The pain that had surfaced was terrifying enough to make one’s breath catch.

“Healer, are you alright?”

Alendia’s concerned voice jolted me back to reality.

“…I’m fine. Just startled for a moment. I’ll start by treating this soldier. Severed limbs need to be reattached as quickly as possible. The longer it takes, the more difficult it becomes. Could you call over two more medics?”

“Of course.”

She immediately called out to someone and then sat beside me, rolling up her sleeves.

“I’ll help too.”

“Great. Then…”

The soldier was completely unconscious. Beside him lay his severed left arm, bloodied on a white cloth. I carefully lifted it.

“I’m going to align the arm. Once it’s aligned, Alendia, you’ll need to hold it in place. Can you do that?”

Her firm nod and determined gaze were all the answers I needed.

***

The line of wounded seemed endless. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, and the injuries weren’t as severe as those I had initially seen.

“Healer, you should go rest now. It seems like the critical moments have passed.”

“I think Alendia should rest first. She’s worked hard taking care of the injured.”

“No one worked as hard as you, healer, using up your magical energy to treat the patients.”

“Alendia used her magic too. That illusion spell was impressive. It would take me years to do something like that.”

Alendia smiled shyly.

“Thank you for the compliment. But you should replenish your strength first, healer…”

“Our lady is so strong that this much won’t tire her, right, my lady?”

Out of nowhere, Jayden jumped into the conversation. I shot him a look, but he pretended not to notice, focusing only on Alendia, whom he scolded.

“Are you planning to stay up all night?”

“If necessary.”

Alendia frowned, seemingly annoyed by his interference. They had been bickering all day, and it seemed they were about to start again, so I gently coaxed Alendia.

“Jayden is right. You need to rest now to help me diligently again tomorrow, don’t you?”

After a moment of hesitation, she nodded obediently.

“Alright. But if I’m still asleep at sunrise, please wake me.”

Jayden quickly interrupted again, assuring her, “I’ll make sure to wake you. Now go on.”

Alendia shot Jayden an irritated glance before disappearing.

“Then, my lady, I’ll be patrolling nearby, so call me if you need anything.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Once Jayden was gone, the sound of labored breathing filled the air.

I checked on the patients once more before sitting down in a corner. Although magical energy didn’t equate to physical stamina, fatigue slowly crept in.

I hugged my knees and leaned my head against a wooden post. I must have dozed off when I felt something drape over my shoulder.

I forced my sleepy eyes open and turned my head. It was a cloak like the ones knights wore. Thinking it might be Jayden, I squinted and slowly lifted my gaze. However, the early morning darkness made it hard to identify who it was. What was certain, though, was that this person was larger than Jayden. As large as Leopold, perhaps… Leopold…

As I thought of him, the scent of the forest seemed to waft through the blood-scented air. I rubbed my sleepy eyes, wondering if this was some sort of illness.

The dark blue uniform of the Lawrence Knights was the first thing that caught my eye. It was a deeper shade than usual, likely soaked with blood rather than water, given the circumstances of the battle. If he had come to me injured, I needed to start treatment quickly.

As I staggered to my feet, the person who had draped the cloak over me supported my shoulder. When I looked up, I met Leopold’s eyes.

“You…! Are you alright? How badly are you hurt for there to be so much blood…? Let me see, I’ll treat it right away—”

In my surprise, I didn’t even notice the cloak slipping off as I reached out to feel his chest, searching for the wound. But soon, I had to stop.

“Wait… can you stay like this for a moment?”

A strong hand wrapped around my back. His forehead rested on my shoulder, and his tired breath brushed against my neck.

I felt as if my breath had stopped. I needed to check his injuries quickly, but my mind went blank.

“The blood…”

“Don’t worry. It’s not mine.”

Leopold hugged me tightly once more. Somewhere between confusion and relief, tension and excitement, I slowly lifted my arms. When my hand touched his broad back, he flinched slightly.

“You did well.”

For him to have come all the way here meant the situation had been resolved. Despite the justification of preventing rebellion, many must have died or been injured, and no matter how composed one might be, it was hard to remain unaffected by such events.

