Then he put his hands under my knees and lifted me up. As I hurriedly hugged his neck, Dante moved his mouth with a mischievous smile.
'It's time to go to bed...'
'I can walk, too.'
I repeated the protest I had made several times in the past few days.
'It's not that I can't use my feet.'
Lately, Dante had a tendency to not let me walk on my feet no matter where I was going. His hands were the same. Whatever I was thinking, Dante would sense it like a ghost and bring it to me. It was like I had a third hand. Dante wasn't the only one. This afternoon, I sneezed once because pollen got in my nose and woke up.
"Oh! Madam, I think you're cold!"
"Close all the windows right now!"
The way the butler Oren commanded and the servants moved in unison was like an army. After that, I was forced to sit in a rocking chair in front of the fireplace and had to get some kind of massage from Sophie that was supposed to help with my cold. If I were to wave my hand and say it was really okay, Sophie would immediately start crying, so I couldn't do that...
Overprotection. Really. After my ear injury.
At first, the world without sound was the most unfamiliar, but as time went by, these things became more awkward. I slightly lowered my head to hide my blushing face. So, if I were to ask if I hated all this teasing directed at me... It wasn't like that. It was embarrassing and awkward, but I was grateful, and in fact, I was happy... I think I understand why kids pretend to be sick.
Dante, who had long legs, arrived at the bedroom in an instant and put me down on the bed.
'How was your day?'
As I read Dante's lips, I felt my heart pounding reflexively. I absorbed everything about him as if my other senses had come alive in place of my lost hearing. The affection that I could see briefly in his blunt and cold eyes. The firmness of his arms holding me. His body odor seeped into my nose like a tranquilizer. Each and every one of them pierced my heart vividly. Suddenly, the biography Sophie had left behind came to mind. The artist in the book never stopped composing even though he was deaf. When I heard the story, I was surprised at how he could do that, but now I understand. Dante was right. The most important thing didn't change even if I was deaf. The notes that I couldn't bear to let out kept ringing in my ears. Whenever I saw this person, especially more. Did Dante know that I was like this?
'Honestly, I don't think he would know.'
It would be hard not to notice when I was busy blushing whenever I saw him. But I had never properly expressed these feelings. In words or in writing. When time passed my body got better and things settled down a little...
'I love you, Ariana.'
I must answer that question. At that moment, Dante turned his head to the door. It seemed that someone had knocked. A moment later, Rio came into the bedroom. Rio greeted me politely and winked at Dante. Why?
For a moment, my heart sank coldly. Dante released the arm he was holding onto me and walked toward Rio. I blankly stared at his back as he quickly walked away.
'... '
I saw the two of them talking. However, since both of them had their backs turned to me, I couldn't read their lip movements. What were they talking about?
It felt frustrating that I couldn't hear anything. A few minutes later, Dante returned to me with a blank expression after finishing the conversation.
'Duke.'
I looked up at him and asked.
'What's going on?'
[No. I just have something to check.]
Dante continued writing his notes.
[Tomorrow, no.]
His hand, which had been moving his pen, paused for a moment.
[I'll be back in three days.]
I looked at the completed note and opened my eyes wide.
'Three days?'
My heart pounded strangely. The feeling that Dante was hiding something from me came back to me. I bit my lower lip and snatched Dante's pen and wrote a note.
[What happened?]
Dante continued writing the note. I watched it without even breathing.
[Just stay in bed for three days. Live very lazily. Don't forget what the doctor said, that stability is the most important.]
That's not an answer to what I said. I looked up with protesting eyes, and Dante chuckled and brought his head closer.
'Take note of what I said, Ariana.'
His hand touched my cheek.
'I'll come back.'
The hand that said that and touched the back of my neck clearly meant what it meant. I ignored my heart which was beating recklessly again and firmly pushed him away. Then I pointed to the note again asking what had happened. Dante smiled awkwardly and only then wrote down his answer.
[I'll explain everything when I get back. It's a promise.]
This wasn't the answer I wanted either. But...
[I'll be back safely in three days, so don't worry.]
