Chapter 208
It was too deliberate to be a coincidence that he was walking in my direction—his gaze and stride were too direct to dismiss as a mistake. Despite the medical division being in the rear and quite far away, the distance shortened quickly with his long strides.
When we were finally close enough to hear each other’s voices, Luwen spoke.
“Excuse me. Is this the medical division?”
A polite attitude as if addressing a stranger. Just as we had agreed. But perhaps because these were the first words we’d exchanged after not being able to properly face each other until now, my heart suddenly pounded.
‘He doesn’t seem like the Luwen I know.’
It wasn’t that it felt awkward or unpleasant, but rather that I was falling for him all over again. My face flushed for no reason.
“Hello, Honorary Duke.”
At my formal address, a small ripple of emotion stirred in Luwen’s otherwise composed eyes. He clenched his fist and cleared his throat. To others, he might have appeared dignified, but to me, he just looked utterly adorable.
“We’re not ready yet, may I ask why you’ve come?”
“There’s someone whose condition I’d like you to check.”
“Ah, if that’s the case…”
I pretended to consider it while turning around. I could see several medics watching us tensely. Unlike those carrying supplies, they were of higher rank, the type who gave orders with a finger.
After briefly surveying the people with ambiguous expressions—wanting to become acquainted with the Honorary Duke while also fearful of making a mistake and facing a reprimand—I turned back.
“I’ll examine them myself.”
From the beginning, Luwen wanted to take me with him, so he had no intention of entrusting me to someone else. But perhaps it seemed to others like there was a different motive, as someone eavesdropping on our conversation audibly gasped.
“Thank you. This way, please.”
Luwen nodded lightly, turned his back briskly, and slowly crossed the camp.
As I quietly followed behind him, I could feel people’s gazes fixed on us.
‘He attracts attention wherever he goes.’
Even his back view was impressive as he walked with his cape fluttering. I completely understood the desire to watch him secretly.
Luwen invited me into his tent.
Flap.
As soon as the cloth covering the entrance fell to the ground, Luwen pulled me into his embrace. His scent, which I hadn’t experienced in a long time, wafted strongly.
“Ha, I’m sorry. We agreed to pretend not to know each other.”
I wrapped my arms around Luwen’s waist and rubbed my cheek against his chest. It felt good.
“It’s okay. I missed you too.”
“Is that so.”
His gentle, relaxed tone wrapped around me affectionately. I looked up and met his eyes. He seemed to have lost some weight.
“What’s this? Why are your lips like this? They’re chapped?”
I frowned while touching the rough edges of his lips. To think that Luwen, a master of aura, would show signs of fatigue. How overworked had he been? Was this why I hadn’t seen him during the entire march?
“Has anyone been bothering you?”
“No, I’m asking why your lips are like this.”
“No one has been treating you disrespectfully? Are you hurt anywhere? Have you been struggling?”
The rapid-fire questions were concerning. It seemed I wouldn’t get an answer to my question unless I answered his first.
“You look a bit pale. You seem tired. It would be good for you to rest comfortably here before going.”
I had been waiting to answer after he finished his questions, but now he was pulling me to the bed and making me sit down. Then he knelt on one knee in front of me and placed his hands gently on my thighs.
“You haven’t been sleeping properly, have you? Would you like to sleep? I’ll pat you to sleep.”
“Calm down. I’ll answer one by one.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Luwen realize he had become excited, and he smiled sheepishly. He’s just so cute.
“I may have joined as a low-ranking member of the medical division, but due to my status, no one dares treat me poorly. I’m not hurt anywhere, and while the march was difficult, I was fine because I rode in a carriage.”
Originally, low-ranking members had to walk, but I was placed in a carriage like the medical division command. Being given special treatment because of nobility during wartime didn’t earn me favorable glances.
But their dissatisfaction was justified. Ignoring my sister’s obvious consideration and walking would have required preparing for a long-term battle, so I reluctantly decided to be a shameless noble.
“I am tired, but I’ve slept reasonably well.”
“That’s good.”
“Ah! And no one has bothered me. Rather, no one would even speak a word to me.”
This time, Luwen’s expression changed subtly. He seemed not to believe me. I’m quite sensitive to people approaching with impure intentions, so I don’t understand why he doesn’t trust me.
