My Will Did Not Mean This

Vivian suddenly raised her head at the sudden noise.

Aslan was standing behind her with a disgruntled expression. She quickly looked around, but the maids had already disappeared.

‘It’s come to an end.’

Aslan rarely showed his emotions except when he wanted steak. Now, he was looking down at her with his brow furrowed.

It was dangerous.

She lowered her head as she had thought beforehand and avoided eye contact. Then, Aslan followed Vivian’s movements and walked.

“Vivian.”

‘Hwai, go away!’

Of course, she completely hid her true feelings on the outside and had a gloomy expression. She tried to reflect on the chaos she had caused at the Marquis’ residence.

“What kind of nonsense are you thinking…”

“Cough cough!”

They said that the first player would win. It would be disadvantageous if he talked too long, so he decided to just shut his mouth.

Vivian did her best to groan whenever he tried to open his mouth.

Perhaps overwhelmed by his outstanding acting skills, Aslan fortunately gave up on speaking and placed a hand on Vivian’s shoulder.

“I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to keep my promise properly.”

His thick, calloused fingers carefully massaged her delicate shoulders.

Vivian was contemplating whether she should start talking now or stay silent a little longer.

“…”

At that moment, her eyes met Aslan’s on the other side of the mirror.

His expression reflected in the mirror had softened a lot more than before. Furthermore, when she didn’t look away, he let out a sigh as if he was relieved. Of course, he wasn’t really relieved. It was probably resignation.

He had lost the will to reprimand her because she was acting so pitiful and sloppy.

‘Haha, it’s me after all. Everything is according to plan!’

At this point, it seemed like he would be successful even if he changed his career to a survival expert.

Aslan slowly bent his upper body while locking eyes with her in the mirror. The distance between them was close enough that she could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck.

“Is today the day you go to the hospital?”

“Yes.”

“Since it’s a rare opportunity, why don’t we go together? There’s something I want to check with the doctor.”

Vivian quickly canceled her plan to change career to a survival expert.

Aslan was clearly worried that he would do something again. Otherwise, there was no reason for someone who was busy with official duties to follow him to the hospital and watch him in person.

‘Oh, my life.’

“Of course. If Aslan goes with me, I’ll be safe too.”

Today, Vivian’s head and mouth did their best to play separately.

＊ ＊ ＊

No matter how much she thought about it, today’s treatment was strange. Vivian looked at the quack who was having a seizure like someone with hydrocephalus with a puzzled look.

“Oh, Princess. You can put on your gown again.”

“Why are your hands shaking like this? Juan, have you had some alcohol?”

“That, that’s not possible.”

“You either shake your hands or your words. You’re out of your mind as an observer.”

Vivian, who had been admonishing the quack for his unnatural posture, glanced back.

Aslan, who had been standing behind her, quickly met her gaze. He had come into the examination room with her because he wanted to see the treatment process.

“You’re a famous doctor, but your treatment method is quite unique.”

“Right…?”

Juan was the one who was trembling, but for some reason she felt embarrassed.

Vivian laughed awkwardly, trying to cover up Juan’s loud vibrations with her medical skills.

At first, she thought he would ask the quack about her condition in detail. However, Aslan just stood quietly behind her throughout the examination.

When she took off her gown to use the stethoscope, there was a bit of a loud noise, but she said that it was because the shelf couldn’t support her weight and fell over…

“If you keep doing that, you’ll catch a cold, Vivian.”

She returned to reality after being lost in thought for a short while.

A soft but heavy weight was placed on Vivian’s shoulder. The gown that she had taken off for a stethoscope was now properly put on.

“We’ll take care of the princess.”

“No, I’ll do it myself.”

There was a servant waiting to take care of VIP patients, but Aslan made them step back.

“Tie your belt and turn around.”

“Thank you.”

Vivian turned around and faced Aslan. A thick and strong arm was wrapped around her slender waist.

The second prince of the empire, the ruler of Northern Blackford, and the greatest swordsman on the continent was personally taking care of his fiancée.

The medical staff, including Juan, and the servants couldn’t hide their shock at the sight. However, the miracle of Vivian turning around and noticing it didn’t happen.

This was what Aslan had intended.

“Since we’ve finally gone out together, why don’t we stop by somewhere instead of going back?”

His calloused fingers wrapped around the smooth silk belt. Then, pretending to be a mistake, he pulled it and tightly locked it in his arms.

