“Oh, you didn’t know? Carsis is injured and is in the infirmary.”
"...What?"
A medical room? Why Carsis?
When I asked with a look of surprise, May answered.
“It seems he was seriously injured at Count L’Arpege’s residence yesterday. Someone found him collapsed in his room at dawn.”
"What?"
I was so surprised that I jumped up from her seat.
The chair, unable to withstand my violent movements, tipped over backward.
“Oh, Miss?”
May asked me what was wrong, but I couldn't answer.
'Carsis got hurt.'
Why didn't I know last night?
I who had been standing still and biting my lip, soon ran out of the room.
The infirmary with Carsis was in the annex.
However, I, who had not yet memorized the geography of the main building of the mansion, was able to arrive at the infirmary after a long time.
“Carsis!”
The one who greeted me with the smell of disinfectant was Doctor Kaylan of the Cretian family.
I heard that Kaylan, who is now middle-aged, has been with the Duke of Cretian for 20 years.
"Miss?"
He greeted me with a look that seemed to ask why I had come here.
“What about Carsis?”
“He regained consciousness briefly a moment ago, but quickly fell asleep.”
“Is the condition very serious?”
Kaylan adjusted his glasses.
“He lost consciousness because he lost too much blood. The wound isn’t as deep as you might think, so don’t worry. It seemed like he applied first aid on his own. More importantly, you came all the way here because one of your escorts was injured. How could you be so delicate...”
The doctor answered with a worried voice.
What the heck is a soft heart?
I listened to Kaylan's words with one ear and let them go out the other as I approached Carsis.
As I pulled back the curtain that was acting as a screen, I saw a man lying on the bed, sound asleep as if he were dead.
“Carsis...”
His face turned pale as if it wasn't a lie that he had lost a lot of blood.
I, who had been staring at Carsis' face with sunken eyes, sat down on the folding chair next to me.
After completing first aid, he took off his shirt and only had bandages wrapped around his body.
'Is this where you're hurt?'
I was staring blankly at the blood-stained gauze when a question suddenly occurred to me.
'The wound is this bad, why didn't I notice it yesterday?'
If he was injured to this extent, there should have been at least the smell of blood.
Yesterday, we were quite close together. But rather than smelling blood, Carsis smelled like soap as if he had just finished showering.
“It seemed like he was doing first aid all by himself.”
I remembered what the doctor had said earlier.
‘Is it because of me...’
To keep the promise he made to Elizabeth?
How foolish. Just go straight to the infirmary.
What's so important about such a promise? You thought about washing yourself, but you didn't treat a single wound.
Even this foolish man tried to spend the night with me in this body.
"What is this wound?"
And then you worry about the scar on my own palm.
My gaze towards Carsis darkened a little.
Scars, big and small, are visible between the bandages wrapped around the body.
I felt guilty as I realized that I was the one who created these scars.
'It's a wonder he didn't get hurt after fighting such a big tiger.'
If I had paid more attention, Carsis wouldn't have fallen like this.
I reached out to Carsis in regret.
Tap.
"...What?"
A medical room? Why Carsis?
When I asked with a look of surprise, May answered.
“It seems he was seriously injured at Count L’Arpege’s residence yesterday. Someone found him collapsed in his room at dawn.”
"What?"
I was so surprised that I jumped up from her seat.
The chair, unable to withstand my violent movements, tipped over backward.
“Oh, Miss?”
May asked me what was wrong, but I couldn't answer.
'Carsis got hurt.'
Why didn't I know last night?
I who had been standing still and biting my lip, soon ran out of the room.
***
The infirmary with Carsis was in the annex.
However, I, who had not yet memorized the geography of the main building of the mansion, was able to arrive at the infirmary after a long time.
“Carsis!”
The one who greeted me with the smell of disinfectant was Doctor Kaylan of the Cretian family.
I heard that Kaylan, who is now middle-aged, has been with the Duke of Cretian for 20 years.
"Miss?"
He greeted me with a look that seemed to ask why I had come here.
“What about Carsis?”
“He regained consciousness briefly a moment ago, but quickly fell asleep.”
“Is the condition very serious?”
Kaylan adjusted his glasses.
“He lost consciousness because he lost too much blood. The wound isn’t as deep as you might think, so don’t worry. It seemed like he applied first aid on his own. More importantly, you came all the way here because one of your escorts was injured. How could you be so delicate...”
The doctor answered with a worried voice.
What the heck is a soft heart?
I listened to Kaylan's words with one ear and let them go out the other as I approached Carsis.
