~Chapter 97~
With those words, Dane placed his bandaged hand over the back of Camilla’s hand.
“Actually… I’m a patient too.”
Camilla’s cheeks flamed red.
Only then did she realize Dane was teasing her.
“…That’s why I’ve been checking your wounds every evening, changing your bandages.”
“That doesn’t seem to be enough.”
Dane lowered his gaze slightly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
“Can’t you focus on me right now?”
There was no way for her to shake her head at that expression.
Dane tilted his head toward Camilla, cupping her flushed cheek.
Their lips met, a soft, wet sound following.
“W-wait, Dane.”
…Was this what he wanted all along?
He whispered gently, a low, affectionate laugh in his voice:
“I think you still don’t realize… you’re my wife.”
Her cheeks burned again under his loving gaze.
“…Realize?”
“Yes. You get too flustered.”
Of course, this was normal for a married couple.
But we’ve been apart for so long…
And their reunion had been brief… speaking about it after a kiss only made it more intense.
“I’m just not used to it yet.”
It was awkward in the palace, where eyes followed them everywhere.
“…But back then, you did fine, didn’t you?”
No further explanation was needed; she immediately understood the ‘back then’ he referred to.
No, mentioning what happened in the Empress Dowager’s tank was unfair.
“Back then… I wasn’t in my right mind.”
Dane tilted his head and smiled wryly.
“Then let’s practice.”
“…Practice?”
“So you can do it properly, with a clear mind.”
He brushed her cheek lightly and leaned in again.
A soft kiss met her lips. Camilla’s eyes widened in surprise.
Gradually, the kiss deepened, and her heartbeat raced.
Soon, she wrapped her arms around Dane’s neck.
Crazy.
Camilla plunged her hands into the stream to cool her flaming face.
If the carriage hadn’t stopped for a break, she wondered just how deep and long that kiss might have continued.
“No motion sickness, Lady Camilla?”
“I’m fine, Sir Dylan. I’ll rest here for a moment, so you should take a breather too.”
Dylan bowed respectfully and stepped aside.
Camilla buried her face in her hands, reliving the memory of the carriage.
Dane had lifted her onto his lap, continuing kisses, leaving small kisses on each knuckle.
Her body tingled with heat, and her mind felt dizzy.
If she hadn’t pushed him away when the driver said they would pause, she might still be lost in the kiss.
“Camilla.”
Leaning against a tree, Dane called her.
“Isn’t the water too cold?”
Camilla lifted her head to look at him.
“Dane.”
“Hmm?”
“…Why are you so good at this?”
“What?”
She was new to it, yet Dane seemed to know instinctively.
Her dark, deep eyes stared at him.
“How did you spend the last five years?”
Dane stared at her for a moment, then seemed to struggle to suppress a smile.
“Are you laughing now?”
She arched an eyebrow; he quickly swallowed the grin but still looked at her with full affection.
“…Not well. I didn’t do well.”
He stepped toward the water, kissing the back of her hand. Camilla’s eyes widened.
“Without you by my side, I didn’t eat properly, didn’t sleep well, just worked all the time.”
“Is that something you tell a medical professional?”
“And you?”
Camilla, giving him a stern look, could only remain silent.
She whispered quietly:
“…I was working hard preparing for revenge too.”
“Sleep?”
“…A little… restless.”
“Meals?”
“I ate well!”
After all, you need energy for revenge.
“At least one thing was better than me.”
Realizing she was losing the argument, Camilla thought of a plan.
“No, you still haven’t answered properly. How exactly did you spend the last five years?”
“Hmm? I was busy with business, that’s all.”
“Can someone who only worked… be this… good at it?”
Dane gave a mischievous smile.
“Good at what?”
“…Dane.”
“I asked what I was good at? I don’t know.”
Her cheek flushed again at his teasing.
Refusing to yield, she tiptoed closer to him.
A soft birdlike kiss met her lips. Dane’s eyes widened.
“This one.”
Just as she tried to look away, Dane wrapped his arms around her waist.
Grabbing the back of her head, he deepened the kiss passionately.
Her legs went weak with the dizzying sensation.
Breath…!
She gasped when their lips parted for a moment. Dane supported her waist and leaned in again.
Camilla pressed her palm against his lips.
“…I’m… out of breath.”
“Hah… You still haven’t answered.”
She needed to tell him why she was so good.
“I guess… it’s natural talent.”
At the same time, Dane intertwined their fingers and pressed his lips to hers again.
A shiver ran through her body, and her mind was flooded with shock.
What a rogue!
Natural talent… who says such a thing? Even when she was Yunmira, she’d been too busy studying to do anything like this.
Yet, in the end, Camilla couldn’t help but cling to Dane.
After a while, she pulled back, bowing her head.
“I… I’m out of breath…”
“We’ll need more practice.”
“Shut up.”
Camilla scowled, but Dane laughed happily.
The stream’s cool wind rustled between them, sunlight sparkling on the water.
“There were so many things I wanted to do with you.”
Camilla’s eyes widened.
“I missed you, imagined you, thought over what to say…”
“How long?”
“Five years. Would that be gross?”
Her chest fluttered warmly at his words.
Her lips curved into a smile.
“No, I’d call that happiness.”
She smiled brightly, and Dane kissed her again.
Dreamlike moments passed, and just before boarding the carriage again, Dane whispered:
“We’re almost at Escalus, but there are two things I haven’t told you yet.”
“A surprise?”
“You could look at it that way.”
Camilla’s heart skipped at his next words.
“…Soon, we’ll be near the mountain valley by the cabin where you lived with your mother.”
Her eyes widened.
The place she had lived with Meisa… the place they had planned to go for the antidote… but never reached.
“Do you want to go?”
After a moment of thought, she nodded.
“Yes… I want to go.”
She thought of one of the Emperor’s gifts—a small jar containing a handful of Meisa’s ashes.
So small.
Entering the cabin alone with Dane, Camilla gazed around in awe.
The dilapidated cabin was overgrown with weeds, almost impossible to enter.
“…Ah… here.”
Looking at the dust-covered table, she forced a smile.
“This is where I studied herbs.”
She had pushed herself to adapt even to poisonous plants, sometimes vomiting blood.
At the reagent cabinet, Camilla, with Dane’s help, pushed it aside and examined the wall behind.
Ah.
There it was—a bundle of herbs for making the antidote.
She had suspected it since Renelia discovered the herb bundles in the secret lab, but now it was real.
Camilla swallowed and reached for the herbs.
When she peered inside, her eyes went wide.
