IDEFYEM - Chapter 61
Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!
"... It's not him. Who is there?"
For some reason, I was very scared. I know for sure it's Kael, but I feel like it's not him.
"Are you sure you don't mind? He gets very violent when it rains."
I'm sorry, Melua, for laughing at you and thinking you were joking when you asked if you were describing a wild beast!
I was quietly moistening my dry lips and thinking about what to say as an excuse.
Suddenly, a time came to mind when I experienced something similar to what I am experiencing now.
The first reaction was a voice that cracked and became very low, a tone of intimidation, and fear embedded in my body.
It was definitely the same feeling as when I met Grand Duke Kronhardt.
'You decided to stop thinking nonsense and trust Kael, Enrica!'
However, the body's reaction was more accurate than the mind's thinking. It was raining hard outside the window, and cold sweat formed in the humid air.
"If you don't answer for the count of three, you will be considered an intruder."
The sound of a sword being drawn rang clearly in the darkness of the room. It's probably the one that Kael always carries with him.
My fingertips began to tremble, just like when there was a power outage at a royal banquet.
Still, I rarely opened my mouth.
This was because I thought a little stronger confidence was needed.
'Why do I feel so similar?'
The two are completely different people, from their families to their personalities and environments. If the Grand Duke is the villain who will kill me, Kael is the person who saved me.
I quietly took a deep breath and thought, but the thought that I was somehow missing something never left my mind.
"One, two...."
At that time, Kael, who was strong up to two, suddenly stopped speaking.
Then he slowly licked his tongue again.
“No way, Enri?”
The voice still sounds sharp and cracked, but the way it speaks has clearly changed.
"Is it you?"
Only then did I reveal my identity by creating a faint light on my hand using luminescence magic.
"I-I'm sorry. "LI heard you were sick, so I was worried."
"Ah, you were surprised."
The tense atmosphere was relieved in an instant. There was the sound of his body being lifted from the bed and laid back down.
"Please don't shine the light this way. I don't want to be seen like this."
Kael coughed a few times and put the blade into the sheath.
"You must have been very surprised. I'm sorry."
"No. I'm the one who came to you without saying anything."
After learning my identity, Kael's tone became surprisingly soft.
"Anyway, how did you know?"
"The sound of fairy-like footsteps..."
"Aaaah, that's enough!"
The way he chuckled and smiled was completely similar to the usual sly Kael.
"Really. I can tell by hearing the footsteps. There is no one else worthy of entering this room other than you."
The following explanation was filled with customary kindness. It was an attitude sufficient to relieve the fear and anxiety I had just felt.
I relaxed my guard even further and walked a little closer to the bed where he was.
"Kael, your voice is not good. Where exactly does it hurt?"
"It's a mild body aches. Because of the rain."
Rain was a common topic when talking with Kael.
"What's wrong with rain?"
"Well. Ever since I was young, I've had nightmares on rainy days."
Kael's face was dimly reflected in the moonlight streaming in from the window.
He didn't seem to notice that I was looking at him, so he was half-reclining on the bed with his eyes closed, and his emotionless expression seemed a bit cold and unfamiliar.
"I always open my eyes and don't remember anything. But I still have an unpleasant feeling, like I've been through something terrible."
"..."
"And then I always have a fever for a day or two."
I asked, tilting my head at the slightly strange-sounding phenomenon.
"Is there a reason?"
"Maybe so, maybe not."
There was no definite answer. However, the voice at the end of the sentence did not sound very good, so I ended the conversation in a hurry.
"I guess I make you talk too much. Here, drink some warm water."
"Thank you, but I really don't want to see you right now, Enri."
It was at that moment that I felt a little disappointed and was about to ask why.
"I know it may sound harsh, but... You secretly think well of my appearance, right?"
"Yes, yes?"
"Because of that, I usually pay quite a bit of attention, but now it looks like a mess. So don't look."
That wasn't true at all.
It may be rude to a sick person, but his face was paler than usual in the moonlight, making his features stand out.
He must have been sweating coldly, and his neatly combed hair fell over his forehead in strands and became disheveled.
Instead of a dress that fell tightly on broad shoulders, a loose robe was worn...
