MEXH • 15

<CHAPTER 15>

Even In This Life, To Me

There was no time to argue.

She had not examined him directly or checked his condition up close, so she could not be completely certain, but if things continued like this he would suffer for quite a long time.

The thought slipped out as a murmur before she realized it, her mind still blank from shock.

When Evelyn lifted her head with a start, Rexfail was looking down at her with a hardened expression.

“Then why is something like that in this house?”

“That is…”

She did not know.

The person standing before him now was not Raven Marshall.

She was a woman who had been born Evelyn Dame Embrio and died as Evelyn La Dame Delphin.

But she could not possibly tell him that truth.

There was only one thing Evelyn could say now.

“My memories…”

Crash!

Rexfail, who had been drinking the tea Gail had just brought, suddenly hurled the teacup in his hand at Evelyn.

It did not hit her, but it flew past and shattered against the wall.

Fragments grazed her cheek and left a small cut.

“Your memory conveniently recalls only what you need.”

Evelyn chose to keep her mouth shut.

There was nothing she could say.

Accusing gazes pierced her.

Evelyn felt suffocated because she could not explain that her mind was just as tangled as theirs.

“Fenril.”

The hand that had been holding the teacup now demanded a sword.

Fenril instantly understood his lord’s intention and did not hesitate.

Rexfail grabbed the sword offered with its hilt facing him and drew it.

The long blade was immediately pointed at Evelyn.

“You dared to deceive the Crown Prince of Delpeo.”

“You cannot claim your death would be unjust.”

The resentment of a man filled with humiliation and betrayal trembled within the extended blade.

Evelyn stared at the sword, its edge sharpened and gleaming coldly.

Are you asking for my life again… even in this life?

In her previous life, she had given her life for him in a sacrifice he had never asked for.

Yet even in this life.

Was it right for her to become entangled with him again like this?

Was it right to give up her life again?

No answer came to her thoughts, and death was already right before her eyes.

Rexfail’s sword touched Evelyn’s neck.

Having reached that conclusion, Evelyn moved.

“What are you doing to His Highness—!”

Ducking her body to slip past Vane who tried to grab her, Evelyn rushed forward and threw herself toward Rexfail.

Fenril let out a low sound and reached out, but Vane’s body blocked him and he failed to catch Evelyn.

She leapt straight onto the bed, grabbed Rexfail by the jaw, and kissed him.

Pulling his forehead back while gripping his jaw, she forced his mouth open.

Pressing down on Rexfail’s tongue with her own, she pushed the antidote in her mouth into his.

She felt his throat move as he swallowed.

After confirming that the medicine had gone down safely, Evelyn tried to pull away.

But Vane suddenly grabbed her by the hair.

“Ugh!”

He yanked roughly, throwing Evelyn down from the bed.

The only one who approached to check on her was Gail.

Everyone else rushed to check the Crown Prince’s condition.

While they stared in shock at Rexfail, whose condition had visibly stabilized, Evelyn rose with Gail’s help and straightened her clothes.

“His breathing has stabilized.”

“His pulse, which had been erratic, is steady now.”

Even without the physician’s words, Rexfail’s condition had clearly improved compared to before he took the medicine.

The bluish pallor that had made him look as if he were dying had faded, and color had returned to his face.

The muscles that had been convulsing violently were gradually relaxing.

Vane turned toward Evelyn with an expression that was difficult to describe.

His face looked relieved, yet unwilling to thank her.

Evelyn lifted the remaining medicine on the table.

“He has to take the rest as well.”

When she shook the measuring cup, the remaining liquid slid down the inner wall.

Vane stared at the liquid leaving trails on the transparent glass before reaching out his hand.

He meant to feed it himself.

Evelyn pulled the cup back and raised one eyebrow.

“It would be troublesome if you spilled this.”

“I can’t make the same medicine again with the remaining ingredients.”

Vane bit his lip in dissatisfaction.

Evelyn picked up the knife used for cutting herbs and handed it to him.

“Hold this instead.”

