LTP 12

Episode 12

“Let’s bring the young lady here!”

Cassian’s urging filled the servants with energy.

I felt like I could die from embarrassment. It was the first time in my two lives that I’d ever been the subject of such an awkward situation.

“Your Majesty, I am truly fine. I can swear to you that.”

“I’m not okay.”

Cassian seemed completely oblivious to other people’s opinions.

Damia eventually closed her eyes tightly.

I thought I should pretend to be calm, but it wasn’t easy.

Because my heart kept pounding without any sense.

So Damia’s heart…

‘No, I don’t think that’s my heartbeat.’

Damia stopped struggling and held her breath.

Thump, thump, thump… … .

I felt a fairly fast and irregular beat.

In a place that would never happen, namely, on the left chest of the little duke.

“What the hell is this nonsense….”

“Don’t worry. We’ll thoroughly investigate why the snake appeared.”

Cassian seemed to have misunderstood her monologue, but he was powerless to correct her.

* * *

The Duke’s gamekeeper rubbed his chin with a serious expression.

“It’s definitely not a snake native to the Empire. Judging by its smooth scales, it looks like it’s been handled by a human.”

He studied the white snake that emerged from the picnic basket. Its pink eyes sparkled like jewels.

“Yes, that’s right. I heard that in the Kingdom of Rodion, they are also kept as pets.”

“Oh, you know? Yes.”

“Not only is it very pretty, but it is also a very gentle breed that would never bite a person.”

The gamekeeper kept nodding his head at Damia’s words while she was receiving first aid.

“Focus on your treatment, Damia.”

“Sigh, Your Highness. Will anything change if I concentrate?”

“…….”

“Besides, it seems like you’ve already been treated too harshly.”

Was it because the attending physician was overwhelmed by the Duke’s murderous aura?

Damia’s wrist was wrapped in an unnecessarily thick bandage.

“That… it is a non-venomous snake, just as you said.”

The gamekeeper said, watching Cassian’s expression.

“Am I right? I read it in a herbal medicine book!”

“Your safety is at stake, so we need to confirm.”

“If it were my job, would you be so particular?”

Cassian gave a slight glare, but didn’t really argue back.

“Okay, then everyone can go out now.”

At Cassian’s command, the attending physician and the gamekeeper quickly left the guest room.

He seemed very happy to be out of this uncomfortable position.

“I’ll find the culprit, so you get some rest. You need to relax.”

“It’s okay, Little Duke.”

“I told you I’m not okay.”

“No, that’s not it… I think I already know who the culprit is.”

Damia smiled brightly, holding a handkerchief she had secretly taken from the basket.

“What did you just take out? And how did you figure out who the culprit was?”

“Umm… First, there’s something I want to check.”

Damia slowly got up from her chair.

“What, what is it? Why are you coming to me all of a sudden?”

Cassian stumbled backwards.

He seemed more flustered than usual. His cheeks flushed red as his back hit the wall.

“Phew, it’s finally just the two of us left.”

“You were waiting for this moment, weren’t you?”

“Yes. It was hard to bear.”

“…To that extent? What exactly do you want to confirm?”

As Damia blocked his path with her eyes sparkling, a subtle tension crossed Cassian’s face.

“I’m talking about when the little duke picked me up and carried me earlier.”

Cassian laughed as if he had known this would happen.

“Oh, that’s what I was talking about? I hope there’s no misunderstanding.”

“Um… what are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry I raised your expectations. I had no ulterior motives; I was simply fulfilling my duty as your fiancé.”

“yes?”

“Still, since you are my fiancée, I plan to continue to show this level of courtesy.”

Damia barely managed to swallow a sigh.

“I’m sorry, but you misunderstood. That’s not what I meant.”

“…Then what is it?”

A vague feeling of disappointment or relief rose in Cassian’s eyes.

“At that moment, I felt the Duke’s heartbeat.”

“what?”

“You said things were getting better little by little thanks to the medication. But it wasn’t at that level. It was extremely irregular and rapid!”

“That, that is…….”

“Could it be that the treatment wasn’t as effective as I thought? I just want to check it again!”

Damia smiled, her palms outstretched. A faint madness emanated from her.

“Wait a minute, what’s with that hand? Are you going to touch it yourself?”

“Well, if you need it.”

Cassian’s face turned pale.

“Even if you’re engaged… you have to keep a line!”

“I have no selfish motives either. Please believe me.”

“Hey, don’t be ridiculous. How many times have you confessed to me so far?”

“Are you embarrassed? I told you to just think of it as a medical procedure.”

“You’re mistaken, so calm down! If my heart was really beating that hard, there’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed.”

“ah…….”

Now that I hear it, that’s true. The person who needs it most is probably Cassian.

‘Was I mistaken?’

True, that purple herb was only useful for buying time, not a perfect cure.

“Hey, stop talking nonsense and tell me who you think is the culprit.”

But why do you stutter strangely?

Damia stared at Cassian with her eyebrows drawn together.

“Who on earth attempted such a foolish assassination?”

It was a urging that reeked of a desire to change the subject.

“Hmm…….”

“Quick!”

It was suspicious, but it was only circumstantial evidence. Besides, there seemed to be no reason for Cassian to lie.

“But to call it an assassination attempt… isn’t she a bit too small and pretty?”

Damia placed a white snake on my palm.

“Why do you keep touching me so dangerously? Put me down right now.”

“You heard earlier. They’re a very gentle species. They’re not dangerous at all. Now, look.”

As if to prove his point, the snake coiled itself gently around Damia’s hand.

“After all, he’s the one who showed his teeth to you. What are you going to do if he bites you again?”

Cassian looked extremely anxious. He seemed especially obsessed with Damia’s safety today.

“It’s not his fault.”

“what do you mean?”

Damia sighed softly and held out a pink handkerchief. The tightly wrapped bandages made it difficult to move her arm.

‘I didn’t want to break up with Drury, but…’

They were the ones who started the fight, so there was no reason to protect them.

If we just let it go this time, something bigger might happen later.

“I think someone was trying to trick me.”

“Not me, but you? Who would dare?”

“Huh? Why are you so excited?”

“What? You’re my one and only….”

One and only? Is now the time for such an awkward adjective?

“So… yeah, she’s my fiancée.”

“Huh? Is that all?”

Instead of answering, Cassian quickly snatched the handkerchief away. His eyes sharpened as he examined the object in his hand.

“It’s the emblem of the Marquis of Soro. Did this come with it?”

“Yes, that’s right. But there’s something more significant than that.”

Damia let the white snake smell the handkerchief.

Kyaak-!

The snake, which had been lying there tiredly, straightened its body and revealed its sharp teeth.

It was a very aggressive appearance, contrary to his reputation as being gentle.

“What is this…….”

The moment Cassian’s face turned red with shock.

“Casian, may I come in?”

Duchess Sarkis knocked on the guest room door.

“Miss Drury has something she would like to apologize for.”

It was a completely unexpected development.