Chapter 39
“Your Highness?”
For a brief moment, the calm expression on Heresden’s face faintly twisted.
“If you say so.”
He released my wrist and replied curtly.
“I’ll bring you whatever you need for the treatment.”
After giving me a short look, he turned and ascended the stairs first.
Rumi watched his back with a rather indignant glare, clearly still upset about what had just happened.
“Ah…”
Feeling confused by Heresden’s inexplicable behavior, I looked down—and only then noticed the blood on my hands.
Up until now, I’d always made a fuss about being scared of blood.
So… should I be afraid of my own blood too?
“You need to be careful, Penelope.”
Rumi’s warning suddenly echoed in my mind.
I quickly wiped my bloody hands on my clothes, then lowered my head and furrowed my brows as if I were struggling to stay steady.
“Are you all right? Can you make it up?”
“…Yes.”
I mumbled vaguely and began climbing the stairs.
Rumi immediately came to my side, leaning closer to check my face.
“Penelope, what’s wrong?”
He whispered softly.
“Are you feeling sick? Did you hurt yourself?”
He steadied me with a hand on my shoulder.
“No, it’s not that…”
“Is it because you fell on the stairs earlier?”
“I just thought… it might make more sense if I’m also scared of my own blood.”
“…Ah.”
His lips parted halfway before a quiet sigh slipped out.
“Now that you mention it, that does make sense.”
He nodded lightly, then continued to help me up with practiced ease.
But we didn’t make it far.
Our steps halted when something blocked our way—Uben.
The child’s small feet were planted firmly on the floor, showing no intention of moving aside. I lifted my gaze to see his expression.
“…I…”
Uben’s brows furrowed as he glanced between Rumi and me.
“I didn’t push you. I didn’t even touch you. You just fell on your own!”
“Uben, come on, move aside for now.”
Rumi coaxed him gently.
Uben reluctantly stepped back, but his eyes never left the spot on my forehead.
They were full of guilt—clingy, heavy guilt.
“You don’t need to be sorry,” I said as I walked past him.
“I just fell because I was startled.”
At that, Uben blinked, looking momentarily flustered before his brows knitted tightly again.
“…Who said I’m sorry?”
Turning his head away in a huff, he pouted and darted up the stairs.
Bang!
“Oh dear.”
The door slammed shut loudly. Rumi glanced at me, worried.
“Last night, a door suddenly slammed on its own and startled me too,” he said awkwardly.
“The doors here must be thin or something.”
He was clearly trying to comfort me, worried I might be hurt by Uben’s obvious hostility.
“Maybe so.”
I nodded faintly at his explanation. But he must have noticed how half-hearted my response sounded, because he sighed softly.
“Come to think of it, Uben only seems aggressive toward you, Penelope.”
He frowned as if he couldn’t understand it.
“If it ever gets too much, maybe you should—”
“No.”
I cut him off firmly.
“It’s not really like that.”
Rumi didn’t know what had happened between me and Uben, so to him, the boy’s behavior probably seemed rude.
But…
“It’s all right.”
Knowing the real reason Uben resented Penelope, I couldn’t go to him myself.
Before Rumi could pry any further, I quickly ended the conversation.
“I knew you’d say that.”
Rumi had said that once before, when I told him I didn’t want to hurt anyone.
Part of the reason he kept my secret must have been that he didn’t see me as a threat.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as selfless as you, Penelope.”
That was why I didn’t want to tell him about Penelope’s past sins.
Just then, Heresden came out of his room holding a basket.
“When you’re done using these, bring them back to me.”
He handed me the basket of medical supplies with that simple instruction.
I nodded in understanding, and only then did he leave.
He seemed a little different from usual, but before I could think too much of it, Rumi gestured toward my room.
“Let’s go inside.”
So I let the thought go.
“Penelope.”
A soft voice called my name.
A hand touched my shoulder.
I slowly stirred from my sleep, lifting my head from the dining table where I had dozed off.
There, holding a lamp, stood Heresden.
He must have just returned from the watchtower.
“Why are you sleeping here?”
He glanced around the empty dining hall, puzzled.
“Ah… I couldn’t sleep, so I just sat here for a bit.”
Still groggy, I mumbled a vague excuse.
The truth was, I had been keeping an eye on the kitchen entrance—just in case anyone tried sneaking into the food storage.
Though tonight, being the first night, I doubted anyone would try anything.
“I think you should go get some sleep now.”
“…My room feels a little stuffy. I’ll just stay here a bit longer.”
I shook my head stubbornly.
I thought he’d simply tell me to suit myself and leave—but Heresden stayed there in silence, longer than I expected.
Puzzled, I lifted my eyes to him again.
After a moment of thought, he finally spoke.
“Then, would you walk with me for a bit?”
“…Sorry?”
He tilted his head slightly, gesturing toward the door.
“Let’s walk together.”
His tone wasn’t commanding, but it still sounded like an order. So I got up.
It was probably the first time I’d been alone with him like this.
As we stepped out of the castle, the early summer night breeze tousled my hair.
The cool air eased the tension that had been coiled in my chest.
“But, Your Highness… did you want to talk about something?”
I asked after a while, following behind him.
“…Not particularly.”
He shook his head lightly.
“By the way, did you know Rumi from before?”
He asked after a short silence.
“No. We met here.”
“For people who just met, you seem close.”
Well, of course we were. We spent almost all day together.
Rumi was friendly with everyone—Idorian, Lillia, Uben, even me.
He wasn’t especially close to Heresden, but they did speak from time to time.
“…I suppose so.”
He seemed slightly puzzled by how close Rumi and I had grown, but I only nodded in agreement.
Another stretch of silence followed.
Why did he even ask to walk if he doesn’t have anything to say?
Heresden wasn’t the type to act without purpose.
I glanced up at him, studying his expression.
Idorian told me not to mention it to anyone…
But it wasn’t often that I got to be alone with Heresden.
If there was ever a time to speak up, this was it.
Still, seeing how he had already accepted the newcomers without question…
Would he even believe me?
Even now, he didn’t seem to hold any hostility toward me—but if what I said sounded like I was trying to stir conflict, he’d surely get angry again.
“Are you all right? Your injury, I mean.”
“…Huh?”
“Your forehead. You fell pretty hard. Are you sure nothing else is hurt?”
“Ah…”
A weak sigh escaped me before I nodded quickly.
I hadn’t expected him to still be worried about that.
For some reason, that made me think… maybe I could talk to him after all.
“Your Grace, there’s something I’d like to tell you.”
If I explained it properly, maybe he wouldn’t take it as mere gossip or malice.
“It’s just a feeling, so I might be mistaken, but…”
He turned his head toward me then, meeting my gaze with quiet attention.
And slowly, he nodded for me to go on.
