170 – Post-processing (2)
“Ugh… !!”
I have experienced losing consciousness for several days due to the side effects of medication several times, so I have gradually gotten used to it.
No, I’ve gone beyond getting used to it and have now reached a point where I can roughly guess how many days I’ve been unconscious based on my body’s stiffness.
‘Looking at my body being stiffer than when I fell before, I wonder if it will be more than a week this time? However….’
When I saw the transparent skill window that had not yet disappeared and filled my eyes, I frowned with scorn.
No matter how much you don’t want to acknowledge the power of Baldojutsu, isn’t it too ugly that it hasn’t disappeared even though it’s been several days since the fight ended?
[The power of Conhuld, the Demon of Struggle, is not the type of power that would be a burden to oneself even if it seals a strong power.]
This skill window was filling my eyes, and every time I waved my hand to erase it, a new one appeared, blocking my view.
“Just do it in moderation.”
I was about to get out of bed while continuing to stir the skill window that reappeared even after I removed it.
Suddenly, I tripped and did something and looked down. I was so distracted by the skill window that I didn’t notice, but I saw the face of Jessica, who was trying to sleep using my lap as a pillow.
“Jessica….”
Looking at the bedding on the floor, it looks like they ate and slept here and continued to provide care.
It wasn’t really necessary, but it was so touching to see him continue to be by my side like this.
“Jessica!! Jessica!! “Wake up!!”
I wanted to show her that I was awake, so I shook Jessica’s shoulder and woke her up. Soon after, Jessica opened her eyes and slowly stood up and looked at me with half-closed eyes.
“… Ian?”
“Yes, it’s Ian.”
Jessica smiled brightly upon hearing that I had woken up, but that smile did not last long.
“… You’re awake. “I was worried.”
Her bright smile disappeared in an instant, and Jessica, with a cold expression reminiscent of cold weather, jumped up from her seat.
Then, when she turned her back on me and tried to leave, as if running away, I panicked and called out to Jessica who was leaving.
“Jessica!”
“…… “Why are you doing that?”
“Uh, that… Water, can you give me some water? “I woke up suddenly and felt a bit thirsty.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just blurted out something, and Jessica came up to me with a cup and a water bottle on her shelf and handed the cup to me.
“Take it.”
“… Huh.”
Jessica took the cup, embarrassed by the sudden change in emotions, and began pouring water into her cup.
The water, as cold as Jessica’s expression, seemed to overflow at any moment, but Jessica did not withdraw the water bottle in her hand.
Even when I told him to stop, he didn’t stop and kept pouring water until the bottle was empty. The water overflowed and filled the bed.
“… “Is that enough?”
“… ….”
When he nodded, looking at his water-soaked hands and sheets, Jessica put down the water bottle and left the room again without looking back.
‘What happened while I was sleeping?’
When he left the room, wiping his wet hands with the blanket, he couldn’t see Jessica’s back, wondering where she had gone in that short period of time.
Instead, my eyes caught the face of Hori, who was wandering nearby. The moment he saw me, for some reason, he was extremely happy and ran towards me at a fast pace.
“Mr. Ian!! You’ve finally woken up!! “You’ve been asleep for almost a week!!”
“Okay…. By the way, did anything happen while I was down? “I think Jessica is kind of angry.”
“Jessica? Oh, is that why you did that?”
“That?”
When I tilted my head, Hori was about to tell me what it was.
Whether it was a coincidence or she was waiting, Nana suddenly appeared from behind, as if to interrupt Hori’s words, and spoke to me.
“… Ian, you’re awake.”
“…… Sir?”
It was a voice that felt awkward for some reason, but it was clearly what Nana said to me.
Originally, it is natural for non-baldosul users to use polite language to those who speak baldosul, but even so, their attitude changed so drastically in just a week that it was difficult to get used to it.
No, it wasn’t just that I couldn’t get used to it, it felt like it was being sarcastic, so I felt bad for no reason.
“What kind of person are you throwing up? Call me like you normally do. “Don’t even use polite language.”
“… “That is no longer possible.”
“Why? “Does it have anything to do with what happened while I was sleeping?”
Instead of answering, Nana just nodded her head and motioned for me to follow her.
