Chapter 13
In the midst of my self-pitying escape from reality, I was suddenly spun around. Seikan had ripped the cloth binding my hands, pulled me into his embrace, and dodged the incoming blade.
The shift in position caused his half-embedded pen*s to slip out completely, scraping its thickest part against me as it withdrew.
“Ahhk!”
The burning, needle-like pain in that sensitive area forced a cry from my lips. Clenching his jaw, Clovis yanked the sword embedded in the sofa and roared, “Seikan Perdian! I will kill you where you stand!”
‘Wait, wait. Weren’t you trying to kill me?’
“My, Your Highness. It’s only been a few hours since you praised me, and now you speak of killing me? The saliva from your lips hasn’t even dried yet.” Seikan’s flippant retort to Clovis’s outburst was unexpected.
This sarcastic tone was unfamiliar, coming from someone who always presented a composed and upright image, the very model of a perfect knight.
“You dare speak such insolence!”
“And why shouldn’t I, when I have a mouth?” Yet, Seikan’s words trailed off, his voice weakening. The strength in the arms holding me tightened, then gradually lessened. It was likely the sudden wave of sleepiness that followed the l*st induced by the monster’s blood.
“Did you really think you could get away with such a shameless act on the Imperial Princess’s property?”
“A shameless act? To what are you referring?” Seikan’s suggestive tone and the way his fingers pressed into my shoulder brought a flush to my face again—not from embarrassment, but from anger. I shrugged off his hand and glared at him.
“You. Whether you’re talking or fighting, put some clothes on first.” I stood between Seikan and Clovis. My loose priestly robes hid Seikan from Clovis’s view, but Seikan’s state was simply too indecent to be seen by anyone. I couldn’t bear the thought of Clovis seeing him naked, stained with my blood.
At my coldly delivered words, Seikan conceded with a sigh. Maintaining my stern expression, I turned to Clovis.
“Ugh!” The sharp pain lancing through my lower back as I turned made it impossible to keep up my facade. The agony radiating from the wound, all the way up my spine, was unbearable.
Plip. Plop.
To make matters worse, I saw drops of blood falling from between my legs onto the light-colored carpet below. Humans are visual creatures. Seeing the crimson blood made the pain feel even worse. Clovis stared silently at the blood pooling on the floor, his expression unreadable, a complex mix of emotions I couldn’t decipher.
Mortified, I was further unnerved by the inscrutable expression on the face of the man who had just moments ago been wielding a sword with murderous intent.
“Ahem, Your Highness.” At my cautious address, his sharp, golden eyes, which had been fixed on the floor, snapped up to meet mine.
“If you have something to discuss with Count Seikan, I shall excuse myself.”
I wanted to be anywhere but here. I was in pain, embarrassed, and utterly mortified. As Clovis remained uncomfortably silent, Seikan, having haphazardly thrown on some clothes, collapsed.
‘Well, it’s about time. He held on for long enough.’
“As you can see, Count Seikan seems to be in no condition for a conversation. It would be best if you two arranged to speak at a later date. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
“Adelina… wait…”
‘Seikan Perdian, you son of a—! Just shut up and sleep!’
True to form, Seikan trailed off mid-sentence, slumping against the sofa and falling asleep. Seizing the opportunity presented by the removal of one obstacle, I bowed deeply to Clovis.
“I will personally apologize to Her Highness. My deepest apologies.”
‘With that superficial pleasantry out of the way, time to escape.’
I began to back away, one painful step at a time, feeling like a mermaid who’d just crawled onto land, when a chilling voice pierced me. “Where do you think you’re going?”
‘What’s it to you where I go?’
Keeping my head bowed, I glanced up at him. Clovis sighed, as if exasperated. “Follow me.”
“Excuse me?”
‘Hold on, Your Highness. What was that? Why should I follow you?’ I instinctively lifted my head, only to be struck by a searing pain in my lower back that choked off my cry of protest. A sneer curled Clovis’s beautiful lips.
“You don’t want to follow me?”
“….”
‘Is that even a question?’
“Do you want to follow me on your own two feet, or shall I drag you?” The sword still clutched in Clovis’s hand flashed ominously.
* * *
It hadn’t always been this way. Clovis hadn’t started out by insulting and berating me. He had been incredibly kind when I first brought Hestia to the Imperial Palace. He’d praised me for restoring peace to the Imperial family, and whenever Hestia’s separation anxiety led her to seek me out at the palace, he’d showered me with delicious food, good books, and general kindness. But that kindness had abruptly vanished on the day of his seventeenth birthday celebration.
“It wasn’t even that big of a mistake…”
“What?”
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