By Zephyria 
“…I’m… eating.”
Even while he was on the verge of death from pain, his sharp gaze remained piercing.
Seeing Cecile like that, Alexis felt a bit relieved, as if he had regained some strength. Ignoring the disrespectful casual speech, he straightened his hunched back.
“I guess we should start moving. At this rate, there’s no point in having set out first.”
Alexis was the first to stretch his knees and stand up. He brushed off the dirt and straw clinging to his pants and then lifted Cecile, throwing him over his shoulder.
Just because he had taken fever-reducing medicine didn’t mean the high fever had suddenly dropped. Cecile hung limply like a sack, his limbs drooping.
Still, perhaps out of the last remnants of pride, he struck Alexis’s broad back with his clenched fists. It was a silent protest to be put down.
“Stop messing around.”
Alexis said coldly. Cecile’s punches were no more than a cat’s soft paw, unable to inflict any damage on him.
As he was willingly suffering, Alexis felt irritation rise at having to tolerate Cecile’s difficult temperament. However, he couldn’t just leave the injured guy behind, so he had to suppress his anger and keep walking.
With Cecile still on his back, he easily mounted his horse. After turning Cecile to face him, he firmly grasped the loose reins.
In that brief moment, Cecile’s consciousness began to fade again. Now, it seemed even the act of puffing was too much for him, and he completely leaned his body against Alexis, breathing heavily.
His face pressed against Alexis’s broad chest felt unbearably warm. His thin arms were carelessly wrapped around Alexis’s waist, and the hand gripping the hem of his clothes seemed too weak to hold on.
“……”
Alexis glanced at Cecile’s face, which was pale and suffering. Seeing that Cecile showed no signs of improvement, Alexis frowned and clicked his tongue quietly. He then pulled Cecile closer with one arm and kicked the horse’s side hard with his heel.
Even as the horse raised its front legs high, Alexis’s posture remained steady without a hint of wavering.
The horse quickly picked up speed and galloped forward, focused only on the path ahead. If they continued like this without resting, they would reach the palace in under an hour.
Alexis kept an eye on Cecile in between. It was just that he had fallen asleep, but the stillness of Cecile, who showed no movement, kept nagging at him.
He tightened his grip around Cecile’s waist. He couldn’t understand why his heart felt so uneasy.
When the horse carrying the two of them reached the palace gates, chaos erupted within the palace.
It was shocking enough that the Crown Prince had returned unexpectedly, but the fact that Cecile was injured while riding was even more alarming. Moreover, he appeared almost lifeless, having fainted.
Alexis immediately headed for the Saint Palace. He ordered the startled attendants to fetch the Court Physician and personally carried Cecile to his chamber. Once he laid Cecile on the neatly arranged bed, the attendants hurriedly surrounded them.
Some examined Cecile, while others attended to Alexis. They were startled to see bloodstains on the Crown Prince’s hunting attire, but fortunately, it seemed he had no injuries. All the blood was merely transferred from Cecile.
Alexis washed his dirty hands and face in clean water. While he changed into a fresh shirt, the Crown Prince’s dedicated Court Physician entered his chamber. He looked pale, as if he had been greatly shocked by the news.
“Your Highness, are you alright? We need to examine you immediately…”
“I’m fine; look at him first.”
As Alexis finished buttoning his shirt, he gestured toward Cecile. There was someone who needed immediate attention.
While Cecile was being treated, a long wooden partition was set up around the bed.
Even with dozens of people present, the spacious chamber quickly filled with the stench of blood. Hands were busy opening windows, and attendants rushed back and forth carrying clean water and towels.
After some time had passed, the Court Physician finished his treatment and stepped out from behind the partition. The elderly physician wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and cautiously sought out the Crown Prince.
Alexis was waiting not far away.
Sitting in a chair with his long legs crossed, he looked sharp, and it was hard to find any trace of worry on his face, yet he remained firmly in place, not leaving the chamber. Whether it was vigilance or concern, no one could decipher the Crown Prince’s intentions.
The Court Physician swallowed hard and finally spoke.
“Your Highness, as you ordered, I have completed the treatment.”
“How is his condition?”
“Fortunately, it’s not a serious injury. It doesn’t seem to require stitches; applying ointment frequently should suffice.”
“……”
“However, since it was clawed by a beast, the shape of the wound is irregular. There may be some scarring. Additionally, I have prescribed medication to prevent infection.”
