Chapter 47
“Greetings, High Priest. My respects to His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Helion arrived next, his eyes meeting mine. They shimmered with unshed tears. And finally, Seikan arrived…
It was the first time I’d seen his face since that day. His handsome, composed features were noticeably haggard.
I had been studying the entry on Tarags, my thick bestiary open before me—the one I’d painstakingly compiled myself—when I saw Seikan enter the central hallway. I looked up from the page.
As I approached, Seikan froze, staring at me as if petrified.
“Seikan Perdian.”
“….”
“Can we talk?”
“Alone?”
Clovis, who had been silently observing the situation, intervened. “I have something urgent to discuss with Count Seikan. It won’t take long.”
Keeping my gaze fixed on Seikan, I replied, “It’s imperative that I speak with Count Perdian privately. It will be brief.” A storm seemed to brew in his blue eyes as he considered my words.
“…Very well.”
Seikan nodded, and I led him to a garden not far from the central hallway.
“You look a little worse than before,” Seikan remarked as we walked across the manicured lawn. He moved closer, his large frame casting a shadow over me.
“So, this private conversation…” A flicker of anticipation crossed his tired features. He emphasized the word “alone” with a subtle intensity. What on earth was he expecting?
A wave of disbelief washed over me as I assessed the distance between us.
“Adelina, what did you want to…!”
“You idiot!”
Wham!
I punched him in the jaw with all my might, my thumb tucked tightly against my fist.
It all started with you!
My fist connected perfectly with his jaw at just the right angle. The impact sent a jolt up my arm.
“If you had any decency, the first words out of your mouth would have been an apology!”
This was our first encounter since that night. The night I should have died. The night I was forced into an unwanted intimacy with the man I had considered a friend. Everything I thought I knew had unraveled since then, and Seikan was the primary target of my resentment.
Seikan slowly turned his head back to face me, his jaw askew. A small cut marred his smooth lips.
Damn. I should have aimed for his nose.
He wiped the blood away with a finger and chuckled.
“Thank you for being angry with me.”
Seriously?
“Do you think you’re some tragic hero in a melodramatic novel?”
I clenched my fist again, this time aiming for his nose…
“Lina! Stop!”
Helion, who had been hiding in plain sight, rushed out from behind a bush and grabbed my arm.
“Let go! Are you taking his side?! Do you want some of this too?!”
“No, it’s just… your hand is injured! Look.”
Helion took my hand in his, his calloused fingers tracing the skin. A stinging sensation radiated from where he touched.
“You must have grazed your knuckles against his teeth. Next time, aim for the soft tissue inside the cheek.” Helion helpfully offered advice on more effective assault techniques.
“Hit me again if it makes you feel better. If Seikan’s not enough, hit me again. Just… let your hand heal first. Okay?”
His gentle tone made me feel like I was the one being unreasonable.
“Yes, Helion’s right. You should tend to your hand. Shouldn’t we call a healing priest?” Seikan added.
I glared at him in disbelief. He smiled, then winced as the cut on his lip stretched.
“Seikan Perdian, you should be the one seeking a healing priest. And…” I pulled my hand free from Helion’s grasp and looked up at Seikan.
“You’re right.”
“About what?”
“I’m never going to see you again.”
Seikan’s eyes widened at my resolute words. Beside him, Helion flinched.
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