After thinking about that, I put the tray aside for a moment and slapped myself on the cheek.
'What on earth are you thinking in front of the patient!'
"... Are you okay, Enrica?"
"Yes? Yes."
In the end, this thought revealed that what they just said was true.
Recently, when I met Sophia and Tristan, I realized for the first time that I am a person who is not good at hiding my expressions. It was proven once again today.
I licked my tongue, feeling the tips of my ears burning.
"Anyway, if that's what you're concerned about, it doesn't matter."
"I don't want to see a bride who runs away right before her wedding."
"What... now? Are you kidding me?"
Kael laughed lowly with his still-locked throat. It sounded good to hear.
"Ever since the last hunting banquet, I've only shown myself to be unreliable. Please know that it really wasn't like this in the first place."
"Don't say anything weird. I'll put a wet towel on you, so you can sleep a little more."
"I got enough sleep."
"Still, sleep more. When you're sick, it's best to eat well and sleep well."
Hmm, he sounded like a reluctant, whining child.
I lightly ignored it, picked up the tray I had put down, and walked to the bed. Then, Kael made a rustling noise and pretended to hide under the blanket.
"Do you know how childlike you are right now?"
I said, throwing the blanket aside, and Kael laughed happily.
"Does this mean you want to take care of me?"
"It's annoying that I can't deny it."
I was startled as I unconsciously placed the back of my hand on his forehead as he lay there. This was because the heat was boiling much more than I expected.
"Kael, I think it would be best to call a doctor. The fever is too strong."
"It's okay."
When I looked at him in disbelief, Kael explained as if he were making an excuse.
"It's something I've experienced before. Even if you call a doctor, nothing will change."
"If this continues, we'll be in really big trouble!"
"It's okay, I'm next to you."
Kael lightly held my fidgeting arm.
He slightly tightened his grip and made me sit on the bed. I hurriedly put a cold wet towel on his forehead and muttered.
"I feel bad, Kael. I don't want you to be sick."
Perhaps because of the rain that showed no signs of stopping, the air in the room felt particularly heavy. I didn't notice it while we were talking, but when I got closer, his breath was hot.
His actions seemed much slower and more hazy than usual. It was like that when I saw that he was still holding my hand, which he had grabbed without even thinking about it.
Kael said as he laid down his sweaty face on the pillow.
"Then just... Please tell me anything. So that the sound of that damn rain can be slightly overshadowed by your voice."
The harsh tone of speech that I rarely heard was unfamiliar to me. I thought for a moment about what to say, but then I opened my mouth.
"Actually, I went out on the street today. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but you tend to be overprotective of me."
Kael slowly opened his eyes and gave an expression of disbelief.
"I feel like I got stabbed in the back. Was the nursing motivated by guilt?"
"That's not necessarily the case... I think we should talk about it next time."
I intentionally tried to make it out of the situation in a cheerful voice, as if it was no big deal.
Although I had to hesitate for a while before saying the next words.
"Kael, I heard people talking about you and me on the street."
"That..."
Kael opened his mouth as if he already knew what I was going to say. But I stopped him from speaking by saying.
"Shh."
I continued talking while replacing the wet towel, which quickly became lukewarm due to his body temperature, with a new one.
He blinked his heavy eyelids, perhaps feeling tired due to his aching body.
"But it's okay. I originally thought it didn't matter, but now I'm more certain about that."
I smiled at a new thought that occurred to me after seeing his pain.
I liked Kael.
Until now, I was confused as to whether it was good because he was my savior and always showed me a dependable side.
Now I can see that this is not the case.
Even though he was weak and sick, he was equally lovely and I wanted to protect him.
"I'm sorry for asking you to get a portrait of the Grand Duke last time, Kael."
"... No."
He answered in a sleepy voice.
"I thought it was a bit crazy, but you'll probably laugh when you hear it."
How could I feel afraid of this person?
I said, not understanding the person I was just now.
"I trust you completely now. I feel confident knowing that I'm with Kael."
Kael's brow furrowed slightly.
At first, I thought it was because of a fever and a headache, but soon a small voice came out of his mouth.
"Don't do that, Enri."
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