Chapter 3
His eyes slowly rose from the bottle of medicine he had just emptied onto her other leg and met hers. Through the strands of hair hanging over his forehead, one eyebrow lifted slightly.
“Because you looked like you were in pain. I don’t like seeing people in pain.”
“…Duke Grixia.”
“Ereb.”
“…What?”
After pouring the very last drop of medicine onto her leg, he spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Ereb Sans Obenil Grixia. I don’t like complicated names, so just call me Ereb. Or Rev, if that’s easier.”
Perdia’s expression twisted subtly at his words.
A smile once again appeared on his lips.
“I look forward to getting along with you, Fedi.”
What in the world is going on?
Perdia stared at him with a bewildered expression.
Seeing her reaction, Ereb chuckled softly.
“So you can make expressions like that too?”
“W-What did you just say?”
“So you can make expressions like that too?”
“No, not that!!”
Perdia shouted in frustration.
Ereb merely shrugged before taking another vial from the box and holding it out to her.
She looked at the bottle before shifting her gaze away.
Seeing her reaction, he spoke lazily.
“Why make it so complicated? I just don’t like long names.”
That still doesn’t explain why you’re calling me “Fedi.”
Perdia looked into his black eyes before narrowing hers.
“Were your eyes always that color? They were crimson before.”
“Oh, these?”
Ereb smiled faintly.
His black eyes swept over her.
Then, in an instant—
They turned a dark crimson.
At the same time, the atmosphere around him changed completely.
A terrifying pressure burst forth from him.
Simply being close to him made her skin tingle.
The murderous aura surrounding him was enough to make Perdia instinctively recoil.
Seeing her flinch, he closed his eyes again.
“It’s a characteristic of the Grixia family.”
“…A family trait?”
“You certainly have a lot of questions.”
He pointed lazily at the medicine bottle with a finger.
“We have plenty of time. Let’s finish treating you first. I don’t really feel like having a long conversation while you’re sitting there looking injured.”
He tilted his chin toward the bottle.
“The external wounds can mostly be treated like this, but for your internal injuries, you’ll have to drink the medicine.”
His arm reached toward her leg.
“Excuse me.”
As he spoke, his large hand gently wrapped around her calf.
He carefully pressed along the muscles and tendons.
Startled by the sudden contact, Perdia instinctively tried to pull her leg away.
But she still lacked the strength.
Her leg remained firmly in his grasp.
“Don’t move.”
“I can’t treat you if you keep struggling.”
“…Treat me?”
She lowered her head slightly.
His blond hair swayed softly.
His warm fingers carefully loosened the stiff muscles while tracing the damaged tendons.
The refreshing scent of mint drifted from him.
Perdia silently watched his fingers as they gently examined her injured leg.
His touch was astonishingly careful.
It was difficult to believe this was the same man who wielded the Sword of Desire, cutting down countless people before finally defeating even her.
He felt entirely different from the man she’d faced on the battlefield.
His expression was softer.
His face far more expressive.
“Drink.”
“…Huh?”
“The medicine.”
“I’ve finished setting everything.”
Pulled from her thoughts by his voice, Perdia blinked in confusion.
His gaze shifted toward the bottle still sitting in her hand.
Understanding what he meant, she nodded, slowly removed the cork, and carefully drank the medicine.
The instant it touched her tongue—
An indescribable bitterness exploded in her mouth.
Her face twisted dramatically.
“Oh, right.”
“That’s extremely bitter.”
“You should drink it slowly.”
“…”
Could you have mentioned that a little earlier, you bastard?!
Fighting the overwhelming bitterness—a flavor so awful it felt sinful just to let it touch her tongue—Perdia forced the medicine down her throat.
Oddly enough, she could distinctly feel every drop sliding down her esophagus.
“…Ugh.”
“Damn it…”
She muttered under her breath as she finished the bottle and placed the empty vial on the table.
“One more.”
“…What?”
“The recommended dosage for adults is two bottles.”
“…”
Is this medicine or a vitamin supplement?
Her face darkened.
If someone had told her Ereb had called her here simply to torment her, she almost would have believed it.
He poured countless medicines down her throat, rubbed expensive ointments over every injury, and subjected her to hours of treatment that felt like torture.
Yet, proportional to all that suffering…
Her condition improved at an unbelievable rate.
Even with proper medical care, her wounds and internal injuries should have required at least two months to heal completely.
But the medicines Ereb forced her to drink and the ointments he gave her to apply to her hands and feet were beyond anything she had ever imagined.
As a result, only two hours later—
Perdia found herself completely restored.
She stared blankly at her own hands and feet.
The reaction was only natural.
After carefully examining her condition one last time, Ereb smiled in satisfaction and closed the medicine box.
Click.
The sound of the lid snapping shut brought Perdia back to reality.
She looked toward him.
Carrying the box back to where it had originally been, Ereb returned to his seat.
“Anywhere else bothering you?”
“I… don’t think so.”
“What about nausea?”
“Any weakness in your hands?”
“Difficulty circulating mana?”
She slowly shook her head.
Ereb nodded.
He sat back in his chair, leaned comfortably against the backrest, and closed his eyes.
Perdia simply stared at him.
…What is going on?
