Chapter 160

“Your Majesty?”

“That’s enough.”

“I beg your pardon? But—”

I turned my gaze to Ravis. He would know if he’d been healed. He faced me with a blank expression, but seemed to come to his senses a few seconds later.

“Huh?” he said, blinking. “Ah, yes. I’m good now.”

A flustered look on his face, he unwrapped the bandage, revealing a rather clean hand.

“Oh, my God.” I grabbed his hand, my eyes widening in surprise. “H-his hand! It’s all better!”

I’d healed him—me, an ordinary person! In my surprise, I continued examining his hand, but Ridrian pulled Ravis out of reach.

“Yes,” he said. “Seems like it.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Ah, my hand is all better,” Ravis said. “Now, how about my shoulder—?”

“Nope.”

Ridrian glared at Ravis, who was all smiles. “Get out,” he snapped.

“Ah, Miss Iona!” Ravis said. “You might have a divine fever. Let your body adjust for a little while.”

Ridrian slammed the door shut behind him and stood leaning against it for a few seconds, his forehead pressed to the door. A long sigh escaped his lips.

“Your Majesty?”

He sighed again, and those golden eyes of his turned to look at me. I gulped.

“Your Majesty.”

How many times had I called him? And why hadn’t he acknowledged me?

Looking a little overwhelmed, Ridrian climbed onto the bed. He drew closer to me, and I backed up until one of my vertebrae was pressed against the bed head. Ridrian braced his hands on either side of my body, trapping me.

“Iona,” he said.

His face inched closer to mine. He smelled like an evergreen. With each breath I took, I absorbed his scent. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Carefully, I turned toward him. I hadn’t seen his face this close in a while. The dark circles under his eyes were gone. When I saw him yesterday, they’d been there, only faint. If anything, his eyes looked sensual now.

“I’m so glad I didn’t lose you.”

His hand cupped my cheek, and he brought his forehead to rest against mine. His warmth spread through me, and my heart began pounding in my chest. My hands trembled. But I couldn’t push him away. Not when he sounded so sincere.

“Thank you for rescuing me,” I whispered.

“I promised I would protect you,” came the reply.

“I was happy, still.”

It was rare for me to want to speak so honestly, but the sight of him smiling at my words made it totally worth it.

I frowned. “Aren’t you hurt, Your Majesty?’

“I’m okay. You saw yourself.”

He looked down at his right arm, and I followed his gaze. I’d assumed he had a wound, but his left arm looked perfectly fine.”

“Were you hurt?” I asked him.

He stared into my face. “You healed me.”

“That’s goo—pardon?”

His answer made little sense to me. He would faint for days after drinking the holy water, but he’d somehow been healed by my power? It was a weird paradox. I continued checking his arm, but it was just as clean as Ravis’s hand had been after I healed him.

“Weird,” I said. “Maybe the power of Theres is special?”

He tilted his head a little, looking just as puzzled as I was.

“Or,” he offered, “you are special.”

I swallowed. “Your Majesty.”

“I don’t care whichever it is.”

“Ridrian.”

This time, he smiled. “I really do want to lock you up in the palace.”

My eyes widened. “Th-that’s—!”

“Shh.” Suddenly, his face was right in front of mine.

Wh-what is going on—?

His breath caressed my lips, and my breathing ceased for a moment. Just then, the door swung open and people swarmed in.

“Iona!”

“Eris?”

They were all there—Eris, who looked on the verge of tears, and Dylan, who looked rushed. Lina was already beside herself with tears. Even the two palace knights who’d gone to get lunch were here.

Ridrian’s face took on a frustrated look. “Should’ve locked the door.”

***

Immediately, the room was plunged into chaos.

“Iona, are you ok?”

“I—I’m ok,” I responded.

“I’m sorry,” Eris said, her eyes teary. “I shouldn’t have left you alone—not even for a second. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

She ran at me, checking to confirm I was really okay.

“My Lady, are you okay?” It was Lina’s turn to ask.

“L-Lina, I’m fine,” I told her.

She took my hands in hers and bawled. “I’m glad!”

Lina bawled while holding my hands,

“It’s great that you’re okay,” said Dylan. “I knew I shouldn’t have left—not even for a second. I’m sorry, My Lady.”

“Stand up, Sir Dylan,” I replied. “That was my request. You should be blaming me.”

“No. It’s because I wasn’t doing my duty. I have nothing to say.”

He gave a ninety-degree bow. The relay didn’t end there. Just then, Butler Roban, Johanna the head maid and other attendees rushed to welcome my return.

“My Lady! It’s great that you’re okay.”

“I’m glad you’ve safely returned, My Lady.”

“I’m sorry. If you want to punish us, I’ll gladly accept.”

“So will I.”

Each of the palace guards went down on one knee, asking for my forgiveness. Before I could say it was all good, Ridrian, who had been watching quietly by my side, stepped in.

“Don’t say it’s okay,” he said.”

“But it is. I am okay.”

“I almost lost you,” he pointed out, “because they weren’t doing their duty.”

His gaze suddenly turned icy. Fortunately, he didn’t draw his sword. With a glance at me, he spoke again.

“You’re all dismissed,” he said. “I don’t need people who can’t follow orders.”

“D-dismissed?” spluttered the first knight.

“We accept,” said the second.

“Sir?” I exclaimed.

The knights seemed to realize they had no choice but to comply. They bowed to me in unison.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” one of them said.

I didn’t even know their names, and they’d been kicked out of the room and out of knighthood without so much as a warning. Too much? Definitely. But before I could protest, Ridrian drew closer to me.

“Iona, I hope you realize what position you hold.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re being merciful just by sparing their lives. They know that. If you ever disappeared, I would go insane, and this Empire will have to deal with an insane tyrant.”

It was different from just before, but I stepped back as though I might otherwise get eaten alive.

“Wh-why would you go insane in my absence?” I asked him.

I mean, I noticed you care about me, but to go insane just because I disappeared? Isn’t that a bit over the top?

He sighed and got up without a word. When he turned back to stare at me, there was a look of frustration in his eyes.

“Well,” he said, “to put it simply, it’s because I couldn’t sleep.”