Chapter 8 – Part 5

The news of the previous night’s events reached Kyle. He was surprised to learn that Anne was the daughter of Baron Vanessa but he couldn’t help but feel happy that she was leaving the battlefield. Although sad to be parted from a friend, Kyle was glad she would live in luxury.

Unaware of Anne’s disappointment, Kyle cheerfully worked all day.

“Anne!”

“Huh? Yes!”

“Stop worrying and go. You’re going to submit it, right? Congratulations on your discharge.”

“……”

“Surely, you’re not thinking of turning down this great opportunity.”

Kyle, perceptive as ever, had noticed Anne’s unease but pretended not to. He wanted her to go.

“Kyle, I want to stay here…”

“This place will function well without you. If you feel bad, ask the wealthy Baron Vanessa to support the field hospital.”

“Right. I’ll definitely mention that.”

“I’m joking. Don’t get caught up in it. Think of it as taking a break.”

Kyle realized he had implied she might not actually be the baron’s daughter, but Anne smiled understandingly.

She was worried about that too.

“Anne, I’m sorry. Really. Just go and come back. I might make more mistakes if you stay.”

“It’s okay.”

Kyle urgently pushed Anne forward.

“I want you to live peacefully.”

Hearing Kyle’s sincere words, Anne stopped resisting and nodded.

She had indeed wondered if she had forgotten some part of her past. But she couldn’t deny that reuniting with their lost daughter would be the greatest joy for the baron and baroness.

Anne walked through the forest next to the field hospital. Thinking this might be the last time she experienced the scent of this forest, she felt a mix of emotions.

The sky seemed clearer today. A bluebird she had seen before circled around her.

When she first struggled to live as Anne, her goal was to earn money and get discharged from the military. But now she couldn’t understand why she felt so uneasy and bitter.

Was it because Major Nicholas, whom she had treated before, asked for her help again? Or was it the gratitude of the many soldiers she had treated?

Anne took a moment to steady her breath.

It was common sense to know that avoiding war was the best option.

Surely, this was a good opportunity… so why was she refusing it herself?

This was an extension of her trauma.

Just the side effect of becoming too accustomed to the horrors of war.

Having nearly finished her thoughts, Anne arrived at Evan Davis’s office.

Was it gratitude for the compassion he showed her? Or was it something more?

But what did it matter?

Anne smiled faintly. She had brought the answer that would satisfy him, so there would be no further disputes.

“Excuse me.”

“Come in.”

Anne was startled to see Evan without his shirt on. His body was covered in countless scars and even some fresh wounds. She resisted the urge to rush over and tend to his injuries.

“I brought the documents you requested.”

“…Alright.”

His dry response made Anne furrow her brow.

“It’s not that I wanted to leave the army so desperately.”

“Even so, that’s no reason to throw away a blessing that rolled your way.”

“True.”

Anne forced a smile. Her comrades had made a fuss, celebrating her good fortune, but not this man.

Anne couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

Whether by choice or circumstance… she would live the rest of her life as Anne Vanessa, with a long scar on the inside of her thigh.

Evan took out a first aid kit from his drawer and spoke.

“Baron Vanessa will arrive in a week once all the procedures are complete. You’ve met him once before, I believe.”

Anne nodded.

“I know.”

It was a bit odd that there had been no tearful reunion when she met her lost father.

She only remembered him asking detailed questions about her work, but she had confirmed he wasn’t a bad person.

“I’d like you to treat my wounds as your final duty.”

“…….”

“Just once a day, drop by to check on the wounds. It won’t take long.”

Anne looked at him incredulously.

His sparkling blonde hair obscured his blue eyes.

‘What do you see when you look at me?’

Anne spoke in a cold tone.

“I don’t want to.”

Evan simply nodded at her refusal and let her go, sighing deeply.

With the only chance to see her face for the next week gone, there was just one opportunity left.

Joseph, who had heard everything from outside the tent, shouted as he looked at Evan’s shadowed face.

