'There's no choice. It's not like I can hide it forever.'
Erdene let out a short sigh. Arkan's expression looked complicated.
He was wondering whether he should be angry or wait for her explanation, and strangely enough, he had the expression of a child about to burst into tears.
"I guess I need to explain."
"That's obvious."
Arkan caught her words before she could finish and held out his hand.
"Give me your arm."
"What did you say?"
"Didn't you hear? Give me your arm."
Erdene had no choice but to hold out her arm to him.
A scratch was visible between the torn hem of her clothes, and the blood that had seeped out from it was faintly soaking into the fabric.
Arkan held Erdene's hand and elbow, staring down at the wound for a long time without saying a word.
"It's not a big wound."
Erdene tried to protest slightly, trying to pry his arm away from him, but it was no use.
Only then did Arkan notice the fresh scar on Erdene’s forearm and frown.
“Are you an idiot?”
Erdene’s eyes widened at Arkan’s words.
“What are you talking about, all of a sudden?”
“You’re going to catch something that big with your bare hands? Do you think your skin is made of crocodile or something?”
“That’s why you’re mad right now?”
“Then why would I be mad!”
Arkan suddenly shouted, grabbing Erdene’s hand and starting to walk somewhere.
Erdene followed him with a puzzled expression.
“No, where are you going?”
“Let’s go to the palace doctor!”
“What kind of palace doctor are you with a scar like this! If you go to my palace...”
“Listen!”
Erdene blinked, looking bewildered. 'Listen to me', it was the first time she had heard those words. Then, she wondered if she would have 'listened' to him if it had been like before.
When the King suddenly kicked open the door and dragged the Queen by the wrist, the court doctors of the royal court were startled and jumped out of their seats.
They looked back and forth between Arkan's face and Erdene's face, and their eyes almost popped out when they saw that Erdene's dress sleeve was torn and tattered.
"Your Majesty, what happened..."
"Treat the Queen's wound first."
Erdene grumbled, "This is not something to make a fuss about," but Arkan completely ignored her words.
One of the court doctors who mainly treated external injuries quickly approached, examined her wound, and said.
"How did you get hurt like this?"
Arkan answered for her.
"A bird scratched her."
"A bird? No, what kind of bird..."
"Is that important now?"
"Oh, no. Well, the wound isn’t that deep. I’ll apply some ointment and wrap it in a soft linen cloth. It’ll heal in a day or two.”
Then the court doctor brought some ointment with a bitter scent and carefully spread it on Erdene’s affected area.
Although she felt a prickling pain, Erdene didn’t even blink and just stayed still.
Instead, Arkan, who was watching, frowned at the sight of blood oozing from the wound.
While the court doctor was wrapping the cloth, Arkan kept nagging her, saying things like, “Don’t tighten it too much,” and “Cover the affected area properly.”
Erdene, who couldn’t stand hearing that, turned to him.
“Oh, you nagging man.”
Erdene let out a short sigh. Arkan's expression looked complicated.
He was wondering whether he should be angry or wait for her explanation, and strangely enough, he had the expression of a child about to burst into tears.
"I guess I need to explain."
"That's obvious."
Arkan caught her words before she could finish and held out his hand.
"Give me your arm."
"What did you say?"
"Didn't you hear? Give me your arm."
Erdene had no choice but to hold out her arm to him.
A scratch was visible between the torn hem of her clothes, and the blood that had seeped out from it was faintly soaking into the fabric.
Arkan held Erdene's hand and elbow, staring down at the wound for a long time without saying a word.
"It's not a big wound."
Erdene tried to protest slightly, trying to pry his arm away from him, but it was no use.
Only then did Arkan notice the fresh scar on Erdene’s forearm and frown.
“Are you an idiot?”
Erdene’s eyes widened at Arkan’s words.
“What are you talking about, all of a sudden?”
“You’re going to catch something that big with your bare hands? Do you think your skin is made of crocodile or something?”
“That’s why you’re mad right now?”
“Then why would I be mad!”
