‘He was originally very composed, but now is not the time for that…? He should be thrashing about in pain….’

Raoul was so clear-headed that it was almost cute.

When he directly handed the restraints to Diana, it was suspicious enough to doubt if Raoul was just pretending not to be able to speak.

“I’ll keep the key. I’ll release you whenever you want. Okay…?”

Raoul silently nodded. Still, Diana did not feel good.

It bothered her that she had put the restraints, which were used when Raoul was dragged to the castle, back on his arms.

‘Raoul doesn’t seem to have any thoughts about it though….’

As she inserted Raoul’s arms into the circular restraints connected to the handcuffs, his body clung to the wall with a cold, clanking sound.

The restraints were enchanted so that when the round iron ball part went into the wall, Raoul’s arms were naturally fixed to the wall while handcuffed.

He looked like he didn’t even want to resist, befitting someone who voluntarily offered his wrists.

Diana knelt in front of the docile Raoul and offered words of comfort.

“Just bear with it for a little while. Your condition will improve soon. I’ll take care of you without borrowing anyone else’s hands, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught.”

“Grrr…”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“…Grrr…”

“Just endure until morning. I’ll get you something to eat. I’ll procure enough cooked meat for you to eat plenty. And when I’m not here, keep the gag in your mouth. Okay?”

“…Grrr.”

“I don’t want to do this either. But I heard that if you try to endure the pain forcibly, your teeth will all be damaged. I’ll replace it with a clean one every day, so let’s do this for now.”

“…”

Raoul bit into the thick towel.

“That’s right, well done. And what else do I need to prepare? Ah, right. I should wipe your body. We both look terrible. I can just wash up when I go back, so I’ll wipe you down first. As for clothes…”

“Grrr.”

“Okay, okay! The clothes… Raoul can change into them himself when he comes to his senses even for a moment. For now, I’ll just wipe off the pollen stuck to your fur. Just wait a moment.”

Fortunately, there were many usable cloths in the bedroom drawers, enough even after using some as a gag.

As soon as she entered the side room with water drawn from the pond, bright blue eyes shone in the dim room.

‘He looked docile until just now, but sometimes he seems quite beastly…’ Diana carefully put down the water bucket, feeling like a rabbit in front of a wolf.

Although she said she wasn’t afraid, when she suddenly felt Raoul’s gaze on her neck, her body instinctively shrank back.

It felt like standing in front of a predator aiming for her vital points, and goosebumps naturally rose on her back.

However, Diana tried her best not to show it and soaked the towel in water.

Then she wrung it out with both hands to a moderately damp level.

“Just bear with it for a moment. I’ll do it quickly.”

Diana sat with her knees up and wiped Raoul’s face first.

She wiped his sharply lined ears, his fan-shaped forehead, and his pointed snout in order.

Fortunately, Raoul did not refuse. When wiping the other cheek, he even turned his head slightly.

‘He’s somehow very obedient…’

After wiping his entire face, Diana naturally placed her hand on his chest.

“Grrr…”

“Ah, sorry. Did you dislike it?”

Diana glanced at him cautiously.

If Raoul disliked it, she had no intention of forcing him, but the sight of pollen clumped messily on his chest was quite unpleasant.

“Should I stop?”

When Diana took a surrendering posture a little away, Raoul made a strange sound and extended his body forward again, which had been shrinking back.

“I’ll do it quickly.”

Diana wrung out the rinsed cloth and thoroughly wiped Raoul’s arms and chest again.

The pollen stuck between his double coat was not easy to remove, making it difficult for Diana.

The longer it took, the rougher Raoul’s breathing became.

“What’s wrong…? Are you uncomfortable?”

As she looked up slightly while wiping his chest, blue eyes were narrowly looking down at Diana.

‘Why… Why is he looking at me like that?’

Diana cleared her throat with a somewhat tense feeling.

