for Serhen’s wedding. Don’t you want to be a perfect bridesmaid?”
“That’s right…”
“I don’t want my bridesmaid partner to be a mess either. You know I despise imperfection.”
I agreed with his logic and nodded.
At that moment, a small creature scampered toward me with a whimpering sound.
“Milk, I’m fine.”
The little thing wagged its tail enthusiastically as it jumped into my arms, still shaking its tail wildly and licking my face.
“…”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just thinking it doesn’t seem fit to raise it as a military dog.”
“Of course. This isn’t a battlefield.”
“I suppose…”
He looked somewhat dissatisfied. Perhaps he regretted giving Milk to me.
“Anyway, thank you for today.”
“Since it has come to this, I’ll take responsibility till the end.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, I’ll escort you all the way to Veloire.”
For some reason, it felt like Kasion wasn’t willing to leave my side today. He even glanced outside as if monitoring the surroundings.
I knew the reason without him having to explain. It was because the presence of Viscount Kainum had him on edge. Could that man be nearby?
“We’re ready, Your Grace, Milady,” Selvia said, clearly tense.
But Kasion showed no sign of moving.
“Kasion?”
“Why? I need to make sure the maids do their job properly.”
“But if you stay here, what’s the point of me being treated at home?”
“Why not?”
I gave a knowing glance to Selvia and the butler. Nervous, Selvia retreated behind me, but the experienced butler from the Mellin family stepped forward.
“A lady who is unmarried should only show her bare feet to certain individuals.”
Kasion raised an eyebrow in displeasure. “Marquis Mellin and I are practically family.”
Is this the predatory instinct of a beast that never lets go until it’s completely devoured its prey? His persistence was impressive.
“Besides, I’ve already bathed with Ariel when we were kids…”
“That was ages ago!” My face flushed as I shouted at Kasion, throwing a cushion from the sofa at him. “Get out! I told you earlier, not yet! If you want to see my bare feet, become my lover first!”
I barely managed to chase him out. Kasion had been described as a calculating man in the books. Now, it seemed my future had changed, and so had his personality.
Why does he keep pushing forward like this? This is too… dangerous.
* * *
Finally, I gathered my things and headed to Veloire. Kasion stayed true to his word and stuck by my side. He even kept an eye on the surroundings more diligently than the knights who accompanied him.
“As Serhen must have told you, my knights will always be nearby, guarding you.”
“Thank you.”
“You may feel uneasy, but don’t be afraid. If you’re ever in danger, I’ll come running.”
Kasion’s words reminded me of that day. The day I was kidnapped… He had been the first to arrive. I couldn’t remember much of what happened after that, but I would never forget his furious face as he came charging toward me. At the time, I thought he acted out of friendship for Serhen, but now, seeing his recent behavior, I was reconsidering. Did he like me even back then?
I fiddled with the cross in my hand, my lips parting slightly. But I couldn’t bring myself to ask him. My heart was pounding too much to question his feelings.
“We’ve arrived. Get off.”
Before I could ask, the carriage stopped in front of Veloire. Once again, Kasion got out first and waited, ready to catch me if I jumped down.
“Take my hand.”
Lost in thought, I had forgotten I was still holding the cross, so I reached out. The cross slipped from my hand and tumbled down the steps.
“I’ll get it. Don’t bend over.”
Kasion retrieved the cross from under the carriage. His gaze flashed sharply for a moment. Was it my imagination?
“Ariel!”
At that moment, I heard Serhen’s voice from Veloire. He rushed toward the carriage, but he didn’t get too close. He had a guilty conscience.
“You’re here, Kasion.”
Kasion and Serhen exchanged a long look. Serhen had likely already heard the story from Lireania.
“Is that all you have to say to me?”
Kasion’s face showed that he couldn’t forgive Serhen. Holding the cross, his fist swung toward Serhen.
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