Arkan suddenly shouted, grabbing Erdene’s hand and starting to walk somewhere.
Erdene followed him with a puzzled expression.
“No, where are you going?”
“Let’s go to the palace doctor!”
“What kind of palace doctor are you with a scar like this! If you go to my palace...”
“Listen!”
Erdene blinked, looking bewildered. 'Listen to me', it was the first time she had heard those words. Then, she wondered if she would have 'listened' to him if it had been like before.
When the King suddenly kicked open the door and dragged the Queen by the wrist, the court doctors of the royal court were startled and jumped out of their seats.
They looked back and forth between Arkan's face and Erdene's face, and their eyes almost popped out when they saw that Erdene's dress sleeve was torn and tattered.
"Your Majesty, what happened..."
"Treat the Queen's wound first."
Erdene grumbled, "This is not something to make a fuss about," but Arkan completely ignored her words.
One of the court doctors who mainly treated external injuries quickly approached, examined her wound, and said.
"How did you get hurt like this?"
Arkan answered for her.
"A bird scratched her."
"A bird? No, what kind of bird..."
"Is that important now?"
"Oh, no. Well, the wound isn’t that deep. I’ll apply some ointment and wrap it in a soft linen cloth. It’ll heal in a day or two.”
Then the court doctor brought some ointment with a bitter scent and carefully spread it on Erdene’s affected area.
Although she felt a prickling pain, Erdene didn’t even blink and just stayed still.
Instead, Arkan, who was watching, frowned at the sight of blood oozing from the wound.
While the court doctor was wrapping the cloth, Arkan kept nagging her, saying things like, “Don’t tighten it too much,” and “Cover the affected area properly.”
Erdene, who couldn’t stand hearing that, turned to him.
“Oh, you nagging man.”
The court doctor who was wrapping the cloth flinched and looked at Arkan.
Arkan, who was looking down at the treatment with his arms crossed, said,
“I have more to nag you about, so stop nagging me already.”
“What? What did you just say? Did you call me whining?”
“Why, was I wrong?”
“Your Majesty. You should stay still while the flax....”
The court doctor pleaded desperately, but Erdene jumped up from her seat before he could finish his words.
The untied flax dangled from her arms.
Arkan, seeing that, could not stay still.
“What are you doing! It’s not even finished!”
“When did I ever whine? I told you to shut up because you kept nagging.”
Arkan was about to retort that that was exactly what he meant, but then he realized that this argument would not end even if he stayed up all night.
He turned Erdene’s shoulder sharply, made her sit down on the chair, and spoke to the court doctor.
“Do it again.”
“Ah, yes. I understand, Your Majesty.”
The court doctor, who had been gaping at the childish bickering between the two, quickly wrapped the linen.
When Arkan saw that one of Erdene’s arms was wrapped in linen, he released her shoulder, which he had been holding onto. Erdene grumbled as she stood up, deliberately pushing her hand away.
“This kind of wound could have been cured with just saliva, but you were just wasting ointment and linen.”
Arkan snorted as the court doctor’s eyes widened.
“Is your saliva some kind of elixir of the gods? That’s ridiculous.”
“I went to battle with much worse wounds than this, and only wore a rough bandage.”
“Ah, yes. Yes. That’s right. You are the god of war and you don’t even know pain.”
Arkan tried to quickly move ahead, but Erdene followed with a furious expression.
“Why are you getting angry over something like this?”
“Your skin is torn, but is that ‘this much’?”
“What do you mean torn? It’s just a little scratch. I'll show you again?”
When Erdene tried to untie the linen again, Arkan grabbed her wrist.
“Leave it alone. Just untie it until tomorrow.”
“What are you going to do if I untie it?”
“I’ll wrap the other arm too. No, I’d better wrap your whole body. That way you won’t get into trouble.”
“Am I a five-year-old?”
“It’s worse than a five-year-old. At least five-year-olds won’t be exchanging dangerous letters without my knowledge. And they’ll do it using eagles!”
“It’s a falcon, you idiot.”
