Chapter 64
The person Seriniel encountered as she emerged from the bathroom was Kina.
Seriniel, who had spent the whole day waiting for Lexion without even getting any sleep, seemed to be worried and came out to look for him.
Anyway, meeting Kina was a good thing for Seriniel. Although she had been staying in this mansion for a few days now, she didn’t know where things like bandages or medicine were kept.
“Why is that? Where are you hurt? Madam.”
“No, it’s not me, it’s Lord Lexion.”
“…Lord Lexion is hurt?”
“It’s not severe. But if left untreated, it could worsen, so it’s probably best for him to receive treatment.”
“Where is he now? Since I’m out, is there anything I can help with…?”
Kina suddenly stopped speaking. Then she closed her mouth for a moment.
“…?”
Kina alternately glanced between the dim staircase leading to the second floor and Seriniel, who seemed to be blushing more than usual for some reason.
“…But still, it’s probably best for Madam to handle it.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been feeling sleepy as soon as night falls these days.”
“Sleepy? Why didn’t you tell me? What if it’s some illness?”
“It’s okay, Madam. I can see just fine during the day. It’s just because I’m getting older. It’s nothing serious.”
…What kind of talk is this? Is there such an illness?
“Anyway, since Vain is also suffering from the same eye problem as me, you should treat him.”
“Yeah. Just bring it to the study. Thanks. And if both of you get worse, be sure to let me know. I’ll find a good doctor. Got it?”
Ah, sure.
With a nod, Kina hurriedly left with a bustling demeanor.
Looking at her, Seriniel still had a puzzled expression, but she decided to be relieved that it wasn’t anything serious.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Kina quickly brought bandages and medicine to the study.
“….”
Seriniel, who had neatly settled into her chair and was waiting for Lexion, found that he still hadn’t returned.
Getting up slowly from her seat, Seriniel decided to finish exploring the study that she hadn’t done last time.
The first place she headed to was the bookshelf painted in black. It was filled with books related to martial arts.
Some of the books had their spines worn out, and others looked like they had a lot of fingerprints on them.
Seriniel suddenly imagined Lexion quietly reading these books alone. Since when? Since when did he become interested in these things? What was the reason?
[“I didn’t intend to enter the battlefield from the beginning. You may not know, but I wanted to leave with my mother.”]
Suddenly, the faint words Lexion had said some time ago came to mind.
Seriniel knew very well that Lexion was the child of a concubine. If he had been a bastard, the story might have been different, but Lexion had siblings. A brother, in fact.
Although she had never heard the story, she could still vaguely guess.
No one in this mansion would have taught Lexion martial arts training. That’s the point. These books in front of her might have been straw that Lexion grasped desperately to survive.
There was a sense of pity in Seriniel’s hands as she swept the books aside.
He must have been very… lonely.
Alone.
“….”
As Seriniel’s gaze lingered on the books, it turned to another place this time. It was Lexion’s desk by the window. As large as its owner.
The desk was immaculate. Various documents on various subjects were neatly organized without a hint of disorder. Was this his natural disposition? It seemed so. Seriniel had heard Lexion tell Kina and Vain to avoid walking in the second floor or the study as much as possible.
“….Huh?”
Seriniel, looking at the desk, slightly cocked her head.
Something was different from last time.
That’s right, something that was there is now gone.
[“What’s that?”]
[“…What?”]
[“I think I saw something sparkling on the table earlier… that jewelry box.”]
That jewelry box.
“Why would he…?”
Why would he hide it so much?
Could it be something incredibly important? So important that it shouldn’t be shown to anyone? Seriniel thought to herself.
And at the same time, she heard the sound of the door opening.
“….”
Turning around, she saw Lexion in a dressing gown.
His hair still seemed damp, as if he had hurried out.
“….Lord, if you keep wandering around like that, you’ll catch a cold. Do you realize that?”
“I know. I’m not that much of an idiot even if I’m a lord.”
Lexion replied shortly.
“But I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
“I could just keep waiting…”
“I didn’t want to make you wait.”
“Huh?”
“That’s my job.”
“….”
“Anyway.”
Lexion seemed to avoid eye contact for a moment before slowly sitting down on the sofa.
Seriniel glanced at Lexion silently for a moment.
He was truly… a strange person.
Even if he took his time to wash up and thoroughly dry his hair, it wouldn’t take more than an hour. And even if it took longer than that, it wasn’t enough to make her unable to wait.
Was he so strange and unusual that she kept thinking about what kind of person he was?
“…You said you’d treat it, didn’t you? Earlier.”
“Oh, yes. Just a moment.”
Finally coming to her senses, Seriniel hastily got up and walked over to Lexion. Lexion seemed slightly uneasy, but he didn’t move away from his seat.
“Give me your hand here.”
Lexion obediently extended his large hand to Seriniel.
But something was off. She had asked for it, yet as she looked at him, she couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“Why?”
“….”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s not that… it’s just…”
“Just…?”
“Just… giving your hand like this, it’s like you’re a puppy.”
“….”
“And a big puppy at that.”
So… a dog?
…Lexion couldn’t decide whether to laugh or not at Seriniel’s words.
“Anyway, even if it’s a little cold, stay still. We need to disinfect it first.”
It was nothing more than a scratch to her eyes. If left alone, it would heal on its own without a trace.
But Seriniel was diligent. As she had just said, she disinfected it and applied the ointment carefully.
Eventually, white bandages began to wrap around Lexion’s forearm and hand, and he watched it quietly.
“Now that it’s done… it doesn’t hurt, does it?”
Seriniel raised her head slightly to look at Lexion.
“…No.”
“Huh?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“Really? I’m sorry. Did I put too much ointment…?”
Shall I wipe it off a bit? Just as Seriniel, flustered, was about to undo the bandages she had carefully applied, Lexion grabbed her slender wrist with his large hand.
“Not the places that got hurt today…”
Then, in a low voice, he continued.
“…but all the places that have hurt… all this time… they all seem to hurt now.”
“….”
“Suddenly… all at once.”
It felt like the wounds that had been left unattended and carelessly ignored were screaming like lies.
It felt like they were screaming out loud.
It hurt too much.
Feeling so lonely and desolate in places where you weren’t there.
“….”
For some reason, an uncomfortable silence settled between the two.
Just a hand’s breadth.
Lexion quietly gazed at Seriniel’s face placed just a hand’s breadth away from him. With a much deeper and darker gaze than usual.
“Lexion, are you okay?”
Are you all right?
I think it would be better to call a doctor as soon as the day breaks tomorrow…
Seriniel kept talking to him, but strangely, none of those words seemed to enter his ears. They were just buzzing around his head, echoing.
It felt like everything had come to a standstill.
So Lexion didn’t say anything in response.
“Lexion…”
Instead, he slowly lowered his head…
And gently pressed his lips against the lips of Seriniel, who was about to call his name.
…It was something that happened without either of them knowing.
Oh my Gosh, the kiss!💋