“Why don’t you just make it an order?”

“I didn’t want to force her. These kinds of wounds…”

Joseph was exasperated. Considering Evan’s usual demeanor, these kinds of wounds were indeed insignificant.

Evan had never paid much attention to his injuries.

In fact, Joseph often had to drag him to the hospital by force due to his insensitivity to pain.

To think that such a person might have fallen in love so suddenly, only to act like a fool now. Joseph even wanted to tell him to resign from his commander position immediately.

No matter how rough the battlefield, was this really the Evan Davis he had served all this time, unable to win over the woman he loved?

Hah!

“This is why people say you’re impotent!”

At Joseph’s loud voice, Evan dropped his pen. Outside the tent, it sounded as if someone had muffled Joseph’s mouth. The others nearby had undoubtedly heard his outburst.

Evan rubbed his temples and asked again.

“Impotent?”

“Well, uh, that’s…”

“Is there a rumor among the soldiers that I’m impotent? Me?”

Joseph’s hands began to tremble. Evan slicked back his bangs with one hand and looked at his reflection in a glass.

His bright blonde hair shone even in the foggy glass.

Though he might be misunderstood, he had never heard anyone say he couldn’t perform as a man, and it put him in a foul mood.

He didn’t intend to chastise Joseph harshly, but he was indeed quite upset.

“It seems it’s time for some training.”

“Oh… I’m sorry, Commander.”

“It’s fine. There must be a reason for such a rumor to spread.”

Evan then gathered all the soldiers for an impromptu physical training session.

* * *

Anne’s last day as a lieutenant in the medical hospital was coming to an end.

It was a somewhat peaceful day with no severely injured patients, allowing her to occasionally pull a book from the shelf and read during dull moments.

Another noteworthy point was that Carly Dehart, who had persistently followed Anne around until two days ago, had left for urgent business.

Carly had mentioned to Anne, who saw her off, that she might need to find a new place to live soon.

One strange thing was that Evan Davis had not visited the medical unit at all.

Even while his aide, Joseph, was receiving IV fluids in the hospital for exhaustion, there had been no sign of him. Anne had made sure the IV drip lasted as long as possible, but…

‘Of course, it’s not that I’m disappointed not to see him.’

It was just the burden of conscience from refusing to treat his wounds.

…It was nothing.

Anne was heading back to her room after stocking medical supplies for the next person.

In front of her usually quiet room was a luxurious box.

“This is…”

A mysterious box with no sender.

A suspicious box that could be a bomb.

Even so, Anne knelt down and stared at the box.

Wrapped in green paper, it was tied with a purple ribbon that seemed out of place.

Thinking back, the person who might have sent such a gift was likely Evan Davis.

When she had visited him before, she had noticed a purple ribbon dangling from under his desk.

When Anne opened the box, she found a neatly folded navy blue dress. It was far more luxurious than the black camouflage dress she had. She buried her face in the dress.

‘Even until the end, this man makes me uncomfortable.’

No matter how rudely he had behaved, she now regretted having refused to treat him so coldly.

Anne eventually grabbed the box and started to run. By tomorrow, she wouldn’t be able to set foot in this place again.

In truth, Evan Davis was… the benefactor who had dealt with GaBiel Evian for her, a wounded man she was supposed to treat, and at one time, she thought he might have liked her.

Her breath came in gasps as she reached the commander’s tent at this late hour.

If anyone saw her like this, it wouldn’t just be a cute rumor; it would become a major scandal involving the Vanessa family.

However, the soldier guarding the tent stepped aside without a word upon seeing Anne’s face. She nodded slightly and walked inside.

As soon as she entered his room, the fragrant musk scent hit her nose. She stood in front of him, sleeping like a sculpture.

Pulling the blanket slightly away from his waist, she saw his well-formed muscles and various small wounds.

They weren’t serious, but looking at the wounds that kept festering, Anne sighed.

‘I should have taken care of them then. Why did I say no?’

Anne moved quietly and carefully opened the first aid kit.