“That’s important right now! Does it matter if it’s an eagle, a falcon, or a passing chick?”
Arkan’s hand shot out in an angry voice, and Erdene almost took a defensive stance without realizing it.
If that had been the case, she would have reflexively attacked, the kind that would have hit his head squarely, but fortunately, her slender sense of reason made her hesitate.
Arkan’s large hand gently grabbed Erdene’s nape, and Erdene felt a tickling and tingling sensation near the wound where she had just applied ointment.
“Is this the only dangerous thing you’ve done outside my sight?”
Erdene remained silent for a moment.
Arkan wrapped his arms around her nape a little more gently, but firmly, and looked down at her face.
“Tell me. Is there anything else?”
Now his lips were close enough to touch Erdene’s forehead.
Erdene felt her forearm, where Glucker had scratched her, tickle even more.
“I want to know why you’re curious about that.”
Arkan’s fingertips wrapped around her nape twitched gently.
At the same time, his smooth and elegant eyebrows furrowed.
It wasn’t the first or second time that Arkan had frowned in front of her, but for some reason, his face looked very different today.
The tingling sensation that spread from his forearm seemed to rest on her heart.
Arkan, who had been looking into Erdene’s eyes for a long time, said,
“Do you remember that I warned you that I would tremble? I am doing so now. I don’t want to see you get hurt like this or in a worse way, where I can’t see you, where I don’t know... So if you’re hiding something from me, tell me right now. If you don’t want to see me gasp in shock!”
Kensilom’s castle was built on solid, black granite, so at first glance it looked very dark and gloomy.
However, when you got closer, you could see that the heavy black walls were inlaid with countless emeralds, one of the kingdom’s specialties.
During the hours when the sun was directly on the castle, the emeralds would reflect a brilliant light all over the gardens, and at that time it was a daily routine for the nobles of Kensilom to stop their walks and admire the castle.
At the same time, King Grax Searchwell of the Emerald Castle was routinely receiving an audience from his officials in his splendidly decorated chambers, the chambers usually reserved for his mistresses.
He sat before a large three-sided mirror, his sharp eyes fixed on the tip of a comb while a servant carefully combed his few remaining hairs.
“Has there been any news from Etonhorn?”
King Grax’s voice was thin and crackling, not befitting his massive frame.
When he was agitated or excited, the strange sound was even more intense, and, as one of the officials of Kensilom put it, “the shriek of an owl strangled by mice.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, standing a few feet away from the king, answered.
“Yes, Your Majesty. There is news.”
“What does it say?”
The Foreign Minister’s expression darkened slightly.
“It is a firm fact that we maintain an alliance with Kensilom, but regarding the incident where they tried to overthrow the King of Vetor in the past... I will accept Vetor’s opinion for now.”
“Ugh!”
The King let out a strange sound, and the servant who was combing his hair suddenly slipped the comb.
The moment the brush brushed his scalp, Grax grabbed the servant’s hand tightly.
Arkan, who was looking down at the treatment with his arms crossed, said,
“I have more to nag you about, so stop nagging me already.”
“What? What did you just say? Did you call me whining?”
“Why, was I wrong?”
“Your Majesty. You should stay still while the flax....”
The court doctor pleaded desperately, but Erdene jumped up from her seat before he could finish his words.
The untied flax dangled from her arms.
Arkan, seeing that, could not stay still.
“What are you doing! It’s not even finished!”
“When did I ever whine? I told you to shut up because you kept nagging.”
Arkan was about to retort that that was exactly what he meant, but then he realized that this argument would not end even if he stayed up all night.
He turned Erdene’s shoulder sharply, made her sit down on the chair, and spoke to the court doctor.
“Do it again.”
“Ah, yes. I understand, Your Majesty.”
The court doctor, who had been gaping at the childish bickering between the two, quickly wrapped the linen.
When Arkan saw that one of Erdene’s arms was wrapped in linen, he released her shoulder, which he had been holding onto. Erdene grumbled as she stood up, deliberately pushing her hand away.
