9. Never run away again.
For a moment, her mind went blank. Daphne opened her eyes wide and looked at the half-naked man in front of her. Why, why is he standing like this?
It's not that Asherad never showed off his looseness in front of Daphne. There were more unbuttoned buttons than buttoned ones.
The most relaxed, languid look she's ever seen.
If it had been the old Daphne, she might have thought it was a privilege to be able to see that sight. But now, she didn't think so.
Daphne cast her wavering gaze down. She felt terribly embarrassed, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have seen. He was almost shirtless.
“I told you to raise your head.”
The soft voice suddenly became hard. It was a voice that meant that his mood had sunk. When Daphne raised her head, Asherad was looking at her with a cold face.
“I thought you came in while changing clothes.”
“You came right on time.”
“...”
“You change.”
As she followed where Asherad had pointed, there was a bandage. If it was a bandage...
Daphne was finally able to see Asherad's body properly. His left arm was thicker, probably because it was draped over the bandages.
Why do you want me to do this?
But contrary to that doubt, her hands were moving steadily. She was not even qualified to have such doubts.
Daphne tried hard to hide her embarrassment. Asherad's green eyes captured each and every moment of her embarrassed expression.
The sharp, eagle-like eyes seemed at times displeased, but also interesting.
With a stiff expression and her lips tightly shut, she looked at the half-naked man in front of her, or to be precise, his upper body below the neck, located in front of her.
The body of Prince Pindus, who had been crushing Daphne, was thick and fleshy, but Asherad's body was well-defined.
His body lines were always neat and tidy because of these fine muscles. Looking at the bumps and bulges that were different from a woman's body, Daphne unconsciously gulped.
As she tried to take hold of his shirt collar with trembling hands and pull it off, a large hand grabbed her wrist. Daphne flinched.
"Why?"
Surprisingly, those words did not come out of Daphne's mouth.
Daphne turned her head as she realized she could hear a gurgling breath right above her. Daphne stared at the young man, her eyes wide open, who was close enough to kiss her forehead. Her slender wrist was already caught in a large hand.
“Why, Daphne?”
"What?"
“Why are you running away from me?”
It wasn't the kind of coercion or oppression that the Prince of Pindus had been applying. He just stopped moving and looked at Daphne's face as if trying to talk, which seemed somewhat pitiful and angry.
Daphne's eyes widened. Did he not know why she was avoiding him?
Really, he doesn't know?
Daphne felt a mixture of despair and disappointment as she looked into his eyes and asked why.
Regardless of how Daphne felt, did she really think she should have followed this man and not run away?
What if he had not rescued Daphne and pushed her away to the Prince of Pindus?
She had no idea where to start explaining. The vagueness and frustration made her suffocate. Asherad didn't even realize that she would be disappointed.
This is a given for him.
“Daphne. Tell me.”
It is natural to give such an order.
“Is it because I abandoned you to the Prince of Pindus?”
Daphne flinched. This person knew. But why is he avoiding her? Is this because he really doesn't know? Asherad chuckled at Daphne's expression.
“Then what should I have done?”
“...”
“The Kingdom of Pindus is supporting the subjugation of the demons in the southeast. It was necessary to be friendly with them.”
Asherad gripped Daphne's wrist with his thumb. He suddenly ground his teeth and said,
“Or should I have said that to that bastard?”
“...”
“She is my weakness, so please forgive her?”
Daphne was more surprised by the curse word 'that bastard' coming out of Asherad's upright mouth than by the word 'weakness'. He was always a man who spoke in an aristocratic manner. There was an unmistakable disgust on his face as he spoke of the Prince of Pindus.
Has he ever hated someone so much? Asherad said, glaring at Daphne.
“Do you think the priests of Ceres would have just come looking for you?”
“...”
“Was I that wrong? So much so that you won’t see me again?”
It was a voice that sounded somewhat dispirited. The disappointed eyes were actually his.