As she turned her head to avoid the embarrassing gaze, Raoul’s head turned to follow the side of Diana’s face.

“Is there something on my face?”

Diana touched her cheek while glancing at Raoul.

Her appearance after falling into the water and rolling on the dirt floor must have been a mess. He leaned his body towards Diana without a word.

Of course, since he was restrained, his back only slightly lifted off the wall, but his pointed snout soon reached Diana’s face as she sat close to him.

“Wh-what is it?”

Diana felt Raoul’s warm breath on her cheek. Raoul rubbed his nose against Diana’s soft flesh while scratching his neck.

“Just bear with it a little longer. It’ll be over soon.”

When Diana stroked Raoul’s cheek, the handcuffs tied to his arms made a cold, clanking sound.

And Raoul, who pressed his body against the wall again, did not open his eyes until Diana’s touch stopped.

In the end, Diana, who finished at a reasonable point, sat close to Raoul’s side.

A wide blanket that Diana had covered him with was wrapped around his body.

“You’ll catch a cold. How’s the pain? Is it okay now?”

“…”

“They say the pain is indescribable when your body is growing. Just endure a little bit. It’ll be fine soon.”

Even though she knew Raoul couldn’t answer, Diana kept wanting to talk to him.

It was because Raoul, who recognized and hugged her even after becoming a lycan, was so kind and cute that she felt a bit excited.

Although his body and hands were so big that it was a bit intimidating, the boy Diana cherished and loved the most was still alive and breathing inside his skin.

“I hope you return to the original Raoul soon… You’re cute and pretty now too, but I think I prefer it when I can have a conversation with you…”

“…”

“I’m sorry for pretending not to know for a week, not knowing you were in pain. Actually, I was a bit disappointed. Because you didn’t come to me.”

“Grrr…”

“I know. It’s stupid. I should have gone to you first, but I wanted you to come to me. I’m sorry.”

As Diana offered words of apology and gathered her knees, Raoul slowly leaned his upper body to rest against Diana’s shoulder.

“What is it? Are you comforting me?”

“…”

‘Then I’ll gladly…’ Finding the affectionate behavior cute, Diana gently rested her head on Raoul’s arm.

Just as much as the close physical distance, the emotional distance between Diana and Raoul was also incomparably closer than in their previous lives.

She had become so attached that she was already worried she might hold onto his ankle when sending him off in the future.

‘See. I’m the problem, not Raoul.’

What Diana wanted was a beautiful picture of her happily blessing his future after their joyful time together.

She might have to slowly practice letting go of Raoul in her heart, even to prevent heartache.

Emotional independence, so to speak.

Diana closed her eyes and whispered quietly.

“Should I ask Paisar to paint a portrait of you?”

“Grrr…”

‘I’m the one who has to leave. I really need to prepare now.’

As the warm body heat was transmitted through her arm, Diana’s eyes slowly closed.

She leaned her weary body against the furnace-like arm and closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, the darkness had receded and the blue dawn light was shining outside the window paper.

Diana’s sleep was broken by the stinging sensation of her hair being pulled.

‘Oh my gosh, did I sleep here?’

Feeling a bit hot, the blanket she had covered Raoul with was wrapped around her body.

‘I must have pulled it in my sleep.’

As she tried to turn her head to check on Raoul’s condition, a damp nose touched the top of her head with a light tap.

“Ah… You were awake?”

Raoul, who was looking down at Diana, still had the appearance of a wolf. She first checked his wrists.

‘I think I tightened it too much yesterday. I hope it’s not bruised.’

While Diana bent down and examined Raoul’s wrists stuck to the wall, he playfully pulled her hair with his mouth or sniffed with his nose.

‘He must be in a good mood…?’

The fur was thick, so no wounds were visible.

“Does it hurt?”

Raoul shook his head with Diana’s hair in his mouth.

The playful behavior was so lovely that a smile naturally escaped. However, now was not the time to be leisurely like this.