My Ruin to You - Chapter 228

Mür wasn’t always wrong.

Even if his intentions were malicious, the results could sometimes be beneficial, and the menial work at the healing center was one such instance. Roseline now knew the proper way to wrap a bandage and could readily identify the herbs used for wound recovery. While she couldn’t heal Valen with magic, she could easily tend to a mere cut on his palm.

Not that she intended to become his personal physician. Even if she had learned by watching, Roseline was no doctor; she only planned to provide first aid as needed. But Valen thought differently.

“You’re the one who caused the wound, so taking responsibility is part of the deal.”

“I did?”

“If you don’t remember, I can call for Merrick to remind you.”

He seemed to be implying that Roseline had made some soulless confession to Merrick and broken a glass. It wasn’t the least bit amusing.

He had been quite moved the moment she first offered to tend to his wound. But in the meantime, Valen had grown shameless, summoning Roseline incessantly, demanding she take responsibility until he was fully healed. While they were always together in Casas, they moved separately in their respective positions during the journey to Runzak.

He was at the very front , while Roseline moved somewhere in the middle of the procession. But without fail, once the sun set and the campsite was decided, she would be summoned. Today was another such day.

“Starting tomorrow, you should see the real physician. It’s not getting better at all.”

The problem was that his wound showed no signs of healing.

Several days had passed; the wound should have scabbed over and the blood clotted by now, but for some reason, there was no improvement.

“No. I’ll go and get him right now.”

Roseline, who had been intently examining his palm as if trying to see into it, stood up abruptly from the bedside. Valen, who had been thoroughly enjoying her focused expression while brushing back her stray hair, swiftly grabbed her wrist.

“You can’t just pass your work on to someone else, Roseline.”

“It was never my job to begin with. The cut is deep, but by now the surface should have started to close. I think I must be doing something wrong.”

“You’re doing fine. You could do even better.”

“……Pardon?”

“The wound keeps reopening, so it doesn’t heal.”

“Why does it keep reopening?”

He, who had been looking up at Roseline from his seated position on the bed, narrowed his eyes. Then he let out a sigh as if exasperated. But Roseline was just as exasperated. In her opinion, there was no reason for the wound to reopen.

She wasn’t reciting confessions like a parrot to other men, nor was she ostentatiously seeking out hardship, and most importantly, hadn’t they reconciled? Everything that could have irritated him had vanished, so she couldn’t fathom what could possibly be making him clench his fist so hard that his hand ended up in that state.

“The nights are just too long, Roseline.”

Valen slipped his thumb inside Roseline’s sleeve and gently rubbed the skin on the inside of her wrist. Roseline, who had doubted her ears for a moment, scrunched up her face and yanked her hand back with a thwack.

“So, you’re saying you made it reopen on purpose?”

“That’s not it.”

He had repeatedly suggested they share a barracks. He’d used the plausible excuse that being together was safest, adding the shameless claim that no one would dare comment if they shared quarters, and had even whispered that they could do it without anyone knowing.

“Then are you saying the wound reopened all by itself?”

“How should I know?”

“……”

“That’s why you need to keep an eye on it tonight. Who knows when it might open again?”

The cunning man lifted his injured hand and tugged at the hem of Roseline’s clothes. Though he only pulled with his thumb and forefinger, her balance shifted. But Roseline planted her feet firmly, steadied herself, and carefully pushed his hand away.

“Your Highness.”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll think about it once your hand is fully healed.”

If she gave in here, this hand might never heal. Next time, it might not be his hand, but his arm, or his leg.

“You’ve become quite the fox.”

Valen laughed, a hollow sound. He didn’t press further, seeming to have resigned himself. Only then did Roseline sit back down beside him and examine the wound. She applied the medicinal herbs, gently wiped it clean at the right time, and wrapped it with a bandage.

Although Valen would dislike it, thoughts of the healers from the healing centers always came to mind during these wound-tending moments. The anticipation of seeing them soon, now that Runzak was just ahead, was brief. It was then, as her heart grew heavy with the thought that tomorrow would mark the start of serious war preparations—and that Valen would be heading into battle—that he spoke.

“Roseline.”

“……Yes?”

“Anything else is fine. You can do whatever you wish. But being a Tara is not allowed.”