* * *
Chaser was annoyed.
The child looked fine, without any injuries, though it was only natural since Wilhazelle had thrown her whole body in front of his to shield him. However, she didn’t even take care of her own body and only worried about the child. He was angry, but couldn’t even figure out why he was so furious.
“Me? I’m okay, of course.”
Lizelle blinked, her eyes wide open.
‘Why is this person suddenly so irritated?’
Just by looking at him, she could tell he was upset. Anyone who sees him would think she harmed Raphel when she grabbed him.
“Hah. Can you get up?”
Chaser forced down his anger as much as possible and spoke with a deep sigh. Right now, the person in front of him came first, not his emotions.
“Hmm… No, I don’t think I can.”
Lizelle, straining her legs to stand up, soon gave up. It was as if the muscles had been reduced to nothing, there was little strength left in her body.
“Lizelle… Sob.”
Meanwhile, Raphel was still making a fuss about going to Lizelle.
“Raphel. It’s okay. Don’t cry.”
Lizelle smiled softly at Raphel even while lying on the grass. He cried so desperately that it almost broke her heart.
“Did you hurt your leg?”
Chaser looked closely at Lizelle, who was lying on the grass without being able to get up. He was checking very carefully to make sure there were no visible cuts or swelling.
“It’s not that, I’m so relieved that my body doesn’t have any strength.”
“Excuse me.”
At those words, Chaser picked up Lizelle without hesitation. Lizelle felt like she was floating.
“What? No, it’s okay! I’ll be fine in a moment!”
After the library incident, she now once again found herself in a princess carry. Embarrassed, Lizelle wanted to escape from Chaser’s arms, but as expected, she couldn’t move her limbs still.
“Rohan. Bring the doctor to the lady’s room.”
Chaser took a quick glance at Lizelle, who appeared embarrassed to be in his arms, and walked away at a brisk pace. Every time he moved, he could smell her unique scent mixed with the smell of grass, Lizelle’s dress was covered in dirt. Their closeness even made Chaser’s clothes, which were against Lizelle’s messy clothes, dirty as well, but he didn’t care at all.
“Ah…”
He was heading towards the mansion, carrying Lizelle, without any hesitation. He could feel the stares of passers-by. Everyone looked like they couldn’t believe the current situation. It was the same for Wilhazelle.
‘How did everything end up like this?’
She was so embarrassed, wanting to raise her arms and cover her face, but even that was impossible because she couldn’t muster any strength in her body. Lizelle settled into his arms without moving and closed her eyes. She tried to avoid this situation, even if just a little, but she could still feel all of the stabling eyes focused on her.
‘Haa… I think I’m going to die of shame.’
Lizelle muttered to himself with a deep sigh. She couldn’t wait to get to her room.
* * *
“Is there any pain here?”
“No, it’s okay.”
The doctor, arriving not long after, asked while pressing various parts of Lizelle’s body. She didn’t feel any pain whenever the doctor pressed on various points so far, there was probably nothing wrong.
“Ahh! That hurts!”
However, as soon as the doctor touched her left ankle, Lizelle opened her eyes wide and shouted. The unexpected pain brought tears to her eyes.
“Was the pain here?”
“Yes.”
As the doctor slowly turned her ankle, Lizelle grabbed the bed sheets in pain. It felt like dozens of needles were pricking her ankle, along with a numbing pain. The doctor looked at Lizelle’s ankle for a while and pressed on it with his fingers. Each time she would scream out in pain.
“Does hurt a lot?”
Chaser, who was watching from the side, came over. Seeing her in pain made him frown.
“There is no crack in the bone. I think you probably got a little sprain when you fell.”
The doctor who carefully examined Lizelle’s condition gave them his diagnosis.
“Ha…”
When the doctor seemed to have finished the diagnosis, he withdrew his hand and only then did Lizelle let out the breath she had been holding. Every time she felt his rough touch, her ankle throbbed from the pain. Wilhazelle had entered the room with Chaser’s help and was laying down on the bed. Raphel was taken out by Rohan for now, under Chaser’s orders, to avoid interfering with the treatment.
“It’s best to remain as still as possible.”
The doctor placed the cold pack he prepared in advance on Lizelle’s ankle. A cool sensation spread through her ankle. She felt like the searing pain subsided to some extent.
“Other than that, is everything else okay?”
“Yes, except for her left ankle, everything else is fine. Her pulse and blood pressure are both normal as well.”