Thanks to the priests, Daphne was able to avoid a big trouble. Asherad did not cast her out. Instead, he saved her from her trouble. However, she did not know this and turned away from him.
“I didn’t know.”
"...Why?"
“Well...”
“Daphne, I don’t let just anyone around. They annoy me, they bother me.”
Asherad lowered Daphne's hand and released her wrist. She felt empty when she could no longer feel the pressure of the hand that had been holding her.
“I don’t ask anyone to stay by my side forever.”
“...”
“But you...”
The words were filled with sincere disappointment. Daphne didn't know what to do. She felt as if she had committed a great sin.
Yeah, that was obvious.
He was the Crown Prince. He had his own position. How could he openly defend someone as lowly as her when it was something that came about because of her own mistakes?
He was worried, but he helped.
Daphne's face relaxed. Daphne bit her lip.
"Sorry."
“...”
The guilt of Asherad's mistreatment of her did not even cross her mind. The suspicion that had been sprouting like that disappeared in an instant.
“It’s okay. I just made you misunderstand.”
Asherad generously forgave her, and Daphne was truly grateful for that.
“So don’t run away from me again.”
Daphne smiled and answered softly, not knowing that the soft words were a warning. Asherad, who confirmed it, started walking towards the bed. He pointed to the bandage with his eyes.
Ah, a bandage.
But sadly, Daphne had never wrapped a bandage properly before. But that was what he told her to do.
Asherad, sitting on the edge of the bed, was watching what Daphne was doing. His smile seemed genuinely happy, and Daphne was happy too.
As he took off his shirt, his naked body was revealed. Daphne was so focused on undoing the bandages that she didn't notice how ecstatically perfect his body was.
Only his wounds, the wounds he had sustained, were important.
When the bandage was removed, a terrible wound was revealed. It was a wound caused by a spear passing through. It was red, as if the scab had not yet completely settled. Daphne soaked cotton from the medicine bottle and applied it to the wound.
Since the injured area didn't match her sitting height, she unconsciously placed her hand on his thigh.
“...”
For a moment, his breathing quickened, but Daphne thought it was the pain of disinfection. Daphne's hands were quite firm as she disinfected and bandaged him.
"Your Highness."
“...”
“There’s a scar on your back, too.”
To be exact, it was a bruise, not a wound. Daphne looked at his back, which was stained blue.
“That’s because the spear grazed the breastplate.”
“...”
“His Majesty said that I had to show my face as the Crown Prince, so I only wore the bare minimum of armor.”
What are you talking about? No matter how isolated she was, she knew that the horseback riding competition required wearing full plate armor.
Isn't your son's safety the most important thing?
“Oh, what should I do... This must hurt a lot.”
She truly felt sorry for Asherad. Looking at her tearful appearance, Asherad froze in a daze for a moment.
“Still, I was always worried.”
“...”
“Don’t get hurt. Please.”
It was infinite affection. It was absolute love. He looked down at the pity. Was it the leisurely smile of a winner? A twisted smile was about to settle on his face.
Daphne placed her hand on the bruise. He flinched. She moved too far to shoulder blades, making her look embarrassed.
For a moment, her mind went blank. Daphne opened her eyes wide and looked at the half-naked man in front of her. Why, why is he standing like this?
It's not that Asherad never showed off his looseness in front of Daphne. There were more unbuttoned buttons than buttoned ones.
The most relaxed, languid look she's ever seen.
If it had been the old Daphne, she might have thought it was a privilege to be able to see that sight. But now, she didn't think so.
Daphne cast her wavering gaze down. She felt terribly embarrassed, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have seen. He was almost shirtless.
“I told you to raise your head.”
The soft voice suddenly became hard. It was a voice that meant that his mood had sunk. When Daphne raised her head, Asherad was looking at her with a cold face.
“I thought you came in while changing clothes.”
“You came right on time.”
“...”
“You change.”
As she followed where Asherad had pointed, there was a bandage. If it was a bandage...
