“Huh?”

“It’s not okay.”

“…..”

“It still hurts a lot.”

I glanced down to check Ian’s complexion. His color had returned to normal, and I had confirmed his fever had gone down, but he says it still hurts a lot?

“But your fever has gone down…..”

“If senior leaves like this, I might get a fever again.”

Ian was looking up at me with droopy eyes. Then he grabbed his head with somewhat stiff movements.

Could he be pretending to be sick right now?

I glanced at his anxious-looking face and barely held back my laughter.

To think that Ian, famous for being an ice prince in the original work, had such a coy side.

“I didn’t mean I was going home.”

“Pardon?”

If his intention was to weaken my resolve, it was successful either way. I pulled up Ian’s blanket that had slipped halfway down as I answered.

“I said I’d stay at the dormitory tonight too. Your condition seemed a bit better, so I was going to bring something to drink……”

Ian’s lips parted slightly as he blinked slowly.

“Then please go ahead.”

“But you said you might get a fever again.”

Perhaps because my voice was mixed with laughter, Ian blushed as he replied.

“It’ll be fine for a little while.”

Ian’s mother, the empress, had died early, and his father was the emperor in the highest position in the empire, so he probably didn’t have anyone to freely act spoiled with.

For him to show this kind of behavior to me means he must be that comfortable with me…..

If we continue to build trust like this, perhaps we can avoid the worst ending like in the original work?

“Aren’t you going?”

“Now you want me to go?”

“No. How could that be?”

A gentle smile spread across his face. As I quietly gazed at his smiling face, I suddenly recalled Daisy’s monologue that after the enthronement ceremony in the original work, not a single smile was seen on Ian’s face.

“Um, Klein……”

“Yes?”

I wanted to ask if he knew about the curse said to befall the imperial family, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

In the original work, Daisy also didn’t ignore the word ‘curse’ that slipped from Ian’s mouth, and tried to find out what the curse was, but never did.

To be more precise, she couldn’t find anyone who knew about that curse.

If I carelessly bring up something I can’t clearly cite the source for, the trust I’ve built up might crumble.

“No, it’s nothing.”

I must have grown quite attached already, as just the assumption that the Ian I’m facing now could change made my heart tighten.

I had read the original work so many times, yet not only could I not help, I didn’t even know the proper information.

Just as a wave of doubt and helplessness was about to overwhelm me, Ian asked in a low voice.

“How was the duel?”

“Ah, the duel……”

Right, I had a duel today.

Looking back, it felt like an exceptionally long day. What’s surprising is that the day still isn’t over.

“I heard they were skilled from the Guard Knights.”

“Skilled? Not really.”

“No?”

I nodded my head as I answered.

“They were much weaker than you, and slower too. Their biggest weakness was having too many openings in their attack stance, but they did have some strengths……”

“Senior.”

“Hm?”

“I think I’m getting a fever again.”

“A fever?”

Are you pretending to be sick again?

I hesitated for a moment before placing my hand on Ian’s forehead as he looked down. He did have a fever, but it was closer to a low-grade one.

“It’s a low fever, but is your headache starting again too?”

Ian closed his eyes tightly as he replied.

“It feels better again because it’s cool.”

“Really? Then instead of this, I should get some cool water and linen……”

As I hastily tried to remove my hand, Ian gently pressed down on the back of my hand.

“I prefer your hand touching me.”

This is going to become a habit at this rate.

Wait a minute? When I read a book about aura, I heard it had self-healing abilities, but could it possibly heal others too instead of just self-healing? Is that why he says he prefers my hand touching him?

Noticing the faint smile on Ian’s lips, I gently stroked his forehead.

“Get some more sleep.”

“Will you stay by my side?”

“Yes. I will.”

*

After confirming Ian had fallen into a deep sleep, I put on a robe and went outside the dormitory. The rain had stopped, but clouds still obscured the moonlight.

A dark day like this was a good opportunity to practice aura without being caught by anyone.

Passing through the training grounds located in the deepest part of the knights’ quarters, I entered a secluded forest path and slowly drew my sword.

Even in broad daylight, few people came this far, so at this late hour, there would be even fewer visitors.

“This is the optimal location.”

After glancing around the pitch-black surroundings where not a single ray of light penetrated, I operated my aura with a more relaxed mind.

The aura inside me was still unstable and rough. It was that much more intense. It thrashed about as if it couldn’t be controlled.

It’s clearly different from the aura Rosebelia felt.

She said she felt it faintly at first, then gradually sensed more…..

Am I unable to properly handle it because I’m experiencing the large amount of aura Rosebelia had been controlling from the beginning?

