“Didn’t you say ‘It’s not like I can’t use it’ just now……”
“It’s just bluffing.”
As far as I can remember, Ash never blatantly said that he was bluffing…
I didn’t answer back, so Ash continued his words.
“I’m telling you, it’s a very useless poison, just a paralytic poison.”
I don’t know why Ash is reassuring and soothing me in this situation. It’s Ash who got hurt.
I felt a little disheartened. Of course, since there was a perception that Ash was hurt because of me.
“Just let it bite me instead.”
Although, I’m not really saying it like that, and Ash, who heard it clearly, made eye contact with me and said.
“If so, then this house caretaker and all the house servants will have to go.”
“……”
“Do you want it to be like that?”
At this moment, Ash’s last remark about the ‘remainings’ suddenly came to mind. The remainings except for me. If I got hurt then the other would die.
Oh, no.
I shook my head around. Come to think of it, isn’t it the same as if for the sake of other people peace and stability, I need to save my body first, is it?
I shouldn’t go around alone then…
I was thinking over the new realization when Bessie’s voice broke in and evoked the topic.
“I’m glad the wound itself isn’t deep anyway. No, why was there a snake in the garden in the first place? It’s not even a butterfly or a frog.”
That’s right, that’s what I want to ask too.
Did it come in from outside? That was the only possible reason. I don’t think anyone raised it.
…..isn’t it?
The old Flora’s memory that passed through my head faltered, and at that moment the drawing-room door burst open.
“Aigoo! Your Excellency!”
It was Lucas.
“I’ve heard the word. You were bitten by a snake? God, it’s all my fault. I don’t understand why that kind……… It’s my fault that I didn’t take good care of the garden. I’m so sorry.”
As soon as he entered the room, Lucas bowed so low that he could nearly touch the ground.
I deliberately ignored Lucas, who seemed to have a backache.
It may be technically unfair for me to blame Lucas for all the snakes in the garden, but somehow I didn’t want to defend him now.
Maybe it’s because I keep seeing the bandages around Ash’s arm.
Ash calmly opened his mouth to Lucas, who apologized to me repeatedly.
“You’re so lucky, Viscount.”
“Yes?”
“If my sister had been bitten, not me, You wouldn’t even be here right now.”
Lucas swivelled his eyes. He seemed to measure what he heard.
“I’m so sorry to the Princess, too.”
Soon he turned around and apologized to me.
I was still pretending I didn’t hear it, and then Ash gestured lightly, like chasing a fly.
“Just go away.”
“But…”
“If you don’t think annoying me is the secret to getting the wound healed quickly, then go.”
In the end, Lucas limped back.
It was an early exit.
After Lucas disappeared, Sir Davery brought up the words as if to change the mood.
“Well, let’s rest today, Your Excellency, you’ve been overloaded with work.”
“Yes, yes.”
Bessie responded as if what he had just said is right.
I personally agreed. I didn’t say it in words, but I’ve been hoping that for a long time ago when Ash can get rest a day.
But Ash, who did not even listen to them, saw me instead.
“Noonim.”
“Huh?”
“Shall we go out for a tour of the territory in the afternoon?”
And it was Bessie who answered him before me.
“What do you mean by that! Where are you going? Even if you take a break and don’t move at all, it’s still isn’t enough.”
“It’s not a big wound or anything.”
“What do you mean it’s not! You’re talking as if it’s just a scratch!”
“Didn’t you hear the doctor say it was a scratch?”
When……?
“Oh, lady. Please say something to him.”
Bessie shot me a glance to see as if she knew what she was saying wouldn’t work.
I just talked frankly, a bit hesitatingly because I had the baton in my hands.
“Even if we go out together, I’m not going to see anything else because I’ll just be paying attention to your wounds.”
It’s embarrassing to spit it out, but it’s true. It was obvious that I couldn’t concentrate on the outside when all I’m doing was staring at the bandage.
Bessie turned on the double heart with a satisfied face.
“You hear that? My Lady has said so, too. Today, you need absolute rest. Com. plet. ly!!”
Ash’s eyes met mine. I coughed in a sense of condescension.
“If that’s what Noonim say then.”
“Really, you should have said so.”
“But anyway, you’ll need a change of mood.”
“Change of mood? Me?”
Ash’s gaze was still turned at me as if he pointed at me, he said yes with a nod.
“A change of mood…….”
I couldn’t find a reason why I needed it out of the blue and soon swallowed a short sighing of exclamation.
Is it……because of the crying? Because of what I did in the garden?
I was at a loss for words. He was just bitten by a snake, and even now and then.
