Chapter 69
“Ah-!”
The moment she opened the door, her arm was yanked roughly, and her back slammed against the wall with a thud.
At the same time her shoulder was painfully pressed down, a flash of silver gleamed in the darkness. Lynette widened her eyes, forgetting even to breathe.
Perhaps because of her surprise, the pain reached her belatedly. She couldn’t see even a fingernail’s worth of the man’s face, turned against the moonlight, but the sensation of being Guided allowed her to be certain it was Euphen.
“Lynette.”
He, too, must have felt the same thing, for he flinched and stepped back. She exhaled a trembling breath.
“Your Highness the Imperial Prince.”
When she reached out her hand, the man retreated a little further.
“Why did you come?”
“You need Guiding.”
“I don’t need it.”
His voice grew rough as he whispered. Then, with a low sigh, he slowly sheathed his sword.
Lynette clasped her hands tightly together. Though it had been only for the briefest moment, the pain that seeped through was definitely… quite severe.
‘He used a lot of power.’
It was clear he had used much more than what he usually did for training.
She slowly looked around the room. The solid walls were marred with countless claw-like gouges.
“What happened here?”
“Nothing happened.”
The man tried to feign composure, but he was not accustomed to hiding pain, and so he could not conceal it perfectly. His faintly furrowed brows, the way his hands clenched and relaxed as if to force his focus elsewhere, and even the posture that was not as upright as usual.
Lynette stepped closer to him. She knew well that ever since learning he caused her pain, he had avoided using his ability entirely.
So why had he used it this time?
Knowing that he would only refuse Guiding, she chose not to waste time in a futile argument and instead spoke of something else.
“It looks like your arm is hurt. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”
But his words of “just a scratch” rang hollow, for the bandages beneath his white shirt were already stained red. Lynette moved a little closer to Euphen.
The wrecked room, his injuries, the unsettled atmosphere, the knights rushing in, the sight of torches carried as they ran outside… putting it all together, only one conclusion came to mind.
An assassin.
The instant the word surfaced, she frowned.
‘But before my regression, nothing like this ever happened.’
She had spent years at his side, yet she had never seen an assassin.
What had changed? Or perhaps it had happened before, but Euphen had dealt with it so well she had never noticed.
Then why was she aware of it now?
Lynette gazed silently into the man’s blue eyes. Even in the darkness, she could see the weight sinking within them.
Thoughtlessly, she reached out toward his cheek. Just before her fingertips brushed against him, Euphen tilted his head slightly, avoiding her touch.
“Don’t.”
“Your Highness.”
“I used my ability.”
“I know.”
“That’s why you mustn’t.”
He walked over to the sofa and collapsed into it. Lynette quietly watched as he pressed his brow with one hand and let out a long sigh.
“You know well that in the end, my only option is your Guiding.”
“And you’re telling me to hurt you as if it were only natural?”
“It couldn’t be helped.”
“I could have handled it just fine.”
His blue eyes glinted sharply even in the dark.
“It was possible without ever using my power.”
In his voice, self-reproach rang clearly. Lynette bit her lips hard.
“Since you came, I’ve grown too used to using my ability… so I reflexively relied on it.”
“I know Your Highness is making an effort. That’s why, please let me Guide you.”
Seeing him blame himself, calling himself foolish for letting his guard down and getting hurt because he had unconsciously used his power, she had no words of comfort to offer.
“I shouldn’t have done it… yet before I knew it, I poured out my strength.”
She stood before him. She could feel his gaze quietly fixed on her face.
“To imagine how much this would hurt you… I don’t even want to.”
“It won’t hurt.”
“Lies.”
A faint laugh slipped from him, and she lowered her head slightly. She already knew well that lies would never work on him.
Her lips trembled as she struggled to find the words.
“The pain of Guiding is easier to bear than seeing Your Highness in pain.”
“Why do you care for me so much?”
His fists clenched tight.
“I can’t give you anything.”
Why had she fallen in love with Euphen? It felt so long ago that she could hardly remember how it began.
She simply loved him. At some point, without knowing when. Even if what he gave her was nothing but pain.
“You should have hated me instead.”
“There’s no way I could hate you.”
The man gave a bitter smile.
“I want to hold you.”
“Then hold me.”
“I can’t.”
Lynette pretended not to hear his resolute refusal and stepped closer. Her knees nearly brushed against his.
She bent her waist, spread her arms, and carefully pulled his shoulders into an embrace.
It was clear he had used far too much power. The pain that rushed into her was far more intense than anything she had endured before, so sharp it left her mind spinning. Reflexively, she clenched her teeth.
“Ugh…”
Though she was the one in pain, it was Euphen who let out a groan filled with agony.
And the more he suffered, the tighter Lynette held him. The pain flooding into her body through the places they touched made her dizzy to the point of losing consciousness.
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