As I pushed the aura that seemed to be raging wildly as if wanting to escape into the sword, the sword glowed white. Soon after, as I swung it briefly towards the air, nausea welled up.

“Why on earth……”

When will you help me fully adapt to this body, and why won’t you let me properly handle the aura?

I pushed out the aura again and swung my sword. My throat burned, but I gritted my teeth and swallowed the nausea.

Just because Rosebelia refused to regress, does that mean my entering this body can’t be justified?

Is that why you’re rampaging like this, unable to accept me?

“Let’s see who wins, you or me.”

I have nowhere to go back to.

I just want to live somehow. That’s all.

For a moment, my vision spun. As I collapsed to the ground, the blood I had been holding back gushed out.

“Whew, this time it hurts a bit.”

The fortunate thing was that I wasn’t completely unable to use aura. The key was to not let anyone find out about this condition.

After wiping away the blood, I lay down on the dirt ground. The pain subsided immediately, but the dizziness didn’t go away easily.

If I’m going to continue practicing aura in the future, I’ll need to know exactly how long the dizziness lasts too.

I stared at the night sky visible in the distance with my eyes wide open.

With each deep breath I took in and out, the scent of rain-soaked earth seeped into my nose. The faint sound of insects in the distance sounded like a lullaby.

“I can’t sleep here.”

With indomitable willpower, I got up after a while.

Is this as far as I got today just by swinging my sword in the air?

As I was about to dust off the dirt on my skirt, I clenched my fingertips upon seeing the blood covering my palms.

Looking around, I approached the edge of the forest path and tapped an old tree. Soon after, rainwater that had collected on the leaves poured down onto my hands.

After roughly wiping away the blood on my mouth and hands, I finally headed towards the dormitory building.

First, I should go to my room to wash up and change clothes, then go to the room where Ian is staying.

As I arrived in front of the dormitory, I stopped in my tracks. At this late hour when everyone should be asleep, someone was pacing in front of the dormitory.

Just as I was about to turn back, a familiar voice settled.

“Senior?”

It was Ian.

I quickly covered my face with my robe and asked after tightly closing and opening my eyes.

“Why are you out here?”

“I couldn’t see you, senior. Where have you been?”

“I just went for a short walk.”

Ian, who had quickly closed the distance, looked down at me intently.

“Go into the room first. I’ll stop by my room and then come.”

As I tried to hurriedly pass by Ian’s side, he firmly grabbed my shoulder.

“Please lower your arm for a moment.”

“Huh? Why my arm……”

Ian furrowed his brow for a moment and gently pulled my arm.

“What are you doing?”

“Just where did you go and what did you do?”

“I told you. I went for a walk……”

Before I could finish speaking, his thumb brushed my lips. What was on his hand that quickly moved away was red, that is, my blood.

“Then what is this?”

“I’m not sure? What is that?”

As Ian was about to put his finger to his lips, I hastily grasped his hand.

“Wait! What are you trying to do?”

“I was going to check.”

I vigorously wiped the blood on his fingertip with the hem of my clothes. Ian, who had been quietly watching my actions, asked with a low sigh.

“Did you perhaps bleed?”

“No.”

“No?”

“There’s no reason for me to bleed.”

“If you’re lying to me. Saying you’re fine when you’re not……”

Ian was the only person who had seen me collapse while bleeding.

I need to come up with a plausible excuse.

As I wracked my brain, I suddenly recalled something placed on the table when I stopped by my dormitory.

What was that?

It was on a plate, and I think it was red…..

“Senior, why….. Why don’t you take care of yourself?”

“It’s a misunderstanding, Klein. Actually, I ate cherry pie earlier and it must have gotten on me then.”

“You ate cherries?”

He frowned as he smiled and lowered his head. His eyes stopped precisely on my lips. My lips involuntarily twitched at his persistent gaze, as if tracing them.

“When I say I’m hungry, the servants stationed at the dormitory bring snacks. Today it was cherry pie.”

“……”

“So now the misunderstanding is cleared up, right? I’ll go in first.”

Just as I was about to pull open the dormitory door, passing by Ian.

With a thud, the door closed again.

I tried to fling the door open, but Ian, who had somehow come up behind me, was pressing it shut with force, so it didn’t budge.

“Klein? What are you……”

I turned around and stopped speaking. His protruding Adam’s apple was bobbing right in front of my nose.

He was looking down at me with a face that was half pained and half angry.

“If it’s a misunderstanding, I’d like a proper chance to clear it up.”

As I blinked as if to ask what he meant, his violently shaking eyes settled calmly. At that moment, he leaned his face in close and said.

“May I check for myself?”