Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Suddenly, Hilde threw her arms around him, rising on tiptoe to press her lips against his.
Benedict’s eyes widened slightly.
She was small, and her lips barely grazed his chin, but it was undoubtedly a kiss.
“D-don’t go…”
Clutching his shirtfront, she lifted her head again, her movements desperate and pleading. It was enough.
The dryness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a sudden blaze. He pulled her close, their lips meeting in a deep kiss. Her response, though clumsy, sent a shiver of excitement down his spine. He devoured her, sucking on her tears as they spilled onto her cheeks, licking the droplets that clung to her lashes.
Meanwhile, Greta, who had been approaching the door in response to the bell, quietly retreated and closed the door without a sound.
***
Hilde’s divine power flowed into the child. The sickly blue tinge of the child’s skin slowly faded, returning to its natural color. With a rattling cough, the child expelled a final mouthful of dark blood and opened their eyes.
“Tommy!”
The mother cried, clutching her newly awakened child. The child, still dazed, hugged her back.
“Thank you, thank you so much. I’ll never forget your kindness.”
The maid bowed her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her face.
‘Thank goodness.’
Hilde stepped back, a small smile gracing her lips. She was relieved she hadn’t been too late.
‘It would have been dangerous if the poison had spread further.’
When the maid had brought her the dying child, the poison had been dangerously close to the heart. A few more hours, perhaps even less, and it might have been too late.
‘But I could see the poison spreading… I couldn’t before.’
She’d healed a person bitten by a venomous snake once before, but back then, she hadn’t been able to see the extent of the poison. She’d only been able to gauge the healing process by the amount of divine power she used.
‘Come to think of it… does the Master’s snake not have venom?’
She hadn’t seen the black snake since the incident with the rabbit, but she was certain it still lived in the castle.
‘No one’s been bitten, so it must be alright.’
Perhaps it was a surprisingly gentle snake…
‘Maybe I misunderstood and needlessly bothered Master about the rabbit. Maybe it wasn’t going to hurt it after all.’
Hilde turned, thinking she should be kinder to the snake next time she saw it.
“Oh…”
The world spun. She stumbled, the floor rushing up to meet her.
“I knew it.”
Strong arms caught her. Hilde blinked, slowly lifting her head.
“Master…?”
His arms tightened around her waist, lifting her into the air. Startled by the sudden loss of grounding, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. One corner of Benedict’s mouth lifted in a smirk.
“The same tricks won’t work twice.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
She started to pull away, but he stopped her with a low growl.
“Don’t you dare let go.”
He carried her to his bedroom and set her down on the bed in the adjoining room.
“Thank you…” Hilde said, her face still flushed with surprise. “I would have been badly hurt if you hadn’t been there.”
“I see you’re aware of that.” Despite his chiding tone, Benedict’s eyes scanned her face. She was covered in a sheen of sweat from the exertion, her breath still coming in ragged gasps. The sight irritated him.
“Do you have no sense?” he snapped.
“I…I don’t know how to…” Hilde’s face flushed with embarrassment, but then she offered a shy smile. “But I’m glad I was able to help.”
Her genuine smile gave Benedict pause.
What was so important about it?
She was a woman he couldn’t understand. He’d never understood anyone, never tried to, never even considered it. Yet, he found himself studying his slave. She’d worn a similar expression when she’d saved the rabbit. Her eyes had crinkled more then, her cheeks a brighter shade of pink. He’d even seen a hint of dimples.
“I was worried I might be too late, even while I was healing him,” Hilde confessed, her smile widening. “I’m so happy I was able to save him.”
Bathed in the afternoon sunlight, her pure joy bloomed like a flower. It was a clear, untainted smile, devoid of any pretense.
“.…”
Benedict’s gaze was captivated by her smile. He stared as if he’d never seen anyone smile before, as if he were registering another person’s face for the very first time.
And for the first time, he thought a smile could be beautiful.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.