[65]
“Sena-nim, Sena-nim.”
It was early morning.
Serilda’s soft voice woke Sena up.
“Mmm.”
Sena, who was still half asleep, tossed around for a moment.
“Sena, you need to get ready for the ball.”
“Just 5 more minutes…”
Sena struggled to lift his heavy eyelids and rubbed his fingers across his face.
‘He’s so cute.’
“Yes.”
Serilda waited patiently. Sena slowly opened his eyes.
“Normally, you should say ‘no’.”
“Well, you do look sleepy.”
“I am.”
Sena yawned as he sat up. He fumbled around consciously for his smartphone but then remembered he was in a medieval setting.
Even though it’s been 20 years since reincarnation, some habits are hard to break.
‘My throat hurts.’
He coughed up blood yesterday. His throat was sore.
He rubbed his neck and got up from bed.
“Is there much to prepare for the ball?”
“Her Majesty instructed us to bring you immediately if she starts coughing.”
“Oh, okay.”
Sena sat in front of the dressing table, struggling to wake up.
Serilda began combing his hair. Sena’s disheveled hair was not easily tamed. After a moment of contemplation, Serilda spoke.
“Hmm. Looks like we’ll have to braid it today.”
“What? Absolutely not.”
Serilda saw Sena’s vehement expression for the first time.
“But it’s so tangled.”
“Hand.”
Sena held out his hand. Serilda absentmindedly braided his hair.
“Just for today.”
Sena took off Serilda’s maid accessory and tied it around his own hair to keep it in place whenever it unraveled involuntarily.
It was a trick he used when his hair stretched uncontrollably. Good thing it didn’t go up like this.
“Wow.”
Exposing his pale neck, Sena looked overly dramatic. His hair, usually thick and voluminous, appeared much smaller now that it was tied up.
Serilda placed her hand over her chest. Sena’s morning appearance was not good for her heart.
“Why are you like this?”
“You… you’re just too cute.”
“…It’s meant to be a compliment, but I’m not exactly thrilled. I just tied up my hair. By the way, did Sylvia go to sleep?”
Sena asked as he headed towards the balcony. Serilda followed him briskly, recalling their earlier encounter.
“I saw her when I was leaving for work.”
“She’s still awake.”
“I thought she was asleep. She said something when I passed by. ‘Already morning? That was quick.'”
“Yeah, it’s already morning.”
Mumbling to himself, Sena stepped out onto the balcony. Sylvia was leaning against the tree with her eyes closed.
She looked like she was sleeping, but she was ready to draw her sword at the slightest suspicion or threat.
‘…Is there no other way than taking her with me?’
A knight’s oath is not to be taken lightly. Leaving her behind would be too cruel.
Moreover, once sworn as a knight, Sylvia was unconditionally on his side. Whatever direction they took, she had to trust and follow him.
Even if it meant fleeing to avoid everyone.
He had to strive to live up to the knight’s oath.
For both of them, it was a shackle.
‘Let’s take her. I would have been kidnapped if I go by myself anyway.’
Thinking positively led to positive outcomes. Sylvia was a brilliant standout even at the Larden Academy.
Among their peers, she was an overwhelming force. It was a simple assumption, but without being a Master, no one could rival Sylvia.
Most importantly, she was now his knight. There was no returning that. Even if it felt like coercion.
“Sylvia. Wake up.”
It was a soft voice that only Serilda behind him could hear. But even with that soft voice, Sylvia opened her eyes.
-Yes.
From a distance, Sylvia replied with her mouth. Sena smiled slightly and replied the same way.
-Good morning.
The ball. The day they had been waiting for had finally arrived.
They were ready to depart, and their thoughts were sorted out.
Today, they leave. There’s no turning back. The remaining time is precious for their own sakes.
**
“Is that Sena with his hair tied up?”
“It almost sounds like a tribal name. What’s the problem with that?”
“It’s a problem. When Sena ties his hair…”
Chris swallowed hard, looking at Astria in shock.
“There’s a possibility that some ladies might faint. It’s quite a headache to handle.”
“… Sir Chris.”
“Yes.”
“Are you about to faint right now? By the fist of your master.”
Astria subtly raised her fist. Chris lowered his head.
“It was a joke.”
“Well… doesn’t quite sound like one.”
Astria sat in her wheelchair and looked at Sena walking.
When he first arrived as the physician, Sena had a naturally striking appearance, almost to the point where one would think he was always meant to be in the spotlight.
Today, however, he seemed dressed up enough to be taken directly to the bedroom rather than the party hall.
Even the Empress herself, who could see all the valuable things in the world, seemed momentarily distracted. One could imagine how ordinary maidens might truly faint at the sight.
“So, was the problem just a joke?”
“I doubt it. In that state, Sena becomes completely unreadable, even if he tells a lie.”
“…Come to think of it, that makes sense. With his hair tied up, it won’t be able to stand up.”
“Yes, exactly.”
As Astria quietly nodded in agreement, Sena arrived.
“Oh? Your Majesty, are you going straight from here?”
Sena grinned upon seeing Astria still in her wheelchair.
