Chapter 6
“Uh, well, this is, um….”
Even though she was practicing divine power, there wasn’t much change in her wound. What should she do?
Flustered, she could only move her lips slightly. Licio spoke to her.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
Lying lazily on his side, he propped himself up on his hand and looked at her intently. Even then, the finger he had been biting traced along her lower lip.
The strange atmosphere made her stomach tingle, and she couldn’t think straight.
“Uh, I’m hungry! I want to eat meat.”
The finger tracing her lips stopped. For a few seconds, there was silence. Then Licio got up from the bed and left.
“Ah, why are you talking about meat now!”
Left alone, Ellen grumbled. She felt frustrated because she couldn’t kick the blanket with her foot, nor could she bury her flushed face in it.
Before her hot face could cool down, someone entered. It was Licio, carrying a tray full of food.
“There’s only bread and bacon, so don’t even mention steak.”
“I never asked for steak….”
Her timid voice made Licio chuckle softly. He supported her, arranging a seat for her to sit, then fed her pieces of bread.
It was just bread, yet her heart fluttered… She swallowed it before even chewing, captivated by his gaze.
“At least you have an appetite. That’s a relief.”
Was that praise or teasing? Did he mean, can this bread even go down?
“I don’t want to eat.”
“Eat more. Did you trouble me just to eat this little?”
Though frowning, Licio carefully spread jam on the bread. He held it out to her again. Unable to resist the fragrant aroma, she bit it.
“Well done.”
Smiling slightly, he busied himself preparing more. For a man of his build, he seemed oddly suited to domestic service.
Even after the plate was almost empty, he didn’t stop.
“Enough. I’m really full.”
“Just this last one.”
Ellen turned her head to avoid the bread he offered.
“No.”
Yet, despite her words, she didn’t dislike his persistent touch following her mouth.
Finally, only after she finished the last bite did Licio clear the meal.
He even brushed her teeth, staring at them with a serious gaze, as if examining a masterpiece, which made her face flare up again.
“Just do it roughly.”
“It has to be clean. Even if it means sucking someone else’s fingers.”
Blushing, Ellen bit her lip in embarrassment.
“Stop teasing me. Or else…”
“Or else what? You’re going to pack up and run away?”
“From the way you’re looking, it seems like you’re enjoying me like this.”
Even at her sharp remark, Licio only gave a light, airy smile. Like a relaxed predator.
“Right. How about you? Life in the duke’s household?”
“Well, it’s not bad. It’s just boring to stare at the ceiling all day.”
Following her complaint, Licio also looked up at the ceiling.
“Hm.”
He got up and brought her shawl. But after unfolding it, apparently dissatisfied, he tossed it onto a chair and grabbed a sheet to wrap her up.
“Why don’t you tell me in advance what you’re going to do before acting?”
Without answering, Licio lifted her up and left the room.
“Where are we going at this hour?”
“Wasn’t worth the trouble, so I’m throwing you away.”
The man who always had a cold expression laughed playfully like a child.
Was he really going to throw her away? That’s why he held her so carefully.
“Was it such a crime to say it’s boring?”
He whispered close to her ear as she swallowed nervously.
“I’ll make sure it’s not boring.”
The place Licio took her to was a greenhouse garden with glass walls on all sides. In the center, among exotic plants, was a piece of furniture that was hard to tell—bed or sofa.
‘Why is this here?’
It made her question his taste.
Licio laid her on the strangely shaped sofa and sat beside her.
Feeling tense in the unfamiliar atmosphere, her eyes rolled anxiously.
“You’re not expecting anything, right? We’re here to watch the stars.”
Indeed, Licio was gazing at the sky.
Nobles watch the stars like this, Ellen thought, impressed, following his gaze.
“Do you know which star is the brightest?”
Unable to point, she indicated it with her lips.
Licio didn’t look at the star she indicated. Smiling faintly, he looked only at her.
Only after tilting his chin as if to say “look at the stars,” he answered.
“A sacred star.”
It was an easy question. For a harder one:
“What about the star below it?”
“The star of the poor.”
This was a name passed among the people in the slums where she grew up. The poor always looked at that faintly shining star, lamenting their fate.
“Ah? How did you know?”
“I heard it when I was young.”
“You must have liked stars. I did too.”
“There was someone who liked stars. I followed them, so I learned.”
Her curious gaze at the sky, her faint smile… It felt strangely familiar. She also drifted into old memories.
“We used to connect stars to draw pictures.”
Suddenly, Licio sat up, narrowing his eyes as he stared at her intently.
“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing.”
He sighed and lay back down.
Why did that make her feel uneasy? Ignoring her pouty lips, he added,
“When I have tough times, I come here.”
A gesture of comfort? Ellen’s lips curved into a natural smile.
Seeing her smile, Licio’s eyes wavered like a deep sea.
After a long, heavy sigh, he finally spoke.
“I can’t stand it. Take my mana.”
“Mana?”
“You’re too weak. You need to be stronger. It’s temporary and won’t overcome dark magic, but it’s better than doing nothing…”
“I’ll take it.”
Ellen interrupted him casually, as if it were no big deal. She didn’t know exactly what he planned, but she felt his sincerity in his serious expression and unwavering gaze.
Licio held her hands.
“It may not work. Don’t expect too much.”
Yet, just hearing that made her expect it even more. His hands were warm.
“Huh?”
The cold that had been tormenting her gradually faded, and she felt the seed of divine power sprout.
Suddenly, her fingers twitched.
“Uh? Ah? Did you see that? It moved!”
Ellen looked at him, eyes wide with surprise.
“It’s not over yet.”
Her hands, then her arms, moved. Licio guided her so she could stand. She leaned against him, almost clinging to him.
“Wait, don’t let go!”
His hands supporting her waist slowly, very slowly, released her.
Finally, Ellen stood on her own.
She carefully took a step. Being able to walk brought immense joy, coloring her cheeks with happiness.
“Wow… Can mana really heal?”
“Divine power and mana are different. Mana is temporary; dark magic can only be healed with divine power. But I’ll find a way.”
His voice carried a heavy sense of responsibility. Ellen’s heart pounded for reasons she couldn’t explain.
To avoid giving herself away, she tapped on the plants casually. Then her gaze fell on the greenhouse door.
It was late… Should she go to the temple to find Anais?
Licio noticed where she was looking.
“It’s your first time. You could only handle a small amount of mana. Because I gave you a little, it won’t last long.”
Ah, that’s why it’s temporary… Ellen couldn’t hide her disappointment.
“It feels like a dream… but such a short one.”
As expected, after a while, her strength faded and she collapsed again into Licio’s arms.
“Disappointed?”
On the way back to the room, he asked while holding her.
Ellen was rolling the divine power she had grown in his comfortable embrace. She was focused, not disappointed.
Before she could answer, Licio added,
“We don’t have much time together, do we.”
Ellen’s chest tightened, and she held her breath for a moment.
Not much time together…
‘Because I’m leaving.’
Because she had to leave.
She couldn’t tell Licio, who was smiling with eyes nearly closed.