As I gently patted his back, I infused a bit of magic to ease his fatigue.

Suddenly, Leopold pulled away from me. He turned his head to the side and spoke in a weary tone.

“Don’t.”

“It will make you feel much better.”

“No, don’t share your life force with me. I’ve regretted what happened in Fojetta ever since.”

Was he upset because I had left without a word? It didn’t seem like something that would bother him, but if it did, I should apologize.

“That… I’m sorry. For leaving without saying anything back then.”

“No, that’s not it. It’s not that… Ha.”

My apology and his sigh, followed by silence, suddenly pricked at my heart. I didn’t think I had made a big mistake, but my heart inexplicably started to race. This kind of conversation always led to a heavy atmosphere. As old memories hidden deep inside began to surface, I lowered my head in fear.

Soon, he would leave…

“I’m the one who should apologize. I’m sorry, Hazel. It’s all my fault. You shouldn’t be in a place like this…”

I turned to him again, thinking I might have misheard. As always, Leopold’s brow was furrowed, but he didn’t look angry at all. Instead, he resembled a patient trying to endure pain, which made me ask in a daze.

“Why are you apologizing?”

But instead of answering, he gently caressed my face with his right hand. His fingertips trembled slightly.

It felt as if an unseen force was pulling my wrist, and I instinctively placed my hand over his.

“This is exactly where I should be. You know that.”

I reassured him like I was calming a child, and without realizing it, I leaned my head against his large hand.

The metallic scent of blood grew stronger. How many people had he harmed with these hands? Was he not afraid…? No matter how strong he was or his position of command, enduring all of this couldn’t have been easy. I had never seen him so exhausted before.

If I could offer him any comfort, just as I did for other patients.

Over the growing empathy I felt for him, which I had never experienced in my previous life, a gentle and warm expression, along with soft words, gradually built up. Like how the frozen ground thaws under the warm spring breeze, my once hardened heart softened…

Despite everything, the reason my heart kept swaying was because he was the Leopold Lawrence I loved so deeply.

***

When Hazel leaned her head against him, showing vulnerability, Leopold struggled to suppress the urge to flee.

He was genuinely afraid.

Was it right to accept her pure heart while pretending not to notice? Could he keep his filthy, dark thoughts hidden forever? What if he unknowingly hurt her again…? He despised himself for being filled with such weak thoughts.

Her sweet scent, carried through his fingertips, tormented him. It was a tempting sensation, enough to numb his complicated thoughts. His judgment grew increasingly hazy.

He extended his right hand to gently grasp her soft neck. Her hair, slipping through his fingers, tickled him. Her eyes, filled with curiosity and warmth, met his. As he slowly pulled her closer, Hazel leaned in without hesitation, as if surrendering herself completely.

I want to hold you with all my strength. So you can never leave me, with all my heart. Until your breath becomes mine, intertwined so tightly we can never be separated. Even if I am forever crushed under the weight of past guilt and sins…

However, Hazel, who longed for freedom, would find it difficult to bear his cruel obsession. His yearning heart felt unbearably weary.

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

She whispered softly, barely audible. Even that fragile breath ensnared Leopold without mercy.

If only he could be trapped within her forever.

“…Yes. So, Hazel. Please let me sleep.”

The movement in his embrace paused for a moment.

***

The wall I thought I had built within myself turned out to be nothing more than sand, untouched by seawater. Just the breeze named Leopold could erode it with a gentle touch.

“…Alright. Let’s go.”

Refusing him was as difficult as trying to grasp scattered grains of sand. As I mumbled softly and gently pushed against his broad chest, he easily moved away. Was I the only one feeling awkward about the distance between us? To hide my flushed cheeks, I took the first step.

Behind my hurried steps came the leisurely sound of his. Even our footsteps seemed to mirror our relationship. My impatience and his calmness. I wondered if our pace would ever align.

Leopold’s tent wasn’t far from the injured soldiers’ tents, but even in that short distance, countless thoughts crossed my mind.

My resolve not to repeat the past remained firm. I wouldn’t cling solely to him, nor would I recklessly lose my abilities.

But the decision to leave him…