TGDHC Chapter 184

Chapter 184 – Giving Illness and Giving Medicine

Lucion had just started to stand when his body fell backward and landed on top of me.

At the same time, light burst out from my hand and blocked the falling backdrop first.

With a huge crash, the backdrop shattered. The others behind it fell like dominoes and collapsed over us.

Boom!

“…!”

I had shut my eyes tightly, but soon I opened them, coughing.

Dust floated thickly in the air.

Thankfully, neither of us was crushed. The falling backdrops had hit the wall at an angle and created a small space underneath.

But we were trapped by the collapsed panels.

“Your Highness, are you alright?” I asked.

“…I-I’m sorry!”

Lucion quickly lifted himself off me, flustered.

Only then did I hear Cecilia’s sharp scream and Norton shouting outside.

“Your Highness!”

“Can you hear me? Please answer!”

“Oh my goodness! Wasn’t the Prince with her?”

“Are you alright? Move the panels carefully!”

I could hear them pushing, but instead of helping, the backdrops shifted slightly, as if they might fall further.

“Damn it!” Norton cursed.

“Call a mage! Hurry!”

“Your Highness!” Cecilia was almost crying.

I quickly shouted, “I’m fine!”

“Your Highness!” Cecilia yelled through a tiny crack between the panels. “Are you hurt?”

“Both the Prince and I are safe!”

Norton spoke with a trembling voice. “A mage will be here soon. Please hold on!”

They were afraid that touching the panels carelessly would make them collapse more.

That was wise.

I looked at the panels barely holding against the wall and told them to take their time. Then I stepped back.

The floor was covered with broken pieces of the backdrop I had shattered.

‘I should stay low until they rescue us.’

I pushed the pieces aside with my foot and made space to sit.

“Your Highness, please sit down too—!”

When I turned to Lucion, I froze.

Red blood was running down from his smooth white forehead.

“Your Highness! You’re bleeding!”

“…It’s fine.”

“It is not fine!”

Thick drops of blood were falling past his chin.

I quickly pulled him down to sit. One shoulder of his cream-colored shirt was already soaked red.

When I brushed aside his blood-soaked hair, I saw a deep cut on his forehead.

A piece of the shattered backdrop must have hit him. The cut was just above his eyebrow. If it had been slightly lower, it could have injured his eye.

I hurriedly took out my handkerchief and pressed it against the wound.

Thankfully, Ramondria had sewn a small pocket into my dress belt, so I had one with me.

The cloth soaked through quickly, and I kept adjusting it while pressing the wound.

Lucion stared at me blankly.

‘He didn’t hit his head too hard, did he?’

I had meant to pull him away to save him, but it ended up looking like I used him as a shield.

And now his forehead looked like this.

Blood kept flowing.

“…There’s a lot of blood,” I muttered, my voice shaking.

“It’s alright.”

No, it’s not alright! You can’t even see how bad it is!

Cold sweat ran down my back.

“More importantly, I haven’t even thanked you yet,” Lucion said, his face pale. “I owe you my life. I will repay this debt.”

“That’s not necessary…”

“If you hadn’t pulled me, I would have died.”

That wasn’t wrong, so I stayed silent.

After hesitating, he asked carefully,

“The light earlier… was that…?”

‘Of course he saw it.’

I bit the inside of my cheek.

I only thought it was dangerous, and my holy power burst out again on its own.

I thought I had learned to control it better.

Before I could think of an excuse—

“…Perhaps I was mistaken,” Lucion said quietly, lowering his eyes.

It sounded like he wouldn’t ask more if I didn’t want to answer.

“…Maybe you were,” I replied slowly.

He nodded. “I see.”

And he didn’t ask again.

I felt ridiculous.

Holy power is supposed to heal people, right?

How did I manage to hurt someone with it instead?

‘Wait… I’ve been pressing for a while. Why won’t it stop bleeding?’

Lucion’s face was getting paler.

‘Is he going into shock?’

Then a crazy thought came to me.

‘Can’t I just heal him?’

Miel had recently taught me the theory of healing. I hadn’t practiced yet, since no one was injured before.

I glanced at Lucion.

‘He saw the light and still kept quiet.’

For some reason, I felt he wouldn’t reveal it even if he saw holy power clearly.

His eyes were slowly closing.

“Your Highness! Stay awake! Don’t close your eyes!”

He blinked slowly. His lips had already turned pale blue.

Without thinking further, I placed my hand on his forehead.

“…Your Highness?”

“Stay still.”

I focused, remembering what Miel taught me.

‘Holy power has no side effects.’

Even if I fail, it shouldn’t cause harm.

Warm, familiar energy gathered around my hand.

Light flowed from my fingers into his wound.

“…!”

Almost instantly, color returned to Lucion’s face.

After a moment, I removed my hand.

The wound on his forehead had completely disappeared without a trace.

Lucion touched his forehead in disbelief. His green eyes shook violently.

“Th-this is…!”

‘I’m insane!’

Even I couldn’t believe it.

I healed someone with holy power.

And it was so easy.

“Your Highness, could it be that you are truly—!”

“You must have seen it wrong!” I cut him off quickly.

This is really, really a secret!

I stared at him firmly.

“…You understand, right?”

After a moment, he nodded. “I understand.”

I finally relaxed and sat down heavily.

At least the Prince wouldn’t have to live with a scar because of me.

Outside, people were still busy making sure the panels didn’t slip further.

For a while, Lucion stayed silent.

He looked thoughtful—calmer than usual.

‘He’s quiet.’

He usually seemed carefree, almost unstable. But now he looked serious.

‘Maybe this is his real self.’

Then he suddenly spoke.

“It has been a while since we were alone like this.”

“Has it?”

“Haven’t you been avoiding me?”

I didn’t deny it. I had been avoiding him.

“Am I… uncomfortable to you?”

“Well, shouldn’t you answer that yourself?” I replied.

He looked confused.

“I don’t like people who aren’t honest,” I said without looking at him. “For example, a gentleman who follows a woman he doesn’t even like just because his sister asked him to.”

“That’s—!”

He looked shocked that I figured it out.

“That’s half right and half wrong,” he muttered.

“Are you saying the Princess didn’t ask you?”

“No. The wrong part is something else.”

He lowered his eyes.

“…I simply failed to hide my feelings.”

I froze.

Wait.

Did I understand that correctly?

Did Lucion just confess to me?

‘I’m married. Is he crazy?’