“Call the imperial physician and everyone leave.”  

Lucian dismissed the maids and laid Adelia on the bed.  

She continued to groan in pain.

Her clear eyes had become hazy and unfocused, and her red lips had lost their color.

Her clothes were muddied with blood and dirt, and foreign substances clung heavily to her tangled hair.

But the most disarrayed thing was her condition itself.

“Are you okay?”

“Ugh… No…”

Hah. Adelia exhaled a hot breath.

Thanks to Lucian removing the arrow and covering it with clothes, she was able to heal quickly.

The poison that spread throughout her body was detoxified. The arrow lodged in her back had received proper treatment.

Only after using the remaining magic to clean the blood and dust on her clothes could she finally relax her entire body.

The pain hadn’t subsided yet, making it still unbearable.

“Really… That was dangerous.”

The moment the arrowhead was deformed and just before the arrow was pulled out was critical.

I might have greeted a deceased Adelia.

I was proud of myself for somehow keeping my sanity. I didn’t know it would be this toxic.

As his rough breathing evened out, Lucian slumped down on a chair next to him.

He exhaled a low breath.

“Are you insane? What were you thinking, getting hit by that!”

He exploded in anger.

Adelia grimaced at the loud voice.

Her head was throbbing from losing too much blood.

Lucian, realizing the person in front of him was a patient, shut his mouth tightly.

“I didn’t know it would hurt this much…”

It wouldn’t have been this painful if it were an ordinary arrow.

There was no way to inspect the arrowhead in that fleeting moment.

If I had known beforehand, I wouldn’t have thrown my body in the way.

‘I should have just revealed my white magic.’

If I could go back, I definitely would have done that.

Because the pain was excruciating.

Remembering that moment made her whole body tremble.

“Where does it hurt?”

Startled by her movement, Lucian stood up abruptly and asked.

Even through her blurry vision, his worried red eyes were clear.

Adelia, too weak to speak, quietly shook her head.

Why did that response make him feel at ease? Why did those worried eyes bring relief?

‘I’m sleepy.’

Her back still throbbed and her head was cluttered.

But now, she didn’t even have the strength to keep her eyes open.

Just a little sleep, just for a short while, should be okay.

White flesh swallowed up the blue eyes.

Her long eyelashes gently fell downwards.

* * *

“She’s not dead, is she?”

Lucian placed his hand under Adelia’s nose as she slept.

Warm breath slowly flowed out.

Only then did he remove his hand, relieved.

‘To think I would worry about the life and death of a white mage.’

How long has it been since he confidently asserted there was no way to kill her, and now she’s showing such a pained appearance?

It was nothing but sigh-inducing.

Since she ended up like this while saving the princess, he couldn’t even press her.

How many sighs has it been? Lucian exhaled a soft breath and slumped down on the chair.

He slightly lifted her disheveled hair.

The magically cleaned hair had returned to its fine silver color.

“To think you’re still enveloped in magic even now.”

Was it an instinct in her subconscious, or was it her will?

If it was the former, he felt sorry for the environment she had been through; if it was the latter, this trustless relationship felt a bit bitter.

“There’s no one here who would leave you to die.”

Neither I, nor my siblings, nor our family.

He tidied her messy hair.

Removed the stiff outerwear, and straightened the skewed pillow.

After laying her body straight, he covered her with a blanket.

Seeing her comfortable appearance and hearing the rustling breaths allowed him to relax.

This was all he could do for her.

Having tightly covered her with the blanket, Lucian walked towards the door.

He slightly opened the door and stepped out, seeing a small creature running towards this place.

“Sister!”

It was Ariana.

She hadn’t changed her clothes, so her whole body was covered in mud and in a mess.

Her disheveled hair fluttered as she ran here.

Next to her were Lawrence and His Majesty, but they sent looks that said they couldn’t stop her.

Lucian walked steadily and blocked his sister’s path.

“Ariana, shh.”

“Brother… How is sister? How is she!”

“She’s asleep. So we need to be quiet.”

Only then did Ariana cover her mouth tightly with both hands.

Her eyes were moist, seemingly about to drop tears. The corners of her mouth trembled as she bit down hard on her molars. Even her tightly clenched hands.

Lucian stroked his sister’s fluffy pink hair.

“It’s not your fault.”

