Chapter 46

Translation by Watermelon and Doldrums


Because I liked the night we spent together


Tristan's bright, red eyes scanned Llewelyn's neck and collarbone. What he saw left little doubt as to what had happened. Tristan stared intently into Llewelyn's eyes. She fought to regain her composure, then calmly asked,




“Since when have you been standing here?”



“I have just returned.”



“...”



Llewelyn was starting to think that she had been lucky, when Tristan added,




“To be honest, I returned a little while ago.”




“...”



A look of dread washed over Llewelyn’s face. Did that mean he heard what had happened between her and Almondite?



“None of the knights were at their post, so I imperatively had to come back to guard you.”



“Are you saying…”



So he did hear everything! Only then did Llewelyn remember the existence of her personal guard who had just recently been appointed to her service. She was accustomed to not having an escort, so the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. Llewelyn lowered her head.



“Is the person inside Duke Biserk?”



Llewelyn did not answer Tristan’s question. Somehow, it felt that if she were to confirm his suspicion, something irreversible would happen. Contemplating whether she should go back into the room or not, she decided to walk into the adjacent bathroom. Nevertheless, the damage had been done, so it would seem strange to act coy now. Tristan followed after her.



“Sir, you don’t need to—”



“I cannot leave you alone.”



Llewelyn was about to open the door, but Tristan beat her to it, striding first inside the bathroom .



"Sir?"



“I have to make sure no one is hiding inside.”



Llewelyn nodded in response, but Tristan was already busy inspecting every nook and cranny. She wished that he would hurry so she could finally bathe… Waiting for him to finish, she entered the bathroom and tried to turn on the faucet, but as often, the stiff tap wouldn’t budge. Llewelyn groaned at the unmoving faucet, which prompted Tristan to twist it open for her. The large bathtub then began to fill with water.



"Thank you."



“......”



Tristan didn't answer.



Why was he helping her? Besides, the fact that he was staying quiet was even more unnerving. “Wait, why must I feel anxious?”, a guard had no business interfering with her personal life to begin with.



Llewelyn carefully observed Tristan, trying to figure out his intentions. She tip-toed to seize a red thermal stone sitting on top of the shelf, but couldn't reach it. Eventually, Tristan grabbed it for her.



Plop!



As the stone sank into the bathtub, the water instantly became warm. Llewelyn watched as the steam rose out of it.



“How long will you stay here? I’d like to…”



At Llewelyn's words, Tristan respectfully bowed.



“I will be waiting outside.”



Llewelyn looked at Tristan's back and sighed heavily. She didn't know why she was feeling this way. It wasn’t like Tristan had made a disapproving face, or criticized her in any way.



‘In the future, if you ever are in need of… male companionship, please come find me.’



Could it be because of those words? But he had no obligation to do so. Besides, it’s not like this carnal relationship was something that Tristan had wanted.



“Let’s not think about it anymore.”



Llewelyn perused the description of a few glass bottles lined up on the shelf, and poured some of the fragrance they contained into the bathtub. As she lowered herself into the warm water, Llewelyn saw the red marks marring her bare skin.



“Well, delicacy is definitely not his middle name...”



Her head was throbbing. Llewelyn leaned back and sank her body deeper into the water. He sure had strength for someone who had injured his arm. But what now? Even though she wished he hadn’t, Almondite had obviously noticed that something was wrong with her.
… Llewelyn let out a sigh.



Not to mention the knight currently standing right outside her door… What was she going to do about him? She could refrain from thinking about it all she wanted, however, it would not stop trouble from coming her way.



“Am I feeling this way because we’ve already been intimate once?”



They now shared a strange connection, perhaps that’s why she was feeling so tense.



“Is it because I ignored his request to come find him if needed? Could that really be the reason?"



Llewelyn fully submerged herself in the bathtub, trying once again to clear her thoughts. As she plunged into the water all the way to her head, comfort came over her. After a few more peaceful seconds, she came back to the surface gasping for air.



She immediately felt an indefinable languor washing over her as she immersed herself back down into the hot water. Come to think of it, this morning she had put quite some effort into getting dolled up, after which she had to pick a fruit from the altar for the ceremony, where she almost died, and to top it up, she had even slept with Almondite. It would have been strange not feeling tired at this point.



Llewelyn probed the back of her neck, remembering what Ernel had said.



“Is it really what saved me?”



It was ironic indeed that the brand of Asmodeus had protected her. To think that the source of her torment would save her life... Llewelyn continued to fiddle with the back of her neck. This stigma was supposed to awaken at regular intervals, but sometimes it seemed to have a will of its own. It would manifest independently of how much time had passed since the last time it had awakened, and this was especially true when she got worked up.



