Chapter 137

I clearly said not to tell anyone outside until I gave permission. Who on earth…?

I rolled my eyes over Ren’s shoulder to find the culprit. I spotted one person avoiding my accusing stare.

‘Nicola, you…!’

When he whispered something to Prince Raven, the prince nodded and spoke.

“Well, the Chancellor needs to rest, so let’s go out too.”

Their gazes were full of questions, but no one dared disobey royalty, so one by one they left.

‘Nicola… we’ll settle this later!’

“Duke… stop by and see me when you’re done. And wrap the cloth we left by the bedside around yourself so you don’t get infected.”

Prince Raven left his instructions and led Aidan and Nicola out.

I gently patted Ren’s back; he still wouldn’t let me go. His broad shoulders trembled slightly.

“It’s okay now. A cure has been developed. So calm down.”

Others probably couldn’t see from their angle, but I could tell his back was damp. Only then did he slowly release me.

“Is that really…?”

He examined my body this way and that. The welts covering me could hardly be mistaken for normal.

“They’re unsightly, right? But they’re getting better little by little.”

I felt embarrassed by my unadorned, bedraggled appearance. He, however, gently brushed my sweat-damp hair back with a tender touch.

“Pretty. The same. No matter how you change, to me you’re cute and lovely.”

I should have adjusted to it, but I hadn’t expected this reaction even seeing the welts.

“Don’t touch me. And wrap the cloth around your face quickly. This is contagious.”

“You said a cure was developed. If I get it, I can just take it too.”

“Absolutely not.”

When I glared at him, he reluctantly wiped his hands and wrapped the cloth around his face. Even with half his face covered, his handsomeness seemed to radiate—quite astonishing.

“How did you even get here? What about the capital?”

“Is that the issue right now? You nearly died! The thought that you were working without knowing about this situation is horrifying.”

All I could say was sorry. As a patient, I wanted to delay seeing grieving loved ones and family as long as possible, but to them it must have been earth-shattering news. Yet looking at him, I was the one who felt relief.

“I’m sorry. Truly… it’s natural to be angry. You can hate me.”

Ren looked at me, sighed deeply, and gripped my hand with his gloved one.

“Do I look like an idiot who hates sick people? I was frustrated. I was angry at myself for sending you here alone even though I worried about this.”

Why does he keep blaming himself, I wondered.

“It was my choice. Even if you had opposed it, I would have come. So if you care about me, don’t blame yourself. Okay?”

“….”

He was stubborn in his own way; after glaring at me a long time he finally nodded.

“Anyway, I’m healing, so don’t worry.”

“Really… that’s such a relief.”

His tensed shoulders sagged. He covered his eyes and was silent for a moment. I wanted to wipe the tears from his cheek but couldn’t risk touching him for fear of spreading anything. I redirected the conversation so I wouldn’t cry along with him.

“Nicola contacted you, right?”

He only nodded, his face still covered.

“The people in the capital still don’t know, right?”

“Most of them don’t. But the Crown Prince will know. He cares about you and Prince Raven. He kept crushing the requests for aid that the prince kept sending. It took quite some time to block it discreetly.”

My suspicions were right. Seeing how Prince Raven treated the patients, he wouldn’t have let requests linger like this. Fortunately, food concerns would soon be relieved.

“That’s really a relief. I kept worrying. Thank you.”

“I couldn’t even stay by your side, so I can’t fail at even one thing like this.”

The mood was warm, but there was one thing that had been nagging me since earlier.

“Um… what are you going to tell the prince?”

“…?”

He tilted his head, his eyes reddened.

“Everyone saw it. Will that be all right?”

“It’s rather for the best. Honestly, I’ve wanted to do this for some time. I only hid it because you wanted me to.”

Sigh. If I went up to the capital, more annoyances would probably crop up.

“I won’t let anyone make things hard for you. I’ll talk to the prince properly.”

I hastily pulled away his hand as he gently stroked my eye.

“Ew, you’ll catch it. Isn’t it gross?”

“Gross, it is. Your words are harsh.”

Ren took off his gloves and tossed them into the trash without hesitation, then showed his bare hands.

“Now okay?”

“…Yes.”

“Lia, rest now. I’ll go see the prince and come back.”

He pulled his robe up over his head and rose, his large frame moving out the door.

“Ha.”

