Ett looked back at Guren.
"I can't let you die yet, Your Majesty."
So let go of my hand, bro. It hurts! Get some heals!
"Let go."
There, I said it.
"Your Majesty, I said…"
"No."
"…"
No?
This asdklfjs.
He's not in his right mind.
What's his name again? The Palace Knight of mine?
"Ember, come here."
Not a moment later, Ett's Palace Knight, Ember, kneeled.
"Your Grace."
Guren muttered, "I don't like him."
"…"
You don't like everybody.
"Look for Butler Xiwen. His Majesty is sick."
"Yes."
"Quickly."
Seeing her knight, whom she just called Ember because of his eyes, Ett sighed.
This child won't let go of my hand at all.
"Your Majesty, my wrist hurts."
"Hm?"
Guren slowly let go.
Ah, thank you so much.
Ett covered her bruised wrist. She feels like Guren is a gecko.
"Then, I'll leave first, Your Majesty."
This is just a coincidence.
"Ugh."
Guren groaned. He closed his eyes as he grabbed his head in pain.
"Hahhh."
"…"
Ett wrung her new handkerchief. The one she had just wiped on Guren's forehead was thrown away on the side.
She looked at the place where her palace knight went out.
It'll take him a few minutes to come here.
But what should she do?!
No, she knows what to do. She got the gist.
Just as her mother always did to her. A temporary alternative.
The thing is, she doesn't want to get closer to Guren.
"Hgh. Hahh."
"…"
Chocolate cupcake.
There's more benefit to him recovering faster than to being bedridden for a week.
Fine!
With one last squeeze of her rolled-up ball of a handkerchief, Ett sat down, positioning herself as she said, "Put your head on my lap."
"Hm?"
"I'll massage, uh, relieve your aching head while waiting for Butler Xiwen."
Guren glared at her.
He doesn't want to.
Ett pursed her lips.
"If you get sick, Your Majesty, it'll pile on my table."
"Heh."
Only then did Guren close his eyes and concede.
Seriously, this kid is always suspicious.
Ett gently wiped the sweat on Guren's face and neck.
Her small fingers then pressed on his forehead. Reminiscing about how her mother would do it.
As she put a bit of pressure, Ett flinched.
Her left wrist ached. Still, Ett continued to do so.
"Ugh."
Guren frowned.
Somehow, the pain becomes bearable now.
Still, his headache is there.
Guren, with difficulty, tries to sit up, so Ett tries to pull him down onto her lap.
"What are you doing, Your Majesty?"
"I'm fine."
"…"
Yeah right. Who's fine? Acting tough?
Ett shook her head and, with all her might, pulled Guren down onto her lap.
Crack.
!!!!
Ett wanted to cry.
The scream of her wrist…could be heard far and wide.
Without a word, yet with just eye contact with Guren, she pursed her lips.
Ett, in all her silence and eye communication, was telling him to stay still for the love of her life.
This time, with her injured hand, the way she massaged Guren's head was soft to the point of a newborn chick pecking.
Why am I this weak? Can a person be this weak? Hey, whoever you are, do you want me to be so weak that it invokes the feeling of others protecting me so much?
I hate it! Ett hates it.
***
Guren stared at Ett.
Her eyes were indifferent, yet he knew she hid her pain. Just look at those eyes; they're glistening.
Guren wanted to poke it... And what a weak wrist indeed.
His eyes, which were blurry before, became less and less so as he stared at her.
A while ago, after dealing with internal matters in his study, Guren wanted to take a stroll.
If he is cooped up in his study chamber, he'll surely experience one of his most painful headaches again.
The pain this day was quite intense compared to yesterday. He couldn't sleep again.
There was that Nan Herb, but he is running out. Whenever he takes it, it would momentarily lessen his headache, and he can sleep for a minute or two, then he'll be awake again. That's without a dream.
Yet if he would sleep, there was no dream of something he no longer knew.
What he dreams of is the people he killed, burned, and pillaged. If it's these kinds of dreams, he'd better not sleep.
Those hands always try to reach out to him. The throne is always wet and sticky. He can smell blood in his dream. It was so distinct.
If he falls into his dream, who knows if it turns into reality again?
Just like last time.
Last time.
Ugh.
Guren gritted his teeth.
He needs that herb.
Badly.
When the Queen Dowager saw his pathetic state, he really wanted to get away.
This is not befitting an emperor.
Yet he is exceedingly useless now.