“Why is he running such a high fever and unable to regain consciousness if it’s not a serious injury? It’s already been two hours since he fainted.”
“It’s likely due to the shock. It’s not related to the injury, so you needn’t worry too much.”
The Crown Prince’s probing voice was so sharp that it sent chills down the Court Physician’s spine. He barely managed to steady his trembling heart and faced the Crown Prince with sincerity.
Alexis leaned with his chin resting on his hand, still glaring at the bed with a dissatisfied expression.
He glared at a corner of the smooth wooden partition engraved with rose vines as if it were his enemy, pressing his fingers into his furrowed brow.
“…He had a high fever. His body temperature didn’t drop at all during the ride. I stopped by a village along the way to give him fever-reducing medicine, but… could that have caused any issues?”
“That was a wise choice. In urgent situations, even fever-reducing medicine used in villages can be quite helpful. If you take the fever-reducing and pain-relieving medicine I prescribed, he will recover quickly.”
“When should he take the medicine?”
“It’s best to take it as soon as possible, but he needs to regain consciousness first…”
“Are you saying that after he wakes up, he should just endure the pain until then?”
“Your Highness is correct. If possible, it would be better to force him to take it, but…”
The Court Physician clasped his hands below his waist, glancing around nervously.
The Crown Prince he knew certainly did not have a good relationship with Cecile Adrian. But in this situation, something felt different. The way he had brought him to his chamber and was tending to him showed he was not treating him lightly.
To fulfill his duty, the Court Physician began to explain the precautions and the prescribed medication in detail. After all, administering the medicine and caring for the patient would be the attendants’ responsibility, but he still had to report thoroughly.
Alexis listened to the explanation with an indifferent expression. Occasionally, he posed sharp questions that left the Court Physician flustered.
“I understand. Thank you for your hard work. You may leave now.”
As soon as the order was given, the Court Physician hurriedly left, not wanting to miss the precious opportunity.
The Crown Prince’s chamber, which had been filled with the stench of blood, was now suffused with the sharp scent of medicinal herbs. The attendants were still busy tending to Cecile, and while everyone quietly went about their tasks, Alexis remained seated in his chair, lost in thought.
Suddenly, he stood up and headed toward the bed. He gestured at the wooden partition, and the attendants quickly removed the screen. This revealed Cecile lying comfortably with his legs stretched out.
His bloodstained clothes had been replaced with clean bedding. Since he had vehemently refused to take off his clothes, Alexis had thought there might be some strange secret about his body. However, seeing that the attendants who changed his clothes said nothing, it seemed there was nothing unusual.
“……”
Alexis stood at the head of the bed, silently watching Cecile. His limp body was reflected in Cecile’s blue eyes, which seemed to ripple like waves. Seeing him lying there, drained of energy, made Alexis feel a sense of emptiness wash over him.
As he stood there for a while without moving, the head attendant approached cautiously and spoke.
“Your Highness, what should we do about Cecile? We should probably move him to Peridot Palace soon.”
“Why would we do that to someone who’s not well? He’ll sleep here tonight.”
“But this is your chamber…”
“I have no intention of sleeping anyway.”
Alexis said decisively. He then sighed and swept his hair back, prompting one of the attendants to bring a comfortable chair and place it near the bed.
With a thud, Alexis sank into the chair, leaning his head back against the rest. Just thinking about dealing with what had happened in the hunting grounds was enough to give him a headache.
He needed to extract as much information as possible from the captured assassin and uncover the Empress’s involvement in it. Of course, it would not be an easy task.
As he rubbed his throbbing head and mulled over his thoughts, Cecile, lying on the bed, groaned and shifted. Whether it was from a nightmare or the fever, his bangs were soaked with sweat.
An attendant waiting nearby hurried over to assist. Wiping Cecile’s wet forehead with a clean gauze towel, he observed Cecile’s pained expression.
“What should we do? His fever isn’t dropping at all. He needs to take the medicine…”
“We brought it dissolved in water, but… is there any way to get him to take it?”
“Right. He doesn’t seem likely to get up easily…”
The attendants exchanged murmurs among themselves. As the freshly changed clothes became damp with sweat again, they whispered that they should prepare another set. Though their whispers were barely audible, Alexis was not one to let such things slip by unnoticed.