ATMM 12

Chapter – 12

I forced the corners of my lips up as if nothing was wrong.

But my mind was filled with all sorts of questions.

Since when had he been watching?

Surely he didn’t see me plucking off and eating the petals, did he?

‘More importantly, why is someone who said he was going to the office here…!’

From Yulion’s expression alone, it was hard to guess what he had seen.

I was about to say something more when Yulion’s voice came out a step ahead of me.

“What on earth were you doing?”

Yulion, who had been gazing steadily into my eyes, let his golden eyes drift slightly downward, stopping at my lips.

‘What is it? Why are you staring at my mouth like that!’

I forced the trembling corners of my lips to calm and answered.

“I wanted to be alone for a moment, so I came in. I was also curious how beautiful a place Geumjeong would be.”

It was a harmless reason.

A reason anyone would find understandable.

Yet instead of accepting it, Yulion furrowed his brow.

“That’s not what I’m asking. Just what did you do to make this petal….”

Trailing off, Yulion glanced at the Apherium before looking back at my mouth.

Tension wrapped around my entire body.

I swallowed quietly.

“The petal… what about it? Is there some problem?”

“That’s not it.”

Tilting his head slightly as if in thought, Yulion raised a finger and tapped beside his own lips.

“Here. It’s stuck.”

Not understanding for a moment, I just blinked. With a sigh, Yulion reached out toward me.

“I mean there’s a petal stuck there. It’s not like you ate it—what did you do to have this stuck at the corner of your mouth?”

“Ah….”

At the tip of Yulion’s fingers lay a single Apherium petal, mixed sky-blue and yellow.

Only then did I understand the situation.

At the same time, deep relief rose along with embarrassment.

While plucking a few petals and putting them in my mouth, one must have stuck to the corner of my lips.

When Apherium petals come into contact with saliva, they instantly produce a sweet nectar and become sticky.

That was probably why it hadn’t fallen off even while I was talking.

Yulion looked at the petal as if amused—or perhaps dumbfounded—then flicked his hand.

The sky-blue petal was carried off by the wind, and I opened my mouth awkwardly in embarrassment.

“Well. I like Apherium, so I was smelling it.”

“Apherium?”

“That’s the name of this flower.”

“Ah. How interesting. The flowers here are all rare, ones not easily seen.”

When I not only knew its name but even said I liked it, Yulion looked at me with curiosity.

I hurriedly added an explanation.

“In fact, Apherium was my late mother’s favorite. She said it was a flower that grew in the gardens of the Kingdom of Yallon. I heard many stories from her about it.”

I would have to come eat Apherium often from now on.

There was no guarantee something like today wouldn’t happen again.

I had to make it seem natural beforehand that I lingered in front of Apherium.

‘Think of Mother. Mother….’

I forced myself to put on a lonely expression.

Then, gazing at the Apherium, I spoke in a wistful voice.

“I came into Geumjeong because I had many thoughts, and I found Apherium here. I was so glad to see it that I went closer to smell it, and it must have stuck then.”

“…I see.”

Pretending to tuck my hair behind my ear, I glanced at Yulion’s face.

It seemed his doubts had cleared, as he now wore a sympathetic expression.

“By the way, Yulion.”

Lightly touching the nearby Apherium, I asked him,

“I’d like to come see Apherium like this from time to time. Would that be alright?”

“Of course. Even if it’s only for one year, you are currently the Crown Princess, are you not? You may go wherever you please.”

Good. Now I could come and go every day without arousing suspicion.

Satisfied, I smiled brightly and sincerely.

“Thank you so much.”

Even as our eyes met, I still couldn’t tell what Yulion’s golden gaze was thinking.

The wind swept between us once more, and only then did I ask what I had been curious about.

“Come to think of it, why are you here? Didn’t you say you had matters to handle in the office?”

“That’s true, but I thought it best to meet Ares first, so I returned to go to the medical palace as well.”

“Sir Ares?”

“Yes. Since he is a close friend, I thought he might sulk later if I didn’t visit him once.”

“You must be very close.”

“Well, yes.”

