Adi followed where Juls led him. In the end, the goal was to be the Reception Room. That's what he thought, but Juls bypassed the Reception Room and led Adi straight to the Bedroom. Joel quickly walked forward and opened the door.
Juls sat Adi down on the bed. Adi tried to get up, but Juls pressed on his shoulder. As luck would have it, this was one of the places where the Count hit.
- Wow!
The restrained groan still escaped. Looking at Adi, who was clutching his painful shoulder, Juls froze for a moment. Removing his hand and stepping back, Yuls froze. He thought that only his face was damaged, but apparently his body was also affected. Where on this body was there any room for blows?
Even though knights are tough, that doesn't mean they don't feel pain. Jules, who had been scraping his palm with his nails, soon clenched his hand into a fist.
- Heal him, Joel.
- Everything is fine.
- Adrian.
There was an order in his tone to silently obey. Adi shook his head.
“If I get better overnight, the Count will like it even less.”
Jules narrowed his eyes and sighed. Whether he considered these words true or not, he turned to Joel, who stood awkwardly: “Bring the medicine.” - Joel, as if he was just waiting for this, quickly went outside.
Jules asked the following question:
— Was the Count always so cruel?
Adi looked up. At the sight of this face, a sigh escaped on its own. Now it is also swollen. This pain seemed to be transmitted directly; Probably, if the wounds had been inflicted on her herself, she would have suffered less.
- No.
Adi answered.
- This is my fault.
- What exactly were you guilty of?
“I taught Roy Gallardo the family's fencing.
-...
“Because of this, Lef Zid lost.”
Looking at her saying this with a smile, Yuls was at a loss for words. Looks like this was all Adrian's plan. So Adi already knew. She knew that the Count would turn her into such a state.
“After all, only Grimaldi’s sword can resist Grimaldi.”
He did this knowing everything in advance.
For what? For what? A feeling of dissonance arises. The same dissonance that I felt every time I looked at Adrian. For what? The thoughts didn't come together. Just then Joel arrived with a first aid kit. Apparently he was running, because he was breathing heavily.
Juls said:
- Take off your clothes.
- …Sorry?
“I know that you reject healing magic.” But the ointment must be applied. You've been hit all over your upper body, so you can't be okay.
As soon as you lightly touched his shoulder, he winced. It’s unclear how he didn’t make a sound before. Maybe he doesn't feel pain well? But this is unlikely to be the case, since he winces from just touching the skin.
“I’m really fine.”
It is useless to talk like this, looking as if you are complaining of pain: it cannot be believed.
- Don't be stubborn.
-...Really. It will go away as soon as I wash my face.
Water is not a healing drug, and washing your wounds will not heal. It is impossible to understand the reason for his refusal of the proposed treatment.
A healer-mage is a rarity. For various reasons, priests often refused treatment, either healing was not available to people of a certain status, or, on the contrary, too high a position became an obstacle at the request of the church itself, while the magician could be kept with him constantly.
He couldn't help but know how valuable magic healers were. Is he really against magic? However, there were no signs of such a worldview.
- Adrian.
Juls took a step forward, and Adi clutched the sheet until her knuckles turned white. Why? Her wary gaze and deathly pale face revealed an inexplicable falsity.
What's happening?
“Everything is really all right, Your Grace.”
Yuls's gaze dropped downwards. This strange sensation did not arise instantly; it had subtly, skillfully aroused suspicion before. But he pushed away such thoughts. Could anyone in their right mind allow something like this to happen?
Once a doubt arose and pulled a chain of others along with it.
Her refusal, accompanied by such an expression on her face, her inconspicuous figure, especially conspicuous among the knights, the impeccable appearance of clothing, which he considered the habit of a northerner, the behavior of Count Grimaldi, her words about her own death, the Count's desire not to let her go to Ionades and her own desire to escape, as well as Desire.
What did Adi Grimaldi want? Why did she cling so stubbornly to this? The number of wishes, words about what will use them later. It all seemed like preparation for something.