He was the only one who could do this to her, as if showing off.

Soon, Aslan tightened the belt of his gown and gently brushed Vivian’s bangs up.

“All done. Should I go out first?”

“To consult about my condition?”

“There’s that reason, and many other things…”

His golden eyes, as sincere as honey, turned to Vivian’s back. In fact, from the beginning to the end of the treatment, Juan couldn’t even breathe properly because of the terrifying pressure that Aslan was giving off.

Just getting close to the patient made his eyes gleam, and especially when he slightly pulled back his gown to use the stethoscope, his face distorted fiercely…

She thought his neck would be split in two like an iron shelf that the Grand Duke had folded in half. And then, whenever the princess turned around, she pretended to be gentle.

“Okay, then you go ahead and talk. I’ll take my time changing clothes.”

“It won’t take long.”

No!

Behind Vivian’s back as she left the treatment room, a silent cry rang out telling her not to go.

‘Why are my ears tickling like this?’

Meanwhile, she, who couldn’t know that fact, left the unleashed beast alone and left the treatment room.

And…

“Princess Eleonora.”

“Ah.”

Disaster always comes without warning.

Vivian came face to face with Marquis Bastian, who was standing in the hallway.

＊ ＊ ＊

Vivian left the examination room, and Aslan sent everyone else out except Juan.

In front of his fiancée, his golden eyes, which were as warm and thick as melted honey, froze in an instant like midwinter frost. They were inorganic eyes that gave me goosebumps just looking at them.

“Your reputation in the capital is well-known. They say you have excellent medical skills.”

“W, that’s too much praise…”

“I heard you’ve cured many incurable diseases. People lined up at the hospital entrance just to see your face.”

“I don’t know where to put myself since you’re so kind to my lacking medical skills.”

Aslan’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he watched Juan stutter like an idiot. But he soon turned his gaze away. Sometimes, those who were overly perceptive would fear him. As if he had sensed his true identity beneath the plausible human skin.

‘Is it a good thing that Johannes took the player away?’

If he had stepped forward from the beginning, it would have been difficult to bring him to the capital.

“What do you think of Vivian’s condition?”

“Yes, yes?”

“All the doctors who are considered the best shook their heads. They said she had less than a year left.”

Step by step, step by step.

Aslan walked slowly and sat down opposite Juan. There was a tension that seemed like it could snap at any moment, like a taut bowstring.

“I think I can cure her.”

“Choi, I will do my best.”

“That’s not the answer I want to hear.”

“I’m sorry, but there is no such thing as absolute in medicine…”

Cold sweat formed on Juan’s forehead, who was very nervous.

Aslan waited for a satisfactory answer, but when there was no sign of it, he continued.

“Vivian had high expectations for your medical skills.”

Vivian, who had barely managed to catch him in the south, had given up on living due to tuberculosis.

‘They say they grant wishes for the living, but can’t they grant one wish for someone who is about to die? I only have a year left at most!’

‘I told you not to talk like you’ve given up on everything.’

‘That’s right. You said you’d save me, but how? How are you going to save me? Are you a doctor? Or a prophet? Ah, then let’s make a bet on whether I’ll be alive or dead in a year!’

She would die anyway, so she wanted to be left alone, that’s what she thought.

Vivian, who had been like that, laughed a few days ago.

‘I hope it works on the lung disease as rumored. Then I’ll be able to have a wonderful coming-of-age ceremony soon, right?’

He couldn’t take his eyes off her because her appearance was so dazzlingly beautiful.

He barely changed it. He put in a lot of effort to make her want to live. He couldn’t lose the smile he barely managed to get.

“It’s an honor for the family that the princess is counting on me…”

“…”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to treat you.”

In the silence that weighed heavily on his shoulders, Aslan’s eyes, which had been freezing and sinking, finally returned to normal.

After hearing the answer he wanted, he patted Juan’s shoulder a few times leisurely.

“If Vivian’s treatment is successful, I will reward you accordingly.”

Of course, even if it were the opposite, he would face a price greater than what he imagined, but Aslan did not say that.

“Then I will look forward to it.”

“Go, take a look, Your Majesty.”

Having achieved his goal, he did not stay long and left immediately.

Watching Aslan leave, Juan slid off his chair and sat down weakly on the floor.

“Damn, was Eleonora’s villainess this great?”

 

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Translator Note:

Chapter 42 corrected!!