‘Weren’t you planning on revealing that you were fine at the ball?’
Sena had envisioned Astria confidently stepping forward on both feet in front of the nobles who knew she had been unwell and unable to stand.
However, she was still seated in her wheelchair, despite being perfectly capable of walking.
“I heard that the nobles prepared many things for me today. If I do that, won’t they all be scared and not be able to do funny things?”
Astria showed a hearty smile for a moment. Then, gesturing towards Sylvia, who was standing beside Sena in formal attire, she said.
“Sylvia.”
“Yes.”
“No need to dress up in my garden.”
Sylvia cautiously rose from her seat. She seemed slightly tense. Astria, still smiling, rested her chin on her hand and spoke.
“I heard of your deeds last night. I will soon bestow an honor upon you. Thank you for diligently guarding my physician.”
“It was my duty, Your Majesty.”
“Continue to do well.”
After a brief moment of thought, Sylvia responded firmly.
“Yes. Even if it means risking my life.”
“Good attitude.”
Astria raised the corners of her mouth. She seemed quite pleased with this sturdy new recruit.
“Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“May I check your pulse?”
“Didn’t you say my legs had recovered?”
Sena said sadly.
“Come on.”
“Don’t hesitate.”
Astria sighed and extended her arm.
Sena took her arm and closed his eyes. It had been a while since he had used this ability.
‘What could have happened yesterday, I wonder. Did you really have to draw your sword?’
[72]
Yesterday, Astria’s remaining lifespan was [81].
It wasn’t much, but it had significantly decreased.
“Your Majesty…”
After examining her pulse, Sena said with a stern face.
“No way, yesterday.”
Astria immediately got up and covered Sena’s mouth with her hand.
“Mmm.”
“Whatever you saw, do not speak of it now.”
Astria whispered into Sena’s ear in a low voice.
“…”
Of course, Sena was not going to simply accept this. He looked at Chris and Sylvia.
“Could you two step aside for a moment?”
‘How foolish.’
Astria raised an eyebrow with a relaxed expression.
One was a Teutonic Knight, and the other was her Guardian Knight.
Would the knights of the Empress listen to the mere ramblings of an impudent physician?
It was out of the question.
Her loyal knights were meant to shield her from the frivolous banter of this somewhat cute yet arrogant physician.
“Do not move. This is my palace…”
It was when Astria spoke grandly.
Sylvia, who had already pledged her loyalty, was trembling with fear as she reluctantly followed along. Meanwhile, Chris, beside Sylvia, was casually waving his hand as they exited the garden.
“Hey.”
“I told you not to go?”
“Yeah.”
Astria’s eyes trembled in shock.
“This… can’t be happening.”
Astria glanced subtly at Sena.
“… Now, Your Majesty, you yourself know what you did wrong, right?”
Sena glared menacingly at Astria.
But Astria was resolute.
“You’re arrogant. Just because you’ve rendered medical services, don’t think everything is forgiven.”
“What?”
“Really?”
Astria was about to scold Sena. No matter how cherished he was as her physician, he had just crossed a line…
“Are you fine? Sneaking in and indulging in desserts at night when I’m not around.”
“…But I didn’t.”
“Cake. Chocolate.”
“…I didn’t.”
Astria’s voice grew quieter as he went on.
Sena sighed heavily and shot back sternly.
“I’ve warned you repeatedly not to eat. Your recovery was only in your legs. Other organ functions are much weaker than an average person’s. If you keep behaving like this, I’ll get angry. I mean it.”
“But I…”
“Your Majesty.”
Sena’s words hit Astria’s heart like a dagger.
It was merely a small celebration for the successful resolution of yesterday’s events.
Of course, she ended up eating more than she intended, but why did she have to endure this kind of talk over that?
However… for some reason, Sena right now seemed quite intimidating. More so than an army of 100,000 on some distant battlefield.
“Even though it’s a ball tonight, you shouldn’t eat desserts. I’ll be watching.”
“This is supposed to be a celebration of my recovery. It’s too much to forbid desserts at such an occasion.”
“A… st…ri…a… Your Majesty.”
Sena leaned closer to Astria’s face. His voice firm.
“No. Don’t dream of it.”
‘If she has diabetes, it would make sense.’
While it was just speculation before, the results of his recent medical examination confirmed “diabetes”.
Congratulations, Your Majesty. You’ll be featured in the Guinness Book of Records as someone who contracted a rare disease in their early twenties.
But isn’t this a bit extreme? How much can eating a few desserts shorten your lifespan by nine days?
“…Fine.”
Astria spoke very softly.
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”
“I said I understand.”
“What?”
As Sena pretended not to know and continued to ask, Astria, now irritated, said,
“I said I understand. Don’t eat desserts.”
“And no alcohol.”
“I don’t normally drink alcohol. If you keep bothering me, leave my garden.”
“I don’t want to. I’m your escort.”
For a moment, Sena and Astria bickered back and forth, then fell silent, glaring menacingly at each other.
‘Cute.’
‘Quite cute.’
Unbeknownst to each other, they shared the same thought.
Their intense standoff continued until Betty arrived to report that all the nobles had arrived.
