Chapter 118 – Medicine on Time
‘How exactly am I supposed to repay her?’
It hadn’t sounded like a joke. He and Cecilia were far too distant for that.
Still, a debt was a debt.
Tiern looked down at the handkerchief.
The white cloth, embroidered with a yellow seal, still carried faint brownish stains.
‘It’s fine that the mark remains.’
Better that than losing it forever.
The handkerchief—and the trust that came with it—were both things he didn’t want to lose again.
He carefully tucked the Grand Duchess’s precious gift into his pocket and began to walk away.
Knock, knock.
It was one of those rare, peaceful evenings with no official schedule.
I was lazily rolling around on the bed when a knock came—from the terrace.
‘No way…’
I went to the window and pulled the curtain open—
and was met with a view of a broad, muscled chest pressed against the glass.
When I looked up, I saw Loic’s face, slightly flushed.
The sharp lines of his eyes softened the moment he saw me.
His dark hair was damp, still dripping—he clearly hadn’t even dried it after washing.
‘I told him not to climb over the terrace!’
I frowned deliberately.
But when he lowered his eyes like a scolded puppy, looking both guilty and pitiful—
well, how could I not open the door?
“…”
In the end, I slid open the terrace door.
Loic didn’t even pretend to ask permission this time.
He just slipped inside.
“Honestly! What if you’d fallen?!”
“I’m a Sword Master. I don’t make such mistakes.”
He said it with ridiculous confidence.
‘Does he think being a Sword Master means he can do anything?’
“Do Sword Masters not know how to use stairs?”
I crossed my arms. Loic lowered his gaze, pretending to reflect.
“But there are still maids moving around at this hour…”
“Then just call for me.”
“How could I ask you to come at night?”
I gave him a sharp look, and he muttered softly,
“Besides… I thought if I waited too long, you might already be asleep, so I came quickly…”
His shy, restless gaze made it hard to stay angry.
Droplets were still falling from his hair, landing on his shirt—
and the fabric clung to his skin, outlining his firm chest.
‘Good grief.’
My cheeks burned.
“You should’ve at least dried your hair. You’ll catch a cold.”
“Sword Masters don’t catch—”
He stopped mid-sentence when our eyes met.
I sighed and pulled him by the hand toward a chair.
“Sit.”
I went to the bathroom and came back with a towel.
He reached out to take it, but I immediately threw the towel over his head and started rubbing his hair dry.
Loic sat still, obediently folding his hands together.
“I can do it myself…”
“Sword Masters should be quiet.”
I pressed the towel firmly against his damp neck and hair.
Loic’s shoulders twitched.
“Did the envoy leave safely?” I asked.
It was their final night in Blenheim before returning south.
There had been a farewell dinner, but I hadn’t attended, citing that I hadn’t fully recovered yet.
“Yes. Everything went smoothly. Though they were disappointed you couldn’t join.”
“Maybe I should’ve gone after all.”
“No need. I handled it fine.”
Even as he spoke confidently, his shoulders trembled slightly.
Then he caught my wrist and gently pulled me to sit beside him.
“It’s not dry yet.”
“Your arms must be tired.”
‘I’m not made of paper,’ I thought. Drying his hair wouldn’t tire me out.
“Still, I should finish—”
“It’s fine.”
For some reason, Loic kept holding my wrist and wouldn’t let go.
“Loic?”
“It’s just… when you touch my neck like that…”
Only then did I notice that his long neck had turned red.
“It’s… hard to hold back.”
‘His neck is that sensitive?’
Feeling flustered, I quickly put down the towel.
Ahem.
I needed to change the subject.
“By the way, what happened to the head maid?”
“Sir Hedrick is questioning her.”
Loic pressed his thigh with his fist, hesitating before adding,
“She’s still insisting she acted alone… but we’ll soon get her to admit that Lady Meisel ordered it.”
His voice hardened slightly, maybe thinking I was feeling pity for Marzella.
“You don’t need to sympathize with her. She’s wronged you twice now.”
‘I wasn’t pitying her,’ I thought, but didn’t say it aloud.
“That’s why you didn’t tell me, right?”
While I was unconscious, the knights had interrogated all the maids.
Bennet had confessed that I had already suspected Marzella.
Loic must have thought I was trying to protect her.
‘But honestly, that wasn’t it at all.’
Marzella’s position as head maid was everything she’d built.
And maybe—just maybe—I’d wanted to destroy that. A very ugly impulse.
“What kind of punishment will she get?”
“She might be exiled beyond the mountain range like the last criminals, or stripped of her property and forced into labor here at the estate.”
He added quietly, “Whatever you wish, I’ll do it.”
I paused.
“Let her choose, if possible.”
After all, Meisel had been the one who ordered her.
Marzella, as the subordinate, hadn’t really had a choice.
‘Not that she seemed particularly remorseful…’
Loic hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
A cool breeze brushed my neck. The curtains were open.
Though it was summer, nights in the north were chilly, so I usually kept them closed.
Outside, the sky had already turned dark.
“You must be tired. Go and rest.” I said casually.
Loic blinked, startled.
“Y-you mean… leave?”
“Of course.”
What else—was he planning to sleep here?
“But…”
He fiddled with his hands nervously.
“You haven’t kissed me yet.”
“W-what?!”
My face burned all the way down to my neck.
‘That came out of nowhere!’
We’d just been talking about punishment and exile—and now this?
“It’s late. Maybe we should—”
“This concerns your health,” he said seriously. “It’s practically medical treatment.”
He looked deadly earnest, which only made it worse.
“You can’t skip your doses.”
“But we’ve been doing it quite often already…”
My cheeks burned hotter as I fanned myself with my hand.
“Do you… not like it?” he asked quietly, sounding wounded.
“No!”
I waved my hands frantically.
“It’s not that.”
“If it makes you uncomfortable—”
“I-it’s fine!”
His eyes widened slightly.
‘Too fine—that’s the problem!’
Every time he kissed me, it felt impossible to stop.
‘How can someone who supposedly never touched a woman before kiss so well?’
And his lips—soft, warm, addictive.
If we started, we’d lose track of time.
“I mean, it’s fine, really,” I stammered.
“It’s just like taking medicine, right? Nothing uncomfortable about that.”
‘Wait—that sounds completely wrong.’
I groaned internally, but Loic’s lips slowly curved upward.
“Good. I’m glad.”
His eyes glimmered playfully as he leaned closer.
“Because it’s important to take your medicine three times a day without skipping.”
He pressed a soft kiss to the bridge of my nose.
“…That’s it?”
‘That’s not a kiss! That’s a teaser!’
Loic bit his lip, then whispered near my ear,
“No. That was just the start.”
Then his hot lips captured mine.
His large hand slid through my hair, gentle yet firm.
I trembled, clutching at his collar.
‘Tonight’s medicine is very sweet…’
Heat wrapped around me, deep and intoxicating.
But before things went too far—again—I pressed against his chest and broke away.
Panting, Loic stared at me, his gaze heavy with longing.
“It’s too late.”
“But it’s still night—”
He glanced at the window, realized how dark it was, and sighed.
“Fine.”
“Go to bed.”
I gave him a gentle push toward the door, but he hesitated—turning instead toward the terrace.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to my room.”
I groaned.
“You’re not seriously going to climb over again?! Do you know how far your room is?”
“It is quite far,” he admitted, thoughtful.
“Exactly. So—”
Before I could finish, he said firmly,
“Then I’ll just move my room closer.”
His face was full of conviction.
I could only stare at him in disbelief.
