CHAPTER 32
Torches carried by the knights illuminated the darkness, but the chaotic bustle made it hard to discern what was happening. I focused my gaze on those directing the activity, and my eyes landed on Damian and Rafael, who wore grave expressions by a large cart containing inhuman, grotesque corpses.
“Are those monsters?” Luisa pressed her forehead to the cold glass, curiosity piqued—but then came a wave of nausea.
“Ugh… maybe because I ate and slept earlier… I feel queasy.” She pressed her stomach and closed her eyes. A chilling sensation surged down her spine, and a familiar one twisted her delicate face in pain.
“Damn it… cough—!”
Suddenly, the metallic scent of blood assaulted her senses. Her long lashes trembled, and she instinctively covered her mouth. Blood trickled down, dampening her chest.
She felt a gaze and looked up to meet Rafael’s bright blue eyes, filled with shock.
“Huff… huff…” She didn’t vomit blood again, but her breath was ragged. Rafael vanished from view and Luisa’s trembling knees gave way; she collapsed.
What was happening? Why was this coming back now?
Just then, the door burst open.
Supporting herself with one hand on the window sill, Luisa turned to find Rafael standing over her. His face was pale and tense. He gently grasped her arm and backed her support, then touched her chin tenderly.
“Are you okay?”
Luisa could barely stay conscious. Rafael caught her as she collapsed and carried her gently to the bed, where she lay limp and barely breathing. Only her faint exhale broke the silence.
The room fell silent while the court physician examined her. Finally, he spoke:
“Miss, is the bleeding still happening?”
She nodded. “Yes, but it’s less frequent. This is my first time experiencing something like this in the North.”
“Apologies for not resolving this quickly,” the physician apologized.
“No! You’ve been doing great,” she insisted quickly, afraid he’d resign. After all, he’d researched Eastern remedies for her, so she owed it to him not to send him away.
“I feel much better now. You can check.” She offered.
He responded, “Still, surface-level checks have limitations. We can’t examine internally—that’s worrisome.”
“I really am okay…”
Damian kneeled beside her, clearly distressed. She saw the concern in his eyes and spoke firmly:
“Brother, I’m truly getting better. Please don’t go to the East—you need to stay by my side.”
He shook his head. “Why do you speak as if it’s the last time? You’ll recover.”
Turning to Rafael, he said, “Father-san’s healing power is helping, and the holy water is effective too.”
Rafael stirred. “If the holy water helps, why don’t you go more often?”
Luisa replied, “It feels like a burden to go too often. I thought occasional visits would be enough.”
Rafael frowned deeply, taken aback by her words. She’d always been selfish—but now she expressed concern for others, an unfamiliar shift.
He moved to the bed’s edge and said softly, “Let’s go to the cathedral every two days, together.”
Her lavender eyes widened. “Yes?”
“That’s settled then. Rest well,” he turned and left, closing the door behind him.
The next morning, Luisa awoke peacefully. Let everything flow naturally, she decided. She had to show the artifact soon, and if magical healing was helping Rafael, that was fine.
But she remembered the dead monster. Did its miasma cause the bleeding? It troubled her—she wondered if coming to the North was a mistake.
A knock at the door: “Miss, are you awake?”
She sat up. “Yes.”
“May I come in? Did you sleep well?” asked Mary.
“I slept deeply,” Luisa yawned.
“That’s good. Today, I brought a sky-blue dress—it’s lovely!”
She washed her face and examined it. “It’s pretty.”
Mary looked disappointed. “You never care about dressing up—you’re beautiful, but you could captivate someone with a more striking look.”
“Why would I want to captivate anyone?”
“Your director—you’re engaged!”
“Oh…” She’d momentarily forgotten. She half-smiled at Mary.
“He’s waiting right outside your door. The moment you step out, he’ll see your beauty.”
“Who’s at the door?”
“Your fiancé. He’s been there since early morning.”
Luisa’s heart skipped a beat.
Something happened to the translation.