Lizelle glanced at Chaser, who kept asking if she was okay. His eyes were burning as he looked at her ankle with a very serious face. It felt like her ankle was also starting to burn, even though she was using an ice pack.
“I’m okay now, so you can go.”
Lizelle scratched her cheek in embarrassment.
‘I’m not injured enough to make a fuss…’
She was quite uncomfortable with this situation.
“Sorry.”
Chaser turned in her direction with his gaze lowered and apologized.
“Huh? What?”
A question mark appeared on Lizelle’s face at the sudden apology.
“I apologize on behalf of Warden.”
Chaser should have tied the leash properly, just in case something happened, but he didn’t do that. Due to the nature of bloodhounds, who have a strong sense of duty to protect their owners and home, he attacked the unfamiliar Raphel and Lizelle.
“Oh, that dog is called Warden. Well, nothing happened and Raphel is safe, too.”
She’d wondered why there was a strange dog in the mansion, it turned out that it was Chaser’s dog.
It was a close call. If they were bitten by the dog’s sharp teeth, it would have been a serious injury. Maybe she would have even moved onto the next world, without even being able to live properly here. When Warden rushed at Raphel, she felt her heart sink. All she could think about was protecting Raphel, so she rushed forward without realizing that she could possibly get hurt.
It was an instance when her body reacted before her mind. Fortunately, Chaser arrived in time and everyone was okay. Lizelle didn’t want to blame his dog. There was no sin in an animal that couldn’t reason. If they were to judge whether it was right or wrong, it could be said that it was Chaser’s fault for letting the hounds run free.
“I will compensate you.”
Chaser could not shake off the feeling of guilt. She risked her life to protect a child who may be his nephew. Moreover, because of his negligence, she almost suffered great harm. When he saw Lizelle lying on the bed, receiving the ice pack, he couldn’t just ignore it. He felt uncomfortable in a corner of his chest.
“Compensate?”
“If you want something, tell me. I will listen to whatever you say.”
That was the best apology Chaser could make. As someone who grew up watching his father solve everything with money from a young age, that was the only way he knew as well.
“Uh…”
Lizelle was dumbfounded by the unexpected offer. Does he even know what he’s offering when he says something like that?
“If I ask you to buy me a mansion, will you buy it for me?”
Lizelle chuckled and spoke jokingly. Just hearing the nuance in her voice, anyone should be able to tell it was a joke, so the doctor who was putting a splint on her ankle didn’t show any special expression. Just one person took her words seriously.
“Where do you want it to be?”
His expression was extremely focused, as if he really meant to buy it.
“What? You’re kidding, right?”
“What size do you want the mansion to be?”
“No! It was a joke, a joke!”
Lizelle quickly waved her hand. This person takes everything so seriously. Who would give a mansion as a compensation gift, for someone who wasn’t even seriously injured? It was truly the ultimate extravagance. No matter how much she liked money, this wasn’t right to her. She didn’t want to receive excessive favor or compensation. Greed leads to nothing good.
“…”
Chaser’s eyebrow twitched subtly. Lizelle and the doctor were unable to hide their bewilderment, but it seemed that only Chaser was unaware of the situation. Looking at his expression that showed he didn’t understand, Lizelle sighed softly spoke.
“Just let me meet Warden later.”
“… You want to meet Warden?”
“Yes. I should receive a proper apology.”
She remembered Warden tied to a tree and unable to move as he carried her into the mansion. It was very pitiful that he was restrained and whining because he wanted to go to his owner.
“Are you okay with only that?”
“Yes. That’s enough.”
Lizelle’s eyes were steady, she wasn’t lying. Chaser’s red eyes briefly wavered, confused. He thought that if she loved luxury, that she would want a large reward. Opportunities like this are rare, after all. When she asked for the mansion, he didn’t think much of it because he had already expected it.
But, all she wants is just an apology.
The more he saw, the more he realized she wasn’t the person he thought she was. She even went so far as to throw her whole body into danger out of fear that the child would get hurt. Is it really just an exaggerated rumor as Rohan said?
Is it all his own misunderstanding?
He didn’t know anymore.
“Aren’t you scared?”
“As long as the owner takes good care of him, there should be no problem.”
Lizelle smiled triumphantly as if this was no big deal. She was repeating what he had said, that it was the owner’s fault. He couldn’t hear what she said after that, he was busy concentrating on other things, such as her bright smile.
‘If I’m misunderstanding, I’d really like to learn a little more about her true self.’
