SLDS 39

“…I’m eating… it, aren’t I.”

Though he was in so much pain he was practically dying, the glare in his eyes was as sharp as ever.

Seeing Cecil like that, Alexis felt he had come back to life quite a bit and was able to relax a little. He feigned ignorance of the insolent informal speech and straightened the back he had been hunching over.

“We should get moving. At this rate, there was no point in leaving first.”

Alexis stood up, stretching his knees first. He dusted off the dirt and straw clinging to his trouser cuffs, then pulled Cecil up and hoisted him onto his shoulder.

Just because he had taken a fever reducer didn’t mean the boiling fever would drop immediately. Cecil dangled like a sack of luggage, his limbs hanging limp.

Still, it seemed he had a last shred of pride left, as he struck Alexis’s broad back with his two clenched fists. It was like a silent protest demanding to be put down.

“Don’t mess around.”

Alexis muttered coldly. Cecil’s fists were no different from a cat’s paws and inflicted no damage on him.

He was already putting himself through trouble, and having to put up with Cecil’s difficult nature on top of it was getting on his nerves. However, he couldn’t just leave a guy who wasn’t even in good shape, so he had to walk on, suppressing his anger with great effort.

With Cecil on his back, he mounted the horse with ease. He turned Cecil to face him, then firmly gripped the loose reins.

In that short time, Cecil’s consciousness flickered again. As if even posturing was too much effort now, he let out only hot breaths and completely entrusted his body to Alexis.

The face pressed against his broad chest was incredibly hot. His thin arms were wrapped carelessly around Alexis’s waist, and the hands clutching his clothes were so weak they looked as if they might let go at any moment.

“……”

Blue eyes glanced at the ailing face. When Cecil’s condition showed no signs of improving, Alexis frowned and clicked his tongue inaudibly. He then pulled the body in his arms tightly with one hand and kicked the horse’s flank hard with his heel.

Even as the horse reared its front legs high, Alexis’s posture remained as steady as a rock without the slightest waver.

The horse quickly picked up speed and galloped, looking only ahead. If they ran without resting, they would reach the imperial palace within an hour.

Alexis checked on Cecil from time to time. He was only asleep, but the motionless Cecil kept bothering him.

He tightened his arm around his waist. He himself couldn’t understand why his heart felt so uneasy.

When the horse carrying the two men reached the castle gates, the imperial palace was turned completely upside down.

It was shocking enough that the crown prince had returned early without any notice, but Cecil, who was on the horse, was injured. What’s more, he had even fainted and, by all appearances, was no different from a half-dead person.

Alexis headed immediately for Saint Palace. He ordered the attendants, who were in a panicked uproar, to bring the royal physician at once, and he personally took Cecil to the bedchamber. Only after he had laid Cecil on the neatly made bed did the attendants rush to his side.

Some attended to Cecil, while others waited on Alexis. They were surprised to see the bloodstains on the crown prince’s hunting attire, but fortunately, he didn’t seem to be injured. It was all just blood that had transferred from Cecil.

Alexis washed his dirty hands and face in clean water. While he was changing into a new shirt, the crown prince’s personal royal physician entered his bedchamber. He must have been very surprised by the news, as his wrinkle-filled face was pale.

“Your Highness, are you alright? I must examine you at once….”

“I’m fine, tend to him first.”

Alexis gestured with his chin as he finished buttoning his shirt. There was someone else who needed to be examined right away.

While Cecil was being treated, a long wooden partition was placed around the bed.

The bedchamber, spacious enough to accommodate dozens of people, was soon filled with the smell of blood. Hands busily opened the windows, and attendants moved about briskly, constantly carrying clean water and towels.

After some time had passed, the royal physician finished his treatment and came out from behind the partition. The elderly physician wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and cautiously sought out the crown prince.

Alexis was waiting not far away.

He sat leaning back in a chair with his long legs crossed, looking nonchalant, and it was hard to find any trace of worry on his expression, yet he was holed up in the bedchamber without leaving. No one could fathom the crown prince’s intentions, whether it was surveillance or concern.

The royal physician gathered and swallowed his dry saliva, then with difficulty, began to speak.

“Your Highness, I have completed the treatment as you commanded.”

“What is his condition?”

“Fortunately, it is not a serious wound. It doesn’t seem to require stitches, and applying ointment frequently should be sufficient.”

“……”

“However, as it was gouged by a beast’s claw, the shape of the wound is not even. It is possible that a small scar may remain. Also, there is a concern of infection, so I have prescribed medicine to prevent it as well.”

