Chapter 61
A Handshake with Determination
When Ellea complained of pain, Tervan was more startled than she was and quickly stood up. He immediately sat her back down on the bench to check her foot.
Without even considering that his clothes might get dirty, he knelt on one knee and lowered himself.
Because her foot was hidden beneath the dress, he hadn’t noticed she was injured.
“Wait, please.”
Flustered by his sudden action, Ellea pulled her foot back. When Tervan raised his head, he saw her at a loss for what to do.
“Is there a problem?”
Tervan’s mind was only on the possibility that she was hurt, while Ellea was thinking only that she needed to make him stand back up.
“Please rise, Your Majesty. I’m truly fine.”
“Whether you’re fine or not is something I’ll decide after checking for myself.”
Despite Ellea’s insistence, Tervan was firm. His gaze shifted to the dress still covering her feet.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Saying that, Tervan reached out, took her ankle gently, and pulled her foot toward him.
Her foot, revealed, was so small it fit within his hand, and pale white.
So small…
Tervan, momentarily lost in thought, quickly regained focus and checked the sole.
As she had said, there were several wounds, as though something sharp had pierced her skin.
The blood had already dried, and because she’d walked barefoot without shoes, bits of dirt clung to her foot.
“You walked all this way like this?”
“Well, it just happened. But I’m really fine. It’s not that big of a wound.”
“Still, it must have been painful to walk. What in the world happened for you to end up like this?”
He looked at her, demanding an answer, but of course, Ellea couldn’t tell the truth.
How could she explain that she had defeated an intruder in the duke’s mansion, and stepped on shards of a shattered vase in the process?
All she could do was scramble for some excuse, hoping he wouldn’t grow suspicious.
“It’s just… my shoes were uncomfortable, so I took them off, and I must have stepped on some sharp stones. I thought it was nothing serious.”
She wanted desperately to get out of this situation, but since Tervan was still holding her ankle, she couldn’t.
“I’ll be fine once I receive treatment at the palace, so let’s just—”
“And how do you plan to get back? With feet like this, it seems impossible to wear those high shoes.”
“It’s fine. I only need to walk a short distance before riding in the carriage.”
The more she insisted she was fine, the more restless Tervan felt.
With a sigh of defeat at her stubbornness, he reached into his inner pocket.
“Why are you taking out your handkerchief?”
Seeing the handkerchief, Ellea asked in confusion. But instead of answering, Tervan tore the white cloth in half, startling her further.
And then, to her shock, he wrapped half around her foot—using it as a makeshift bandage.
Huh?
Ellea could only stare blankly as the soft fabric gently wrapped her foot.
Is this really happening?
Honestly, she had expected him to ignore her injury even if he noticed.
But contrary to her expectations, he had checked her wound and even treated it himself.
The fact that he had lowered himself before her like this made her feel so awkward she wanted to squirm.
After finishing her left foot, Tervan took her right one and began to wrap it with the other half.
His touch was careful, delicate, as if handling glass. He moved cautiously, as though afraid to hurt her.
When Ellea realized this man before her was the emperor, she thought perhaps it would be easier if she tended to it herself.
“I’ll do it from here.”
“No. I’m almost done.”
“If I had known this would happen, I would have used my own handkerchief. I can’t soil Your Majesty’s.”
At her words, Tervan’s hand paused, then continued as though he hadn’t heard.
“No, really—”
“There was once someone who said almost the same thing to me.”
“What?”
“Back at the banquet hall, a knight spoke the exact same words as you just did.”
Ellea instantly realized he was talking about her, and shut her mouth. She froze, unable to move.
Focused on her feet, Tervan didn’t notice her expression and continued speaking.
“Of course, that person isn’t with me now.”
At his final words, Ellea steadied her breathing and forced her voice not to tremble.
“Was it… someone named El?”
Startled that she knew the name, Tervan lifted his head.
Calmly, she explained how she knew.
“How could the princess know that—”
“I overheard people talking. It was a big incident, after all.”
“I see.”
Perhaps because he wanted to unburden himself to someone—especially someone he thought was uninvolved—he spoke more freely than he expected.
