Casaline was immediately moved to the royal palace and received medical treatment from the palace physician.

She thought she had recovered normally by the time she escaped the forest, but it seemed to be a proud delusion.

Casaline suffered a terrible body ache for several days.

Her body, weakened to the point of resentment, seemed intent on releasing all the accumulated fatigue at once, causing tremendous fevers day and night.

When she could no longer tell how much time had passed,

“Ah…”

Awakening with a clearer mind, Casaline held her stiff back as she sat up.

Outside the window, the sky was as clear as if it had been painted with blue watercolor, as if the rain had never been.

“I thought you had turned into a corpse for not waking up.”

Startled by the voice that came without warning, Casaline turned to look beside her.

Parnes, with dark shadows under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept for several nights, was placing a tray with porridge on it.

“Eat.”

“Huh? I just woke up…”

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

“Ah, okay. I’ll eat.”

Casaline hesitantly picked up the bowl of porridge.

Parnes sat heavily beside her, watching intently with eyes like a predator, as if to ensure she ate all the porridge.

When Casaline didn’t eat quickly and kept glancing at him, Parnes’s brows furrowed in annoyance.

“Are you conducting a ritual before eating?”

“No, no.”

“Then why?”

“Just… It feels good that the first person I see after waking up is your Majesty.”

Sorry, I’m talking nonsense.

Casaline smiled lightly and took a big spoonful of porridge.

Expecting him to comment on her “talking nonsense immediately after waking up,” Casaline looked up when it remained unusually quiet.

Parnes was tilting his head slightly, half-covering his face with his hand.

His ear, barely visible through his hair, was red.

“Why are you like that?”

“…It’s nothing. Just eat.”

“By the way, I haven’t properly thanked you. Thank you for saving me. If it hadn’t been for you, it might have been a disaster.”

He didn’t reply.

He just leaned his head against the wall and stared at her with a slanted look.

Casaline recalled his strong yet warm embrace, still vivid on her skin.

He had embraced her with all his might in the cold, damp air to share a bit of warmth, but now he seemed to say that such a thing would never happen again, maintaining a distant space.

In this awkward atmosphere, the fact that she had spent the night with him in the cave felt like an absurd dream.

“Do you remember what happened then?”

“Most of it, although it’s a bit blurry.”

He scoffed as if incredulous.

Casaline tilted her head, not understanding the meaning of his laughter.

“Do you usually trust people easily?”

“No. I think I’m more on the distrustful side. Why do you ask suddenly…?”

“You spent the whole night in my arms under a thin cloak without showing any signs of dislike, and you say you don’t trust people easily?”

“That’s because…”

“What if I had been a terrible man, or lost my mind for a moment and touched you? How thoughtless for a mature woman to be so unguarded.”

“But you didn’t.”

Casaline looked at him directly, her eyes shining clearer than ever.

“Far from harboring ill intentions, you stayed awake all night tending the fire and even secretly warmed my hand.”

“…”

“From the beginning, I didn’t guard myself because I knew. I know that His Majesty Parnes is a gentleman, more considerate and kind than anyone.”

He seemed about to say something with his slightly flushed face but eventually remained silent.
He lost his words, remaining silent for a while, then suddenly relaxed his tension and chuckled.

“Idiot.”

Casaline dropped the spoon she was holding with a clatter, her eyes widening.

“Did you just say that to me?”

“Who else could it be?”

Parnes took the tray from her and pulled the blanket up.

“Take advantage of my leniency now and pretend to be sick all you want. There will be no exceptions next time.”

Casaline peered at him, only her eyes visible outside the blanket.

It must be a coincidence, but it was astonishing.

It seemed as if he was intentionally guarding her door to allow her to rest, knowing she was emotionally distressed when with Chalen and Rose.

“Alright, I’ll try to fall asleep.”

“You’re surprisingly obedient.”

“But in return, could you tell me an interesting story until I fall asleep?”

“What’s this?”

Having been a little indulgent, now he’s being taken for granted by the Empress.

Parnes said this with a face so ferocious that even the guardian of hell would cower, but Casaline was not scared at all.

Instead, she playfully smiled.

After all, his voice always carried a warm and gentle aura.

“I’m not leisurely. I’ll stay only for 5 minutes, so fall asleep within that time.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Casaline neatly placed her hands on her belly and tightly closed her eyes.

Sleep, which seemed elusive, surprisingly crept up on her silently without her noticing. She fell deeply asleep within less than 5 minutes.

The warm porridge must have helped.