Chapter 12
“Ronin Alistair, the road to the North is your opportunity. No matter what, you must stay close to that brat. Your body, your face… those are the only things of any use that you possess, aren’t they? With that face and body, perhaps you can sway his heart a little. So do whatever it takes to cling to that mongrel!”
Yes, Father… I’ll do it. I’ll use what I have—the only thing I have. I’m scared… No, Father… Father is even scarier… Please don’t hit me! Ah, it hurts! I’m sorry! I’ll do it! I’ll obey every word you say! I’ll seduce Sir Leofric… with this worthless body… this vulgar body…
“Gasp!”
It felt as though he had been dragged out of deep water after being submerged for far too long. Every breath made his lungs ache as if they were being torn apart.
Only after several violent coughing fits did he manage to look around.
Which meant that his eyes met Sir Leofric, who was sitting across from him with his arms folded.
Only then did his sense of reality return.
We were on our way to the North. I insisted on riding a horse, but Sir Leofric made me ride in the carriage instead… and then everything went blank. Did I fall asleep?
It had been a sleep closer to unconsciousness, though Ronin hadn’t realized it.
Clearing his dry throat, he spoke.
“…I’ve made a fool of myself. How long was I asleep?”
“Not very long. About half a day.”
Half a day? No…!
The Black Wolf Knights possessed extraordinary mobility. If they had traveled at their usual pace for half a day, they would soon arrive at the castle.
“If you had… ngh… woken me…! Cough! Cough!”
“Tsk.”
He clicked his tongue?
Even through the coughing that brought tears to his eyes, Ronin heard it clearly.
Sir Leofric had clicked his tongue.
Ronin’s ears instantly turned red. He was well aware that he was making an embarrassing spectacle of himself.
This is bad… If Sir Leofric thinks I’m pathetic, I won’t be able to fulfill Father’s orders!
The thought alone made his entire body tremble.
He could almost hear the whistle of a switch cutting through the air.
Summoning every last ounce of strength, Ronin forced himself upright.
His face was flushed with fever and embarrassment, and tears had gathered at the corners of his eyes like a frightened child—but even so…
I can’t let him see me looking weak. This is Callion Leofric. I have to endure somehow.
“…You should have woken me.”
His voice came out steadier than he expected.
Though to Callion, who had seen everything after Ronin collapsed, it was almost comical.
Trying not to laugh outright, Callion replied,
“If I had, you’d have been little more than a walking corpse by the time we reached the North. Neither of us wants that, so stay where you are.”
Ronin tried to overlook the blunt remark.
The Marquis had given him his orders, so he couldn’t simply remain obedient forever, but he intended to avoid offending Leofric as much as possible.
That was, until the man sitting across from him began moving closer.
“Sir… Leofric?”
“Shh. I told you to stay still.”
The composure Ronin had desperately maintained immediately wavered.
Stay still? I… I can’t… You’re the one who’s getting closer!
The sharply defined features that resembled the mountains of the North came into perfect view.
He had never—never once in his life—been this close to an Alpha who wasn’t his father.
Before he realized it, Callion had leaned over him as Ronin lay half-reclined.
They were now close enough to feel each other’s warmth and scent.
This scent…
Ronin wasn’t an Omega.
But he knew what Callion’s pheromones were supposed to smell like.
He had heard plenty of gossip about them in high society.
“Lord Callion’s pheromones really suit him, don’t they? They feel just like the North.”
“Exactly. Like the wind blowing through a cold pine forest—clear, crisp, and refreshing.”
“Oh my, that’s exactly what I was going to say!”
This smells nothing like what they described.
It was gentle and tranquil.
Warm, yet subtle.
If he had to compare it to something, it was like the comforting scent of aged wooden furniture.
Because it was so different from the fragrance he had heard about, Ronin realized this wasn’t Callion’s pheromones at all.
It was simply Callion’s natural scent.
Which also meant…
They were truly that close.
Overwhelmed by the intimate distance, Ronin squeezed his eyes shut.
Whatever happened now…
Whatever Sir Leofric intended to do to him…
He had already resolved to endure it all.
After all, his body had been sent to Leofric for precisely that purpose.
But what Ronin expected never happened.
“Mm!”
A cool sensation touched his forehead.
Startled, he opened his eyes.
Callion was looking down at him with an expression that seemed almost exasperated.
“It should still be cold.”
Cold?
Without thinking, Ronin raised a hand to his forehead.
A strip of cotton cloth rested there.
It was packed with ice, making it pleasantly cool just as Callion had said.
“Now that you’re awake, have a drink of this as well. It’s medicinal tea.”
A thermos was soon placed in his hands.
Ronin accepted it almost absentmindedly and carefully removed the lid.
Sarandis? No… this stronger bitter scent… it’s Sulafin.
Sulafin was an herb known for restoring vitality.
While Ronin examined the contents, Callion had already returned to his seat.
I see… Sir Leofric only came closer to pick up the cloth.
Thinking it through calmly, everything made sense.
The cloth had been placed on his forehead to reduce his fever.
It must have fallen while he was coughing, and Sir Leofric had simply picked it up and put it back.
Then… what an absurd misunderstanding I made…
The embarrassment was so overwhelming that he couldn’t bring himself to say another word.
Instead, wishing he could simply lose consciousness again, Ronin drank the medicinal tea.
Sulafin’s distinctive bitterness made him shudder.
Fortunately, the lemon and ginger mixed into it softened the taste enough for him to swallow it.
Just like forcing himself to drink the bitter tea…
Surely he could somehow smooth over this incident as well.
The warmth of the tea gradually cleared his mind.
…There will be opportunities once we reach the North. For now, it’s better to stay quiet.
In the end, Callion unknowingly achieved exactly what he had wanted.
Ronin sat silently, doing nothing but sipping his tea.
Watching him, Callion spoke briefly.
“Medicinal tea won’t solve everything. Even after we arrive in the North, you should get plenty of rest.”
Ronin simply nodded.
And so, amid an awkward yet strangely comfortable silence, the carriage continued rolling forward until it reached its destination.
Creak—
At last, the carriage came to a stop.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ronin gripped the cold cloth resting on his forehead.
Soon, voices rose outside before the carriage door opened.
Sir Leofric will probably get out first. Then I’ll quietly follow after him…
“Lord Ronin?”
“Yes?”
Lost in thought, Ronin looked up in surprise.
Callion stood there wearing the same impassive expression as always.
His left hand was extended toward Ronin.
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
Misunderstanding the gesture, Ronin hurriedly placed the cold cloth into Callion’s waiting hand.
For the first time…
Callion’s stoic face twisted into an expression of complete disbelief.
