Chapter 12

author’s note: Now we’re back to the sweet moments!

My body slowly showed signs of recovery. I was no longer bedridden, and I didn’t need to be in my pajamas all the time. I was still weak, but I could eat on my own as usual.

Yes, I could eat as usual.

“Here. Ahnn” I showed a dissatisfied face towards this person who smilingly brought a spoon to my mouth.

“Al, I’ll eat by myself.”

“See here, it’s Fania’s favourite turnip soup.”

“Listen. I don’t need you to attend to me.”

“It’s okay. I already blew on it. Or, do you prefer steak?”

This guy who was beaming joyfully was not listening at all. He cut the steaks into pieces and then he brought over a bite-sized piece of meat to me.

”

”

After I collapsed from the poison, Al kept wailing that it was his fault. Two weeks after the incident, when I finally could move my arms, I punched Al who was wetting my pillow with his tears, on his head.

I was very frail back then, so it only became a feebly soft punch, but Al who was punched was stupefied that his mouth was wide open for a while.

“Then I’ll ask you. Were you the one who poisoned me?”

“No! I won’t do something like that.”

“So, there’s no need for you to apologize.”

“But… I was the one that made you eat the chocolate.”

“Even if it wasn’t me who ate it, someone else would anyway. So it made no difference whether you made me eat it or not. Listen to me, for something you don’t even have to apologize, you’re being terribly noisy. If you’re so free to cry, then attend to the sick me instead.”

Hearing my caustic retort, Al’s face somehow blushed and glanced upwards at me. Hn? didn’t I remonstrate him, yet why was he making such a face?

“You don’t hate it even if I come to attend to you? It was my fault that you suffered… But is it still okay?”

“Haa, I told you already it was not your fault. Or else, you intend to simply neglect me in this frail state?”

l intentionally spoke loftily. No matter how sick I was, that was not how I was supposed to speak to a royalty.

I only wanted to avoid leaving a scar in the heart of a tender young Al. There was no need for him to grieve or feel indebted over this matter. Al was the victim after all. If I didn’t eat the chocolate first, there was a possibility that Al would die instead.

I only said that spontaneously to distract Al who was so convinced that it was all his fault. Even for taking care of me, those matters were already done by the doctors, nurses, and maidservants. At least once he has the intention to take care of me, he would be distracted from the guilt; I was only saying it casually at the time.

I realized I made a mistake to say that to him soon enough.

Al stopped his crying at once. And he also stopped apologizing as well from that point on. I felt relieved, but it would’ve never occurred to me that Al is someone who loves to take care of other people to this extent.

He stuck by my side almost 24/7. From ‘good morning’ to ‘good night’ he would just be there on standby, very eager to attend to me.

Let alone feeding me, he also helped to wipe my body and even read books when I was bored. He was delighted to assist me in every single thing.

He would still do it when I refused him. Or even for things I don’t want him to, he would still do them. He simply wouldn’t listen.

No, just why was he trying to sleep next to the sick person on the bed?

No-no, I don’t want to enter the bath with you.

No-no-no, you absolutely don’t need to help me at the toilet.

The poison made my body frail, yet I felt that I turned more frail by how Al was attending me.