Daphne was finally able to see Asherad's body properly. His left arm was thicker, probably because it was draped over the bandages.
Why do you want me to do this?
But contrary to that doubt, her hands were moving steadily. She was not even qualified to have such doubts.
Daphne tried hard to hide her embarrassment. Asherad's green eyes captured each and every moment of her embarrassed expression.
The sharp, eagle-like eyes seemed at times displeased, but also interesting.
With a stiff expression and her lips tightly shut, she looked at the half-naked man in front of her, or to be precise, his upper body below the neck, located in front of her.
The body of Prince Pindus, who had been crushing Daphne, was thick and fleshy, but Asherad's body was well-defined.
His body lines were always neat and tidy because of these fine muscles. Looking at the bumps and bulges that were different from a woman's body, Daphne unconsciously gulped.
As she tried to take hold of his shirt collar with trembling hands and pull it off, a large hand grabbed her wrist. Daphne flinched.
"Why?"
Surprisingly, those words did not come out of Daphne's mouth.
Daphne turned her head as she realized she could hear a gurgling breath right above her. Daphne stared at the young man, her eyes wide open, who was close enough to kiss her forehead. Her slender wrist was already caught in a large hand.
“Why, Daphne?”
"What?"
“Why are you running away from me?”
It wasn't the kind of coercion or oppression that the Prince of Pindus had been applying. He just stopped moving and looked at Daphne's face as if trying to talk, which seemed somewhat pitiful and angry.
Daphne's eyes widened. Did he not know why she was avoiding him?
Really, he doesn't know?
Daphne felt a mixture of despair and disappointment as she looked into his eyes and asked why.
Regardless of how Daphne felt, did she really think she should have followed this man and not run away?
What if he had not rescued Daphne and pushed her away to the Prince of Pindus?
She had no idea where to start explaining. The vagueness and frustration made her suffocate. Asherad didn't even realize that she would be disappointed.
This is a given for him.
“Daphne. Tell me.”
It is natural to give such an order.
“Is it because I abandoned you to the Prince of Pindus?”
Daphne flinched. This person knew. But why is he avoiding her? Is this because he really doesn't know? Asherad chuckled at Daphne's expression.
“Then what should I have done?”
“...”
“The Kingdom of Pindus is supporting the subjugation of the demons in the southeast. It was necessary to be friendly with them.”
Asherad gripped Daphne's wrist with his thumb. He suddenly ground his teeth and said,
“Or should I have said that to that bastard?”
“...”
“She is my weakness, so please forgive her?”
Daphne was more surprised by the curse word 'that bastard' coming out of Asherad's upright mouth than by the word 'weakness'. He was always a man who spoke in an aristocratic manner. There was an unmistakable disgust on his face as he spoke of the Prince of Pindus.
Has he ever hated someone so much? Asherad said, glaring at Daphne.
“Do you think the priests of Ceres would have just come looking for you?”
“...”
“Was I that wrong? So much so that you won’t see me again?”
It was a voice that sounded somewhat dispirited. The disappointed eyes were actually his.
Thanks to the priests, Daphne was able to avoid a big trouble. Asherad did not cast her out. Instead, he saved her from her trouble. However, she did not know this and turned away from him.
“I didn’t know.”
"...Why?"
“Well...”
“Daphne, I don’t let just anyone around. They annoy me, they bother me.”
Asherad lowered Daphne's hand and released her wrist. She felt empty when she could no longer feel the pressure of the hand that had been holding her.
“I don’t ask anyone to stay by my side forever.”
“...”
“But you...”
The words were filled with sincere disappointment. Daphne didn't know what to do. She felt as if she had committed a great sin.
Yeah, that was obvious.
He was the Crown Prince. He had his own position. How could he openly defend someone as lowly as her when it was something that came about because of her own mistakes?
He was worried, but he helped.
Daphne's face relaxed. Daphne bit her lip.
"Sorry."
“...”
The guilt of Asherad's mistreatment of her did not even cross her mind. The suspicion that had been sprouting like that disappeared in an instant.