She couldn’t understand this situation.
Just a short while ago…
She had been chained inside an underground prison, praying only that her inevitable death wouldn’t be too painful.
During the trial…
She had desperately hoped they would at least grant her a peaceful execution.
Instead, they enthusiastically discussed horrifying punishments.
Being burned alive.
Flayed alive.
Dismembered.
It had felt as though her entire world had collapsed.
So the ending of this damned novel had changed…
And I was going to die such a horrific death.
She had wanted to reject that fate with every fiber of her being.
But she was a criminal here.
No one would save her.
Her kingdom had fallen.
Perdia had been abandoned.
There was nowhere left for her to turn.
Yet…
The trial had suddenly been suspended.
She had been brought here.
The man who defeated her had devoted himself entirely to healing her.
Now he sat calmly with his eyes closed.
Compared to the emotionless reaper she’d met on the battlefield—the man with those dark crimson eyes—he looked unbelievably relaxed.
Moreover…
Perdia was a knight.
And not just any knight.
One of the strongest.
The Empire had understood that immediately.
After capturing her, the first thing they did was sever the tendons in her legs.
Then they deliberately underfed her, lowering her physical condition until she couldn’t even resist.
They had made absolutely certain she could never fight back.
Yet this same man—
The one who affectionately called her “Fedi”—
Had painstakingly restored her to perfect health.
Despite knowing she had regained her full strength…
He simply sat there with his eyes closed.
It was like watching someone fall asleep with their head resting inside a predator’s jaws.
He looked completely defenseless.
It almost felt as though she could move this very instant…
Snap his neck…
And escape.
But—
“…Why did you heal me?”
That was the real question.
She looked at him with undisguised suspicion.
Why?
Is this some new kind of torture?
Weren’t you going to kill me?
Why spend a fortune healing me first?
Or are you planning to use me for something…?
Countless thoughts churned through her mind.
She bit her lip.
She wanted an answer.
“Does it bother you?”
Without opening his eyes, he spoke.
Perdia shook her head.
“No.”
“But weren’t you planning to kill me anyway?”
“What’s the point of spending all this money healing someone who’s just going to die?”
“And what if I decide to cause trouble now that I’m healthy again?”
“What if I go on a rampage?”
Once she started asking questions, she couldn’t stop.
Every sentence ended with another question.
She hated feeling like she was the only one demanding answers.
But she had to know.
She had to know…
What awaited her.
Slowly, Ereb opened his eyes.
His black gaze settled on her.
Then he spoke.
“Fedi.”
“Would you stop calling me that?”
“You don’t have to be so cold.”
“We’ve been given plenty of time.”
“Shouldn’t we at least grow a little closer?”
Perdia frowned.
“Listen…”
“Ereb.”
He smiled.
“Not something so formal.”
“Call me Ereb.”
“Or Rev.”
“If you think of another nickname, that’s fine too.”
“Just call me comfortably.”
“…”
So this is what people mean when they say they’re too dumbfounded to even respond.
It honestly felt like he was carrying on an entire conversation by himself.
“Du—”
“Ereb.”
“Would you—”
“Ereb.”
“Stop—”
“Ereb.”
He had been lounging lazily in his chair.
Then, before she even realized it—
He was suddenly right in front of her.
The cool scent of mint filled her senses once more.
“I’d really like it if you called me that…”
The corners of his lips curled upward into a gentle smile.
“…Fedi?”
Still overwhelmed by his inexplicable kindness…
And now faced with his almost childish insistence that she call him by name…
Perdia slowly raised both hands in surrender.
“…Fine.”
“Ereb.”
“That sounds much better.”
Satisfied, he leaned back into his chair once more and closed his eyes.
Watching how effortlessly he dictated the pace of every conversation, Perdia silently pressed her lips together.
“I know you have a lot of questions.”
“But I can’t answer them yet.”
“…Why?”
“Because your opinion matters.”
“My… opinion?”
“Your will.”
“Your opinion.”
“Your thoughts.”
“Your judgment.”
“Your perspective.”
“Your conclusions.”
“Your convictions.”
“And…”
He opened his eyes once more.
“…Your voice.”
“…What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I want to give you a choice.”
“…A choice?”
He nodded.
Then he leaned forward slightly and slowly spoke.
“So…”
“Do you want to die?”
Perdia looked into his black eyes, unable to discern his intentions.
He simply waited.
Silently.
Patiently.
For her answer.
She examined her own body.
Her condition was perfect.
Her sword was gone.
But if she escaped this room…
She believed she could still flee.
Even if this was the Imperial Palace…
If she truly committed herself, escape might still be possible.
But the risk was enormous.
She had already prepared herself to die.
She simply refused to die horribly.
Being impaled.
Burned alive.
Flayed alive.
She wanted none of it.
If this man intended to kill her…
And if he would at least grant her a painless death…
Wouldn’t accepting it be the wiser choice?
She bit her lip while meeting his gaze.
One question still lingered in her heart.
Why did he heal me?
Was he trying to save me?
But she was a criminal.
To the Empire…
She was likely the greatest criminal of all.
Her execution was inevitable.
The only uncertainty was how she would die.
Yet…
If she answered that she wanted to live…
Would he actually let her?