As I pulled back the curtain that was acting as a screen, I saw a man lying on the bed, sound asleep as if he were dead.
“Carsis...”
His face turned pale as if it wasn't a lie that he had lost a lot of blood.
I, who had been staring at Carsis' face with sunken eyes, sat down on the folding chair next to me.
After completing first aid, he took off his shirt and only had bandages wrapped around his body.
'Is this where you're hurt?'
I was staring blankly at the blood-stained gauze when a question suddenly occurred to me.
'The wound is this bad, why didn't I notice it yesterday?'
If he was injured to this extent, there should have been at least the smell of blood.
Yesterday, we were quite close together. But rather than smelling blood, Carsis smelled like soap as if he had just finished showering.
“It seemed like he was doing first aid all by himself.”
I remembered what the doctor had said earlier.
‘Is it because of me...’
To keep the promise he made to Elizabeth?
How foolish. Just go straight to the infirmary.
What's so important about such a promise? You thought about washing yourself, but you didn't treat a single wound.
Even this foolish man tried to spend the night with me in this body.
"What is this wound?"
And then you worry about the scar on my own palm.
My gaze towards Carsis darkened a little.
Scars, big and small, are visible between the bandages wrapped around the body.
I felt guilty as I realized that I was the one who created these scars.
'It's a wonder he didn't get hurt after fighting such a big tiger.'
If I had paid more attention, Carsis wouldn't have fallen like this.
I reached out to Carsis in regret.
Tap.
But at that moment, Carsis, who was thought to be asleep, grabbed my wrist strongly.
“Carsis?”
"... Miss?"
He relaxed his grip when he realized that the hand he was holding was mine.
“Are you awake? This is the infirmary. I heard you were injured.”
Carsis, who had been rolling his dark brown eyes here and there, let out a short breath as if he had finally figured out the situation.
“I’m fine...ugh.”
“Carsis!”
Emi, startled by the groans of pain, supported Carsis.
His face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and the cold sweat dripping down onto the sheet seemed to speak of his pain.
'What do you mean it's okay!'
I bit my lip at the man's attitude of trying to reassure me even in his pain.
“If only I hadn’t taken you to L’Arpege...”
No, if there hadn't been inhumane competitions like dog fighting in the first place, he wouldn't have been hurt like this.
Carsis felt the trembling in my hand and wrapped his around it.
“No. It was all my fault for being careless.”
"...Carsis.”
“More than that.”
Carsis looked up at me cautiously and asked.
“Are you worried about me right now?”
“Well, that’s...”
Of course. So don't even think about participating in such games anymore. That's what I was trying to say.
For a moment, I wondered how the original Elizabeth would have acted.
How would Elizabeth react here?
No, in the first place, would someone have come to visit him like I did?
It was around that time that my body suddenly became stiff as if all thoughts had stopped.
Carsis lowered his head with a bitter smile as if he had expected this.
“...You must have just stopped by while passing by. I guess I made the mistake again.”
The man's brown eyes, seen for the first time in bright daylight, were incredibly gentle.
He glanced at me with the corners of his drooping eyes as if checking me out.
I felt sorry and sad for Carsis, who was worried that he would be abandoned by his owner.
Finally, I let out a sigh of resignation as if I couldn't do it and hugged him affectionately.
“...No. I indeed came because I was worried about you.”
The man's eyes opened slightly wide as if he didn't know I would hold him in my arms.
“I don’t hate you, Carsis.”
I can't hate you.
How can you hate a man who looks like a poor puppy who got wet in the rain and is afraid of being abandoned by you?
There is just regret and sorrow.
If it were the real Elizabeth, she might not have acted like this. But...
'Now I am Elizabeth.'
I stroked his hair.
Slowly and warmly as if trying to reassure him.
In a quiet medical room, only the sound of regular breathing resonates.
I was guarding Carsis as he lay in bed.
'You probably still aren't feeling well.'
As expected, the injury was bigger than expected.
He quickly fell asleep in her arms.
“Carsis?”
"... Miss?"
He relaxed his grip when he realized that the hand he was holding was mine.
“Are you awake? This is the infirmary. I heard you were injured.”
Carsis, who had been rolling his dark brown eyes here and there, let out a short breath as if he had finally figured out the situation.
“I’m fine...ugh.”
“Carsis!”
Emi, startled by the groans of pain, supported Carsis.
His face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and the cold sweat dripping down onto the sheet seemed to speak of his pain.
'What do you mean it's okay!'
I bit my lip at the man's attitude of trying to reassure me even in his pain.