What had just happened felt like a dream. I felt drained. Though I scolded him for coming, I was so grateful he came in a flash. He was someone I truly wanted to see. If I hadn’t been sick, I would have hugged him and cried my eyes out. My feelings for him were growing just as much.

I let my relationship with Ren go unclarified, buried in the clinic’s chaotic situation.

Ren said he had revealed our relationship to Prince Raven and asked that it remain private; Raven then summoned those in the camp and ordered silence. Some people don’t know Ren’s face and assume he’s merely a lover rather than the Duke. Is that fortunate?

We couldn’t hide it forever, but we had bought some time.

“I think you can be considered almost fully cured now.”

The senior cleric delivered the good news with a broad smile.

“The welts on your body will slowly disappear with time. You needn’t worry.”

Ren didn’t leave my side for an instant until I received the all-clear. He didn’t show himself to anyone except Raven, Aidan, and Nicola. While I was ill, he took charge of all my duties here. Perhaps due to experience working together, he assimilated into the work from the handover notes I had prepared without trouble. He even seemed to scold Prince Raven more effectively than I did.

“Chancellor, come back soon…”

Only after receiving the cure diagnosis today did he pack and prepare to leave right away.

“I want to go back with you, but it would be problematic if something happened in your position.”

He had taken as many as five days off for me. He said it was the longest leave he’d taken since joining the central office.

“I’ve made a few arrangements, but seeing it with my own eyes will put my mind at ease.”

He had been holding me and crying not long ago. Now he wore a composed expression and stroked my hair. Hearing I was cured, he didn’t hesitate to embrace me when we were alone.

“Travel safely. I’ll follow soon.”

He hesitated for a moment—uncharacteristic—then spoke.

“…Come back quickly.”

Then he gave a light kiss and, like before, mounted his horse and sped away.

Was Ren’s visit a good omen? Good news followed.

“The provisions have arrived!”

“Really?”

I slipped away from Aidan, who was overseeing the meals, and ran outside.

“Coco, come with me!”

Outside, a large cart was loaded with grain. It bore the royal emblem.

Prince Raven’s voice, who had arrived earlier, trembled.

“His Majesty has…!”

“Ha… is this truly the only way?”

Raven had accepted the request under the Chancellor’s formidable gaze but felt anxious.

“Will His Majesty really grant my request? Will he think I’m lying? What if he refuses?”

Raven paced the camp interior anxiously, as if burdened with the heaviest load in the world.

“Then send another request.”

Nicola refilled the teacup on the desk.

“Send it again?”

Raven couldn’t conceive of trying again after a refusal. He hadn’t always been like that, but at some point he’d become so afraid of further rejection—rejection itself is a wound, and the fear of being denied again…

“Do not fear failure, Your Highness. If His Majesty does not grant it, there must be a reason. It isn’t out of hatred for you. Didn’t the Chancellor say the same?”

“But…”

I was terrified at suddenly being entrusted with such an important task after leading a life of doing nothing.

Nicola comforted Raven wholeheartedly.

“The Chancellor wouldn’t ask the impossible. Surely His Majesty granted it because he believed you could do it, Your Highness.”

Raven accepted that reasoning.

“The Chancellor is absolutely not the sort to do such a thing.”

The Coco whom Nicola saw was like that: someone who never did foolish things. Even if she failed, she wouldn’t waste effort on hopeless tasks. She wouldn’t, for instance, bring a prince who was mentally treating her own wounds into an epidemic zone—she wouldn’t increase the burden thoughtlessly, though he couldn’t vocalize it.

“She is a close friend, but trust her as a person.”

Raven nodded. The one who reached out to him first when he felt worthless was the Chancellor. Even a close friend had supported him without reservation. Being with them felt comfortable, unlike with his brother—even for a short time.

Raven sat at the desk again, took up a fountain pen, and breathed deeply.

“Yes. I promised to move forward.”

“Father…”

The letter he wrote after a night of anguished thought was delivered to the Emperor. It wasn’t a single attempt but dozens. Ultimately, it was answered this way. It meant an enormous amount to Raven.

“Long live the prince!”

“Long live Prince Raven!”

“Hooray!”

The families caring for patients, the physician/clinic staff, clerics, and soldiers all stood and praised Prince Raven.

Tears welled in my eyes as I watched.

“His Highness the prince is now cured as well.”

It had been no small wait, but he had done it.