“Kaern? How did you get here…?”

Seeing me sitting on the floor, Kaern quickly approached me. Without asking anything, as if he knew everything, he embraced me and gently placed me back on the bed.

“Thank you.”

“Is it really bad?”

“The muscle pain is so severe that moving is a bit difficult.”

“Stay here for a moment. I’ll call a doctor right away.”

Shortly after Kaern sent one of his subordinates outside, a doctor, sweating profusely, came into the room.

“You called for me, Your Grace.”

“Hera rode yesterday after a long time, and muscle pain has come up. She says moving is quite difficult, so please examine her.”

“Yes. I’ll conduct an examination.”

As soon as the doctor began the examination, I let out a painful groan.

“Ugh…”

The doctor pressed various parts of my muscles during the examination, making it feel like an agonizingly long time had passed. After the seemingly endless moment, the doctor stepped back and spoke.

“Despite not exerting excessive force, considering the severity of your pain, I recommend refraining from strenuous movements for a few days. It would be advisable to rest. I’ll prepare medication that is good for muscle pain, so please make sure to take it.”

“…Alright.”

After the doctor left the room to prepare the medicine, only Kaern and I were left in the room.

“You must have pushed yourself too hard yesterday.”

“After not riding for a long time, I found horseback riding more enjoyable than I thought, so I couldn’t hold back.”
I laughed awkwardly towards him.

“Don’t forget to take the medicine the doctor prescribed.”

“Yes, I will.”

As I replied, I gently touched the thigh that was sore from the poking.

Kaern, who had been silently observing my actions, suddenly looked at me with a concerned expression. Sensing an uneasy feeling for a moment, I stared at him, and he pulled a chair near the bed and sat down.

“I’ll help, so lie down comfortably.”

Then, saying he would give a massage, he unbuttoned the cuff button of his sleeve, rolled up his sleeves, and lifted his arm.

Surprised for a moment, I tried to move back as much as possible using my buttocks. However, the bed was too soft, so the movement was not significant.

“You’re going to give me a massage?”

I asked him with an incredulous look.

While doing so, my eyes kept being drawn to the distinct veins running from the back of his hand to his wrist and forearm.

After regaining my senses, I shook my head vehemently at him.

“It’s okay. I can do it on my own.”

“Even if moving a bit will be painful now, why are you refusing my help? Moreover, even if the pain is less, I’m sure my method would be more effective than what you can do on your own.”

“Ah… Anyway, Kaern, you don’t need to do it! You can just call Amy or something.”

“Why would you seek help from someone else when your fiancé is right here? I don’t understand.”
“Kaern, I suddenly feel completely fine. Look, I can move like this, and it doesn’t hurt at all.”

I continued to object, trying to escape his touch in any way I could.

However, he approached even closer, emitting a strong determination.

“I’m just giving a massage because my fiancée said she’s in pain. And moving like that will only make it worse, you know?”

His words were correct.

I blamed myself for my foolish actions, shedding metaphorical tears in my heart.

‘I want to avoid it, but my body won’t move.’

Yet, when he touched my body, a subtle sensation seemed to overwhelm me, making it difficult to regain my composure.

So, I had to firmly reject him while I was still sober.

“Kaern, I’m really okay.”

“Harena.”

As I stubbornly persisted, Kaern called me in a low voice.

Usually, I would yield to his wishes as much as possible by observing his mood, but not today.

“Try it once, and if you really don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

As he offered a compromise, he tried to persuade me.

Already tangled up in his proposal, I couldn’t help but entertain the thought.

“Okay, just for a moment.”

“Got it.”

After receiving his confirmation, I cautiously lay down on the bed.

Unable to see him, I felt more nervous and tense for some reason. However, I couldn’t lie straight because it would be awkward to look him in the face.

Thud, thud.
In a state of uncertainty about when it would happen, my heart gradually increased its heartbeat rate.

At that moment, the tension that connected us was broken when Kaern’s hand first touched my shoulder.

He started the massage, alternating between firm and gentle touches, finding the right balance.

‘Ah…’

I barely held back a shallow moan that was about to burst out because it felt much better than I expected.

The massage from his large and strong hands was on a completely different level from what I could do with my small hands.

“Does it feel refreshing?”

“…Yes. It’s good.”

“I’m glad.”

Starting from the shoulders, Kaern’s hands wandered around various places.

He kneaded the forearms and wrists, massaged the tense back overall, and when his hands reached my legs, I flinched and buried my face in the blanket out of embarrassment.