My curiosity grew as I wondered what had happened during the week I had been asleep to cause such a reaction.
After parting ways with Hori, I followed Nana and arrived at a side room in the mansion usually used by maids or butlers.
Nana knocked lightly to see who was inside and opened the door, and the person inside came out and welcomed Nana.
“Hey, Ian? No, that… master… ?”
“Euclidean?”
Euclid, a still unfamiliar woman, was looking at me wearing a maid uniform that was slightly more revealing than the one worn by the maids at her mansion.
“…… “No, what really happened?”
“I couldn’t cover up all the events that happened over the past week, so I had no choice but to tell His Majesty. And as a result, this is the silver award given to Ian.”
Because this matter had to be handled in secret, no notable awards could be given, such as an increase in title or reduction of fiefdom.
So, what the king gave me was the corpse of the demon I defeated, Euclid, who became a woman, and Nana, her bodyguard.
“You gave it to me?”
“Yes, of course, there is no need to feel burdened because the gift was given to Julia and Nana as individuals, not as members of the royal family. “He said it was up to Ian to do as he pleased.”
Even though I was told not to feel burdened, there was no way I wouldn’t feel burdened when I was handed the human rights of two people.
Euclidean… No, when Julia looked at her to see if she was okay, she just closed her eyes and waited for her own fate.
‘What should I do with this…’ .’
*****
“You’re going to reward me?”
At first, I thought that Abama had not yet given up on recruiting Ian and was trying to give me away by force.
Since the dagger was taken away, she decided to bite off her tongue, but the next moment, Abamama’s words came and her mouth closed of its own accord.
[Yes, I am just trying to punish Julia, an individual, not Julia, the princess of the royal family.]
“…… Yes?”
Julia? Is that my new name?
No, more than that, what you are saying is that you are sending me down as an individual, not as a royal family….
“Po, have you given up?”
[…] Half of them are like that. I’ve given up trying to win over people, but I haven’t given up on being liked. But are you really okay?]
“… Yes?”
[Isn’t giving an award to Julia, who is not a member of the royal family, is the same as depriving her of her royal status?]
As Abamama said, she was telling me to give up my royal status and live as Ian’s slave, but I didn’t care at all.
Of course, speaking of greed, I wanted to be by his side as a wife rather than a slave, but as a sinner, I did not wish for such luxury.
It didn’t matter if I was a slave, just being by his side was enough for me.
The first day of going to the mansion under Abamama’s command was not so smooth.
Lady Jessica glared at me as if she were going to kill me from the moment she heard Abamama’s command, and Ian showed no signs of getting up.
The other occupants of the mansion assumed that something unusual was going on with me, so they did not order me to do any work, so the days continued as I just waited in my room.
I couldn’t stay like this forever, so I went to Ian’s room to take care of him, but Jessica, who was staying in the room, glared at me and slammed the door.
I was moved to tears by the cold treatment I received for the first time, but I was even more disappointed not to know what condition Ian was in.
Time passed and about a week after being assigned to this room, Ian finally woke up.
“That’s why Jessica was so angry.”
“Yes. Well, it’s all my fault….”
“What is your fault…” It just happened because things went a bit wrong. So Yukl… “What do you want to do, Julia?”
“… Uh?”
From noble mtl dot com
“That’s literally it. You said you lived in this mansion for a week. “Jessica must have given you things like cotton balls, can you bear that?”
I hesitated to answer for a moment when he implicitly said that he would not intervene even if something like that happens again in the future, but I only had one answer.
“Yes…. “I can bear it.”
I can endure it. I may be waiting for a sad life unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, but I felt like I could bear it if I had Ian by my side.
“Boo, I know it’s not my place to ask for anything, but would it be okay if I ask you just one thing instead?”
“… It’s okay, just tell me.”
“If it’s the second, third, or even fourth time, can’t you give me a little love too? Then I think I will be able to endure no matter how I am treated.”
Ian smiled brightly at those words, but instead of answering, he placed his hands on both of my shoulders and slowly placed his lips on mine.
It’s warm. As her lips overlapped, I felt as if Ian’s affection was flowing into me along with his body heat, and I smiled without knowing.
I lifted my heel and walked closer to Ian, hoping that this moment would last just a little longer.