HDBMTD 50

Chapter 50

“You’re a B-rank Eshape and don’t know what a partner is?”

The kids excitedly talked as if they had made an important discovery. Nocturne listened to their enthusiastic explanations.

“Duke, since you’re a high-rank Eshape, you should find a partner!”

They said from B-rank up, people are classified as high-rank, and because the risk of going berserk is high, having a partner is important.

“I heard S-rank partners are at least A-rank. I wonder who the princess’s partner is?”

“There are five A-rank combat-types at our academy. Maybe it’s one of them?”

“I saw Prince Yuan is really strong too.”

“The princess’s partner must be a strong combat-type. I’m curious about what element they use!”

Nocturne quietly listened but changed the subject back to Benji.

From his efforts, he understood Ari like this:

‘It’s like living in a trashy home, but because she’s seen everything, she says it’s okay.’

Though bullying is bad, Benji understands too well why he is like that, so he accepts it.

High-rank mental-types often confuse others’ feelings with their own when young.

“So that’s why she acts that way to me too…”

Ari doesn’t ignore pitiful kids, Nocturne thought, clicking his tongue briefly.

‘I’m not special.’

Hard to imagine, but Ari can feel someone like Benji’s feelings vividly, so if Benji’s satisfaction is bigger than her pain, she endures it.

But Ari is not Benji.

Just as no one can be Ari.

Ari seemed to have lost basic survival instincts that even Nocturne had when he was nothing.

Nocturne was shocked, yet people just liked Ari because she seemed kind.

‘What should I do now?’

Though Nocturne thought his power could change the world, he didn’t believe his words could.

Since losing his parents, his voice never caused even small change.

Should he use force?

He couldn’t decide, staring carefully at Ari.

Feeling his gaze, Ari turned.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Uh, yes.”

“What?”

“Well…”

Suddenly, Nocturne’s words stopped as his hand quickly reached out and caught a flying ball near Ari’s face.

Bang!

The sound was like an explosion, but the ball was fine.

Nocturne turned sharply.

Benji, running from afar, stopped suddenly, startled.

Ari called out worriedly.

“Nocturne, are you okay?”

“Ari, I…”

Nocturne gripped the ball firmly and spoke with resolve.

“If that guy comes near, I’ll hit him with this.”

“…What?”

Ari looked confused.

“Why, why would you do that?”

“Because… I have a lack.”

Nocturne looked up the word ‘lack’ in the library.

But for some reason, Ari looked puzzled this time.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well… I mean…”

Nocturne cleared his throat.

“Tell Benji to stop since I know he’s doing it on purpose.”

Ari frowned.

“I can handle that myself…”

“Ari, I…”

Nocturne spoke urgently.

“I feel sorry.”

“Why would you suddenly feel sorry?”

Damn, Nocturne cursed inside. Trying to do something he never did, his words tangled.

Though frustrated and lost, he wanted to tell Ari more.

Unable to speak well, Nocturne held Ari’s hand.

The wound he treated hadn’t healed fully yet.

Looking at it, Nocturne spoke again.

“I don’t want you to get even a single scratch. Because I like you.”

Ari stopped moving.

Nocturne felt his breathing grow rough as if angry.

“If you get hurt, I who like you will be hurt.”

“Nocturne.”

“Don’t you feel sorry for me now?”

Nocturne looked into Ari’s eyes as he asked.

His hand holding hers trembled slightly.

Ari stared blankly and blinked slowly.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but her pale cheeks seemed to blush.

Her head slowly dropped and she spoke in a small voice.

“I am…”

72 hours passed since the princess was moved to the hospital.

She arrived unconscious but alive.

Following the director’s order, the hospital’s best healers focused all effort on saving her.

Without an antidote, removing toxins was the first priority. Her stomach was washed, and toxin-absorbing medicine was given. Blood was purified to remove toxins, and various drugs protected her organs.

Nocturne waited in the observation room, receiving hourly updates.

Healers who entered the treatment room noticed Nocturne standing silently every time and were startled.

Were they even sleeping?

Nocturne’s gaze likely pressured them more than the director’s urging.

All healers instinctively thought:

‘If the princess dies, aren’t we all dead too?’

To avoid the honor of being buried with the empire’s princess, healers poured all strength into treatment.

But after 24 hours, her condition worsened rapidly.

Her temperature dropped sharply, heartbeat grew weak.

Blood pressure fell, she went into shock, and stopped breathing on her own.

Continuous drug injections barely kept her alive.

The poison ate her whole body.

The situation was truly desperate.

At 24 hours of intensive care, the chief healer cautiously reported.

“Honestly, it’s not hopeful.”

Nocturne said nothing.

At 48 hours, the report came again.

“The chance of recovery is very low.”

Healers nearly gave up, but Nocturne demanded they try their best.

So they tried everything.

Now, at 72 hours.

It was time to consider brain death testing.

Healers exchanged looks.

Someone had to report the despair to the duke, but no one wanted the role.

Finally, the chief healer stepped forward.

“There is nothing more we can do.”

Nocturne’s eyes briefly flashed blue.

The healer shut their eyes tightly.

‘Are we really all going to die?’

The healer swallowed and added in a trembling voice:

“We need to proceed with brain death testing. Before that… we will give you some time.”

Nocturne staggered into the treatment room.

The woman lying on the bed looked asleep but also near death.

Her pale face was almost transparent, lips purplish.

A burn scar on her left cheek stood out on her pale skin.

Nocturne gently held the princess’s hand. It was so cold.

He looked down at the dry hand.

Once, I tried to keep you from getting even a scratch.

Then hoped you would come back safely.

Then prayed you would open your eyes again.

And now…

No, even now, I want you unharmed.

He had never truly compromised.

What went wrong?

Like Icarus who fell to the sea trying to reach the sun without wings, though pitiful and weak, he could never let go of distant ideals.

“Please open your eyes, Ari…”

His faint voice scattered into the air.