Rodrigoâs carriage stopped at the entrance to Erhardtâs mansion. Kaylan hurriedly opened the carriage door. He looked around the carriage with a speechless expression. I could tell why he was dumbfounded just by looking at his face.
It must be because Rodrigo fell asleep on my knees.
I thought he was going to scream right away, so I raised my hand and shushed him.
âBrother, go home first with my sisters. I will go home when this person wakes up.â
He raised his eyes fiercely.
âWell then, Iâll go with you!â
Kaylan said coldly, but I shook my head. On the way back in the carriage, I pondered what Rodrigo had said before going to sleep.
-This is a carriage with Cartinas in the back, and if I sleep on a Cartinaâs kneesâŚ
His voice, which had gradually faded, remained like a tattoo in my mind. His one hand was still holding the sword.
He couldnât even sleep comfortably.
And the cause was the Cartinas, who constantly tormented his family. It was good for him to stay as far away as possible from the Cartina people.
Then what about me? My heart was pounding and fluttering.
âGo back first, brother.â
Kaylanâs shoulders slumped. He licked his lips with a face full of things to say.
âIf something happens, blow the whistle.â
In other words, he wouldnât enter the mansion, but he would be nearby. The Cartina family had a whistle that could indicate each otherâs location in case of an emergency.
The whistle produced a sound in a range that only a trained hawk could hear, so the Cartinas could know each otherâs location without anyone elseâs knowledge.
I wish I could go back to Cartinaâs mansion, but I decided to be content here. The reason Kaylan, Ether, and Eyla are quiet now was not because they acknowledged our relationship, but because Rodrigo was seriously injured while trying to save me. Kaylan closed the door of the carriage with a still grim look. The carriage with Rodrigo and me in it then passed through the gates of Erhardtâs mansion.
Rodrigoâs henchmen, Gunther, Devlan, and Augustus, came. As if they were already aware of the greenhouse incident, their faces were filled with concern.
If other Cartinas had seen it, it would have been a row of spears, but fortunately, Kaylan, Ether, and Eyla were far away.
âThere was an accident. Sir Rodrigo used his mana too much.â
Augustus asked in disbelief.
âYes, can I tell you the details later? We need to get Rodrigo into bed quickly.â
âDid he fall? I mean, did he fall asleep?â
âAh! No. While talking to me in the carriage, he fell asleep because he was tired.â
Gunther, Devlan, and Augustusâ eyes widened.
Are you worried about Rodrigoâs injury?
No, it was more of a look of dismay.
âLord, are you dead?â
Gunther opened the carriage door.
Rodrigo, who had come to his senses, sat still. Gunther backed away and pushed Devlan forward. Rodrigo woke up and said he wasnât feeling well. Considering the actions of Gunther and Devlan, it seems that the description is correct.
Rodrigo got out of the carriage and stretched for a long time. When he woke up from sleep, the boredom, fatigue, and irritability I saw was not found.
âIs it okay if you just wake up? Donât you have a family doctor? I need to call the doctor first.â
I was worried about Rodrigo. He slept and woke up without any worries. Still, I donât know what people do. I got close to Rodrigo and tried to help him, and his laughter was heard.
âI am twice as big as you.â
Not the height, but the body.
âIf I really leaned on you, you would fall.â
âDonât lean all your weight on me, you can lean a little.â
I know too. That I canât even lift one of Rodrigoâs legs on my own.
Iâm not a strong person; Iâm a skillful person. I can knock him down right now, but I canât lift him up. Still, I wanted to help him even if it was a little bit.
âItâs okay, Estiya. I slept well for the first time in a long time.â
It was an exceptionally clear voice. After a deep sleep, Rodrigoâs body seemed to have completely recovered.
In the emperorâs secret parlor, a beautiful blonde man sat there. His white skin seemed to have never seen the sunlight, and his ridiculously red lips were so beautiful that it were confusing and made people wonder whether he was a woman or a man. And when he got up from his seat, he was skinny, but his tall height, wide shoulders, and veins protruding from his big hands were revealed.
âHoly Father, please sit down.â
Emperor Terto hurriedly followed and chased Pope Nataniel. Nathaniel took a slow step and looked out the window.
Nathaniel clicked his tongue. The man whom God loved, the Emperor of the country, was weak. He was very annoyed by his mission to protect the Emperor.
But he was Godâs servant, and God brought him out of the filthy pit. So Nathaniel had to help him.
âThe magic of Erhardt. There seems to be a problem with his seal.â
Terto couldnât find anything to say back and just opened his mouth foolishly. Then Nathaniel asked him what to do kindly.
âWhy is there a problem with the seal?â
âIf you werenât a fool, you would have understood just by me saying this.â
Terto rushed out of the drawing room.
He was not a fool to serve.
Nathaniel smiled bitterly as he looked into the air.
The tea on the table had not cooled down yet.
Rodrigo had to call his doctor, Hefork.
âYouâre fine. Are you sure you got hurt?â
Hefork poked and touched Rodrigo, who was lying calmly in bed, and wrote a diagnosis.
âAre you sure heâs fine?â
I asked before Rodrigo. The large steel structure fell over Rodrigoâs body. Exactly above his shield.
âHe doesnât have any internal injuries?â
Hefork squinted and looked at me. His eyes seemed to ask:
-Why are you interested in his health?
Come to think of it, the people of Erhardt are suspicious. Gunther, Hefork, andAugust werenât very friendly.
Itâs because Iâm a Cartina.
Hefork was staring at me. I was in a rush to answer quickly.
âIâm RodrigoâsâŚâ
I hesitated because I didnât know how to introduce myself.
Rodrigo suddenly replied. Then he pulled my wrist.
Rodrigo rubbed my wrist with his thumb, sending a ticklish feeling as he looked at Hefork.
âWonât you answer?â
Whenever I heard his low voice calling me âmy loverâ, I was engulfed in an unknown mood.
Anyway, I felt different from usual.
I wasnât the only one who felt that this situation was a little strange. The expressions of the Erhardt people gathered in his bedroom were spectacular.
Oh, have you never had a girlfriend? Theyâre overreacting to the word âloverâ.
I laughed because I thought it was funny that they were overreacting and thinking like that. Rodrigoâs hand stopped. I looked back at him. Our eyes were closely intertwined.
âIsnât it hot in the room?â
I heard what Gunter said to Devlen.
âI canât wait to go out.â
ââŚHe doesnât have any internal injuries. But just in case, itâs better to rest well. Can we go out now?â
Hefork coughed loudly and asked.
Rodrigo spoke without taking his eyes off me. I heard the sound of people rushing out.
Should I slowly leave now?
As I was getting up, Rodrigo gave strength to his hand holding my wrist.
âWhat? You told me to leave.â
âNot you. Wouldnât it be weird if my lover followed right away? Donât couples usually take care of each other at times like this?â
Oh? I guess you have been in a relationship.
I shook off Rodrigoâs hand with a coy look and crossed my arms.
âDid another lover do that?â
Rodrigo closed his mouth as if he were thinking about what I was saying. Then he burst into laughter.
He said with a straight face. Thanks to lying down, his hair fell back and I could see his handsome face better.
âBeing in a relationship, introducing someone as my lover, sleeping comfortably in front of someone, andâŚâ
I thought the next words after âandâ would be very important. But he closed his mouth.
Being impatient, I pushed for his answer. He hesitated, looked at me, and said,
âWanting someone to be next to me under the pretext of nursing.â
I was shaking. I felt like I just heard a great story, but it wasnât very good at the same time.
Rodrigoâs words were like a huge wave, and they were rushing toward me.