Chapter 35 - A Healer

 

Ignorant of Kael’s miserable condition, Irene hurried back to Atrichen after the meal ended. Trudging down the pathway she’d taken the night before, her steps unconsciously slowed when she heard the crunch of her foot against the snow. The sound felt like the only familiar thing left an unfamiliar world. When Atrichen palace finally came into view, she spotted Marie standing at the entrance and anxiously awaiting her return.

“Oh, my lady!” Marie cried, as she rushed out to greet Irene. It had only been one night, but Marie appeared gaunt. In her haste, she forgot to put on a coat as she rushed out into the cold.

“Marie…”

“I-It wasn’t weird, was it?”

“Pardon?” Unable to grasp the gist of Marie’s question, Irene tilted her head in confusion with a slight frown.

Leaning in close to Irene’s ear, Marie whispered, “That… That… He didn’t tie you, hit you, or… t-tools… What I’m trying to say is… He wasn’t a pervert or anything, right?”

Irene jerked her head back and stared into Marie’s face, before she lifted her gaze up towards the clear sky above. In that moment, she felt ardent affection for Marie, who must’ve grunted alone all night imagining this and that. Fighting back the smile that threatened to creep onto her face, she assured, “Nothing happened.”

“Yes?! He really did nothing even after seeing a beautiful lady like you? Could it really be true that he isn’t interested in women?”

“You sure sound energetic,” Irene laughed. “Besides, what kind of rumor is that?”

“Speaking of…” Marie paused to eye Irene, before she continued, “Your complexion has improved.”

“Well… It’s strange, Marie.”

“What’s strange?”

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Irene tugged at her cumbersome dress and began leading Marie back towards Atrichen’s entrance at a relaxed pace. In a curious tone, she said, “As you know, up until recently I’ve always awoken at 5 o’clock and my days would have me constantly on the move. However, since the sudden change in routine, I haven’t had much of an appetite because I sit around all day doing nothing, and because my body doesn’t register as being tired, I haven’t been able to sleep well either.”

“Yes, that’s true. You’ve certainly repeatedly said as much in the past few days. If I were to be frank though, my lady, it’s my opinion that you were overworking your body before.”

“Hmm… But you know what’s strange? I slept until noon today. I even ate well too.”

“You did? Who would’ve thought! My, my, it seems that the crown prince is the lady’s healer!”

“Is he?” Irene pictured how Kael had held out his spoon to her with a sly smile on his face. Perhaps calling it a ‘sly smile’ wasn’t accurate, but it was an expression she’d never seen him make in all their past encounters and it stuck with her. “Anyhow, it was certainly pleasant to receive an apology from him in advance.”

“I’m glad nothing bad happened. Please get some— Oh.”

“Marie?” Irene’s gaze darted towards the sharp gazes coming from the Atrichen palace after she noticed Marie subtly flinch.

“It’s been going on for a few hours,” Marie sighed. “Even from that distance, I thought their gazes were going to drill a hole in my back.”

“It’s nothing that I haven’t experienced before. There were women in the kingdom who acted in this exact same manner when my engagement to the prince was announced, even though it was only a political alliance.”

“Ugh, I don’t even want to remember that time,” Marie grimaced. After enthusiastically lamenting to Irene about how scared she’d felt, she added, “Honestly, I wonder if their teeth are okay, given that they couldn’t stop gritting their teeth every time they saw me.”

“You’ve been through a lot,” Irene said with a smile.

“Indeed!” Marie sensed that Irene had undergone a change since her return from Ravello palace. Throughout their journey to and upon their arrival at the Perkan imperial palace, Irene had stared out the window with a helpless expression. However, now her lady’s complexion had brightened and she even regained some of her spark.

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