ILOIML 05

Chapter 5

He stood in the center of the banquet hall and suddenly began to cry out loud.

People, shocked by his behavior, froze and stared at him—then screamed and stepped back.

I pushed through the crowd and stood in front of him.

Water had pooled at Leon’s feet. Drops were falling from the ends of his pants.

“Did you pee yourself?”

I blurted out in shock and quickly covered my mouth.

Then I grabbed him and looked around, trying to find someone to help.

The faces around us changed from shock to mockery. I could hear people trying to hold back their laughter.

“Your Highness.”

The Marchioness handed me a robe that looked like the Marquis’s.

I wrapped Leon in it and quickly left the banquet hall. She followed behind.

“I’ll go on ahead.”

The Marchioness gave a nod.

We got into the Marquis’s carriage.

Inside, Leon looked nervous, biting his lip and clenching his fists tightly.

“Leon. It’s okay.”

But he didn’t say a word.

When we arrived at the Marquis’s estate, Leon didn’t go into the mansion. He walked straight toward the garden.

I followed him, but he shouted,

“Don’t come!!”

His voice was so firm that I stopped right where I was.

What’s going on with him?

A while later, Leon returned—and his hands were a mess.

“Leon!! What happened to your hands?”

I cried out in shock.

“They hurt…”

He stumbled and collapsed into my arms.

Thankfully, the servants, who had come out when they heard we had arrived, helped move him to a guest bedroom.

What happened?

Why did Leon suddenly act like that?

While the servants washed and changed his clothes, I sat and thought deeply.

Everything had been fine at first… When did it start going wrong?

We greeted the nobles, sat down… and then both of us felt hot. Both of us?

Even now, I still felt feverish, like I was tipsy from alcohol.

What was it…? Something’s trying to come back to me…

Then I remembered—the chocolate the Marchioness had given us.

That damn chocolate.

We ate it together before the banquet.

Leon had eaten a lot. I only had a little.

What if there was something like a stimulant in it?

I remembered how anxious and out of control Leon had seemed.

Everything we had worked for almost came crashing down.

But thankfully, he managed to come to his senses for a moment—just long enough to make a scene and get us out of the banquet hall.

And now, I felt a deep rage at the Marchioness—someone I’d thought might actually be on our side.

“The wounds aren’t serious. I’ve applied ointment and wrapped them up,” said the Marquis’s family doctor before leaving.

I sat beside Leon, who was lying quietly on the bed.

I gently brushed back the hair that had fallen over his face.

“Still… you really peed in public? How were you going to deal with that later?”

I looked at him for a moment, then stepped out into the sitting room next to the bedroom.

I wanted to check the chocolates on the table—but they were gone.

“Where are the chocolates and candies that were here? Leon might ask for them when he wakes up.”

“Oh… I threw them out earlier. I’ll go get more.”

“No, it’s fine.”

In the end, I’d never know what the Marchioness had put in those chocolates.

Still… I guess it could’ve been worse. A hollow laugh slipped out.

I sat on the sofa in the room, watching Leon—then ended up falling asleep there.

I felt warmth, softness, something firm but cozy…

Suddenly, something felt off, and I opened my eyes wide.

Why the heck was I sleeping in Leon’s arms?!

I shot up and looked at him in shock.

Leon was staring at me with bright, wide eyes. The bedroom was glowing with soft morning sunlight.

“Why am I lying here like this?”

I jumped up, laughing awkwardly.

I must’ve fallen asleep on the sofa and, without realizing it, crawled into a more comfortable spot.

“Bella is bad, a wolf. You said all women are wolves, and now you’re the wolf!”

Leon pulled the blanket up over his head and shouted.

Is he insane? Seriously?

I felt wronged and angry—but then I looked at Leon’s bandaged hands, tightly holding onto the blanket, and my anger quickly turned into pity.

“Leon, is your hand okay?”

“Don’t change the subject. You’re a wolf.”

Seriously?

“Bella, yesterday… I got really, really angry. I wanted to destroy everything. I even wanted to destroy that pig’s house. But I’m okay now. Hehe.”

Leon grinned brightly, lowered the blanket, and sat up.

“You held it in well. Let’s write that down as a record.”

I walked over and patted his head.

“But do you remember calling me Bella yesterday? I think that’s the first time you said my name properly.”

“I did? Me? Do you like Bella more than Bell-bell? Then I’ll just call you that from now on!!”

His flustered face almost made me laugh out loud.

“No, I like Bell-bell more.”

I quickly wiped the smile from my face.

“Call the servants and wash your face. I’ll go visit my parents real quick. I didn’t even get to greet them properly after last night.”

“Okay, come back soon.”

* * *

Leon let out a deep sigh as he stared at the door Bella had just left through.

He looked down at the bandages wrapped around his hands. Then, when one of the older servants, John, entered the room with others to assist him, Leon signaled him with his eyes.

“The water’s cold now. Bring me warm tea and some fresh washing water.”

John checked the temperature and gave instructions to the others.

“Yes, sir.”

Once the other servants left, John came closer. Leon said to him:

“We need to look into what happened yesterday. It felt like a stimulant.”

“I’ve already called for Stevan.”

Stevan had stayed behind in the capital, cleaning up his identity, and was working as an informant while Leon’s people moved to Aster. Leon had been getting updates through him.

“Yesterday, all I did was drink tea and eat chocolate with the Marquis and Marchioness… that’s it. Chocolate, yeah.”

“If the lady was involved… will you be okay with that?”

Suddenly, Bella’s worried eyes flashed in Leon’s mind, along with the memory of what he did in the middle of the banquet hall. That scene was the strongest move he could’ve made to escape… but still, it had crushed his pride.

His face turned red with embarrassment.

What would Bella think if she ever found out he wasn’t some fool?

His mind went blank at the thought. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm himself.

‘Bella was never part of my plans for the future… So why do I care so much?’

He shook his head firmly.

“If she’s involved, then she’s involved. That’s it.”

“You seem to be getting along with the two nobles recently.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Hey, throw that water on me.”

Leon pointed at the washbasin. Without hesitation, John dumped the water over him.

John always obeyed Leon’s orders instantly. Though he now acted like a friendly old servant, he had once been the captain of the emperor’s secret guard.

“John! Gently! I didn’t tell you to soak me that hard!”

Leon clicked his tongue and shook off the water from his hair, then bolted out of the bedroom.

John shook his head as he watched Leon run off ridiculously.

“He’s secretly enjoying all this, isn’t he?”

Leon ran down the hallway with loud, clumsy steps.

“Your Highness, the Archduchess went to the Marchioness’s room,” a maid said as she stepped aside for him and bowed.

Leon ran even faster and arrived at the Marchioness’s room. Before the maids outside could stop him, he flung the door open. He never cared about appearances.

“No, I’m telling you—!”

The Marchioness, who rarely raised her voice, shouted and looked stunned when Leon barged in.

Bella was already there, standing and staring at the Marchioness.

When she saw Leon come in, her angry expression softened, and she approached him.

“Leon, what’s wrong?”

“I spilled the wash water. Because Bella didn’t help me wash, I got mad and dumped it all. I’m angry.”

“Then let’s get you changed right away. You’ll catch a cold.”

John and the other servants came running after him.

“I’m sorry, my lady. Sir. Let’s go back to your room now.”

“Leon, I’ll come soon, so go change first. If you catch a cold, I’ll feel bad.”

“…Okay.”

Leon held tightly onto the robe John had wrapped around him and kept glancing back at Bella as he left the room.