I Thought I Healed the Villain's Sickly Younger Brother - Chapter 20

“There’s a salon where the House of Hartez has been getting their clothes made for generations. How about we get yours fitted there?”

“Ah.”

‘So that’s what he meant about getting a dress fitted.’

Merrien, who had been grumbling about his excessive omissions, slumped back into her chair.

‘…Wait?’

But thinking about it carefully, this wasn’t something to just accept.

“Did you always go to the salon yourself for your clothes?”

“Of course not. I’d choose from the pamphlets, and the butler would send my measurements to get the clothes made.”

Just as she suspected. He shrugged his shoulders as if it were obvious.

“Then why do we need to go out? What if you collapse? You haven’t even been outside lately.”

Wasn’t he supposed to be the mysterious duke? Why does he keep trying to break his own image?

Merrien looked at Ariel questioningly, one eyebrow twitching.

“Well, I’ll be going out for the imperial banquet anyway. And…”

He responded casually, then paused before suddenly staring at her intently.

“…Yes?”

That profound gaze seemed somehow lecherous, making Merrien push her chair back.

“Everyone out.”

He went even further by ordering all the servants to leave.

“…?”

As Merrien blinked and looked around, the servants calmly filed out.

In an instant, only Ariel and Merrien were left in the spacious room.

“W-What is it?”

When Merrien spoke, sensing a strange atmosphere, Ariel suddenly grabbed her hand.

‘…Not yet!’

Merrien squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore her pounding heart. Though she leaned back, her face was slowly turning toward Ariel.

“……”

“……”

But nothing happened even as time passed.

“Merri, what are you thinking about?”

After a while, Ariel asked in a genuinely puzzled voice and placed Merrien’s hand over his heart.

“Uh, huh?”

When Merrien finally opened her eyes, she was met with Ariel’s sly smile. Quite annoyingly so.

“Direct healing on the heart. Last time I tried it, I could move around normally for about a day.”

“Ah, aha.”

“What were you thinking about, Merri?”

“……”

‘Yeah, what was I thinking?’

Maybe she just got caught up in the strange atmosphere.

Merrien’s face turned red up to her ears as she pressed her lips together until her lower lip disappeared.

Finding his now tooth-baring smile unbearable, she shoved Holy Power straight into his heart.

Then.

“Mmnn…”

He closed his eyes and made strange sounds like before.

She had no idea why his eyelids were trembling and his face was turning red.

‘Making such sounds and still teasing me.’

Though she wanted to grumble, Merrien silently focused on pouring Holy Power.

She couldn’t let personal feelings cause mistakes, especially since this healing method was clearly better than regular healing.

Of course, her Holy Power was rapidly depleting as a result.

“Hah, ugh…”

When she felt too breathless to continue, Merrien withdrew her hand.

As expected, Ariel’s face was noticeably more vibrant, and the system display showed a significant increase in healing.

[Healing Amount 4400/10000]

Haah-. As Merrien slumped in her chair, Ariel took her limp hand and rubbed it against his cheek.

“Thank you.”

His lake-like eyes sparkled with the reflection of predawn starlight. He was cunning. He knew Merrien found his eyes beautiful.

Momentarily dazed by the sudden face attack, Merrien spoke glumly after regaining her composure.

“…But was it really necessary to send all the servants away?”

“That’s how I got you to think naughty thoughts, right?”

“Oh, please.”

Fooled again, Merrien. It was because she got caught up in the strange atmosphere.

‘I should really quit reading romance novels.’

The problem was how well his teasing worked. Furrowing her brow, Merrien looked down at her hand that Ariel had released.

After catching her breath for a moment, her depleted Holy Power felt better, and it was definitely easier having done it once before.

“Shall we go then?”

“Okay.”

Oh, whatever. Merrien expressed agreement in resignation. Having already healed him, Ariel would probably insist on going out anyway.

Having completely secured his victory, Ariel calmly called out.

“Butler.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The butler responded as if he’d been waiting outside.

“We need to visit the Elpine Salon. Please prepare for our outing.”

***

Ariel, who finished preparing first, headed to the carriage.

