Chapter 41
When I opened my eyes, I was in a familiar room. My room that felt like a hotel. I was sure I had died, so I couldn’t understand why I was here.
Just then, the door burst open and someone rushed in. The person stopped when he came near my bed and stared at me.
“L-Lord Lerit!”
At the loud voice, my eyebrows slightly frowned. It was Herkel’s voice, one I had heard many times before. He quickly came closer and examined me.
“Are you conscious now?”
I slowly nodded. If even Herkel was here, then maybe I wasn’t dead. I was still thinking hazily when he spoke again.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll bring the doctor right away.”
Herkel ran out so fast it felt like a gust of wind passed. I blankly stared at the ceiling.
‘Did Calyx really save me?’
A moment later, the door opened again and several people rushed in. The doctor quickly checked my face and eyes.
“Please bend your leg once.”
I bent my leg as he said. Unlike before, it felt tight somewhere. I still didn’t have much strength, though.
Then the door opened again. Everyone inside turned to look.
Calm black hair neatly falling down, sharp gray eyes shining coldly. Even from far away, he carried a chilly aura like dawn air.
Calyx walked straight to my bed. The doctor hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Fortunately, his recovery speed is fast. If Your Grace hadn’t given him the antidote at that time, it would have been much more serious.”
“Your Grace gave me the antidote?”
I asked because I couldn’t believe it. The doctor nodded and glanced to the side. Calyx’s eyes were fixed on me.
He didn’t look rushed like in my dream. But he didn’t look relaxed either. His gaze was steady, as if looking at something troublesome.
His stare was so direct that I turned my head and asked,
“Didn’t you leave first, Your Grace?”
The doctor noticed Calyx’s mood and stepped back. The others did the same. Soon the door closed, and only Calyx and I remained. The sudden silence felt awkward.
‘Why did they all leave?’
Since he didn’t answer, I spoke again.
“I thought you left first…”
“I did.”
His voice was calm and low. He continued while looking at me.
“I left like that, but I don’t know why I went back to you.”
Without looking at him, I said,
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t care whether I lived or died?”
“Yes.”
“Then why—”
“Watching you actually die made me lose my mind.”
So it was because of the money. Before, he had thrown me a cloak because it wouldn’t benefit him if I died.
“If it’s because of the debt I owe you, thank you anyway. You saved me…”
“You deserve to die.”
“What?”
Calyx let out a laugh as if it was ridiculous and looked at me with dark eyes.
“I can’t watch you die anymore.”
For a moment, I had no words. While I was staring at him, he turned away with a stiff face and quickly left the room.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
He saved me but said I deserved to die. Yet he couldn’t watch me die. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand him.
‘He’s really strange.’
I stared at the ceiling with an uneasy feeling. Even so, was it necessary to tell someone who just survived that they deserved to die?
Without realizing it, I clenched my fist. A sharp pain shot through it, and I quickly loosened my grip with a sigh.
‘Who was the one trying to kill me?’
Thinking about it, it was all because of Calyx. He had said the royal family still didn’t know I was a princess.
Then there was only one reason to kill me. Because I was standing beside Calyx.
I had to repay my debt, and I also had to avoid being killed by some unknown person. I was only scammed, yet there were so many obstacles in front of me.
‘Life in Rollend was easier.’
With a bitter thought, I turned over. I remembered collapsing in the snow, and anger rose inside me.
‘If he had helped from the start, this wouldn’t have happened.’
I should have known from the moment he left so coldly. Then a realistic thought struck me. What happened to Chires’s coffin?
My two hundred million. Thinking about the money I had to repay made me feel weak, but I tightened my fist again.
No matter what, I would escape from here.
Once I repaid the debt, I would leave as if running away. I firmly promised myself.
When I woke up again, the doctor and Herkel were watching over me. As soon as our eyes met, Herkel smiled brightly.
“You’re awake. Did you sleep well?”
I nodded without thinking. I never expected them to take care of me like this.
“I’m fine now.”
I had slept well, and strength was returning to my body. The doctor placed a tray of food in front of me and warned,
“Even if you feel fine, you must rest for one week.”
“One week?”
The doctor nodded. It was too long. One week. I had worked as a mercenary for years without getting sick. I hadn’t even caught a common cold.
Even after coming here, no matter how much I struggled outside, I stayed healthy.
I had never stayed in bed for long, so I couldn’t accept his words.
“I feel better than you think. Maybe three days—”
“No. His Grace also said your health is the priority. Please eat this food and rest well.”
Herkel added from the side,
“That’s right. His Grace was very worried before. He even stayed up all night taking care of you.”
I was stunned. Stayed up all night? I looked at Herkel in disbelief.
“His Grace took care of me all night?”
“Yes. He was probably more worried than I was.”
Herkel handed me a fork. I accepted it without thinking.
On the tray were whole wheat bread, a salad with crisp lettuce, and a soup that looked like crushed tomatoes. It was simple food, and not something I particularly liked.
I stared at the salad awkwardly. I couldn’t stop thinking about Calyx staying up all night.
‘No way…’
I looked at Herkel, wondering if he said that on purpose. Just then, the doctor spoke.
“Please rest. If you feel uncomfortable or unwell, ring this bell.”
He placed a small white bell on the bedside table. A bell was something nobles used to call servants. I had never used such a thing before.
I nodded awkwardly. My body rarely got sick anyway.
“Then we’ll leave. Please rest, Lord Lerit.”
After they left, the room became quiet again. Calyx still lingered in my mind.
‘Stayed up all night?’
I couldn’t believe it. He even spoke as if saving me bothered him. Staying up all night to nurse me?
I let out a small laugh. Herkel must have made it up because he always thought positively about Calyx and me. Just as I ate a piece of lettuce—
The door burst open. I looked up and met gray eyes. My heart tightened slightly.
Gray eyes looking at me, and a large figure strong enough to catch Berok with his bare hands. A faint forest scent already drifted toward me.
The scent of his perfume grew stronger as he approached. Calyx stood beside my bed. His heavy presence filled the room.
“How is your body?”
His voice was calm and low. I looked at the food and muttered,
“I’m fine.”
“Even so, don’t try to move and just rest. If you move for no reason, your body will get worse.”
There was concern in his words. Normally, he would have mocked me, asking why I tried to carry that coffin alone.
‘Did he really stay up all night?’
I looked at him. Our eyes met. His eyes did look a little tired. His skin also seemed slightly rough.
I wanted to confirm it clearly.
“I heard from Herkel that Your Grace stayed up all night taking care of me…”
I thought it couldn’t be true. I assumed his tired face was from catching Berok or work.
“Yes.”
His answer was clear, and he did not look away from me.
I swallowed nervously.
“You really stayed up all night for me?”
“I don’t trust Lothas or the new ones. It seemed like they might touch you.”
“Even so, there was no need to personally—”
“Why? Does it bother you?”
“What?”
“The way you look at me makes it seem that way.”
“It’s just unexpected. I thought you would leave me alone whether I lived or died.”
Calyx stood close to my bed. When I looked up, he spoke calmly.
“I don’t understand myself either. So it’s natural that you don’t.”
I had nothing to say. Silence filled the room. Neither of us spoke first. Feeling awkward, I kept moving my fork.
Annoyingly, Calyx kept staring down at me. It felt like I was being watched. When I glanced to the side, our eyes met again.
“Eat properly. Even if royal blood flows in you, this is a time for recovery.”
Princess again. Whenever he was bored, he brought that up, even though I still struggled to accept it.
Without thinking further, I chewed the bread.
Then I suddenly remembered the debt I had promised to repay.
