It was an impulsive action, done without much thought, just from watching him sleeping peacefully. She felt that if she could touch him, this strange feeling she’d been having might be resolved.

Just as she absently decided to reach for him, her hand was suddenly caught. Her eyes widened in surprise.

Soon, the man’s curtain-like eyelids that had been firmly closed lifted, revealing his violet eyes. With sleep-laden gaze, he looked at Aris’s face and her hand caught in his.

Aris showed a slightly bewildered expression before quickly stammering.

“Are you awake? I’m sorry if I woke you… I was surprised to see you here…”

Aris tried to pull her hand free from his grasp, but he held on firmly, making it impossible to move either way. Unable to bear the discomfort as she rolled her eyes around, she chose to try sitting up first.

“Ah…!”

However, a reflexive groan escaped as her eyes squeezed shut. Her waist felt like it was breaking, and her strength gave out, forcing her to lie back down.

It seemed the spot where she had hit the rock while fleeing from the monster was hurting.

“Don’t get up.”

Kalaian, who had been silent until now, stood up from the chair and approached. Still holding Aris’s hand, he sat down on the bed where she was lying.

Aris looked up at him with bewildered eyes. Kalaian leaned slightly toward Aris and cupped her cheek with his other hand.

“Your Highness…?”

“You were badly hurt. I was watching over you because you were groaning in pain while you slept.”

Hearing that, Aris opened her mouth blankly before closing it. What reason could this person have for nursing her? It was an utterly unbelievable fact.

Aris wanted to study his expression to understand his intentions. But his face was half-shadowed by the bed’s dark canopy.

Kalaian gently stroked Aris’s cheek with a touch tinged with carefulness. As he did so, he firmly pressed the hand that held hers on the opposite side.

In this strange and static situation, Aris couldn’t help but hear her own heartbeat. Her breathing trembled slightly.

“Your Highness, why are you…”

The question that burst out unbidden trailed off. A strange warmth emanating from Kalaian’s hands began to emit a faint light.

‘Magic…?’

Aris’s pain slowly began to subside. It felt like the warm energy he was transmitting was soothing her injuries.

This was the first time Aris had seen him use magic. In her past life, she had suspected he might have talent in magic, but she had never seen him handling magic, even in knight reports.

Their eyes met—his serious violet gaze—beneath the half-drawn canopy. He asked in a low voice.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes…”

Even if it was this man, she couldn’t complain about someone helping to heal her. When using healing magic on oneself, the effect wasn’t as good as when someone else did it.

“Where does it hurt?”

“I hit my back and waist…”

As Aris murmured softly, Kalaian’s hand left her cheek and settled near her waist. At some point, he must have changed into thin indoor clothes, and through them, she could feel his warmth.

Aris swallowed slightly. She could feel her face heating up in an instant. This definitely didn’t seem right.

“Um, Your Highness, you don’t have to do this…!”

“If we don’t treat it now, it will interfere with continuing the investigation. Perhaps you’re thinking of ending the exploration now and returning for treatment?”

Aris couldn’t easily answer his question. End the investigation here? Maybe that would be the right thing to do. A place where monsters appeared without rifts was too dangerous.

But, but… it felt like there would be something if they dug deeper here. No, there would definitely be some kind of clue.

After a brief hesitation, Aris spoke.

“No, I want to stay a bit longer… I know it’s dangerous, but could I investigate just a little more? There must be something hidden here…!”

Aris pleaded earnestly. She thought Kalaian would likely stop the investigation immediately and deploy knights considering the safety of the place. He was always a man who bore the duty of preparing for monsters and preventing dangers from spreading.

Kalaian held her hand more securely and said.

“Do as you wish, there’s no need to worry.”

Aris blinked at this unexpected response. Come to think of it, his questions from the start seemed to focus on continuing the investigation.

“Then, I should receive treatment now.”

Kalaian’s hand that was resting on Aris’s waist moved lightly. She flinched and reflexively grabbed his arm.