“If only I hadn’t taken you to L’Arpege...”
No, if there hadn't been inhumane competitions like dog fighting in the first place, he wouldn't have been hurt like this.
Carsis felt the trembling in my hand and wrapped his around it.
“No. It was all my fault for being careless.”
"...Carsis.”
“More than that.”
Carsis looked up at me cautiously and asked.
“Are you worried about me right now?”
“Well, that’s...”
Of course. So don't even think about participating in such games anymore. That's what I was trying to say.
For a moment, I wondered how the original Elizabeth would have acted.
How would Elizabeth react here?
No, in the first place, would someone have come to visit him like I did?
It was around that time that my body suddenly became stiff as if all thoughts had stopped.
Carsis lowered his head with a bitter smile as if he had expected this.
“...You must have just stopped by while passing by. I guess I made the mistake again.”
The man's brown eyes, seen for the first time in bright daylight, were incredibly gentle.
He glanced at me with the corners of his drooping eyes as if checking me out.
I felt sorry and sad for Carsis, who was worried that he would be abandoned by his owner.
Finally, I let out a sigh of resignation as if I couldn't do it and hugged him affectionately.
“...No. I indeed came because I was worried about you.”
The man's eyes opened slightly wide as if he didn't know I would hold him in my arms.
“I don’t hate you, Carsis.”
I can't hate you.
How can you hate a man who looks like a poor puppy who got wet in the rain and is afraid of being abandoned by you?
There is just regret and sorrow.
If it were the real Elizabeth, she might not have acted like this. But...
'Now I am Elizabeth.'
I stroked his hair.
Slowly and warmly as if trying to reassure him.
***
In a quiet medical room, only the sound of regular breathing resonates.
I was guarding Carsis as he lay in bed.
'You probably still aren't feeling well.'
As expected, the injury was bigger than expected.
He quickly fell asleep in her arms.
"When we first saw Carsis, he was so small and skinny that no one believed he was 12 years old. To anyone who saw him, he looked no older than 8 years old."
I recalled May's words a few days ago when Carsis had first come to the mansion.
Although I did not see it with my own eyes, he must have spent his childhood in a place that did not have a proper living environment. And it was from that place that the owner of this body brought him.
'That's why Carsis must have had a strong attachment to Elizabeth.'
So, rather than blaming me while participating in such absurd games, he is afraid of being abandoned.
As the thought crossed my mind, my mouth felt bitter.
'I can change little by little from now on.'
I still don't know very well what kind of place this world is.
Now that I'm possessed of Elizabeth's body, I should be able to change something.
I ran my fingers through Carsis's disheveled hair.
“Just wait a moment.”
Because I will give you freedom.
So, just hold on until then.
After that, I, who had been staying by Carsis' side for a long time, stood up from my seat.
Creak.
Soon, the sound of the door closing fell and silence fell on the medical room.
And at the same time, Carsis's eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened.
His eyes were too clear to be those of someone who had been in a deep sleep just a moment ago.
He twirled his fingers through the hair Ellie had touched a moment ago.
As if trying to remember her traces in his hair.
"I don't hate you, Carsis."
A faint smile appeared on the man's lips as he recalled what had happened a little while ago.
How long was it like that?
Carsis, who got out of bed, started to unwrap the bandages as if he was feeling suffocated.
However.
Although I did not see it with my own eyes, he must have spent his childhood in a place that did not have a proper living environment. And it was from that place that the owner of this body brought him.
'That's why Carsis must have had a strong attachment to Elizabeth.'
So, rather than blaming me while participating in such absurd games, he is afraid of being abandoned.
As the thought crossed my mind, my mouth felt bitter.
'I can change little by little from now on.'
I still don't know very well what kind of place this world is.
Now that I'm possessed of Elizabeth's body, I should be able to change something.
I ran my fingers through Carsis's disheveled hair.
“Just wait a moment.”
Because I will give you freedom.
So, just hold on until then.
After that, I, who had been staying by Carsis' side for a long time, stood up from my seat.
Creak.
Soon, the sound of the door closing fell and silence fell on the medical room.
And at the same time, Carsis's eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened.
His eyes were too clear to be those of someone who had been in a deep sleep just a moment ago.
He twirled his fingers through the hair Ellie had touched a moment ago.
As if trying to remember her traces in his hair.
"I don't hate you, Carsis."
A faint smile appeared on the man's lips as he recalled what had happened a little while ago.
How long was it like that?
Carsis, who got out of bed, started to unwrap the bandages as if he was feeling suffocated.
However.
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