Chapter 76
76. Half Success
The sound of dripping water echoed loudly in the silent room. Adelaide wiped Callion’s face with a washcloth, then stroked his cheek with the back of her hand.
Callion fainted in front of the carriage and was unable to open his eyes for two full days.
Malnourished, overworked, sleep deprived, and a little sunstroke. The doctor’s words that it was a miracle he’d lasted this long kept echoing in her ears.
Adelaide put down the cold towel and trickled some sugar water between his charred lips.
He needed to regain consciousness to eat soup, at least. With him unable to regain his senses, there was little else she could do.
Slowly finishing the small cup of sugar water, she put the empty bowl away and gently wiped the dripping corners of his mouth with her handkerchief. It was better than yesterday, but still lacked vitality.
Looking over at the shivering Callion, Adelaide gingerly took his hand. Tears kept welling up as she felt his bony fingers, now protruding.
“……Open your eyes, Callion.”
‘We haven’t seen each other in a week; don’t you want to see my face?’
When he didn’t answer, Adelaide rubbed his face in her hands. She wished he would wake up so she could pet him affectionately.
“Your Grace.”
A voice knocked on the door, and Adelaide let go of his hand and stole a glance.
“Come in.”
Lucid stepped quietly into the room, his footsteps muffled.
“How is he feeling?”
“Just sleeping.”
The voice that came out of her mouth trembled slightly. Lucid tried to sound cheerful.
“He hasn’t slept in nearly a week, so he has every right to be tired. Don’t worry too much. He’ll wake up soon enough.”
“I hope so.”
She replied with clumsy comfort. Lucid shook his head slightly at her precarious appearance.
She’d pretended to be fine when His Grace wasn’t around.
He remembered Margaret’s words, shuffling her feet, that she’d hardly eaten since she’d locked herself in her room to nurse Callion.
Even if Lucid told the maids to take care of Callion and rest, she wouldn’t listen.
Lucid, feeling pathetic, spoke quickly.
“The people His Grace protected set out for the Marquisate of Alberden this morning. Julian and Cardinal Dorfmann followed, so I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“Yes.”
“The Imperial Council has decided to sweep this under the carpet. They say that Duke Howard has approved.”
Adelaide nodded dryly. Her gaze was still fixed on Callion.
Whatever he said seemed inaudible. Lucid, who had intended to inform her of news from various places, remained silent.
“I’ll report the rest to His Grace when he wakes up.”
“As you wish.”
“I’ll leave then.”
When Lucid left, the room fell silent again. Adelaide leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face roughly.
The progress of the plan hadn’t deviated from expectations. They hadn’t achieved everything they wanted, but it was half a success.
Word quickly spread that Callion had risked his life to defend the poor. Rumours also spread that the Emperor had turned the slums into Velido fields and tried to kill the poor when he was found out.
It was never officially made an issue, but the cumulative effect of these things would be enough to put a dent in Elkius. But…
……What’s the point?
Adelaide couldn’t clear her mind and continued to stare at Callion hopelessly.
They didn’t need to go this far.
It would have been more advantageous to watch Elkius’s atrocities and publicize his wrongdoings after the incident was over, inciting people’s anger. Callion would have known that too.
…What a foolish person.
She swallowed back a lump of emotion and pressed her ear to his chest. There was a slow, deep throbbing beneath the lean but still firm muscles. The warmth of his body against hers was a little reassuring.
Listening to his heart, Adelaide slowly closed her eyes. Tears trickled down her face.
“……del…….”
The voice sounded so faintly familiar. It must be a dream. Just as she thought so, a familiar hand wiped away the tears.
Adelaide jerked to her feet.
Black eyes, as clear as the night sky, stared back at her. She didn’t even have time to respond to his call.
“Adele…….”
A large hand cupped her face with difficulty. The drops of water were familiar and welcome.
“Callion, hmph…… Callion…….”
The sobs were muffled and deep. Callion opened his mouth with a faint smile.
“Why are you…… crying, when I’m so…… fine.”
“How can you be fine? You’ve been sick for two days, and you’ve been……!”
Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped them down her cheeks angrily.
“So now… do you… understand… how I felt… every time… you were in pain?”