“If it’s not a serious wound, why is he running such a fever and so listless? It has already been two hours since he fainted.”

“It is likely because he was very frightened. It is not due to the wound, so you do not need to worry too much.”

The crown prince’s interrogating voice was so sharp that the royal physician’s blood ran cold. He barely managed to compose his trembling heart and faced the crown prince with utmost sincerity.

Alexis sat in a slanted posture, propping his chin on his hand, and still shot a displeased glance toward the bed.

He glared at a corner of the smooth wooden partition engraved with a rose vine as if it were an enemy, then pressed and massaged his creased brow with his middle finger.

“…The fever was high. His temperature did not drop the entire way here. I did stop at a private house on the way and gave him a fever reducer, but… is there any possibility that it caused a problem.”

“That was a wise choice. In an urgent situation, even a fever reducer used in a private house can be of great help. From now on, if he takes the fever reducer and painkiller I have prescribed, he will recover quickly.”

“When should the medicine be given?”

“It is best to take it as soon as possible, but he must first regain consciousness….”

“If he takes the painkiller after he wakes up, does that mean he has to deal with the pain in the meantime on his own?”

“Your Highness is right. If possible, it would be better to force him to take it, but…”

The royal physician clasped his hands below his navel and only watched the situation cautiously.

The crown prince he knew was certainly not on good terms with Cecil Adrian. But what was this situation? Judging by how he had brought him to his own bedchamber and was watching over him, he seemed to cherish him a great deal.

For now, to fulfill his duty, he launched into a lengthy explanation about the precautions and the prescribed medicine. It would be the attendants’ job to administer the medicine and care for the patient anyway, but he still had to be thorough with his report.

Alexis listened to the explanation to the end with a consistently indifferent expression. He occasionally threw out sharp questions, putting the royal physician in a difficult position.

“I understand. You’ve done well. You may go now.”

As soon as the order was given, the royal physician hastily left, not wanting to miss the golden opportunity.

The crown prince’s bedchamber, which had reeked of blood, was now filled with the pungent smell of medicinal herbs. The attendants were still bustling about, attending to Cecil, and while everyone was quietly doing their work, only Alexis remained seated in his chair, lost in deep thought.

Then, he abruptly shot up from his seat and headed towards the bed. He gestured with his eyes in front of the wooden partition, and the attendants quickly removed the screen. Then, the figure of Cecil, lying comfortably with his legs stretched out, was revealed.

His blood-stained clothes had been changed into clean nightclothes. He had vehemently refused to undress, so he had thought there was some strange secret about his body. But since the attendants who changed his clothes said nothing, it seemed there was nothing unusual.

“……”

Alexis stood at the head of the bed and watched Cecil in silence. Cecil’s limp entire body was reflected in the blue eyes that shimmered like a swallowed wave. Seeing him lying there helplessly with his venom gone, he felt a sense of emptiness as well.

As he stood there for a long time without any particular movement, the chief attendant approached his side and spoke cautiously.

“Your Highness, what should we do about Mr. Cecil? Should we start moving him to Peridot Palace now?”

“What for, when he’s not even well. Let him sleep here tonight.”

“But this is Your Highness’s bedchamber….”

“I have no intention of sleeping anyway.”

Alexis said flatly. He then let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, and an attendant who read his mood brought a comfortable chair and placed it near the bed.

Alexis plopped down into the chair with a thud and tilted his head back over the backrest. Just the thought of handling what had happened at the hunting grounds was enough to make his head ache.

He had to extract as much information as possible from the captured assassin, and he also had to reveal that the empress was behind it. Of course, it would by no means be an easy task.

As he was rubbing his throbbing head and mulling over his thoughts, Cecil, who was lying on the bed, tossed and turned with a groan. Whether it was from a nightmare or the fever, he was even sweating enough to drench his bangs.

An attendant waiting nearby hurried over to attend to him. She wiped his wet forehead with a clean gauze towel and checked Cecil’s pained expression.

“What should we do? His fever isn’t breaking at all. He needs to take his medicine, too….”

“I’ve mixed it with water, but… is there any way to give it to him?”

“I know. It doesn’t look like he’ll wake up easily…”

The attendants chattered among themselves. When the clothes they had painstakingly changed him into became damp with sweat again, they whispered that they should prepare new clothes. It was at the level of a whisper, but there was no way Alexis would have missed it.