"Show your tongue!" he requested calmly, his hand still near my face.
"Huh!" I stamred, surprised by his unexpected request.
"What did you just say?" I asked, seeking clarification.
"Madam, I asked you to show your tongue, so that I can examine it," he explained with an unruffled deanor. However, I was the one feeling flustered as his hand remained in close proximity to my face.
"B-but," I stuttered, my embarrassnt evident.
"Duke, I can d-" Vix began to speak, but she abruptly halted, allowing to comply with the Duke’s request. I reluctantly opened my mouth to display my tongue, feeling a profound sense of embarrassnt.
He didn’t utter a word during the examination, but his gaze remained fixed on my lips as his fingers lightly touched my tongue. My heart raced, and I attempted to control my breathing, but he seed to notice my unease.
"Madam, you can breathe. You don’t need to hold your breath," he reassured . His words only served to intensify my disconcertnt. His expression displayed no trace of the vulnerable emotions I had witnessed in my dream, yet here he was, scrutinizing my lips with the intent of inspecting my tongue. My mind buzzed with a whirlwind of erratic thoughts, leaving thoroughly flustered.
"It has turned slightly red. But you will be fine," he reassured , his diagnosis delivered with a detached professionalism.
"Bring so ice," he ordered, then promptly walked away from the table.
His departure left in bewildernt. Why had he acted as if he had done sothing unintended, sothing he wanted to distance himself from? I watched his retreating figure, my gaze fixating on the very fingers that had touched my tongue. He shook his hand as if attempting to rid himself of an unwanted sensation.
Why? Why did you do it when you clearly recoil from even the slightest contact with ?
I longed to voice my frustration, to let my thoughts and questions spill out, but the words remained trapped in my throat.
"Duchess, ice for you," Vix presented with a bowl of ice.
I heard her words, but my capacity to respond felt montarily paralyzed.
"Duchess," she called again, her voice coaxing to return to the present.
I turned my gaze towards Vix, attempting to shake off the perplexity that had taken hold of .
"No need. It will be okay like this," I replied, determined to press on.
I made my way towards the maid’s entrance of the house, but Vix was quick to react.
"Duchess, wait, let arrange so guards for you," she offered.
"It’s alright. I’m a knight myself," I said with a faint smile, a touch of pride in my voice.
I ventured outside, my bare feet protesting with each step. They pinched painfully as I passed by the training grounds. However, my attention was drawn to the knights, drenched in sweat and gri, vigorously sparring. I couldn’t help but take a step back and observe them for a while.
My heart whispered to , urging to approach them, to pick up a sword, and to engage in sparring once more. Yet, I remained rooted in place, my inner conflict preventing from joining in. I watched the knights, lost in thought, until Vix called out to .
"Duchess, what are you doing?" she exclaid, nearly out of breath. She hurried over to , holding my shoes in one hand and an umbrella in the other.
"Why did you bring these?" I questioned, puzzled by her actions.
"Duchess, the sun is directly overhead. It’s too much for you to bear. And here are your shoes. You’ve already injured your feet, so please wear them before it gets worse. I’ll take you to the doctor soon, so co with ," she insisted, her words a rush of worry and care.
Her earnestness made chuckle softly. She was truly endearing.
"Did I say sothing wrong?" she asked, tilting her head with a look of concern.
I couldn’t help but suppress my laughter at Vix’s earnestness.
"No, you did nothing wrong," I assured her, my amusent subsiding. Yet, my gaze was drawn back to the knights, and I found myself lost in contemplation once more.
"Can I spar with them?" The words slipped from my lips without forethought.
"No, you can’t," ca a firm response from behind .
Startled, I turned around to see who had spoken.
"Duke?" I gasped, my heart racing as he appeared behind .
"What are you doing here?" His sudden presence almost startled .
"Madam, do I have to remind you every ti not to risk injury?" he chided.
"You don’t have to. I can take care of myself," I replied, intent on leaving. But before I could take a step, he grasped my hands and lifted effortlessly into his arms.
"D-duke, w-what are you doing? P-put down!!!!!!" I stamred, my heart now pounding so fiercely it felt as if it might burst from my chest.
"Madam, stay still. I will have you back in your room shortly," he declared with an unwavering expression that only further frustrated .
"No, I don’t need your help," I protested.
"Let down."
"I can walk on my own."
"I can go on my own."
"So put down!!!!!" I continued to struggle in his grasp, my determination unyielding.
"Madam, stay still!!!" He firmly held despite my fervent attempts to break free.
"No, I won’t," I asserted firmly.
"And let tell you one more thing," I continued, my voice unwavering. "I don’t know how much worse the people of Abila treated won, but I’m not one of them, and I never will be. You don’t have my permission to touch , so get your hand off before I do sothing you’ll regret."
"Duke, you don’t have my permission." With that final declaration, he relented and placed back on the floor.
This ti, he remained silent, standing there as I walked away, leaving bloody footprints at the entrance of the mansion. I hadn’t noticed the large glass shard there, and it had embedded itself in my foot, causing a painful and significant wound.
"Vix, can you take to Erios’s room?" I called out to her, my voice strained.
She readily complied, supporting my arm as we slowly made our way toward Erios’s room. My eyes wandered back to Alex. Wait a minute! This must be the first ti I called him Alex after waking up from that strange dream. That was a change.
He still stood by the door, but his facial expression remained inscrutable. I decided to ignore it for now.
"Master," I was nearly in front of Erios’s room when Alex ca rushing towards , addressing as "master."
"W-what? H-how? Did you read my mind again?" I inquired, my bewildernt apparent.
One thing was clear: I still couldn’t get used to the sight of Erios. It was strange to have a child so near , except for my younger brother, Excalibur.
"I didn’t read your mind, but I can hear your footsteps, so I ca here."
"But how did you get yourself so injured? Can you even walk? You’re bleeding a lot," he asked, his concern evident.
"Yeah, that’s why I ca to you. Can you heal ?" I asked, feeling awkward but not wanting to go through the painful process of removing glass from my flesh, applying dicines, and wrapping the wound. It was a process I’d rather avoid.
"I can. Co inside, Master," he replied.
"You can wait outside," Erios directed to Vix.
"But Duchess-"
"Vix, I’m okay. If sothing happens, I will call for you," I reassured her. She hesitated but finally remained outside, waiting for .
"Master, sit here." I settled into a chair in his room. It was large and spacious, though my room felt even more spacious with its large window.
My gaze wandered around the room, but then a shining light appeared on my right side. I turned to see that Erios had already begun using his holy power, creating a radiant circle around him that was so bright it nearly blinded .
"Master, it will hurt a bit, but bear with it," he cautioned.
Huh! Hurt? Using holy power hurts? But didn’t I choose this just to lessen the pain? No, no, no. I didn’t sign up for pain. I need to tell him to stop.
"Er-"
Before I could finish, the shining ray landed on , giving a sharp pain that sent jolts all over my body, trying to make scream loudly.
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