SIWALL Ch 48

Having left confusing words behind, Elliot had fallen asleep and failed to open his eyes for three whole days. He simply slept soundly and peacefully, as if making up for all the sleep he had missed.

Though Elliot had urged and pressed the doctor, the doctor could only say that he had fallen asleep because exhaustion and tension had released all at once.

And during those three days, Elliot had not been able to sleep a single wink. Whether he was working or eating, he felt a heart-rending anxiety that felt as though his blood was drying up. Since he had no valet for his sleep, skipping sleep was only natural, and his nerves became far more sensitive than before.

Because of that, a bloody tension hung heavily over the Grand Duke’s estate. Everyone knew just how cruel Elliot could become when he grew sensitive.

The servants began to confuse whether the absurd rumor that had once circulated—that Elliot and Elliot were dating—might actually be true. Understandably so, for Elliot had confined himself strictly to Elliot’s room for three full days. Never before had Grand Duke Elliot Teron shown that level of interest in anyone.

Meanwhile, Elliot had spent three days without sleep, guarding Elliot’s side and pondering his final words.

‘Sometimes, I like Your Grace.’

Likes him? Yet sometimes?

Elliot thought and thought over and over again about that single phrase. He didn’t know why he kept clinging to those words so persistently, but Elliot’s voice kept popping up in his mind, making it impossible not to think about it.

And so, today as well, Elliot sat beside Elliot’s bed and watched over him.

“Elliot Brown, wake up.”

There was no answer from Elliot.

“Your cat is in the kitchen. He covered himself in flour and became a grey cat, so nobody recognized him at first.”

On the day Elliot was kidnapped, Camembert had bolted outside through the door Elliot had left open. The black cat wandered in circles around the sprawling mansion and headed toward the kitchen, where delicious smells wafted from, and devoured a bowl of clear meat soup left on a counter to calm the heart that had been startled by Elliot. That bowl belonged to the head chef, who would soon be having his meal, and fortunately, he was on good terms with Elliot. He noticed that the cat, stained thoroughly with flour and blotchy grey, was the one Elliot kept.

Thus, until Elliot fully recovered, Camembert had been receiving cuteness and food in the kitchen, steadily growing plump.

Elliot recounted stories like this, expecting Elliot to open his eyes at any moment. Yet Elliot continued to sleep on and on. Until it became four, five, and six days.

Elliot welcomed the new week in the worst possible condition, having failed to catch even a wink of light sleep for six whole days.

And on the seventh day, Elliot opened his eyes.

“Elliot Brown, are you coming to your senses?”

“Uhm… Yes.”

Elliot, who had regained consciousness, looked completely devoid of energy. Although he had taken care of him with magic, it wouldn’t have been as effective as eating real food directly.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I think so. How many hours did I sleep?”

Elliot asked, rotating his shoulders and neck. He truly looked all right, and even seemed refreshed. He was the complete opposite of Elliot, who now sported dark circles.

“Today marks a full week.”

“Pardon…? A, a week?”

“How is your body?”

In truth, there was something else Elliot wanted to ask.

Before falling into that prolonged sleep, Elliot had looked extremely unstable. He had exhibited symptoms similar to soldiers suffering from post-war trauma, with eyes that looked as though something deep inside him had completely shattered.

That was why Elliot had been terrified that Elliot might choose never to wake up again. Horrific memories could extinguish the will to live. It was impossible for Elliot, who usually belonged to the cheerful side, to overcome such memories in a single stroke.

“Yes, I’m fine. Really this time.”

Elliot replied, looking straight into Elliot’s eyes. The previous terror was gone from his eyes. Elliot was gradually rekindling the flame of his will to live once more, and seemed to have developed a firmer core than before. His face looked sturdier, and there wasn’t a trace of a smile at the corners of his lips, yet he could tell that he felt at ease right now.

“Right, you look well enough.”

Elliot smiled faintly. And that was the last thing Elliot uttered that day. The moment he confirmed Elliot was all right, Elliot slumped straight face-down onto the bed.

Huff, huff.

“Your Grace…?”

Huff, huff.

“…This fellow is truly something else.”

Elliot climbed down from the bed with trembling legs and pushed and pulled Elliot’s heavy body until his entire frame was resting on the bed.

“Ha… Labor right after waking up, fantastic.”

∞ ∞ ∞

Ten hours later, Elliot, having awakened from his slumber, immediately summoned Elliot to the training ground. To Elliot, who was looking around the training ground in bewilderment, Elliot stated:

“Starting today, we begin your physical conditioning.”

“…Pardon? Could you say that one more time?”

“I am going to put you through physical conditioning.”

“One more time…”

“Physical conditioning.”