Kneeling beside the bed, she gently disinfected the wound, and he let out a soft groan.

Though there wasn’t much more she could do, Anne tore a page from her notebook and left a note.

Disinfect morning and evening. Avoid strenuous activity until healed. Take care.

Ah, really. What is this?

As she was about to tear up the note out of embarrassment, Evan grabbed her wrist and asked.

“What did you write there?”

“…Were you awake?”

“A trespasser came in.”

She had thought she would sneak in and out without anyone knowing, but it seemed she was wrong.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You were just going to quietly treat the wound and leave?”

Evan sat up, leaning on her, and snatched the paper from her hand.

Anne tried to take it back, but Evan’s left arm pulled her into an embrace, making it impossible. His deep voice resonated in her ear.

“Disinfect morning and evening. Avoid strenuous activity until healed. …Take care.”

“Ha, really…”

“Is that directed at me?”

“Who else would it be? I just couldn’t leave without saying anything after all you’ve done.”

Anne’s chest began to beat irregularly against his. The pace was increasing rapidly.

His warm body was comforting to Anne, who had braved the cold night air to get here.

It was a night filled with the fear that he might notice her racing heartbeat.

“Did you receive my gift?”

Evan asked formally, as if acknowledging she would soon become a noble lady.

“…Yes, I brought it. I thought it might be from you.”

“You should wear it tomorrow.”

Anne nodded. Appearing in inappropriate attire in front of the Vanessa family could mean being looked down upon even by the servants.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes?”

He loosened his embrace slightly and spoke.

“Could you try on the dress now?”

Though it was an unexpected request, Anne nodded. It was only polite to the giver of the gift.

She walked to where the box was, lifted the luxurious dress, and held it up.

Evan pointed to a screen in the corner of the tent.

“Feel free to change over there.”

“Alright.”

Anne went behind the screen and started to undress. The cold night air gave her skin goosebumps.

As she struggled to figure out the dress’s form in her chemise, she spoke awkwardly.

“…When I get to the Vanessa family, someone there will help me dress, right?”

There would be numerous maids to assist her.

Evan, imagining her gracefully fitting into her new role as a noble lady, smiled contentedly.

“Yes.”

Anne finally managed to put on the dress, biting her lip. She had a question that had been on her mind.

With only about nine hours left until tomorrow, she had to ask now.

“…Will the daughter of Baron Vanessa ever see Duke Davis again?”

Evan hesitated at her question.

Though she was unsure of her intentions, one thing was clear.

It would be better for her not to be involved with him.

Evan closed his eyes and answered.

“That will not happen.”

Anne couldn’t hide her disappointment at his answer, but she was glad he wasn’t looking at her.

Her eyes were moist, and though she had finished dressing, she couldn’t bring herself to call him.

If Evan Davis had even the slightest interest in Anne Vanessa…

She thought she could play the role of a naive noble lady waiting indefinitely for her husband to return from war.

Unfortunately, it seemed his thoughts were different.

“It’s a pity. I wanted to show you a proper version of myself, not like this.”

At her words, Evan turned to look at her.

Even in the dim light of the tent, her eyes shone brightly, like summer greenery.

Embarrassed, her cheeks turned pink, and her strawberry-scented lips moved slightly.

The navy dress accentuated her fair skin. As she pushed her long hair over her shoulder, Evan was momentarily mesmerized.

Unacceptable desires welled up within him again. He wanted to take her to the Davis duchy now.

So no one else could see her.

So he could visit her every night.

His blue eyes darkened.

He wanted to learn again where she liked to be touched and where she was sensitive. Instead of holding onto fading memories…

He wanted to embrace her countless times.

Unaware of his thoughts, Anne smiled shyly and extended her right hand.

“Would you shake hands one last time?”

Evan, hiding his emotional turmoil, bowed slightly and answered.

“…Alright.”

It was a gesture of gratitude.

“Thank you for everything.”

It was a night of mixed feelings—regret and relief. And thus, their connection came to an end.