Chapter 67. It Sounds Like You Like Me

I led Aster to another room I had reserved. First, we needed to check and treat his wounds.

Upon reaching the room, I took out the first aid kit and examined Aster’s injuries. But something strange happened. I let out a surprised exclamation.

“Huh?”

Aster was surprisingly unscathed. Despite being in the midst of the flames, there were no signs of burns. As I wondered about this, Aster provided an explanation.

“The Duke had implanted a self-destruct spell in the Black Shadow. When they were cornered, flames erupted from the markings on their bodies, burning them up.”

“That’s why there are no scars.”

Aster was also a Blanche. Hence, fire attribute magic couldn’t inflict fatal injuries on him due to the same attribute.

Moreover, it seemed he had used magic midway to mitigate the explosion’s impact.

Then Aster handed me something. It was a red stone fragment, like a ruby. It seemed to be a remnant from the battle.

“This is….”

“It was embedded in the Black Shadow’s body. It seemed to absorb my ability.”

“Absorb?”

“At first, I thought it merely nullified it. But then it started using my ability.”

“!”

“Fortunately, it seemed to have limits and couldn’t handle strong magic. Maybe the self-destruct spell is a reaction when it reaches its limit.”

While listening to Aster, I quietly examined the red stone fragment. It emitted a faint demonic energy.

Staring at it, I felt a prickling sensation in my chest.

“We need to investigate this. The Black Shadow might not be a simple organization.”

It was an organization practically loyal to Duke Blanche. Given the suspicious circumstances, an investigation was necessary.

“Oh, and.”

Aster took something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a whistle. Seeing my puzzled expression, Aster explained.

“I took this while preventing them from calling reinforcements. It’s one of the military signaling devices used among allies during the war.”

“I thought it was just an ordinary whistle.”

“It’s audible only to allies. It’s usually used to signal emergencies or secure escape routes.”

Aster seemed well-acquainted with the item. Given his experience on the battlefield, he must have been familiar with various war supplies.

“It’s helpful in situations like this, having been to the battlefield.”

Aster grinned, trying to lighten the mood, probably to ease my worry.

“Then we can use it to find and capture the remaining assassins.”

“Yes. It’s much easier now.”

Aster tossed the whistle and caught it before putting it back in his pocket.

I began unbuttoning his shirt to check for any injuries.

“Take it off. Even small wounds can become serious if left untreated.”

Aster obediently took off his shirt, waiting quietly like a docile large dog.

I carefully examined his wounds. The small wounds on his left arm weren’t deep but needed treatment.

It was fortunate that this was all. In the chaos of the room earlier, I had feared he was seriously injured, but it seemed most of the blood wasn’t his.

Realizing this, I felt a wave of relief. The blood on his torn sleeve was all from the Black Shadow. Though it was just minor scratches, my heart still felt uneasy.

He had been caught in a large explosion. If things had gone wrong, it could have been Aster lying on the floor instead of the Black Shadow.

Since it was a small-scale operation, there was no doctor, so I could only provide first aid. I regretted not bringing more people for fear of being detected.

“This might sting a bit.”

I warned briefly and started applying disinfectant. Despite the treatment, Aster didn’t make a sound. Feeling guilty, I gently patted the area I had bandaged and asked.

“Get proper treatment when we return.”

“Yes.”

“Does it hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

Aster smiled and held my hand. He lightly kissed my palm with a reassuring smile. His gaze had become deep and tender.

“Did you rush over because you were worried about me?”

His red eyes seemed to sparkle beautifully. He seemed touched by my concern.

Looking back, my reckless rush was indeed foolish. If Aster hadn’t helped, I might have become a hostage, complicating the situation.

I felt embarrassed about my irrational mistake. It was proof of how much I cared. Avoiding his gaze, I muttered an excuse.

“Just because… The explosion inside startled me.”

“Even though you know I’m a Blanche, you worried at the sight of fire?”

“Well….”

I had no words. Fire was the safest element for the Blanche family. Even if they jumped into a fire pit, their clothes wouldn’t burn due to their ability.

‘It’s as absurd as a Francis drowning.’

In the end, I practically confessed that I was worried and rushed over. I stared blankly at Aster, then placed my hand on his cheek and mumbled softly.

“Right. It was foolish. Your clothes are just torn, and the wounds aren’t serious, but I got scared.”

Feeling annoyed, I lightly pinched his cheek. His soft skin stretched, making me feel slightly better.

“Turns out you were just being dramatic.”

Aster laughed at my playful scolding and pulled me into his arms.

His body smelled of gunpowder, mixed with his unique scent. I rubbed my cheek against his shoulder and he stroked my hair.

“Sorry for worrying you.”

“If you know, don’t be reckless next time.”

“Still, it feels good that you care.”

“Do you want me to stop worrying?”

I glared at him as if asking if he thought I was heartless, and Aster smiled.

“If it were just business, you wouldn’t have run into the flames out of worry. You don’t have multiple lives.”

“……”

“So your concern for me feels special.”

“……”

“It sounds like you like me.”

I opened my mouth to speak. If I saw him as just a business partner, I wouldn’t have acted so recklessly.

Yet, my impulsive actions showed how precious he was to me. Concern comes from affection. Aster kissed my hand deeply and whispered.

“You care and worry because you like me.”

I had to admit it. I was very interested in Aster Blanche.

When I thought he was hurt, my heart felt like it was falling apart. Seeing he was safe brought immense relief.

But I couldn’t say it outright. So, I chose to evade. I didn’t want to hurt him by denying it directly.

Even this reaction showed how much I cared, making my thoughts even more complicated.

“If you’re going to talk nonsense, move aside.”

“……”

“I was worried. I thought you might die.”

“Camilla.”

“So don’t be reckless next time.”

I didn’t want to see another precious person get hurt or die. The helplessness of losing someone was enough for that day. The explosion had triggered a sort of trauma.

“Yes. I won’t.”

With that, Aster hugged me tightly.

“I won’t die before you.”

Sensing my anxiety, his voice was heavy. I leaned into him and took a deep breath. Then I playfully grumbled to show I was okay.

“In plays, the one who says that dies first.”

“This isn’t a play.”

Aster responded jokingly and lightly brushed my cheek. His gentle eyes reassured me. As I smiled in return, he kissed my cheek.

His moist lips trailed down my cheek to meet mine. Before I could react, our breaths intertwined. I accepted his kiss willingly.

Earlier, my heart was pounding with worry for him, but now it was beating with tension. My heart was not holding up.

The hot breath and soft flesh intertwining with my tongue left me breathless.

“Ah.”

Even the moan that escaped through my lips was swallowed by him. He spoke with his lips pressed against my neck.

“I was the one who almost had a heart attack thinking something happened to you.”

“Uh, that’s…”

My voice trembled involuntarily as he nibbled and licked my neck. Aster’s voice, which sounded like he was scolding, deepened as his lips slid down.

His lips stopped above my chest. He gently pulled down my clothes, barely missing the er*ect spot, and said,

“Don’t you know you shouldn’t recklessly run into an explosion? You almost got into big trouble.”