Whether her clothes were too thin or Kalaian’s body temperature was too hot, her senses were heightened sensitively from the unfamiliar warmth.

But Aris soon had no choice but to let go of his arm. As he said, she needed to treat her injuries to continue the investigation.

As Aris’s hand fell away hesitantly, Kalaian moved his still hand to slowly stroke her waist. As he did so, he pressed firmly at each spot his touch reached.

It was a respectful touch without any hint of impropriety, as if there was absolutely no other meaning to it. However, Aris alone burned with embarrassment, her face flushing red to her ears as she turned her head away.

Considering that she couldn’t raise her body, he personally slipped his hand under her lower back.

“Ah…!”

When he pressed a spot that was too painful, Aris let out a short groan. Kalaian’s hand stopped.

“Does it hurt here?”

As he carefully massaged that area, Aris unconsciously turned her head back to face him and took in his appearance.

Perhaps her eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now, as his face was clearer than before. Aris nodded while holding back physiological tears.

“There… that spot hurts. I think that’s where I hit it.”

She wasn’t even aware that she was gripping his hand more tightly. Kalaian carefully pressed that spot.

Aris kept her gaze fixed on his face as she blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. Soon after, a gentle warmth bloomed in her lower back. It was so warm that for a moment she felt like her body might melt.

Kalaian’s gaze, which had been focused on her waist area, rose to meet Aris’s stare. His eyes, which had been subtly rigid, met hers.

“…Does it hurt much?”

“No, now… it doesn’t hurt.”

“That’s good.”

Soon his magic ended, and Kalaian removed his hand from the affected area. Though it had been brief contact, when his warmth moved away, it felt like coldness was creeping in.

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.”

Aris sat up. Though she probably wasn’t completely healed, the pain had subsided considerably. She could finally sit up straight and face him properly.

“Rest a bit more today, and later we’ll discuss with Mishuan how to proceed with the investigation.”

“Proceed… You mean you’ll continue to stay with us?”

“We don’t know what might happen. It would be better if I’m nearby, if only to prepare for contingencies.”

“That’s true…”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave now. Please rest.”

Kalaian stood up from his seat. As he did so, he finally released Aris’s hand that he had been holding all along. Aris only then realized she had been holding hands with him and was flustered by herself.

As she was about to let him leave like this, a sudden question made her speak up.

“But Your Highness. How did you suddenly come here…?”

At Aris’s puzzled question, Kalaian stopped and turned back with a smile. It was a smile that conveyed reassurance just by looking at it.

“I heard your voice calling for me.”

With those final words, he left the bedroom. Aris just tilted her head, her questions still unresolved.

* * *

Aris was only able to meet with Mishuan and Kalaian after finishing lunch the next day. The two came directly to her room.

“Doctor, you’re a patient. Please stay seated on the bed.”

Aris tried to get up from the bed at their visit, but reluctantly leaned back against the headboard at Mishuan’s protest.

Mishuan naturally brought up the topic of discussion.

“Well then, we should have a meeting about future plans. Doctor, do you have any directions in mind?”

“First, although the original schedule was for two weeks… I’m thinking of staying until we have results, even if we need to extend the period. However, since His Highness said he’ll be joining us, we should move a bit more quickly…”

“Don’t worry about me. There’s no matter more important than this right now.”

“Ah, I see…! I’ll definitely achieve results so as not to waste your precious time.”

“There’s no need to feel pressured. No one knows how things will turn out.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

There might or might not be something in that place.

Somewhat reassured by Kalaian’s words, Aris began to explain the situation from before with a serious expression.

“That monster appeared from beneath the ground where the rift had existed. It’s either a monster that hadn’t been completely eliminated and was living underground, or something must have called it there.”

“Called it… This still doesn’t make any sense. The former case too. Isn’t a rift supposed to disappear only at the condition when all the monsters are eliminated?”

“That’s right, Sir Mishuan. But just because things have been that way until now doesn’t mean there’s absolutely no possibility of something different.”

Kalaian, who had been quietly listening to Aris’s words from the side, chimed in.