Barcas released Lucas's arm, straightened his posture, and spoke in an indifferent tone.
"You've improved a lot in the meantime."
"It's like hitting me and then patting me on the back."
Lucas grumbled as he rubbed his shoulder joint. Barcas, having helped his younger brother stand up, gestured to the priest standing outside the sparring arena.
"Heal this guy."
"Shouldn't you be treated too, brother?"
Lucas said, glancing at the corner of his mouth.
Barcas, having taken the scepter from the knight and draped it over his shoulder, wiped the bloodstain from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and replied nonchalantly.
"It's a waste to receive healing magic for something like this; don't worry about it."
As if the remark had wounded his pride, Lucas wrinkled his nose, clicked his tongue, and leaped over the fence. He then lightly pushed aside the priest approaching to treat him and hurriedly cut through the soldiers.
As she watched him intently, she suddenly felt a cold gaze. Turning her head inadvertently, Thalia flinched and stiffened her shoulders as she met the blue eyes staring up at her.
Her heart sank at the look, which seemed to have seen right through the anxiety she had been watching from here. Thalia, who had been unconsciously stumbling backward, turned around hurriedly when she saw him stepping toward her.
"I've seen enough. Let's go somewhere else."
After doing all that, she clutched Tiuran's sleeve with one hand and walked along the stone steps surrounding the training ground.
It was only after she had walked a distance from the sparring grounds that she glanced back, seeing his retreating figure already slip through the fence and heading toward the main training building. It seemed his desire to chase after her had vanished due to her blatant avoidance.
Thalia clouded her face with an emotion she couldn't quite tell if it was relief or disappointment. Tiuran, noticing her mood, cautiously opened her mouth.
"I have an ointment that is very effective for wounds. How about you go and give this to His Excellency the Grand Duke?"
She took out a small container made of animal bone from the pocket attached to her robe and held it out.
As she looked down at it intently, Thalia turned her head sharply and replied curtly.
"You go deliver it. I need to go back to my room and rest now."
"...Then I will tell the people that Your Highness sent him."
"Don't do useless things!"
Thorns suddenly stood on end at Thalia's voice.
She glared at Tiuran with a look of displeasure and spoke.
"If you say even a single word about me to that person, I won't forgive you."
"...I apologize if I was being presumptuous."
Tiuran lowered her eyes and bowed her head respectfully. Although a faint sense of guilt arose at the sight, Thalia clenched her lips tightly and turned coldly away.
"Go get the ointment. I'll go get some fresh air by myself and then head back to my room."
Then, before Tiuran could even reply, she stepped forward toward the inner gate.
As she passed through the arched entrance, the view of a bright garden, with intense summer sunlight breaking into tiny fragments, filled her sight. As she slowly crossed through it, Khan, who had been nestled quietly like a doll, suddenly began to squirm. It seemed he was starting to feel stifled being trapped in her arms.
She placed Khan down in front of the walking path.
"Will you walk on all fours from here?"
The wolf, which had pricked up its ears as if reacting to her voice, immediately turned around and dashed like an arrow into the flowerbed overgrown with marigolds.
Just as Thalia, startled by the sudden action, was about to pick the wolf up again, Khan came scurrying over after biting into a stem of the marigold and breaking off a handful of flowers.
A bright smile spread across Thalia's face at the lovely sight of Khan wagging his tail with a bright yellow bouquet in his mouth.
“Are you giving it to me?”
As if in response to that question, the wolf placed a flower at her feet. Thalia picked up the bouquet of marigolds with crushed stems.
She wondered if he remembered that she had talked about this flower a while ago. It might just be a simple coincidence, but a corner of her heart swelled with emotion, as if Khan had understood her feelings.
"Thank you."
As she kissed the wolf's forehead in gratitude, the wolf's tail wagged even faster. Thalia, who had been giggling while looking down at the sight, lifted Khan up high and showered his soft face with kisses one after another.
It was nice being able to be honest with Khan at any time. Why is it so difficult to reveal one's feelings to others in this way?
She gazed over her shoulder at the inner gate leading to the parade ground. A sharp pain rose in her chest as she recalled the quiet eyes that had looked up at her.
Will the day ever come when I can honestly show him my feelings as well?
Lost in futile thoughts, she soon let out a bitter laugh and turned away.
***
In the end, Thalia did not attend the farewell dinner.
She didn't even dare to face Barcas in the first place, but as evening approached, the pain in her leg worsened so much that she couldn't possibly get out of bed.
She tossed and turned until late evening, and eventually took the painkiller made by Marisen and fell asleep as if she had fainted.
By the time she regained consciousness, dawn was already breaking outside the window.
Thalia, who had been staring blankly at the sky, hurriedly got up and approached the window.
Dozens of mounted warriors, prepared for battle, were lined up in front of the castle gate. Thalia, staring intently at Barcas standing before him, snatched a shawl with a hurried hand and draped it over her shoulders. Then, after trapping Khan inside the room as he tried to pursue her, she limped down the dark corridor. As she passed the second-floor passageway connecting to the outer wall and climbed the castle tower, a fierce wind swept violently over her.
Thalia approached the battlement, paying no heed to the gust of wind wildly ruffling her hair. His figure became even clearer through the opening.
She watched as he gave instructions to his subordinate, forgetting even to breathe.
Standing in the pale dawn light, Barcas was overwhelmingly beautiful. The bluish light flowed down his sharp jawline, broad shoulders, and wide back. Although he was clad in somewhat crude Eastern-style armor, he appeared incomparably noble and elegant. Just as she was imprinting his majestic figure deep into her retina, he lifted his head as if he had sensed her gaze.
Thalia, who had instinctively tried to hide, soon changed her mind and met his gaze straight on.
A strange light she could not understand flickered in Barcas's eyes. Just as she was struggling to fathom the nature of that emotion, he averted his gaze and plopped onto the saddle.
Soon after, a resounding trumpet call announcing the Grand Duke's departure rang out, and the castle gates swung wide open.
Thalia stared blankly as he faded into the blue dawn.
Take care of yourself, Barcas
You must return safely.
The words she could not ultimately convey echoed hollowly in the wind. She could not leave the spot for a while, watching his figure fade away.
For some time after he left, she could not escape from her depression. Even Khan's presence could not completely fill the gap in her heart.
When he looked at her, only his gaze lingered in her mind; when he moved away, only his retreating figure flickered. She felt disillusioned with herself for being too afraid to even speak a word, and resentment arose toward him for never coming to her.
It was an unfair feeling. Hadn't she been the one to push him away first? Having hurled cruel words at Barcas, who had cared for her devotedly, and pushed him away, how could she dare now expect him to come to her first? Their relationship would be beyond repair forever.
"Your Highness, wouldn't you like to go outside the castle today?"
As she sat on the bed, absentmindedly turning the pages of a book, Tiuran suddenly spoke to jer.
Thalia, looking at her with a surprised expression, shrugged her shoulders with a nonchalant look.
"Have you forgotten that I am stuck under Barcas's permission?"
"His Excellency the Grand Duke would surely permit you to tour the walled city accompanied by an escort. Your Highness is the mistress of this East, not a prisoner."
Tiuran spoke in an uncharacteristically harsh tone.
Thalia frowned and glared at her.
"I don't think Barcas is treating me like a prisoner. He's just trying to protect me."
"...I apologize if I made things awkward."
She immediately bowed her head. Thalia, who had been watching this with disapproval, closed her book and lowered her legs under the bed.
"Why are you suddenly making such a suggestion?"
"The time for autumn festivals is fast approaching. Since various events have already begun on the streets, I thought Your Highness might be able to refresh your mood..."
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