“I told others not to bring it up, yet here I am speaking of it. How laughable.”
“Then why bring it up now?”
“Because your words reminded me of her. El… after a certain point, she stopped taking my hand. You might think I never realized why.”
Ellea, trying to hide her trembling heart, asked carefully, praying he was wrong.
“Then… you knew?”
“Yes. I often saw her glance at her hand and shake her head. Her hands were always dirty then. She didn’t want to soil mine.”
Ellea had believed he would never notice, since she had never revealed her thoughts. But hearing that he had known all along stirred a storm of emotions within her.
You were watching me that closely…
She wanted to ask him—if he had understood her so well, then why hadn’t he trusted her back then?
“Princess Ellea?”
“Yes?”
“It’s done.”
“Oh… thank you.”
Startled from her thoughts, she saw that he had risen, and she stood as well.
The makeshift bandages eased the pain noticeably.
“This should let me wear my shoes without much trouble. Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”
With care, she put her shoes back on. It hurt, but not enough to stop her walking.
Seeing her manage, Tervan felt relief.
Together, they naturally began walking back toward the mansion, since their paths were the same.
Because of what Tervan had said earlier, a faint awkwardness lingered between them.
Both were lost in thought—he, about why he had spoken of El; she, about the meaning behind his words.
When Ellea looked up at him walking beside her, he noticed her gaze and asked without turning.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Well…”
Flustered, she searched for an answer and finally spoke.
“I was just wondering what to do about Your Majesty’s handkerchief. Since it’s yours, I should return it.”
“The one I tore in half and wrapped around your feet? Do you think I’ll reuse it?”
“What?”
“I doubt I could.”
Ellea realized then that of course the emperor would never reuse something that had been wrapped around her injured feet.
“Yes, I suppose not…”
Blushing with embarrassment, she heard him end the teasing before she grew more flustered.
“Don’t worry. It wasn’t anything important.”
Then Tervan remembered—why had she been alone in the garden instead of at the banquet hall?
“Why were you out there by yourself, Princess?”
At his question, Ellea decided to ask what had been troubling her. She wanted to know how he would answer.
“Then… may I ask Your Majesty something?”
“Go ahead.”
“If someone were to pick a fight with you, would it be better to ignore them because it’s troublesome… or—”
She stopped walking, and he did too, turning to face her. Meeting his eyes, she finished.
“—or should you fight back, and make it clear they’re no match for you?”
“If it were me…”
Sensing her seriousness, Tervan thought carefully before answering.
“I would choose the latter. Show them clearly, so they never dare again.”
In that moment, Ellea saw the emperor in him, and thought the answer suited him well. Strangely, his words steadied her own wavering heart.
“Then your answer helps me.”
“I’m glad. Do you feel resolved now?”
“Yes. I think I can be sure of myself.”
As they talked, they neared the banquet hall. Ellea, knowing they would soon part, recalled his words earlier and made up her mind.
Calling to him, she said, “Your Majesty.”
When he turned, she met his gaze without flinching.
“I’ve decided to try as you said.”
“You don’t mean you’re going to fight, do you?” he asked lightly.
Ellea smiled and shook her head.
“No. I mean my life here in Luvain. Until now, I thought of myself as someone who would leave, so I avoided getting involved with the people here. But the more I think about it, the less it feels like me.”
“So what will you do?”
“I’ll live as myself again. In that spirit…”
She extended her hand toward him. When he only looked at it, she spoke carefully.
“I know it’s improper, but I want to greet you like this. I look forward to your guidance, Your Majesty.”
Seeing her outstretched hand, Tervan paused in thought. Indeed, she was different from before.
But he didn’t dislike the change. So he reached out his own hand and shook hers.
Both felt the warmth in their joined hands.
When Ellea smiled at the touch, Tervan also returned the expression.
“I look forward to it as well. A belated greeting, but better late than never.”
Just then, another voice interrupted them.
“Terban?”
Somehow, Shenil had approached unnoticed and was now watching them, their hands still clasped together.