“It’s okay. I just made you misunderstand.”
Asherad generously forgave her, and Daphne was truly grateful for that.
“So don’t run away from me again.”
Daphne smiled and answered softly, not knowing that the soft words were a warning. Asherad, who confirmed it, started walking towards the bed. He pointed to the bandage with his eyes.
Ah, a bandage.
But sadly, Daphne had never wrapped a bandage properly before. But that was what he told her to do.
Asherad, sitting on the edge of the bed, was watching what Daphne was doing. His smile seemed genuinely happy, and Daphne was happy too.
As he took off his shirt, his naked body was revealed. Daphne was so focused on undoing the bandages that she didn't notice how ecstatically perfect his body was.
Only his wounds, the wounds he had sustained, were important.
When the bandage was removed, a terrible wound was revealed. It was a wound caused by a spear passing through. It was red, as if the scab had not yet completely settled. Daphne soaked cotton from the medicine bottle and applied it to the wound.
Since the injured area didn't match her sitting height, she unconsciously placed her hand on his thigh.
“...”
For a moment, his breathing quickened, but Daphne thought it was the pain of disinfection. Daphne's hands were quite firm as she disinfected and bandaged him.
"Your Highness."
“...”
“There’s a scar on your back, too.”
To be exact, it was a bruise, not a wound. Daphne looked at his back, which was stained blue.
“That’s because the spear grazed the breastplate.”
“...”
“His Majesty said that I had to show my face as the Crown Prince, so I only wore the bare minimum of armor.”
What are you talking about? No matter how isolated she was, she knew that the horseback riding competition required wearing full plate armor.
Isn't your son's safety the most important thing?
“Oh, what should I do... This must hurt a lot.”
She truly felt sorry for Asherad. Looking at her tearful appearance, Asherad froze in a daze for a moment.
“Still, I was always worried.”
“...”
“Don’t get hurt. Please.”
It was infinite affection. It was absolute love. He looked down at the pity. Was it the leisurely smile of a winner? A twisted smile was about to settle on his face.
Daphne placed her hand on the bruise. He flinched. She moved too far to shoulder blades, making her look embarrassed.
“I’m sorry, are you in a lot of pain?”
“...”
Asherad himself opened his eyes wide and looked at Daphne in confusion. He seemed to have been shocked by something. In an instant, the relaxed smile on his lips disappeared.
Daphne didn't know the reason for that expression.
“Are you... In a lot of pain?”
"No."
“...”
“Now go back.”
It was a bit cold. Wasn't he forgiving? But why? Daphne was taken aback by his sudden, seemingly cut-off attitude.
“That shirt...”
"Hurry."
"All right."
Daphne got up from her seat. She was nervous. What if he suddenly changed his mind? His mind...
“Your Highness.”
“...”
“Am I Your Highness’s weakness?”
It was a question that was a little expected. It was such a naive and innocent question.
Suddenly, Daphne's hand was grabbed, and her body was thrown onto the bed. This caused her hair, which had been tied tightly, to fall out again.
Daphne's eyes widened at this incomprehensible situation. It was exactly the same situation as that of the Prince of Pindus.
But why am I not scared or offended by it?
"Well."
There was heat in the whispering voice.
“Well, what do you think, Daphne?”
“...”
“Do you think you are my weakness?”
Daphne shook her head. She said with a smirk.
“I am a lowly person.”
“...”
“So I won’t be a weakness.”
It was a piercing self-objectification. She knew her subject all too well.
"Ha..."
A breath escaped Asherad's mouth. It was like a sigh, or like the hot air that filled his body being released. Asherad reached out and touched Daphne's cheek.
“Get out.”
At Asherad's words, Daphne stood up from her seat. As she opened the door and went out, laughter was heard from beyond the door.
"Ha ha ha!"
It was a laugh as if he had seen a funny comedy. At the age of nineteen, Asherad was aroused upon seeing a woman for the first time.
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