Chapter 201
Chapter 201
Shortly, Kaichen brought out a large bowl of water and a towel. Using the towel soaked in water, he carefully wiped my body that was covered in sweat and fluids from our love-making. His touch was loving and gentle, but I closed my eyes tightly because I was too embarrassed.
‘Next time, I won’t seduce you when I’m sick.’
After wiping my body clean, Kaichen washed his body with a single flick of his finger. If my body was less painful, I would’ve washed myself in the bathtub.
“I’m sorry, Master,” I blurted out.
Kaichen looked at me steadily. “For what?”
“Because… of my weak stamina.”
“Your body is in pain.”
I wanted to argue that even if I was healthy, I think it’d be too much to satisfy him. But I swallowed the words I wanted to say. I sniffled. My voice was hoarse, and my head was dizzy from all the thrill.
It felt like a dream. Kaichen’s calm expression made me believe that even more.
“Master, I like you,” I said.
“I know.”
Kaichen easily replied with a smile. My fingers twitched. The love-making was over, but my lower belly betrayed me. It tingled as if asking for more.
Then, as if he had just remembered something, he jumped up from his seat and rummaged through the air. He was finding something from his place. It didn’t take long, and soon he handed a glass bottle with transparent liquid to me.
I laid still and stared at the glass bottle. “What is this?” I asked.
“Contraceptives.”
“Huh?!”
My eyes widened and I mulled over what to say. I looked back and forth at the bottle of medicine and Kaichen.
“Master, do you not want to have a child with me?” I asked.
“There’s no way that’d happen.”
Kaichen gently removed a strand of hair that was stuck to my forehead. He elaborated, to remove the misunderstanding,
“Because I don’t think you want one now.” I remained silent. “I thought you wouldn’t want one as long as Princess Exchetra existed.”
“…….”
“I made it just in case you needed it.”
I had a thought that wasn’t appropriate for this serious story. It seems like there are no c*nd*ms in this world. If it was created, it would sell like hot cakes. Wasn’t Acrab the city of craftsmen? It would be a good idea – something that would make a lot of money.
I slowly got up, opened the lid of the glass bottle that Kaichen handed to me and drank it in one go. I laid back onto the bed casually and reached out a hand to Kaichen.
“Hold my hand, please,” I said. Kaichen held my hand silently. “I took the medicine because we aren’t ready to become parents yet.”
It wasn’t because I was afraid of Exchetra. I knew exactly what Kaichen was worried about. Having a child wasn’t something so dangerous, but it was probably also because I was still taking antidotes. I couldn’t be a mother when I wasn’t fully healed yet.
I glared at him. “Master, you’re going too far, you know. To think of having children when you haven’t even proposed to me.”
“…….”
“Aren’t you being a little too sly?”
Kaichen grinned and I couldn’t help but laugh. He laughed along with me. I closed my eyes as I continued the small conversation.
It hadn’t been long since I’d woken up, but it felt as if I had just run a marathon. Kaichen didn’t let go of my hand until I fell asleep. He held my hand even tighter and kissed my cheek. I could clearly feel him doing this in my sleep, and the corners of my lips curved upwards unconsciously..
“I like you, Dalia.”
I could hear him.
*
After a week in Hoiore, I was able to return to Heulin.
My mana had already recovered when I woke up, but I had muscle pain all over my body. Normally, it would’ve been fine if I took a day off, but thanks to Kaichen, I had to lie down for two more days.
After I could get out of bed, I attended Walter’s funeral. Sheliak, who arrived in Hoiore a few days after hearing the news, greeted me in a haggard state. She couldn’t believe that the most terrible suspicion became true, and Walter was now dead.
Even after checking the body, she stayed by his side all day and cried. She couldn’t accept his death and later on, she fainted from exhaustion. She couldn’t drink water properly for several days, and her complexion was so terrible that it looked like she was going to fall ill.
“Sheliak…”
“… Yes, what happened…?”
She must have already heard that I was the one who had the final conversation with Walter, and she approached me on her knees.
“He… why, why did he die? How could it… huh? Count Dalia… It couldn’t have happened so suddenly,” she said, unable to speak coherently. Tears still stained her cheeks.
I felt my heart constrict. “Get up. If you’re like this… do you know how worried Walter would be?” I said.
“He’s not here… That person is gone now. He can’t, he can’t even be worried about me… Huk… Huuk!”
Sheliak’s eyes welled up with tears and she started to cry again. Seeing that she was wrought with emotion, I slowly bent down to meet her at eye level. I hugged her carefully. I knew that it was useless to comfort her with my words when her grief was extreme, but I tried, nonetheless.
“He told me to take good care of you. He said this to me because he knew it was inevitable.”
“Huuk… huk! I hate it… bring him back! Please… okay? You said… you would help him… huk.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry… Sheliak.”
I slowly rubbed her back. Her usual cool-headed expression was nowhere to be found. She sobbed pitifully until her voice cracked.
How could the sorrow of losing a loved one ever be light? Anyone would fight that fate, to cling to a nonexistent hope and plead for death to rethink its decision.