Chapter 27

Rezette’s discontent was palpable, but he didn’t push the issue and conceded. “Well, I’ll be behind if you need me.” Elise simply nodded in response and scurried off behind a screen, as if she was evading some invisible foe.

Steam wafted upwards from the prepared bathtub, casting a hazy veil over the room. Elise unclasped her robe and cautiously stepped into the water, revealing her nakedness in the translucent liquid. The warmth of the water embraced her, tenderly holding her body in its gentle caress, and she couldn’t help but feel grateful for the fact that her skin was unblemished. It was a stroke of luck; if she was still the same as she was in Argan, she feared her limbs would have been severed from the incident. The mere thought of it made her shiver involuntarily.

Raising her right arm, she scrutinized the inside of her forearm, noticing that the protective magic circle was gone without a trace. Perhaps it had vanished naturally after the barrier was destroyed, which had been put in place to safeguard the soldiers. But she was sure she had sensed the barrier reestablish itself as she submerged herself in the water. It was almost as if a powerful force had been tugging her down to the lake’s bottom. Was it just her imagination?

A similar incident had taken place before when she was held captive by the Ban Yella army. A knight named Roderick had attempted to r*pe her, and an unknown power had emerged, taking his life in an instant. 

The voices of Prince Ugel and Andrei echoed in her mind, overlapping with each other like a haunting echo. 

“Don’t you know that your emperor took my sister and gave all her power to you?”
“You will recover.”

The accusations and the promise of healing clashed in her head, leaving her feeling vulnerable and confused. “What have you done to me, Andrei?” Elise muttered under her breath, her eyes closing involuntarily. 

The once-warm water had turned tepid, jolting Elise out of her reverie. With a start, she clambered out of the tub, reminded of the fact that someone was waiting outside. As she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, she noticed that a set of fresh clothes had been placed outside the tub—a luxurious, silky nightgown.

Elise fumbled as she dressed herself, when  Rezette appeared from behind the screen, as if he knew she was ready. He must have been waiting for her all along, despite enough time having passed for her to enjoy a leisurely soak in the water.

She was dragged back into his arms, just like before.

***

For a few days, the Rotiara army – led by none other than the grand duke and the princess herself – took shelter in the small village. They were now slightly over halfway to their destination, and Elise couldn’t help but worry about the impact of the delay on their schedule.

But before she could voice her concerns, Rezette interjected, cutting her off. “We’ve dispatched scouts to the nearby forests and mountain paths. We’ll proceed at a slower pace until we reach Rotiara, giving Your Highness ample time to recuperate.”

This was no ordinary scuffle between individuals. With Ugel’s use of poisoned arrows against Van Yela’s army, tensions between the Northern Federation nations had reached an all-time high. It was unthinkable for member countries to take up arms against each other, and yet Ugel had blatantly violated this unspoken rule by attacking Emperor Van Yela’s brother, who was merely returning to his own territory.

Rezette was incensed by Ugel’s actions and had wasted no time in ordering the execution of Ugel soldiers, including Prince Yanok Sihat. The imperial city of Van Yela was undoubtedly in chaos by now. In fact, the gravity of the situation was such that it warranted an immediate meeting of the federation nations.

Compared to these events, the minor delay in their itinerary paled in comparison.

Meanwhile, Elise was in the process of understanding Rezette’s assurance that she no longer needed to worry about unexpected attacks in the future. It seemed that he had chosen to stay by her side as her protector. She half-layed on the bed and glanced at the man who sat close to her.

Elise lay on the bed, observing Rezette as he sat beside her, poring over reports and letters. She wondered when he slept, for she had never seen him doze off. During their stay at the inn, he never came to her bedside. Instead, he brought a chair next to her bed and busied himself with his work. Even letters from the emperor of Van Yela that had come to the inn found their way to Rezette’s hands, and he replied to them without much care.

He doesn’t care about the Emperor’s mood, she mused. Not wanting to be caught peeking at confidential documents from another country, Elise discreetly turned her head away and found herself contemplating on Rezette’s promise. It seemed Rezette had chosen to stay by her side as her protector, assuring her that she need not worry about any unexpected attacks in the future. 

On the other hand, Rezette was skimming through a letter from an enraged Noyer.

[You’re definitely insane. Do you think you can hide your identity by wearing a mask? You know he’s the Fourth Prince of Ugel, right? And you deliberately killed him? And then have the nerve to send his head to me? You crazy bastard. My order to you is to go back to Rotiara quietly without causing any more trouble. Do you hear me?]

He skimmed over the content of the letter, which had little value to him, and replied insincerely, detailing everything from the poisoned arrowheads to the torture of Ugel’s soldiers who were forced to testify, and even included the damages they had suffered. He knew this would be enough to have Yanok Sihat’s head cut off. Noyer might have been angered, but he was not going to bow his head to Ugel. He would deal with the matter on his own terms.

So, the matters that needed to be resolved on Rezette’s end were now almost over.

Rezette’s quill glided across the parchment as he finished penning the last words of the letter. But as he lifted his gaze, he noticed the stillness around him. The woman who had been lying half-covered in the blanket, her eyes flickering, had finally succumbed to slumber.

Though the princess appeared to have taken refuge under a blanket, a closer inspection revealed that she had not covered herself properly. Leaning in, Rezette spotted her crouched under the meager fabric, shivering in the cold.

Suddenly, a blast of frigid air caught him off guard, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “It’s cold,” he muttered.

As he reached out to touch her cheek, a chill pricked his skin. Her skin was cold to the touch, and the air around her felt like it had been blasted with an icy gust of wind. Rezette knew that something was amiss.

Despite his attempts to warm her up, the princess’s body refused to hold onto the heat, dissipating it as quickly as he could generate it. If this persisted, she would remain chilled for weeks, prolonging her recovery and placing her in further danger.

Rezette had enlisted the help of several physicians, but their examinations had proved fruitless. “There’s nothing wrong…really?” he had asked them, but their answers had only added to his confusion.

It was clear that something was wrong with the princess, but the only way to ascertain whether she was still alive was to rouse her. With a sense of urgency, Rezette shook Elise awake. 

“Your Highness!”

Elise stirred from her slumber as Rezette shook her gently. He enveloped her in a warm embrace, and she blinked her drowsy eyes, still disoriented from sleep.

“What’s wrong?” she mumbled.

Rezette eased her onto the bed, propping her up against the headboard, and drew her closer to him.

“You’re cold,” he said softly.

Elise murmured a word of thanks, and Rezette ran his hand over her slender back, infusing her skin with warmth. She sighed with relief, her tense muscles relaxing under his touch.

As she stretched her body, Rezette gazed down at her. Her long, dense lashes fluttered as she shifted positions, rousing from her sleep. When she lifted her head, their eyes locked in a gaze, and Elise felt a sense of uncertainty wash over her.

The cold that had been radiating from Elise’s body slowly dissipated. Seeking comfort, she instinctively held onto Rezette a little tighter, like a small bird finding refuge in a nest. Her cheek rested gently against his chest, causing a ticklish sensation that made his eyebrows curl.

Elise’s attire was nothing more than a thin, cotton nightgown that provided little protection from the chill of the night. Every curve of her body was pressed against his, and he could feel her every breath. The proximity between them was intense.

As their bodies connected, the carefully constructed walls in Rezette’s mind began to crumble. His thoughts became hazy, and his hand, which had been resting on her waist, slipped down without his conscious awareness. The sweet scent of flowers emanating from her skin further clouded his judgment.

It wasn’t his intention, but it wasn’t a sin either. After all, it was Elise who had made the promise to surrender herself to him completely.