“Now it’s Luwen’s turn to answer. Was there something so difficult that your lips became chapped? My sister wouldn’t have worked you so hard, what have you been doing?”
“It’s not that severe, but you noticed it well.”
Luwen smiled while touching his lips. It certainly wasn’t severe. If it had been, I would have noticed it when we were pretending not to know each other earlier. It was difficult to notice unless you were as close as we were inside the tent.
“Don’t touch it with your bare hands. It might get worse. I should get some ointment. Wait a moment—”
As I was speaking and getting up from the bed, he pressed down firmly on my shoulder to stop me. Then suddenly, he pushed me down onto the bed as if pouncing on me. I felt his heavy weight.
“Don’t go.”
“I’ll come back.”
“I still don’t want you to.”
Luwen burrowed into my arms like a child. Luwen being clingy was so rare that it wasn’t easy to push him away.
“I’ll just grab the ointment and be right back.”
“That’s an order.”
“Uh, what?”
Did I just hear what I think I heard? Luwen giving me an order? It was a fresh shock.
‘Well, he is in a position to give orders to me, a low-ranking member of the medical division.’
But I didn’t know he would wield power over me. Still, rather than being displeased, it seemed like he was just asserting that he didn’t want me to leave, which made me feel tender and release the tension in my body. His lips bothered me, but not applying ointment right away wouldn’t cause any serious problems. I’d just be a little upset.
“Since you say it’s an order, I’ll comply, Special Operations Commander.”
“Ugh. Don’t tease me.”
“Pfft.”
I stroked Luwen’s head as he nestled deeper into my arms and laughed softly. I had to be careful not to let my laughter be heard outside, lest it cause unnecessary rumors that might tarnish his honor.
“But really, how did your lips get so chapped?”
“…Actually, I haven’t been able to sleep.”
“Because you were anxious?”
“Yes. I wanted to check if Fei was doing well…”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m in the safe rear area.”
Luwen’s eyelids blinked slowly. Usually, he would help me fall asleep, but now our positions were reversed, which was interesting. And somewhat pitiful.
“But I’m anxious. I always am when Fei isn’t in my sight.”
His body temperature, lower than usual, brushed against my cheek. It was a careful and respectful touch. His cold fingers felt chilly, as if they had touched my heart.
‘Is this the price for not taking care of himself?’
I had done many things away from Luwen. And every time, I would get hurt or fall ill. I thought that even if it wasn’t just the incident at the training grounds when we were young, this is how he would have ended up anyway.
‘Is it abnormal… to be happy about this?’
I find him both pitiful and lovable for being anxious when I’m not around. That he, the strongest in the empire—no, on this continent—could become so vulnerable because of just me was unbearably pitiful and beautiful.
“I’m going to live tenaciously. I’ll eat well and sleep well to maintain my health. Because I want to stay by Luwen’s side for a long, long time.”
On the other hand, I wanted Luwen to become stronger. I wanted him to stand firm and look ahead without wavering, even when I wasn’t by his side. Since I was confident in his love for me, I thought it would be fine as long as he didn’t forget me.
“I’ll do the same. Whatever it takes, I’ll preserve this life and return to Fei’s side.”
“Yes. I believe you. You should also—”
Woooooo-! Wooo! Wooo!
Luwen reacted immediately to the sudden sound of the horn. He jumped up, strapped the sword to his waist, and said to me:
“Return to the medical division.”
“Be careful.”
“Yes.”
I followed him out as he rushed away. In the landscape where an unusually red sunset stretched long, tension spread across the faces of the hurrying people.
‘There shouldn’t have been any battles here…’
But the horn signal indicated that an enemy unit had been spotted.
I had deliberated for a long time whether to share the information I knew about the enemy with the two of them. In conclusion, I knew that what was written in the book wasn’t perfect, and because the situation had changed, I couldn’t predict how the flow of the war would change, so I said nothing.
If I had blindly trusted what was written in the book… If I had told my sister and Luwen that this place was safe…
‘They might not have discovered the enemy unit.’
A chill ran down the back of my neck. A battle I don’t know about is about to take place. I had stepped into a future where nothing was certain.
I thought I knew, but the moment I faced this changed reality, my fingertips tingled. The fear, the terror of war, finally became real to me.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