“Please, disappear.”



Llewelyn continued to rub her neck, though nothing came of it.



There had been no progress in Ernel's investigation, and it was still unclear who had placed the curse on her.



Llewelyn desperately wanted to get rid of her stigma, however she predicted that erasing a mark that had required the sacrifice of many people would not be easy. She would have to kill the person who had instigated for her to carry this stigma.



But who the hell were they?



Llewelyn frowned.



Fatigue overcame her body and she swiftly drifted into oblivion.



*



Standing guard outside the bathroom, Tristan noticed Almondite coming out of Lewelyn’s room. He was neatly dressed, and few would have been able to tell he had been engaging in some physical activities until just a few moments ago. And yet under deeper scrutiny, his unique, beguiling face had some kind of erotic air about it. Maybe his disheveled hair was to blame, or perhaps this button that had come loose.



“Is Llewelyn taking a bath?”



"She is."



The way he familiarly called her 'Llewelyn' was really grating Tristan. They were both keeping their inner thoughts to themselves, but one of them still considered the other with disdain. The corner of Almondite’s mouth rose as he said,



“I’ll leave Llewelyn in your care.”



“…”



He patted Tristan’s shoulder as he spoke, but his restraint was evident. A petty strife that only the two men were privy to. With just one sentence, Almondite had turned him into a mere pawn, although Tristan couldn’t have cared less.



Instead of just answering yes, Tristan made his mind known.



“As I said before, it is my duty to protect the Princess.”



“I’m glad you’re well aware of your position.”



“...”



“On another note, I’d appreciate it if you could warn me in the event that Llewelyn’s condition were to deteriorate.”

“What do you mean by that?”



“Exactly just as I said, tell me right away if the Princess is not feeling well.”



“I’m sure you know very well that the health status of the Royal Family cannot be so freely disclosed”




Tristan's tone was uncharacteristically sharp, making Almondite's eyes narrow.



“If you are concerned about the Princess’s condition, you should ask her directly.”



“Sir Jayad.”



Despite the growling tone, Tristan stood his ground.



“If the Princess considers that she can discuss such matters with Duke Biserk, she will be more than happy to tell you.”




Almondite looked at the knight, blue and red eyes colliding. Almondite raised an eyebrow at Tristan and said,




“I am well aware, Sir, that you hate me.”




“...”



"And I also know that you’re quite angry at my having slept with Llewelyn just now."



Almondite stared at Tristan, who did not deny it. Not that he needed to, his stance was answer enough.



“However you should know that if you choose to protect Llewelyn yourself, then there is no need to stand up against me in such fashion. We both want the same thing.”



They both hated each other, yet Almondite suggested they bury the hatchet. Tristan knew he was secretly seeking cooperation. Otherwise, that possessive and obsessive man would have no reason to put up with him the way he was doing now.



Did her Highness know? She kept on refusing him, and yet it didn’t stop that man from watching over her from afar. His cold eyes throwing daggers at any men who would approach her.




Other men would have avoided the Duke out of fear.



But Tristan wasn't afraid of him.



“Duke Biserk, do not force me to cooperate.”



“...”



“If I wish to protect her, this is not the right way.”



"Pardon?"



“I may just be a knight who doesn’t know much about politics, but I’m far from being ignorant.”



His red eyes turned to Almondite, expressionless. At first glance, they looked like stones deprived of any emotion, but upon further inspection, one could distinguish a thin veil of contempt concealed behind them.



[I shall protect her the way I deem fit.]



Tristan spoke to him in the Zakat language. Almondite's eyes narrowed. For the benefit of the unreasonable greenhorn facing him, whom seemed well intent on suppressing him, the proud Zakat man added,



[And more importantly, I would never have left the Princess to fend for herself without so much as a word.]



“…”



[Because there’s nothing more dreadful than waiting in hell, not knowing when one’s suffering might end. Those who do not know this have no business ordering me, nor should they demand my cooperation.]



Tristan's unforgiving tone earned him a vicious glare from Almondite, who felt like he had just been punched in the guts. But instead of letting his anger explode, he smiled leisurely,



“I hadn’t realized the Princess had found herself a watchdog.”



“...”



“But a watchdog is just that…a dog, nothing more. I don't know what caused you to be so fervently loyal to her, but you better keep that in mind."



“...”



“A dog trying to act like a human will only get abandoned in the end.”



