By Zephyria 
As soon as I returned to my room, I went straight to the bathroom with Aska. I was planning to take a leisurely bath, but Aska kept splashing water in the tub, so I had no choice but to get out quickly.
I threw on a robe and sat on the bed, and Aska came and sat next to me.
“If this is cast, I’ll feel hunger faster, so I’ll have to give you blood more often from now on.”
“And you can’t get hurt.”
“I guess so.”
“You won’t be able to run around like a wild horse for a while.”
Should I take him with me when I go to the Greenhouse from now on? It’ll be a bit of a hassle, but this isn’t so bad. I grabbed Aska’s wrists and was thinking about that when I suddenly got curious and asked.
“What happens if the magic is forcibly broken again?”
“That won’t happen. I didn’t know anything back then, but it’s not like that anymore.”
Aska was confident, but you never know what might happen. Wouldn’t I die this time? It felt like the organs inside my body were being torn to pieces.
Even thinking about it now, it was amazing. It was amazing that I didn’t die instantly in that state, and Aska, who managed to heal me back to normal, wasn’t normal either. At this point, it was more like regeneration or creation than healing.
“Are you scared?”
Aska asked when I was silent for a while.
“Of what?”
Shouldn’t he be the one who’s scared, not me? I tilted my head, and Aska moved his lips a few times before saying.
“That it might happen again.”
Anxiety swirled in his gaze as he stared at me. It wasn’t exactly scary, but it certainly wasn’t a comfortable feeling. I realized that the leash I was sure would never break was nothing more than an old rope.
“It’ll never happen again, so you don’t have to worry. You don’t really have to use your power if you just stay here. That kind of thing happened back then because I went outside the castle. If you’re really anxious, I won’t go outside when the magic is cast.”
I was about to say no, but I stopped as the words flowed out. I thought I might get something more out of it, so I shut my mouth and just stayed still.
Then, as expected, Aska started making promises on his own.
“Not only will I not go outside the castle, but I’ll also tell you whenever I leave the room from now on, whether I get caught or not. Is that okay? You can take me to the Greenhouse.”
He never listened to me even when I nagged him so much… It was worth risking my insides being torn apart.
“I can’t go to the Training arena anymore, so let’s go to the hot springs for a few days. You said it’s okay to go together for a short time, even if we can’t stay for a long time.”
He’s not going to the Training arena either? I thought he would be fine after a few days even with the Sealing Magic cast, so he would definitely go. This was a complete win.
I thought he would notice that I was happy if I met his gaze, so I glanced down and nodded.
“Okay, let’s do that then.”
“Are you scared?”
Aska tilted his head slightly and leaned his face towards me, asking again. I suspected that he just wanted me to say I was scared. But looking at his eyes, it didn’t seem like that was the case, as they were full of worry.
I thought I might get something more if I said I was scared, but the atmosphere was somehow uncomfortable, so I shook my head.
“It’s okay. Tell me right away if anything is uncomfortable.”
“It feels a bit dirty at first, but there’s nothing particularly uncomfortable. My strength suddenly disappears and my vision turns white, but I can just lie down right away.”
Aska patted the bed as if he had already planned everything out.
Well… I figured he would take care of himself since he’s done it once before. Nothing really happened back then either.
“Then I’ll do it.”
Watching Aska nod, I carefully moved my Mana. There was nothing strange or special about it, so I was about to carefully cast the magic when Aska spoke again.
“I really won’t do that again now. I promise.”
I was sure he said he was okay, but I didn’t know why he kept saying the same thing. Did he keep thinking I was scared? I was going to pretend to be scared and get some benefits, but my conscience couldn’t bear it.
“I’m not scared.”
I finally confessed the truth, but he didn’t seem to believe me. Before I could babble any more, I quickly finished the magic, and the snake-like brand that started from my wrist climbed up my forearm. Black flames burned on my skin and then subsided, leaving a mark, and Aska’s body staggered.
“Are you okay?”
In that short time, Aska’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. I laid him down on the bed so he wouldn’t fall and covered him with a blanket, and Aska groaned.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up…”
“Do you want to?”