Elliot pointed his finger toward the training ground.

“From now on, you will run ten laps around the training ground. Execute.”

With that, Elliot brandished the highest-grade beef jerky originating from Birken.

“If you successfully complete today’s training without incident, I will provide your cat with an unlimited supply of Birken jerky.”

“I have money, too… I will feed my own baby myself.”

“On top of that, I’ll assign the empire’s finest veterinarian as his personal physician.”

“…Do I only need to run ten laps?”

Although he was a cold cat toward Elliot, Elliot already loved Camembert dearly.

When Camembert returned plump from his stay in the kitchen, Elliot had shed a tiny tear because he was so cute and glad to see him. He felt even more affection remembering how loyal Camembert had been when he was kidnapped.

Thinking of the carrot Elliot had dangled, Elliot began to run around the training ground. Actually, about ten laps was nothing.

I even served in the military, after all.

However, Elliot had overlooked something once more. His physique did not belong to Lim Seongsik, but to El Black.

“Huff, huff… Oh my… Huff…”

Barely two laps in, the muscles all over his body began to scream. Entering the third lap, a cramp finally seized his right thigh muscle, causing his feet to tangle and sending him crashing to the ground.

“Elliot Brown!”

Yet, astonishingly, the moment he fell, Elliot dashed over like a flying arrow. Elliot’s expressionless face overflowed with worry, and—though someone might scoff to hear it said—he looked a little sorrowful.

“Are you hurt?”

“Ah, no. My feet just tangled… But I think I got a cramp in my thigh, though…”

He’ll probably click his tongue and tell me to get up quickly now. Thinking thus, Elliot brushed the sand off his hands.

Instead of barking an order for him to get up, however, Elliot knelt on one knee in front of Elliot and began massaging his left thigh.

“Is it here? No.”

Uh, eh, pardon? No, wait, right now, what?

Elliot’s firm hands kneaded Elliot’s soft thigh a few times before moving over to the right. Elliot applied an appropriate amount of pressure to massage the spot on the right where the muscle had cramped and hardened.

The sequential process of pressing the flesh of the thigh with fingertips, applying force to work out the knotted muscle, and then releasing the pressure was repeated for a moment.

That unhurried and skillful strength of his hands felt so refreshing yet so strangely intimate that Elliot had no choice but to sit there completely frozen with a stammering mind.

“That should do it now.”

Elliot slowly withdrew his hand. Elliot hurriedly nodded his head to hide his face, which had turned red at some point.

“Th, thank you.”

“Here.”

Elliot handed the jerky he had placed on the ground over to Elliot.

“Now that we know the limits of your physical strength, we’ll stop here for today. That is today’s reward.”

Elliot accepted the jerky with a skeptical expression.

It was nice just a moment ago… Animal husbandry or what is this, really.

“Get up.”

At Elliot’s words, Elliot wobbled to his feet. Walking a little, he found that his thigh no longer hurt.

“I can walk!”

“…Right.”

Elliot continued speaking with a dreamy, sentimental expression.

“Today I’ve properly learned just how weak you are. You… have a terribly long way to go. But I will take responsibility and make you strong.”

“…Pardon?”

“Elliot Brown, do not give up.”

Elliot raised one fist toward Elliot, who was walking like a newborn giraffe.

What, what is this.

Elliot trembled all over, suddenly gripped by an immense anxiety that defied verbal description.

∞ ∞ ∞

Elliot’s physical strength, having awakened after a week, was extremely depleted, and his body—already frail to begin with—easily grew fatigued from even brief exercise. While putting Elliot to sleep, he began to nod off repeatedly.

Today’s book was a collection of poetry. As Elliot’s recitation trailed off and his head began bobbing this way and that, Elliot let out a dry huff of laughter and gently scooped him up to lay him on the bed. He intended to let him sleep for just an hour—no longer—before sending him back to his room.

Yet Elliot, who had been sleeping quietly, suddenly frowned deeply.

“Ugh… No… Ah, no…”

Then, choking as if he couldn’t breathe, he clutched at his own neck. While he didn’t scratch his neck with his fingernails or actually strangle himself, the posture carried the unmistakable intent of trying to block something from striking down upon his throat.

Probably a knife.

Elliot grabbed the shoulders of Elliot, who was writhing and blocking his neck area as if suffocating, and shook him.

“Elliot Brown, wake up.”

“Ugh…”

“Elliot!”

Elliot half-raised Elliot’s body. Elliot’s eyelids lifted slowly, and Elliot was reflected in his chestnut-brown eyes. Soon, tears welled up in Elliot’s eyes. Trembling violently, he slumped forward toward Elliot.

“Please save me, Your Grace…! Please don’t kill me!”

“…What?”