The House of Hartez’s carriage with its red eagle and golden sword emblem.

It was the first time seeing it since visiting the temple because of Merrien.

As a duke, he rarely went out, and as Tower Master, he only used teleportation.

“……”

Ariel stroked the carriage door, seeming lost in memories. The butler, who had been watching him sympathetically, spotted Merrien approaching and whispered.

“Master. The Saint is coming.”

At those words, Ariel turned around reflexively, and then immediately became dazed.

Following Ariel’s secret instructions, Merrien was wearing a light, soft pink dress.

The hem was adorned with frills that fluttered with each step she took.

Uncomfortable in formal wear after so long, she was walking carefully.

Ariel couldn’t hide his expression and covered his face.

“…Ariel, what’s wrong? Do I look strange?”

Merrien, who had approached without him noticing, asked curiously as Ariel finally half-turned his head.

“…No.”

Ariel’s voice was composed as he answered. He extended his hand, offering to escort her. Oddly enough, he was still covering both eyes with his other hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Escorting.”

“Really now.”

Whatever game he was playing. When she placed her hand in his with suspicious eyes, he skillfully guided Merrien into the carriage even with his eyes covered.

After Merrien settled in first and arranged her dress, he finally sat opposite her. He wasn’t covering his eyes anymore.

“But there were so many dresses in the dressing room, right? Is there really a need to buy a formal dress?”

When Merrien asked seriously, he leaned back deeply against the backrest and answered casually.

“Well, that’s because I bought every dress I thought would suit Merri whenever I looked through the pamphlets that came to the mansion. But formal dresses are different.”

“……”

‘Ariel’s extravagance. Is this really okay?’

Merrien swallowed the news-worthy statement internally. She couldn’t really scold him since he was one of only two dukes in the empire, and he was extremely wealthy.

“It really suits you well.”

Ariel suddenly blurted out.

It was hard to tell if he was being sincere or teasing since he often made such ambiguous remarks, but usually, when his eyes curved into crescents like this, he was being genuine.

“…Look outside instead. Wow, rose gardens.”

Embarrassed, Merrien put on an exaggerated tone that even she found awkward.

Thankfully, the rose garden visible through the window provided a chance to change the subject.

No, she wanted to divert attention, but Ariel was clearly still staring intently at her profile.

Merrien deliberately looked away and watched outside. Actually, this was her first time going out like this, having only been at the temple and Hartez mansion until now.

“Do you like roses?”

Perhaps her desperate attempt to ignore him had worked.

Soon Ariel moved on to talking about roses, and Merrien internally shed tears of joy.

“They might be common, but that’s why everyone loves them. Look, there are yellow roses too. How interesting.”

She even pointed with her index finger to make him look outside, then remembered something.

‘Come to think of it, they said the previous Duke Hartez planted black roses in the garden. Ariel apparently hated them so much he ordered them removed.’

Of all things, roses. Suddenly dejected, Merrien turned to Ariel.

“Do you hate roses?”

“No, not really. I just hate black roses.”

“But there are pink roses, purple ones, and white ones too. Look over there.”

Merrien pulled Ariel’s arm to make him look outside.

Only after confirming his gaze had turned to the window did she murmur comfortably.

“There really aren’t any blue roses though.”

“Blue roses?”

“Yeah, from what I know, true blue roses don’t exist in the world. I heard you have to dye white roses with blue pigment. I’ve never seen one though.”

“I see.”

Finally showing interest, Ariel stared intently at the roses.

He must really enjoy being outside. Once she got him to look out the window, he started chatting with Merrien while sightseeing.

“Blue roses. Would you like to see them?”

“…Huh?”

He mentioned the blue roses again, which had come up naturally in conversation.

Merrien became momentarily dazed when she met those probing blue eyes.

She blinked several times and waved her hand.

“It’s fine. They’re artificial roses anyway. Though it would be pretty if real blue roses existed.”

Like your eyes.

Having just met Ariel’s gaze. About to say something unnecessary, Merrien turned her face toward the window.

Ariel filled his gaze with this site of Merrien.