After completing the first treatment, Kanna left the imperial palace. This time, the Empress personally escorted them to the carriage.
"Amelia has a fiery temper. She's been sick for a long time, so please understand, Duchess."
It was an unexpected word. The Empress has a heart that cares for her daughter no matter what.
"I became violent because of my illness, but I was a very sick kid when I was young. I listen very well."
After reminiscing for a while, the Empress quickly shook her head.
"I'm sorry. I said something stupid."
"No, it's okay."
"Please take good care of it, you always smell good. I can't smell it, so what kind of perfume do you use?"
"This perfume is hard to find on the market. If you like, I'll bring it as a gift later."
"Thank you."
Finally, in the carriage back home, vertigo shook her head.
'I'm dizzy.'
Suddenly, the bittersweet smell of blood hit the tip of her nose. Looking down at her body, sure enough, the collar of her shoulder was getting wet red. It was the wound Argon had inflicted earlier.
'It's strange. Why am I like this?"
It wasn't deeply stabbed, and it didn't hurt that much, but the bleeding didn't stop.
Kanna wrapped it roughly with the bandage she had brought beforehand.
Nevertheless, the dizziness continues. maybe it was because she was nervous the whole time she was treating the Princess, but it felt like the pain was belatedly coming. Furthermore, to make it worse, she ran into his father.
"..."
Kanna stood tall in the lobby.
Some distance away, Alessandro Addis also found Kanna and stopped.
Are they going on patrol in the Black Fog? He was fully armed with a sword at his waist.
'Sword.'
The blade lightly grazed her shoulder. The memory of the morning accident made her face turn whiter.
Kanna bowed down to her father and passed by. However,
"Wait."
"..."
When she turned her head helplessly, she saw her father, who had come right next to her. His cool eyes scanned Kanna up and down. A sweaty face and drooping shoulders, and the scent of the blood. A blood-soaked collar.
After examining everything calmly, Alessandro asked.
"What is it?"
Kanna was tired. Could he let her go in and rest?
But Alessandro reached out, With his fingertips he lifted her chin up. A face like a sheet of paper that rises without power. Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"What happened?"
"It's not a big deal."
Because she almost got killed by the mad Prince. She almost burst out laughing in an instant.
'If I hadn't been compliant, I would have died.'
Suddenly Orsini's words came to mind. He said, even if she died, no one will care. Nothing will change.
That's probably why Argon also raised his sword without hesitation. To Kanna, Duchess of Valentino and daughter of the House of Addis. Because she is a woman no one protects her.
'What's that? I can do well alone.'
It has been so until now, and it will be so in the future. So that's it.
Besides, she knows that if she tells her father what she has been through, nothing will change anyway. Kanna accepted the cold truth plainly. That's why she didn't want to talk about it.
"It was nothing. So please let me rest."
But the grip on her chin did not come off.
And that wasn't all. Alessandro grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her toward him. Because it was a wounded area, a short scream came out without her noticing.
"Oh!"
Alessandro removed his hand from her shoulder. Then he flipped his own hand over to check. Blood on his palm, bright red.
"I asked what was going on."
Is it an illusion? The hand that held her seemed to have cooled.
"Because it's nothing."
She was really annoyed and couldn't stand it. She wanted to yell at him to please leave her alone. She just wish to go into her room and lay down to rest.
"Answer me."
His question was firm, It felt like a steel door that would never get out of the way unless she answered.
Kanna felt helpless, hopeless, and angry at the gigantic sight. Why is he torturing her like this?
Nothing would change if he found out anyway, so why should she tell him? He doesn't care if she dies or not.
"Why? Do you want to find out who made this and give him a reward?"
She pursued her lips and a mocking roar escaped. Her breath was soaked in the heat, but it was terribly cold.
Kanna looked straight at Alessandro and said,
"Are you thinking of lowering the prize money?"
Hey, she must be glad that he tormented her instead of the one he hate.
"If that's not the case, let me go to my room. Please.'
Total abandonment, resignation, tiredness.
The voice that contained everything was rather like a sigh.
After staring at her for a while, Alessandro slowly backed away. As his hand fell away, Kanna turned around. She walked away calmly. One step, two steps, and third steps...
"...!'
Stumble.
The front of her eyes is blurry. Her knees were bent. After one last violent fall on the floor, she passed out.
***
It was at that moment that Kalen witnessed them.
"Sister!"
He ran quickly and picked Kanna up. Then, startled, he lowered his head.
her body was hot like a ball of fire!
A bandage was wrapped around her shoulder, possibly from an injury, and his sleeves were wet with blood. And the scent of blood brushing the tip of his nose.
Even so, her white skin was as pale as that of a corpse. Like a really dead person.
"Father, what the hell is this?"
Kalen hurriedly inquired, and he froze at the same time.
Alessandro's eyes stared at Kanna... It's too cold,
For a moment, it seemed as if a sharp, violent emotion passed through him like a collapsed winter castle.
"...!"
Kalen backed away involuntarily. Because it seemed that Alessandro would kill someone at any moment. Whether it us himself or Kanna, or whoever made her this way.
"Kalen Addis."
However, the next moment he heard his father's voice was calm. As always, it was a dry as a grain of dry sand. What command is he going to give?
Kalen quietly waited for the family master's decision.
Heal Kanna? Or find out who made Kanna like this?
"..."
There were no words.
As he turned his back, Alessandro's red cloak fluttered. The cloak, which swayed along the trajectory of his steps, disappeared when the door closes.
That was it.
***
"Joo-hwa, are you in a lot of pain?"
'Yes Mom, I hurt.'
"What if our daughter is hurt? Dad will make porridge for you."
'Thank you, Dad, for making abalone porridge.'
"Ohhh"
My dear little brother, I have to play sorry.
"Joo-hwa sister, are you okay?"
'It's okay, Seon-hong.'
"Why are bandits usually so insincere?"
'Bandit? Did you say everything?'
"Yeah, I'm done. So get well soon, Joo-hwa sister. Then we can eat the chicken together."
'Opps. Okay'
"Are you okay?"
She chuckled.
"It's really okay, my brother..."
Whispering so, she blinked her eyes.
"..."
But it was a different face.
As the blurry vision becomes clearer, the ace of Kalen Addis is reflected on her retina.
He's not her younger brother Lee Seon-hong.
Kaen was looking at her with rather odd eyes.
Not Seon-hong, but Kalen.
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