Why exactly?
- Joel, come out.
Joel, who was watching what was happening, bowed his head respectfully, put the first aid kit on the floor and left.
Juls looked down at Adi.
What was Adrian Grimaldi up to? What was he thinking? What Wish was he going to make? What was this thing that he wanted to use at an important moment?
“You know why the Count wants to take you to Grimaldi?”
Adrian Grimaldi, who said that he would pick a wildflower and give it to his sister.
Adrina Grimaldi, whose gaze was similar to that of the Count. Fragile Adrian and strong Adrina. Dead Adrina and living Adrian.
Palesa's dog.
- This means you will die.
Even as he said it as an assumption, he felt the absurdity of his words. This can't happen. Jules snorted. This couldn't be possible, and yet it seemed possible.
- Why didn’t I see this?
He took it for granted that the promises to protect and rescue were intended for Adrina. But in fact, it was Adrian who couldn't get out of bed.
Yes, a person with poor health would not have been able to get up like that and get into the Second Knights' Detachment of Palesa after a few years. His own hypothesis is much more plausible.
- Adi.
The man in front of him was not Adrian Grimaldi.
- Take off your clothes.
- …Your Mightiness.
- Is there a reason why you can't do this? You are both men.
The “Adi” she was talking about was not Adrina’s “Adi,” but Adrian’s “Adi.”
- Yes?
Yuls's gaze fixed on her was soft. As if trying to confuse her, he continued speaking in a low voice:
- If there is a convincing reason, you don’t have to take off your clothes.
A compelling reason... what could it be? Adi feverishly went through the options, but nothing came to mind. Any stated reason will not satisfy the Duke. However, it was impossible to delay any longer. The Duke wanted to hear the answer. Which one exactly? What does he want to hear?
- Adrian.
- Yes, Your Grace.
Juls looked down at Adi, then put his hand to her cheek. The cheek was swollen, but remained smooth. Too smooth. Even a man who rarely grows a beard inevitably develops stubble in the evening. It is impossible to have such smooth cheeks or chin.
Yuls's hand slowly slid down. He untied the cravat around his neck and the shirt fell open. The slightly visible collarbones had a blue tint.
Collarbones are so easy to break.
Clicking his tongue, Juls put his hand on Adi’s throat. Under my fingers I felt a thin neck with an undeveloped Adam's apple.
- Your Mightiness?
Even when she spoke, there was no movement. Then Yuls, holding his hand on her neck, physically felt this difference.
Why didn't he know?
Juls took Adi's hand in his. Small.
Why didn't he know anyway?
Even if the height was high, the lines were different. Has the nickname “Dog of Palesa” blinded his eyes?
Even if the hands were rough, their size was different. Taking a closer look, he noticed that the little finger was unusually short. With such a hand it would be difficult to hold a sword. How much work did it take to achieve your current mastery? But the most important question remained.
- Adrian.
Since when?
- Adrina.
Was she living under her brother's name?
— Adrina Grimaldi.
In the eyes, reddened from burst capillaries, the pupils fluttered. It seemed that the Adi who promised to protect and rescue was not Adrina Grimaldi, but Adrian Grimaldi. It is not Adrina who lies in that grave, but Adrian.
Two images simultaneously appeared before him: the Count, looking with displeasure at her long hair, and he, swinging his scabbard at Adi, who had not met the slightest resistance. Does the deceased brother know about this? Does he know how his little sister is being treated?
- Adi.
Adi's words that returning to Grimaldi would mean death, and that she would not be able to become a Count, all pointed to the same thing.
- Yes.
Juls, holding Adi by the cheek, kissed her. The torn lip began to ache again. You can taste blood. Feeling the taste of blood, Yuls also pulled away. Red hair, red eyelashes, red eyes. And scarlet lips stained with blood.
It was a common act to break a curse.
- It was you.
The only thing that was unusual was the emotion reflected in the Duke’s eyes. Looking at Adi, the Duke smiled. The meaning of this smile was incomprehensible.