Ash was really constantly thinking about me.
My heart throbbed. Feelings mingled suddenly.
A simple joy that comes from someone’s affection for me.
But then there’s immediately the despairing sadness that comes from the realization that I am going to lose it any time soon.
The latter was so big that I choked. The more pleased Ash is with the affection he shows me, the more painful it is for me to imagine a future that will lose it.
For that reason, I was at a loss for words, and then I heard Sir Davery’s voice.
“Leave it to me.”
“Sir?”
Bessie and I turned side by side.
Sir Davery held his right hand in his place and continued.
“In short, isn’t it a matter of trusting the escort? I’ll take care of the lady. Safety guaranteed, security guaranteed and fun guaranteed.”
“How about the last one?”
“Hmm. Even if it’s a mission, I don’t want you to forget that I’ve been in the territory for some time.”
He added that he is familiar with the latest version of the outing.
It was a dignified attitude.
“What.”
Before long, Ash’s brief permission fell.
“Well, you’re better than the others.”
“Trust me, lady.”
Sir Davery laughed with a boastful grin. I realized a step later than his self-confident smile. That my outing was decided.
‘Huh?’
***
There is a fact that no one knew, even though it is not much.
The doctor, who we had thought he had left earlier on the way, found out that his presence had been erased for some reason, but he still remained in the drawing-room.
‘I’ve never diagnosed your wounds as a scratch.’
It was quite late that he corrected Ash’s remarks, informing him that he was still in the room, and then gave Ash a prescription for “absolute rest today.”
‘Don’t overdo your work today and take a good rest.’
Bessie and everyone else in the present were not desirable prescriptions.
However, the next question remained whether Ash would follow the prescription as soon as possible.
Anyway, that’s how Ash was taking a break, meanwhile –
“Would you like me to hold it for you?”
“It’s all right.”
I went out.
The autumn has come but the midday sun is still hot.
Under the burning sun, I took out the parasol that Bessie had prepared and opened it.
I declined Sir Davery’s voice and looked ahead. A lively and noisy street was visible as people rushed by.
I thought for a moment.
‘How did I…’
When Ash brought up the change of mood in the drawing-room, I couldn’t say no to it right away because there’s no chance to do so.
When I felt that I didn’t have to change my mood a little later, it was already after Sir Davery was selected as the escort, and Bessie was also preparing to go out with a good touch.
It’s too late to say no.
So I finally got ready for this and that, so I’m here now.
The opinion that the morning was cold and the afternoon would be good for me to walk around made me leave the mansion just after lunch.
I stared at the bustling and noisy centre of the territory and soon looked back at Sir Davery.
“What do you do now?”
“Are you hungry?”
“Do you need a specific answer?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
“I can eat without hesitation if someone gives me something, but that’s the kind of thing that I don’t want to ask for first.”
“Hmm, then let’s put off the restaurant first. There’s a new street stall nearby. Would you like to take a look around?”
“Okay.”
Sir Davery had been transformed into an oblivious tour guide.
I looked at him and swallowed a feeble sigh. Yeah, just enjoy it then.
Now that we have a professional guide, let’s take a look around.
‘Cause I should have gone out for sightseeing at least once like this anyway.’
That’s the reason why I came down here anyway.
As I was walking along the street led by Sir Davery, I suddenly thought of Ash’s voice.
‘Have a good time.’
Ash stayed in the mansion and saw me out of the mansion in the afternoon.
And then I read the still-worried concern in Ash’s eyes towards me.
Does he still care about my crying in the garden?
The golden eyes that kept me still showed an undeniable warmth. Clear and vivid.
Thanks to it, my heart was pounding even at that moment. Feelings were overworked again.
It was heart-warming and special that he showed to me only, and at the same time, it was contradictorily sad, painful, and gloomy, and it was a kind of hot bath, cold bath, and merciless roller coaster.
‘I’m going to die in expulsion…… Ah, my life itself is short, by the way.’
I was thinking about it that I didn’t see properly in front of me, and then I bumped into someone coming from the opposite side.
“Oh, sorry…”
-I do. I couldn’t get the word out of my mouth.
It’s not because the guy I bumped into is a little kid who barely got to my chest.
“Hehe.”
Because my purse was in the little boy’s hand.
I wondered why that was in the hands of that child. Of course, a very short accident was enough.
“Thank you, I’ll use it well!”
The child, who seemed to have stolen my purse, soon turned around and fled toward the alley.
He’s such a quick kid. It happened so suddenly that Sir Davery couldn’t hide his absurd expression and said,