Feelings of relief and apology flooded in. She wanted to smile at his reassuring face, but she couldn’t find the words.
Adelaide buried her head in his arms and cried for a long time.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Callion regained consciousness and slept for another day. Adelaide stayed awake for another night, too.
“I wonder who the sick person is.”
“Except for Your Grace, everyone else knows. Come on, eat this.”
Adelaide, who had shrugged off Callion’s joke, held out a bowl. It was a soup of finely ground meat.
She’d made the soup with all the care she could muster, following the doctor’s insistence that he start with something bland to keep him from getting sick, but Callion was not amused.
“You don’t have to treat me like a patient anymore.”
“Save that talk for the mirror.”
Callion smirked at the barbed reply and accepted the bowl. A hint of mischief flickered up and down his face.
He glanced at her, still not smiling, and drained the soup in silence.
“Now lie down.”
Adelaide patted the mattress as soon as the empty bowl was put away. Callion frowned slightly.
“I haven’t even digested it yet.”
“It’ll digest if you lie down. Haven’t you heard that eating well and resting deeply help you recover faster?”
“I’m too tired to sleep.”
“Then at least keep your eyes closed.”
“Ha.”
Reluctantly, Callion lay down. Adelaide finally relaxed, satisfied that her opinion had been heeded
This angle isn’t so bad.
Well, no angle could make her beautiful face look bad.
Callion watched her dampen a towel with her small hands.
The way she wiped his face and hands with the wet towel was quite erotic. It was awkward to be the recipient after always being the giver, but it wasn’t bad.
“I guess it’s okay to be sick sometimes.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Then will you take care of me even when I’m not in pain?”
Adelaide stopped fiddling with the towel and looked away. He chuckled and quickly pressed his lips to the back of her hand.
‘That’s not fair, really.’
He squeezed Adelaide’s hand and whispered,
“I see the bruises aren’t all gone yet.”
“They’re all healed; I’m fine now.”
“How did you manage while I was away?”
“Just… the same as usual.”
Callion lightly laughed at her clumsy lie. It had only been a day or two. If she couldn’t be honest, then he should be.
“I haven’t been doing well, though.”
The pretty eyes wavered visibly. Callion didn’t hesitate to add.
“I could endure everything else, but I couldn’t stand not seeing you.”
“…….”
“You didn’t miss me?”
Her pale lips trembled. Adelaide hesitated, then answered quietly.
“I…”
“My Lady, may I come in?”
Unfortunately, the words he hoped she would say were not heard. Callion gave Margaret a resentful glance as she entered the room before withdrawing it.
Margaret, who had brought clean towels and clothes, set them down on the nightstand. Adelaide’s gaze fell on the handkerchief on top.
It was a familiar handkerchief. The white handkerchief was handed to her by the stranger at the first banquet.
“By the way, I found it; it’s at the bottom of the handkerchief drawer.”
Margaret, who added that she had washed it and put it away, quickly left the room.
Adelaide’s eyes deepened as she picked up the pure white handkerchief. The softness of it in her hand was just as she remembered it.
The corner of her mouth twitched up at the memory of that day again.
“Did you still have it?”
“What?”
Her head snapped up at the sound of the words.
‘What do you mean, Did you still have it…….?’
“Is this handkerchief…?”
“It’s mine.”
“Well, then, did you give it to me……?”
“You didn’t know it was mine?”
Callion asked in disbelief as he sat up. He chuckled to himself as she blinked in disbelief.
No way.
At her look of disbelief, Callion snatched the handkerchief away from her and pointed to the embroidery at the top of her head.
“V.I. Veronica Isulandt, my grandmother’s initials.”
Those were her initials. She’d thought the cursive letters meant a number, and she’d looked up every family name with a six in it. Except for Callion, of course.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I thought you were deliberately pretending not to know.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
When she protested that he was the only one who cared about her at the first banquet she ever attended, how could he pretend not to know, He patted her on the head.
“I was wearing a uniform that day, so I never thought you wouldn’t recognize me.”
“It was night, and…… I didn’t even know what a crown prince’s uniform was.”
Adelaide answered with an embarrassed face. Callion’s eyes twinkled softly.
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