Almondite brushed past Tristan, a mellow expression on his face. But the further he walked down the hallway, the more twisted his features became. By the end, his face was contorted by anger.



He clenched his fist, gritting his teeth.



Bang!

He hit the wall, then stared at the crack that had formed, his eyes cold as ice.


*



“Your Highness!”



Llewelyn woke up from the urgent voice calling out for her. Opening her eyes to the sound of water splashing, she saw that Tristan had come in and was hugging her. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked quizzically at his panicked expression.



“Are you feeling faint?”



“Pardon…?”



“I found you passed out in the bathtub.”



“Oh no, I merely fell asleep for a short while”, said Llewelyn, looking uncomfortable.



For a moment there was silence between them, then as if in disbelief, Tristan somnely said,



“You were most definitely inert when I found you. Your body was limp, barely floating over the surface…”



“Well, there was nowhere to lean on… I simply slipped and lost balance.”



“...”



“You might not know, but I sleep well when I bathe.”



“I thought something had happened to you. You had been inside for a long time and were not coming out, so I assumed…”



Tristan sighed in relief. To say he had startled her would be an understatement. She was mortified at the thought that he was holding her bare body. Tristan appeared to notice at last, then Llewelyn asked as nonchalantly as she could,



“What time is it?”



“It is time for the moon to set.”



“Oh dear, it is quite late. I should get up now.”



At Llewelyn's words, Tristan helped her down. She tried her best to appear composed as she looked for the clothes she had been wearing earlier. But the floor and all the furniture near the bathtub had been flooded when Tristan had lifted Llewelyn. The clothes and towels were all wet. Tristan took off his cloak and held it out.



"Sorry. I should have prepared you a change of clothes in advance, but it didn’t cross my mind.”




“Sir, you’re not my servant, it is not something you should concern yourself with, still, thank you.”



Llewelyn wrapped the red cloak around her shoulders. Her whole body felt so drowsy that the only thing she wanted to do was to lie on her bed and sleep soundly. She yawned slightly, her eyes still heavy with sleep.



“I’m sorry for worrying you”, said Llewelyn.



The corner of Tristan’s mouth twisted into a smile at the sound of her low and sleepy voice.


"It's quite alright. Please be careful, the floor is very slippery.”


Clip, clop

Llewelyn’s wet hair was dripping on the cloak. Remembering that she was wearing Tristan’s cloak, she apologetically said,



“I’m sorry for this as well...it’s all drenched now."



“...”



"Sir?"



Tristan looked at Llewelyn. He seemed lost in thought when he asked,



“If you truly feel sorry, will you answer one question for me?”



“What is it you wish to ask? I shall answer your question so long as I deem it reasonable…”



“Does your heart still harbor affection for Duke Biserk?”



It was no surprise that he would think this way, after witnessing them having an affair. Llewelyn's face turned scarlet again, fatigue vanishing in an instant.



"No. Most definitely not.”



“Then, what happened back then...”



“...was just a way to appease my urges. You remember my telling you about needing to sleep with men in order to pacify them? Well it seems that those urges are more intense than what I originally thought.”, said Llewelyn desperately.


Her face grew even redder. She was still not used to the way she had to describe what was happening to her.



"I see...”, the end of his sentence floating in the air between them.



He carefully opened his mouth to add,



“I’ll do my best not to let my clumsiness show,”



Llewelyn's eyes widened at those words.



“so when you get aroused in the future, please come find me.”



"Why would you…?”



It was Llewelyn's whims that had caused them to be intimate. So why the hell would he suggest something like that? Did he have so little consideration for his body that he would offer it so readily? Llewelyn, stunned by his words, asked,



"Why?"



Tristan carefully thought about it and sighed.



“Because I wish to be loyal to Your Highness.”



“...”


Another bromidic answer. Well, no surprise there, after all, Tristan Jayad was a callous knight. Maybe he thought spending the night with a promiscuous Princess was better than submitting to snotty noblemen. Although it still didn’t make much sense to Llewelyn.



“I’ll reiterate my demand. If your heart isn’t set on anyone, please just choose me.”



“But why? Is it because of my reputation? Otherwise I don’t understand why you would…”



“Because I liked the night we spent together.”



Looking straight into Llewelyn's eyes,Tristan delivered the scabrous line completely unbothered. Llewelyn opened her mouth in amazement.



‘The thief who learned late doesn’t realize the sun has broken!’
TL/N : Korean saying stating that someone who discovers a hobby/activity later than others tends to be more immersed in it.



The Brygentian proverb came to mind. Apparently, the problem was that she had taken this man’s first night.

Chapter end