We naturally began walking side by side.

As we left Geumjeong, my earlier joy cooled slightly.

It was because of the sight of the extremely rare plants all withering away.

‘It’s really upsetting.’

I’d have to find some way to save them.

Among them were many that could be used as medicinal herbs.

While resolving to gradually manage and study the other plants next time, we arrived in front of the medical palace.

“Greetings to Your Highnesses!”

“Judging by your voice, you seem fully recovered.”

Ares was truly brimming with energy.

It was hard to believe he had been on the brink of death.

“Your recovery is astonishing.”

I clicked my tongue as I checked Ares’s condition.

At this point, the poison could be considered almost fully detoxified.

Still, just in case, I took the syringe from Jenid.

“Gasp…! Are you going to stab me with that hideous needle?”

Ares deliberately made a fuss and shrank back.

I laughed softly and rolled up his sleeve.

“You’ve already been stabbed several times, so stay still. In the first place, how did you end up poisoned by such a rare toxin?”

As a knight of the imperial palace, he must have encountered it during some serious duty.

Since I couldn’t pry, I grumbled lightly as I inserted the needle into his arm.

The blood drawn was clear, unlike yesterday.

After taking just a little, I finished and handed him the medicine bottle I had prepared in advance.

“We’ll run one more test, and if the results are good, you can return to your normal routine. And drink this three times a day without fail.”

“Ugh, I hate medicine….”

“You’re not a child, yet you’re so fussy, Sir Ares.”

“Indeed. So please treat me gently and kindly, as one would a child, Your Highness.”

Ares grinned, his distinctive reddish eyes curving into crescents.

Then he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“By the way, may I ask what poison I was afflicted with?”

“Anaktagram, commonly used in the Southern Continent. Usually, within a few hours, a person bleeds from every orifice and dies. Occasionally, someone strong like you expels it by frequent trips to the restroom, but it’s a persistent one that won’t disappear completely without an antidote.”

“I see… I truly thank you. I heard that if Your Highness had not saved me, it would have been disastrous.”

“It’s nothing. Fortunately, it was a poison I knew, so I was able to treat you safely. Be more careful next time.”

“Yes! From now on, I’ll devote this body to protecting Your Highness!”

“There’s no need to go that far….”

Ares raised one hand and clenched his fist as if making a vow.

Though he looked at me with sparkling eyes, he did not ask for details.

I didn’t bother explaining either.

After all, he would likely discuss various matters with Yulion later.

“Anyway, I have business with the Chief Medical Officer, so I’ll be going. You’ll remain here, right?”

Carrying Ares’s blood sample and various documents, I asked as I left the room.

Yulion had been leaning against the wall beside the door with his arms crossed, but straightened as I passed him.

“I’ll stay a little longer and then leave.”

“Alright. Then take care, Yulion.”

Together with Jenid, I headed straight for the Chief Medical Officer’s office.

“Jenid. You remember well what I told you earlier, don’t you?”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Jenid answered quietly, glancing around.

A few trainee physicians were busily moving supplies along the corridor.

Just around the corner and up the stairs was the Chief Medical Officer’s office.

Slowing my pace, I took out the medicine bottle I had prepared beforehand and handed it to Jenid.

Without a word, Jenid carefully stored it and knocked on the office door.

“Did I not say not to disturb me?”

An elderly man’s voice came from inside.

Instead of knocking again, Jenid spoke.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

There was a brief silence inside the room, followed by a flurry of noise as the door opened.

“Greetings to Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

The Chief Medical Officer, apparently not expecting my visit, hurriedly welcomed me.

“To what do I owe this visit…?”

“I came because I have something to ask.”

“Please, have a seat first.”

Though clearly uncomfortable, he guided me to the seat of honor.

As I sat, he also took a seat and cleared his throat.

“I noticed you coughed several times last time as well. Your throat doesn’t seem well.”

“Hoho, it’s nothing. I’m simply old.”

“Let’s have some tea while we talk. Jenid.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As befitted an office, the tools for refreshments were readily available.

I watched Jenid brew the tea for a moment before speaking to the Chief Medical Officer.