Chapter 123

Duke Benerix was imprisoned in the underground dungeon. The emperor himself would conduct the interrogation, and Latine and the Azure Knights would stand guard by his side. Those who had dared to point their swords at the emperor were executed on the spot, and those who had sided with Duke Benerix were dragged one by one to the interrogation rooms.

As it was an incident that had nearly turned the empire upside down, it took some time to calm the situation and finish all the urgent matters. It was only after this that Rodella and Aivert returned to the Azure Knights’ headquarters.

“Get the wounded treated first!”

The headquarters was more chaotic than ever. Having just fought a battle against the Red Knights, the military medics were busy rushing back and forth. Rodella, with a weary expression, watched the scene for a moment before heading toward the documentation office. She had to clean up the mess left behind by acting commander Marvin Tilcot, even though the immediate crisis at the Imperial Palace had been averted.

“Where are you going?”

But Aivert didn’t budge. As Rodella staggered, the chain connecting them flashed and then disappeared.

“Hmm?”

“You need to get treated, too.” Aivert pointed at her arm.

“Oh.”

But Rodella looked at where the doctors were gathered and shook her head. “I can get treated later.” The doctors seemed to be overwhelmed by the influx of patients.

“Minor injuries over here! Those with minor injuries or no injuries, please help move the seriously wounded!”

“This way, move them to the inner area!”

But Aivert was adamant. “You said you’d get treated at the headquarters when we were at the palace.” Aivert’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like that she was putting off her treatment.

“A little later. After the crowd thins out.” It was definitely throbbing, a sign that she had pushed herself too hard. But this wasn’t the top priority.

“Let’s go. It doesn’t hurt much.” Aivert watched her and led her in the opposite direction from the documentation office.

—Clang!

As the two of them tried to go in different directions, the chain pulled taut and flashed into existence again. Rodella turned to face him, and Aivert said, “Stop pretending you’re fine and follow me. I’ll treat you.”

“Then we won’t be using up the doctors’ resources, right? Okay, I’ll go. But just for first aid.”

Only then did Rodella follow Aivert.

***

—Snip.

The sound of medical scissors cutting a bandage was sharp and clear. Rodella thought it was strange to hear that sound so close to her ear instead of in front of her eyes, as they were usually on opposite sides. Aivert was usually the one who got hurt, and Rodella was the one who cut bandages and treated him from behind.

But today was different.

“Lift your arm a little.”

As she slightly lifted her arm, a bandage was placed over the disinfected and medicated wound. The touch was uncharacteristically delicate. The bandage, which looked so small in Aivert’s large hands, was wrapped around Rodella’s arm several times, with plenty to spare. While he would carelessly wrap his own wounds, Aivert undid and rewrapped Rodella’s arm over and over, seemingly dissatisfied with his work.

Aivert’s head was bowed in concentration, and his warmth seemed to tickle her neck, making Rodella unknowingly let out a small laugh.

“Just do it roughly. No one’s going to compliment how pretty it is.”

But Aivert was serious. “If I don’t do it right, you’ll just take it off and do it again.”

Rodella shook her head. “I won’t.” She meant it.

But Aivert acted as if he didn’t hear her and finally stood up as if he had completed his masterpiece.

“I wrapped it a little tightly, but I can’t help it. If it’s looser than this, it won’t apply enough pressure to the wound.” He then began to clear away the pile of failed bandage attempts.

Rodella glanced over and saw a mountain of them. Such waste was unheard of. When she raised an eyebrow in disapproval, Aivert said lightly, “It’s the mark of my deliberation.”

“You don’t need to go to all this trouble.” She was planning to postpone her treatment and get to work on the Azure Knights’ internal affairs right away. What did it matter how the bandage was tied?

But Aivert looked at her intently and said, “If I tie it sloppily, you’ll just take it off while you’re working because it’s bothering you, won’t you?”

That hit a nerve.

“You don’t care if it scars. Especially when there’s so much work to do, even more so.”

‘Can he read my mind?’

As Rodella couldn’t deny it, Aivert held out his hand. “But if it festers, you’ll suffer. You’ll be down for a whole week, unable to work at all, all because you didn’t want to be uncomfortable for two days. That would be the worst situation for you, wouldn’t it?”

‘Are you still going to treat your wounds like that?’

At Aivert’s look, Rodella finally turned her head away. There was nothing more frightening to Rodella than those words. A week off when she was so busy she could die? The thought made her arm feel weak.

“You’re right. I have nothing to say.” Aivert shrugged as he closed the first-aid kit. “It was the same when you were in the Administration Bureau.”

‘Was it?’

Thinking about it, it was. She often pulled all-nighters in the Administration Bureau, and somehow, Aivert would always know and bring her snacks or a late-night meal, and then escort her back to the Royden family’s city villa.

“The Administration Bureau’ sleeping quarters are not a place to sleep.” He would say this with certainty, despite having never been inside.

Back then, she had no idea how he knew she was working late, or how he knew a snake had caused a huge commotion in the sleeping quarters and came to find her. But now, she realized it must have been because the Royden family had people planted deep within the Imperial Palace. If anyone else had followed her like that, she would have been uncomfortable, but because it was Aivert, it felt perfectly natural.

‘Maybe… you were a special person to me for a very long time.’

With that thought, Rodella smiled faintly. “You’re right. I only rested when you told me to. I would have collapsed otherwise.”

She hated to admit it, but she tended to be a workaholic. She couldn’t rest until she had finished her assigned tasks. She would power through the next day’s fatigue with sheer willpower.

“Don’t overdo it, Rodella. You’re doing well enough.” Even Chancellor Ameris had told her that, but she couldn’t stop. The acknowledgment only made her want to work harder. But the only person who could stop her was Aivert.

“Take a break and do it later.” It wasn’t a long speech.

But…

“Maybe I will?”

The anxiety that made her feel like she couldn’t stop would miraculously disappear at his words like melting snow.

‘If you weren’t here, I would probably just keep running forward without taking care of myself. I might even collapse from running without a break.’

As she thought this, another thought suddenly popped into her head.

‘What if I go on an overseas tour? You won’t be there. Who will stop me then?’

“…”

At that moment, Rodella realized something else.

‘Is he not coming tonight?’

She remembered the nights she would subtly wait for Aivert to come when she was working late. She remembered how she would occasionally glance at the window he used to climb through.

“…”

“…”

She remembered the day she caught him staring at her from the window and had to stifle a laugh.

“Stop working. Let’s go home for today.”

She liked it when Aivert came to stop her. She realized now that she had sometimes intentionally worked late just so he would come.

She hadn’t known what that feeling was—the feeling of wanting to see him. But now, she thought she understood.

‘I want to see you. I want to keep seeing you. I want you to always be there when I look back.’

“Aivert, I…” Rodella looked at him as he put away the first-aid kit and asked, “Should I not go on the overseas tour?”

Aivert turned to face her.