“This kind of wound could have been cured with just saliva, but you were just wasting ointment and linen.”
Arkan snorted as the court doctor’s eyes widened.
“Is your saliva some kind of elixir of the gods? That’s ridiculous.”
“I went to battle with much worse wounds than this, and only wore a rough bandage.”
“Ah, yes. Yes. That’s right. You are the god of war and you don’t even know pain.”
Arkan tried to quickly move ahead, but Erdene followed with a furious expression.
“Why are you getting angry over something like this?”
“Your skin is torn, but is that ‘this much’?”
“What do you mean torn? It’s just a little scratch. I'll show you again?”
When Erdene tried to untie the linen again, Arkan grabbed her wrist.
“Leave it alone. Just untie it until tomorrow.”
“What are you going to do if I untie it?”
“I’ll wrap the other arm too. No, I’d better wrap your whole body. That way you won’t get into trouble.”
“Am I a five-year-old?”
“It’s worse than a five-year-old. At least five-year-olds won’t be exchanging dangerous letters without my knowledge. And they’ll do it using eagles!”
“It’s a falcon, you idiot.”
“That’s important right now! Does it matter if it’s an eagle, a falcon, or a passing chick?”
Arkan’s hand shot out in an angry voice, and Erdene almost took a defensive stance without realizing it.
If that had been the case, she would have reflexively attacked, the kind that would have hit his head squarely, but fortunately, her slender sense of reason made her hesitate.
Arkan’s large hand gently grabbed Erdene’s nape, and Erdene felt a tickling and tingling sensation near the wound where she had just applied ointment.
“Is this the only dangerous thing you’ve done outside my sight?”
Erdene remained silent for a moment.
Arkan wrapped his arms around her nape a little more gently, but firmly, and looked down at her face.
“Tell me. Is there anything else?”
Now his lips were close enough to touch Erdene’s forehead.
Erdene felt her forearm, where Glucker had scratched her, tickle even more.
“I want to know why you’re curious about that.”
Arkan’s fingertips wrapped around her nape twitched gently.
At the same time, his smooth and elegant eyebrows furrowed.
It wasn’t the first or second time that Arkan had frowned in front of her, but for some reason, his face looked very different today.
The tingling sensation that spread from his forearm seemed to rest on her heart.
Arkan, who had been looking into Erdene’s eyes for a long time, said,
“Do you remember that I warned you that I would tremble? I am doing so now. I don’t want to see you get hurt like this or in a worse way, where I can’t see you, where I don’t know... So if you’re hiding something from me, tell me right now. If you don’t want to see me gasp in shock!”
***
Kensilom’s castle was built on solid, black granite, so at first glance it looked very dark and gloomy.
However, when you got closer, you could see that the heavy black walls were inlaid with countless emeralds, one of the kingdom’s specialties.
During the hours when the sun was directly on the castle, the emeralds would reflect a brilliant light all over the gardens, and at that time it was a daily routine for the nobles of Kensilom to stop their walks and admire the castle.
At the same time, King Grax Searchwell of the Emerald Castle was routinely receiving an audience from his officials in his splendidly decorated chambers, the chambers usually reserved for his mistresses.
He sat before a large three-sided mirror, his sharp eyes fixed on the tip of a comb while a servant carefully combed his few remaining hairs.
“Has there been any news from Etonhorn?”
King Grax’s voice was thin and crackling, not befitting his massive frame.
When he was agitated or excited, the strange sound was even more intense, and, as one of the officials of Kensilom put it, “the shriek of an owl strangled by mice.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, standing a few feet away from the king, answered.
“Yes, Your Majesty. There is news.”
“What does it say?”
The Foreign Minister’s expression darkened slightly.
“It is a firm fact that we maintain an alliance with Kensilom, but regarding the incident where they tried to overthrow the King of Vetor in the past... I will accept Vetor’s opinion for now.”
“Ugh!”
The King let out a strange sound, and the servant who was combing his hair suddenly slipped the comb.
The moment the brush brushed his scalp, Grax grabbed the servant’s hand tightly.
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