Chapter 68
What on earth was happening? She couldn’t understand any of it.
With a confused expression, she lifted her head.
“His Highness the Imperial Prince… please let me see His Highness.”
But no one listened to her. She felt the rough motion of a rope being tied around her wrists.
“Wait, I’m just a maid. I…”
She shouted belatedly, but it had no effect. Her arm hurt as if it would break.
Just as Lynette groaned under the pressure pinning her to the floor, the door opened and Euphen appeared. He wore only a shirt draped loosely over his shoulders.
The first thing that caught her eyes was the bandage wrapped around his arm. And the specks of blood scattered across his body.
Lynette’s eyes widened.
Had he been injured?
The man’s wounds concerned her more than the pain in her arm.
“Lynette!”
Upon seeing her, Euphen strode forward. The knight, catching sight of him, finally released her arm.
“What are you doing?”
His voice was stiff. The knight hastily stepped back and bowed his head. Lynette held her aching arm and looked up.
“It isn’t his fault. I…”
She cried out urgently, and the man gave a bitter smile.
“Even in this situation, you’re defending someone else?”
Euphen bent slightly as if to help her up, then pulled his hand back.
“Help Lynette up.”
At his command, the woman who had stepped back lifted Lynette to her feet.
“Your Highness, what happened? Why is your arm like that? Are you alright?”
“It’s nothing to worry about.”
His voice pushed her away gently, yet Lynette’s heart throbbed painfully. Perhaps noticing her wounded expression, he let out a short sigh.
“It’s truly nothing.”
“But you’re hurt.”
When Lynette pointed at the bandages wrapped around his arm, the man tugged at his shirt, slipped his arm into it, and fastened the buttons carelessly.
“You don’t need to concern yourself.”
“But-!”
“Ugh..”
“Your Highness!”
As she tried to protest, he groaned softly, gritting his teeth. Lynette, along with the others present, startled and rushed toward Euphen.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“We should call for a physician. You might be injured elsewhere.”
“There’s no need. Even if one came, it would be useless.”
Lynette gazed intently at his face. His pale complexion worried her.
His furrowed brow, clenched jaw, tightly shut then opened eyes.
It was too much to be explained simply by the pain of an arm wound. And hadn’t he even said, ‘A physician would be useless’?
Only one thought came to her.
Pain from using his ability.
Without hesitation, she reached out. But just as her palm was about to touch his pale cheek, Euphen’s eyes widened and he stepped back.
“Your Highness.”
“Don’t come near me, Lynette.”
“You need me.”
“Step back.”
Even at his words, Lynette didn’t move. Another woman shoved her shoulder, sending her staggering back a few steps. Yet she advanced toward Euphen again.
“Your Highness.”
“Take Lynette back to her room.”
He ground his teeth as he gave the order.
“I can heal you, Your Highness.”
Lynette shook off the hands clutching her arm as she spoke.
“I said it isn’t necessary! Take her away.”
“Your Highness!”
“Leave, Lynette.”
“You promised me. At least once a day…”
“I kept the promise today.”
“Tomorrow will be no different.”
She resisted desperately against the force dragging her away. Though the others didn’t fully understand their exchange, perhaps because she had cried out that she could ‘heal’ Euphen, the woman and the knights didn’t drag her off too roughly.
“Enough.”
The man spoke again, then let out another groan.
Moments later, leaning heavily on someone’s shoulder, he returned to his chambers. In that instant, Lynette caught sight of the wrecked room inside.
Such destruction could only be caused by an Esper’s special ability. Euphen had indeed used his power. Whether by his own will or not. And to such an extent that he had torn the room apart. No wonder he was suffering the aftermath.
Lynette twisted desperately.
“Let go of me!”
But perhaps because of the Prince’s command, the woman didn’t fully release her grip.
With a slam, Euphen’s door shut. Completely rejecting her.
Stumbling, Lynette was shoved away and forced down the stairs, back to her room.
She had no choice but to retreat for now, but she couldn’t leave things as they were. Curled up on her bed, she waited for the faint sounds of footsteps to fade away.
‘There’s no other way anyway.’
If Eshar had awakened, she would have begged them to call her immediately, but unfortunately, that hadn’t happened. Nor did Euphen possess some special ability like Sillian.
In the end, the only answer was her Guiding. Euphen would despise it, she knew, but she had to do it regardless.
She wasn’t sure how long she waited, but at last, the commotion subsided. Only after the footsteps disappeared completely did she quietly open her door and step outside.
Climbing the stairs again, she found the corridor now silent, unlike before. Suppressing her footsteps, she slowly approached the door.
No knights stood guard there. She knew well that Euphen, sensitive to the slightest presence, never allowed anyone near him while he slept.
Steadying her breath, she carefully grasped the doorknob. Then, quietly, she opened the door.
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