“No… Ugh…”
I wiped the sweat from his forehead and stroked his cheek, and Aska squinted and looked at me. I had never experienced this magic myself, so I couldn’t even guess how painful it was. I was looking at the tears in his eyes with a serious expression when Aska said.
“It’s still better than the first time.”
“Was it more painful the first time?”
“It’s not so much painful… Anyway, it’s hard to explain, but the feeling is so dirty.”
I nodded and brushed the hair off his forehead.
“Stop talking and get some sleep. You’ll be better when you wake up.”
“You’re not going to leave me alone and go out to play on a painful day like this, are you?”
I chuckled at his muttering.
“I’m not going, so sleep, quickly.”
“You bastard…”
Aska suddenly cursed with drowsy eyes. But I kept stroking his head, forehead, and cheeks, and he soon closed his eyes.
His breathing gradually became regular, so I darkened the surroundings. He didn’t even notice me rustling next to him, so he seemed to be in a deep sleep. Or maybe he had fainted.
Still, just in case, I moved quietly so as not to make any noise and lay down next to Aska. I patted his chest, and at some point, I fell asleep too.
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Aska recovered faster than I expected. He walked around on his own as soon as he ate breakfast the next morning, and he was completely fine by the time he ate lunch.
“Your nails aren’t coming out either?”
“I think I can do it if I force it, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
I was going to give him blood after finishing the meal, but a problem arose. Aska was now in a state where he couldn’t even properly drink blood. So, the only way was to make a wound myself and give it to him, like I used to do.
I brought out a dagger after a long time and made a wound on my forearm, and Aska started sucking on it with his mouth. Until a few days ago, blood would flow freely from even the smallest wound, but it had been a long time since he had physically sucked on it like this.
I couldn’t even dilute the pain, so I was feeling the pain as it was.
“Why isn’t it coming out?”
“Should we use a syringe for the first time in a while?”
“I don’t want that.”
“Let’s just eat this much for today and try again in the evening.”
Whether it was because he was eating less blood or because his body wasn’t in good condition, Aska asked for blood several times a day. It was a bit of a hassle to make a wound every time, but I liked that he was quietly staying in the room or the Greenhouse.
Now he couldn’t jump from high places or climb trees with a single leap, so he would sometimes wait quietly for me to hold his hand.
He couldn’t sense people well, so he didn’t notice even when I secretly watched him from outside the window. I was so amazed by that that I watched him for a long time before silently entering and grabbing his shoulder from right behind him.
“Boo.”
“Ahhh!”
Then Aska screamed in surprise, jumping up and down. I laughed loudly, and he flailed his hands and beat me indiscriminately, but it didn’t hurt much.
“Stop it! Stop it, please!”
“Okay, I won’t do it anymore. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Stop hitting me. It really hurts.”
I pretended to be in pain and hunched over, but he didn’t seem to be appeased and even started kicking me.
As time passed and he got used to it, he would gradually adapt, just like he did at first. When that time came, he wouldn’t ask me for help anymore, and I wouldn’t be able to surprise him like this, so I had to enjoy it while I could.
After surprising him a few more times like that, his fists started to gain strength. He seemed to notice that too, and he started to control his strength after that.
It was a shame that I couldn’t tease him anymore, but I was glad that he had regained some of his strength before entering Sa Dillin.
“Let’s go with this ring.”
I had to go to the banquet, so I finished getting ready first and came back to the room to choose the accessories for Aska to wear. Aska didn’t seem to care much and was standing behind me, sitting on the sofa, playing with my hair.
“Bright colors suit you well. But is it too big?”
“I don’t know, do whatever you want.”
The hand that was playing with my hair moved down and touched my ear. Aska, who was fiddling with the earring post sticking out from behind my earlobe, said.
“When are the Servants coming?”
“They should be here soon.”
“Tell them not to put anything on my skin. I don’t like things that dangle or are heavy either.”
Normally, I would tell him to do as he pleases, but this banquet was a gathering of royalty from various countries. Everyone would be dressed from head to toe in the most valuable and precious things, and I couldn’t just take Aska there looking shabby.
Of course, Aska would be the best-looking person there even if he just wore rags, but when else would I be able to dress up that wild horse?
Unaware that I was meticulously planning, Aska kept touching the earring post behind my earlobe.