“If His Highness’s condition worsens, stab me.”

Then she pushed Vane aside as if opening a door and approached Rexfail again.

His complexion had improved compared to before, but he was still pale.

Cold sweat covered his skin, and his expression was tense, whether from pain or the taste of the medicine.

“Drink.”

She lightly tapped his lips with her bent index finger.

His mouth opened slightly by reflex, but not enough.

Tilting her head curiously, Evelyn signaled again for him to open his mouth.

This time, however, his lips closed tightly instead.

Looking at his firmly shut mouth, Evelyn frowned.

Why?

After staring down at Rexfail with a troubled expression, Evelyn took the medicine into her mouth again.

Just as before, she approached him and held his forehead and jaw to align their mouths.

She gently parted his lips and began pushing the medicine in.

At that very moment.

A warm tongue suddenly slipped forward as if coming to meet her and began stealing the medicine.

Evelyn slowly relaxed her body and allowed him to take it.

The man who was taking the medicine trembled slightly.

His tongue, his lips, his entire body quivered faintly.

Then moisture touched the place where their lips met.

Rexfail?

Evelyn, who had been calmly passing the medicine to him, flinched in surprise.

At that moment.

The tongue that had been retreating suddenly caught hers.

It wrapped around and dragged it into the other mouth, biting down hard.

Evelyn frowned and let out a muffled groan.

Rexfail grabbed her hair and spoke in a chilling voice.

“Embrio’s.”

Her upper body was forced upright as she met his burning red eyes filled with rage.

“Dog.”

The face of someone deeply humiliated was there.

Even if someone had been drenched in filth, they would not have looked like that.

Like a man splashed with ice water, Rexfail stared at Evelyn coldly.

“You deceived me.”

As Rexfail sat up, Evelyn’s body bent farther and farther backward.

Unable to maintain her balance, she was pushed to the limit.

“It hurts…”

His other hand rose and gripped her throat.

Her breathing was cut off instantly, and Evelyn struggled desperately.

“Your Highness!”

While Fenril and Vane only watched, Gail rushed forward between them.

Rexfail did not even spare the servant a glance.

His darkened eyes were fixed only on the unfamiliar woman he believed had pretended to be his fiancée.

“Please!”

With a desperate voice, Gail looked at Evelyn.

His gaze asked whether he could speak.

Evelyn shook her head slightly and signaled for him to stay silent.

Gail’s face twisted in pain.

In the end he could not ignore Evelyn’s refusal.

Instead he clung silently to Rexfail’s arm.

“Your Highness, please…”

At that moment, Gail’s bangs shifted as he struggled with the unmoving arm, revealing his eyes.

Rexfail shoved him away immediately.

“I told you not to show your eyes.”

Gail collapsed onto the floor and hurriedly covered his eyes with his hair again.

Meanwhile Evelyn gasped for air.

Haa… ha…

As Evelyn struggled like a trapped deer, the others attended to the Crown Prince.

When he stood and stepped down from the bed, Vane looked at him with concern.

“Are you alright?”

The Crown Prince rejected the helping hand with only a glance and walked toward the window.

Outside, the peaceful yard where herbs and flowers had been growing was now in chaos because of the horses brought by the Crown Prince’s men.

“Explain.”

At that moment a faint sound came from outside.

Vane stepped out, opened the door, spoke briefly with someone, and returned with something in his hand.

He handed it directly to the Crown Prince.

“This was found in this house.”

A heavy silence followed.

Standing with the moon behind him, Rexfail slowly read the papers in his hand.

After finishing the last page, he crumpled them slightly and threw them at Evelyn.

Curiosity came before humiliation.

What on earth had they found?

Evelyn hurriedly caught the papers.

Because others were blocking the light, it was difficult to read the contents.

Still, she strained her eyes in the darkness and focused on the text.

Information… about me?

There was information about Evelyn.

What she liked to eat.

What she liked to wear.

What she did during her free time.

It was not completely accurate, but it was a report that described in detail the image she had shown to the outside world.

“Why is something like this…”