Chapter 26

Rezette settled Elise onto the plush bed and leaned in close, his face as unreadable as a mask. Elise couldn’t help but scrutinize him, noticing the subtle nuances of his expressionlessness. Her voice trembled as she spoke, unsure of what she might have done to cause such a reaction.

“If…if you’re angry,” she stammered, her mind racing to recall any recent missteps.

Elise’s heart quickened as she searched for the source of Rezette’s possible anger, grasping at him as if he might disappear if she let go. She considered the recent deployment of the defensive barrier, wondering if it had caused any unintended harm to their army.

Her thoughts drifted to a nagging worry, and she swallowed hard before summoning the courage to speak.

“Rezette,” she whispered, her throat tight with anxiety. Were there any casualties?” she asked, her voice barely audible above the sound of her ragged coughs.

“There were no casualties,” Rezette finally replied, and Elise let out a sigh of relief.

Though her maid and two servants had suffered minor injuries, she was grateful that the damage had been limited. She nestled back into the plush pillows, feeling the heat seep out of her skin as her fear abated.

“Then…that’s a relief,” she muttered.

“I’m not sure what’s fortunate,” Rezette retorted.

“I was worried that someone might have been sacrificed because of me. This attack was clearly aimed at me…” A cough erupted from Elise, shattering her thoughts, and she instinctively reached for him, but the memory of his callous rejections played over and over again in her mind. Her hand fluttered aimlessly, grasping at the air before finally settling on the collar of her own robe. She chided herself for appearing so foolish in front of him, wondering how many more times she would stumble and fall at his feet.

“Ugel clearly had his sights set on me,” she said firmly. “I want to apologize because he almost made an unnecessary sacrifice because of me.”

She refused to show any more pathetic behavior. She had just fought for her life, after all. Surely she had the right to care about her dignity as well.

“It’s fortunate that no one was seriously hurt, but there’s no guarantee that something similar won’t happen again in the future. I have nothing to say. Nevertheless, it wasn’t intentional, so don’t be too angry,” she continued.

As Elise tried to justify herself, Rezette silenced her with a gentle touch, placing her hand on his chest, on the same exact spot she had hesitated to grab earlier. His body heat pulsed through her skin, and she looked up in surprise, catching a suppressed sigh escaping his lips.

“I’m not angry,” he said, his expression resembling the one he wore in the palace when he was upset with her.

Rezette chose his words carefully, “I can’t afford to be in that position right now. I don’t know why you hold me in such high regard…”

“We should clarify things at this point,” Rezette said, his voice firm. “Don’t apologize to me. Your Highness doesn’t need to apologize or receive apologies from me.”

“You made a contract with me,” Rezette continued. “We agreed to give and take things of equal weight. So, you should rightfully take everything that I give you. You don’t need to hesitate or feel sorry. That’s more comfortable for both of us. If you keep doing this, I…” He trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

Elise stared at him, her eyes widened in surprise, like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

Rezette realized, with a sharp jolt, that he had been lamenting too loudly. He took a deep breath and gathered himself, his thoughts churning. “Ensuring the safety of Her Majesty was the main content of the contract. So this incident is entirely my fault. I apologize,” he said, his grip on Elise’s hand tightening.

His other hand still lingered beneath her waist, the heat of his fingers seeping through his body. His own dark blue eyes were so deep that they seemed to weigh on Elise’s very soul.

“I shouldn’t have left it in someone else’s hands,” he muttered, his voice low. Rezette regretted his decisions, a rare occurrence. 

Rezette had always been at the forefront of battles, the point where he stepped forward marking the beginning of the defensive line. He had never put anyone else in front of him, always taking charge and leading by example. But he had misjudged this time, and he regretted it deeply.

He had foolishly given in to an impulsive urge to step away from the front line, putting someone else in charge of Elise’s safety. It was a mistake he would never make again, and one he couldn’t help but beat himself up over.

Looking back, he realized he had been obsessed with belittling Yanok Sihat, the man he had killed. Despite having no interest in the Kingdom of Ugel or its people, he had swung his sword in Yanok’s direction because of the woman before him.

Ugel’s obsession with Elise had always been a thorn in Rezette’s side, and he couldn’t stand to see her being insulted or belittled. He had even entertained the thought of seeing her carriage fall off a cliff, a contradictory thought that he couldn’t reconcile.

As Elise looked up at him with innocent eyes, Rezette couldn’t help but feel a sense of disgust. It wasn’t directed towards Elise, but towards himself. He realized that he shouldn’t have entered into such an absurd contract if he had thought that her life didn’t matter to him. But he had signed his name and agreed to the terms, and he had a job to do.

“This happened because I forgot which was more important. You don’t have to anticipate the next one…since there won’t be one. I will do my best from now on,” Rezette said firmly, his gaze fixed on Elise.

She swallowed dryly, her eyes searching his for answers. “Am I important to you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes,” he said, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

It was a question that didn’t need to be asked, and yet the answer seemed to bring a sense of relief to Elise.

“Among those I have kept under my protection, you are the most precious and important,” he said. “That’s been true so far, and it will be even more so for the next six months.”

“Is it because I am the Princess of Argan?” asked Elise.

“Yes,” Rezette confirmed.

Elise’s gaze drifted downwards, fixated on their intertwined hands that she could feel but not see. She sensed the roughness of the fabric and the warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips. “Contract,” she silently whispered and tentatively tugged at the hem of his clothing.

“Then don’t push me away,” she implored. Rezette remained silent. “I don’t expect you to hold onto me first, but when I do, please don’t let go. You know that there is no one else for me to turn to,” Elise said, clinging to the flimsy agreement that they had forged. If the man holding the other half of it turned his back on her, she would sink to the bottom of the lake without hesitation. 

There was no other place more safer for her than here. For Elise, every place in the world except beside Rezette was fraught with danger. “Please stay by my side,” she whispered.

Rezette responded quietly, “I understand.”

“Don’t entrust me to anyone else. Promise?” Elise asked, seeking assurance.

“Yes,” Rezette replied.

Just hearing his unwavering answer was enough to alleviate the crisis that had almost consumed Elise. The tension that had etched itself onto her face melted away. Elise felt all the moisture in her body evaporate, but the warmth he provided was enough to keep her comfortable. 

Exhausted, Elise leaned against him, and just then, there was a knock on the door. The inn’s maid had arrived to prepare the hot water for the bathtub.

“Your Highness, I will prepare hot water for the bathtub,” the maid announced.

“Come in,” Rezette responded.

His hand slowly slipped out from her robe, and he moved to block her from the maid’s view as she entered the room. Inadvertently, Elise’s face ended up buried in his chest, and the refreshing scent of cool water emanated from his body.

Once the maid had left after setting up the partition screen, Rezette stepped back, holding Elise’s shoulders.

“You must have been very startled today. Although you don’t appear to be in pain now, you might experience discomfort later. If you feel any pain, please tell me immediately,” he advised.

“I understand. I’ll take a bath by myself,” Elise replied. Quickly, she stopped his hand from moving from her shoulders to her waist. Rezette frowned in response.

“Can you manage on your own?” he inquired.

“Of course,” she retorted.

Now, Elise had a fair idea of the type of expression Rezette made in certain circumstances. “I’m not someone who can’t do anything like you think. Until I was fifteen, I bathed by myself,” she protested.

“Fifteen? And after that?” Rezette questioned.

Elise hesitated for a moment before responding, “There were circumstances. Let’s just say that I’m not an idiot who can’t wash my own body.” 

She couldn’t possibly reveal the truth about the measures that Andrei had taken to ensure she was never alone after her suicide attempt.