“But…”

“It was her choice. Both saving you and getting injured. Feeling guilty about that denies her choice. Just thank her when she wakes up.”

Hearing Lucian’s words, Ariana bowed her head deeply.

Adelia had used the last of her strength to move her for a reason she understood now.

It was a kind of consideration, telling her not to look because what followed would be gruesome.

But it only increased Ariana’s guilt even more.

‘It’s because of me.’

She couldn’t stop blaming herself all the way here.

If only she hadn’t suggested going outside first.

If only they hadn’t had tea time there.

Her guilt swelled up significantly.

Lucian’s words made her falter and shrink, but they sharply pierced one side of her heart.

“Ariana.”

The Emperor standing behind her picked her up.

He gently wiped her moist eyes with his sleeve.

Ariana buried her face in her strong father’s embrace.

“Dad…”

“Lucian is right. What you should be doing is saying thank you, not apologizing.”

The Emperor patted her back with his large hands.

Eventually, Ariana started sobbing, tears streaming down her face.

Her small body shook as her clothes became damp.

Crack. A sound of bones crushing came from the Emperor’s mouth.

‘I have to kill them.’

The guards who failed their duty, and the assassin who dared to sneak into the imperial palace without fear.

He had been anxious not to let a single tear fall from his beloved daughter’s eyes. And yet, someone dared to make her cry.

‘I will make them suffer the most painful death.’

The Emperor’s red pupils gleamed fiercely.

His eyes, filled with anger, were more intensely red than usual.

A murderous aura filled the surroundings.

“Father. Please calm down. We’re in front of the room.”

Lucian stopped his father before the aura could spill into the room.

Even Adelia, surrounded by magical power, could be in danger in her current state without energy.

Hearing his words, the Emperor sighed deeply and hugged Ariana tightly.

The murderous aura that filled the room gradually subsided.

“Ariana. Let’s go inside.”

Ariana nodded silently at the Emperor’s words.

As Lucian opened the door, the Emperor walked in with heavy steps.

The prince followed behind him, and once everyone was inside, the door closed.

“Please put me down…”

Ariana squirmed in the Emperor’s arms, her eyes fixed on Adelia lying on the bed.

Seeing her lying quietly under the white blanket, a wave of guilt surged within her.

The Emperor carefully set the princess down on the floor.

“Sister…”

Ariana approached hesitantly.

Unlike before, there was no trace of blood on her, and although her face was a bit pale, she seemed otherwise unharmed.

Seeing her face, not in pain but peacefully resting, allowed Ariana to finally relax.

A sigh of relief escaped Ariana, and she suddenly felt weak in her legs and slumped to the floor.

“Ariana… Oops!”

The prince, rushing over to call his sister, quickly covered his mouth.

He rolled his eyes sideways to check if Adelia had woken up by any chance.

At that time, the Emperor and the Crown Prince took their places on either side of Ariana.

“Ariana. You should rest.”

“Yes. How about you change your clothes and take a bath.”

“Right, if you stay dirty like this, your sister will wake up and worry.”

Starting with the Emperor to the prince, it was only after they joined in that Ariana nodded. She left the room after promising to stay by her side if she washed up and changed her clothes.

She did not take her eyes off Adelia until the very end.

After the princess left, a tense atmosphere enveloped the three men remaining in the room.

“Nox.”

The Emperor called out in a low voice to the leader of the shadows.

He, who had been hiding like a shadow, appeared at the emperor’s command.

“You summoned me.”

“Explain.”

The Emperor’s command was short and clear.

Nox knelt before his three masters.

Three pairs of red eyes looking down at him gleamed ominously.

He swallowed hard before opening his mouth.

“There was an attack during the two’s tea time. An arrow flew towards the princess from between the bushes, and the lady took the arrow for the princess.”

“And then.”

“It seems she tried to block it with a barrier, but even that was penetrated; it wasn’t an ordinary arrow. After the lady sent the princess to her room, everything was as Her Highness has seen.”

“Penetrated white magic?”

“I’m not knowledgeable in that area, but it wasn’t white magic. It was ordinary magic.”

As there was no response from Nox, he tightly closed his eyes filled with fear.

“If you have a mouth, try making excuses.”

The Emperor growled like a beast.

His low voice carried deep anger.