He hates his headache.
He hates it so much that he wants to bash his head and be done with it all. Kill. Kill.
Ah.
No.
His eyes twitched.
No. If he calls now, it'll be the person closest to him.
Useful. The Dowager is still useful.
Guren can't step inside his insanity again.
Well, was she not the closest he had been to her mother?
It was the day when she fainted in front of him, trying to escape as she pulled the lever stupidly.
Whenever her mother comes near him, it always smells of conspiracy and killing.
What does she want now?
Even to the extent of willingly setting his head on her lap?
Guren, whose mind is still aching, turned as fast as the wheels.
Feeling a flick of a finger between his brows, he squinted his eyes, seeing the ugly view of the queen dowager's nostril. She even has fat on her neck.
"Don't think. It's troublesome pressing it."
"…"
Since when did the Queen Dowager even know how to do this? Hm, does that mean she also experiences this kind of pain and hides it more secretly than he does?
Guren chuckled, earning another frown from feeling the nerves in his forehead beat.
Ah, as expected of the Queen Dowager, she's good at dealing with pain.
On the other hand, Ett was feeling weirded out by Guren's stare and the flicker of emotion he saw in them.
She really needs to leave this guy!
Why is Butler Xiwen taking so long?!
Where are you?!
Come quickly, ASAP. Ett really doesn't know how to deal with this kid.
Meanwhile, Ember quickly found Butler Xiwen, who was walking with Akan.
"Greetings, Adviser and Butler Xiwen."
Akan narrowed his eyes at him. "What's the matter? Why are you separated from the Empress Dowager?"
"Her Grace ordered me to look for Butler Xiwen. His Majesty is out cold in the garden."
"Goodness!"
Butler Xiwen immediately became worried.
"Quick, lead me!"
"Understood."
As they rushed down the second-floor aisle, Akan caught a glimpse of a silhouette from the window.
"Hold on. You too, Butler Xiwen."
Butler Xiwen turned back, rather irritated.
"Akan…what is it that needs your attention? His Majesty usually has more frequent headaches. If we don't bring him to Physician Fran, he'll go mad!"
Butler Xiwen angrily said.
However, Akan made a shushing motion. "Look outside this window."
"You..."
"Just look at it first!"
"What is it that I shou…huh?"
Butler Xiwen stared blankly.
Is he seeing things?
Akan, on the other hand, smiled playfully. "Isn't this what you've always wanted to see?"
"This…"
The three of them could see that, outside the window, in the nearby garden, Ett was taking care of Guren.
Yes, whatever the Empress Dowager is doing, it's still taking care of His Majesty.
"!!!"
Seeing a forceful pull of Ett when Guren was about to get up, Butler Xiwen wanted to jump.
That force. He is all too familiar with how weak Her Grace is.
"Don't."
Akan stopped him. "It's fine. A little sacrifice is a step ahead."
"What are you planning?"
Butler Xiwen couldn't help but ask suspiciously.
"Let Her Ladyship take care of her 'son' a bit more."
Akan suggested sheepishly. Then he turned to Ett's Palace Knight, Guren. "Go call Physician Fran to enter His Majesty's bedchamber an hour later and wait if His Majesty is not there yet."
Ember bowed, "Understood."
Akan and Butler Xiwen returned to watching Ett and Guren.
"What a beautiful painting? If time could stop, I would have the renowned painter come and quickly paint this scenery."
"It seems ignoble watching them like this…"
"Just a few more breaths. Isn't that a lovely paradise?"
Although Butler Xiwen admits it is indeed a rare sight, knowing His Majesty and his impeccable sense of someone watching them, he can't help but back away.
His Majesty does not like being observed.
"Akan."
"Then do you have any way to make them closer other than this so-called sickness?"
"…Still, what if His Majesty's headache gets worse?"
"Butler Xiwen, they say a mother's touch can heal a child's body and pierce its soul, reaching the inner part of a child's emotion."
"Adviser, you don't speak of mother and child to me when you don't have one."
Akan smiled. "You strike me badly with an arrow. Can I not read books and observe people to see so?"
"That's what you are doing, you heartless man."
"What do you mean?"
Akan does not understand it all.
"Enough with this talk. Don't you think I know you are doing this to prolong our stay here?"
Butler Xiwen glared at the laughing Akan.
"And here I thought I could open my heart a little bit more."
"Enough."
"Alright, alright. Let's leave them be."