The way he looked down at me as he delivered that note was kind but strangely firm, so I knew that Dante wouldn't give in this time.
'What on earth is going on?'
I felt uneasy, but my eyes went to the word 'promise. I remembered that the doctor I had visited this morning had emphasized my mental and physical stability above all else. If the situation had been the other way around, I thought I would have acted like Dante.
Yes, You've never broken a promise.
I closed my eyes in resignation. I decided to trust him, at least for now, when my body wasn't in good shape.
***
The next day. I was eating on my bed, receiving the same, no, even more, hospitality as usual. The servants were overprotective today as if they had decided not to let me see my feet touch the ground. Still, it was too stifling to just stay in the bedroom like this.
It was the moment I slightly stretched my feet out of the bed. My body froze.
"Huh?"
Just now, I heard a faint but clear sound. I held my breath and focused all my attention on my ears.
Pfft...
Then I heard the sound again. This time, I was sure of it.
"Ah...!"
I let out an exclamation, and even that sound was captured in my ears. How long had it been since I heard my own voice?
Jubilation surged in like a wave. However, the joy was short-lived, and soon my face hardened.
Pfft!
This time, the sound rang out again, clearer than before. What on earth was that sound?
I held my breath and approached the window. A sound that sounded like a ship's horn continued to echo throughout the entire island. This is... the sound of a horn. With the realization, my heart thumped and sank to my feet. The sound of the horn resonated throughout the city. In the Empire, the horn was only blown in one case: when the enemy was within arm's reach. In other words, it meant that war was underway.
I staggered back from the noisy window. My hearing, which had started to return, quickly recovered and carried the sound to my ears. The quiet world suddenly became noisy. Excessively. I suppressed my tremors and opened the bedroom door. I saw a few servants huddled together in the hallway.
"What should I do... Are they all okay?"
I could faintly hear people's voices, though not as clearly as before I was injured.
"I'm sure they'll be okay. Our knights are famous for being strong. They say the entire imperial army is participating."
"Ah, this kind of war all of a sudden."
"How could you invade the Imperial court? The deposed Prince is really crazy oh my, Ma'am!"
The servants who found me changed their expressions.
"What brings you here? Pull the rope!"
One of the servants, Linda, approached me with a cheerful face. The anxiety and fear she had shown a moment ago were nowhere to be found on her face. She must be hiding it. Thinking that I didn't know anything. My fingertips were trembling. I asked, letting out tangled breaths.
"Linda."
"Yes? Yes, Ma'am."
Linda opened her eyes wide as if surprised at my voice, and nodded.
"Did the deposed Prince invade the imperial court?"
"Yes?... Oh my, Ma'am! It's still cold outside, so you shouldn't come out wearing only slippers. Come with me-."
"I heard the conversation just now."
"... Yes?"
"Not completely, but I can hear a little bit now."
"Ah, ah...!"
Linda's eyes opened wide.
"So please answer my question. Did the deposed Prince invade?... Has a war broken out?"
"Madam, that, that..."
Linda made a helpless face and then shut her eyes tightly. Clear tears flowed out of my eyes in anxiety. Finally, Linda began to confess everything.
"Last night, the outer gates suddenly opened and the deposed Prince's army poured in."
"..."
"The master led the knights... to battle."
I felt the blood drain from my body. I staggered to the window. There was not a single person to be seen on the streets. The horror of war hung over the entire city. While I lay in bed unawares, that man had died.
'Lies. You lied.'
[Don't worry, I'll be back safely within three days.]
He promised as if nothing had happened, and then went to a place where there was no way he would be safe.
"Ah, ugh..."
I sobbed and clutched my chest. My mind went blank from the excessive fear.
"The master will definitely return safely."
"Madam, please don't cry..."
I could hear the servants murmurs beside me, not knowing what to do. However, none of their words touched my heart. I knew very well what war was like. That was a place where even an undefeated general and a renowned war hero could lose their life in a moment of misfortune.
Black fear consumed my entire body. It was a fear that was incomparably deeper and more distant than when I had lost my voice.
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