“And if I don't forgive you?”
His voice suddenly dropped lower.
Feeling the muscles in her shoulders tighten, Talia bit her lower lip.
Those blue eyes had somehow drawn so close that she could see her own frozen reflection within them.
Still idly winding a strand of her hair around his finger, he continued in an even tone,
“Will Your Highness come to scold me again, as you did today?”
The heat in her cheeks spread down to her neck and the tips of her ears.
There was no way her hair could possibly have nerves, yet the sensation of his fingers playing with it sent a sharp shiver down the back of her neck, as though he had bitten it.
Hiding every trace of her agitation, Talia deliberately put on an angry expression.
She wanted him to think her flushed face was caused by irritation.
“I will. If you come back injured again, I won't let you off. I'll make your life miserable.”
For the briefest instant, the corner of his mouth lifted.
Talia's eyes widened.
But the fleeting smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
Varkas leisurely rose from his seat and picked up the shirt he had set aside.
Sliding his arms into the linen sleeves, he replied in his usual indifferent voice,
“You've frightened me so thoroughly that I'll have no choice but to be especially careful from now on.”
Talia shot him an exasperated glare.
“You're not taking me seriously, are you?”
“I took it very seriously.”
Buttoning his shirt, Varkas answered absentmindedly.
“In other words, this body now belongs to Your Highness, so I should take care not to damage it.”
“I never said it like that!”
“You did.”
Talia abruptly stood.
“I'm leaving.”
She glared at him in annoyance and limped toward the door.
He immediately caught her by the wrist.
Instinctively trying to push him away, Talia froze the moment her hand brushed the bandages beneath his thin shirt.
Afraid she might have hurt him, she hurriedly withdrew her hand and searched his face.
Varkas simply guided her back toward the bed.
“You still haven't given me my medicine.”
His warm breath tickled her forehead.
Talia glared at him, her face burning crimson.
Varkas looked utterly composed, as though he were merely asking for something perfectly ordinary.
Surely he hasn't started thinking it's normal for me to feed him medicine with my mouth...
While she was entertaining that ridiculous thought, he opened the drawer and took out a small medicine bottle.
“Here it is.”
Then, wrapping one arm around her waist to keep her from escaping, he sat down on the edge of the bed.
Talia stared at the man, who had somehow become shameless lately, in utter disbelief.
He tilted his head.
“You dislike the idea?”
“...Who said I did?”
Pretending she had no choice, she accepted the bottle and removed the stopper.
Inside was a deep violet liquid.
Holding it close to her face, she sniffed it.
Instead of the bitter scent of mandrago extract, all she smelled was rich honey and a faint hint of mint.
“Is this really medicine?”
“It is.”
“They say it's a tonic that purifies the blood.”
“It is also effective against monster venom, so I decided to keep it.”
Even after hearing his explanation, Talia remained unconvinced.
“That healer gave it to you, didn't she?”
“Can you really trust that woman? What if she prescribes the wrong medicine again...”
“I received it from Daren.”
Varkas interrupted.
“But if you're still worried, you don't have to put it in your mouth.”
He reached for the bottle in her hand.
Without thinking, Talia hid it behind her back.
“Who said I wasn't going to?”
“I was only worried...”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
She cautiously watched his expression.
Fortunately, he didn't seem to realize she was worried about him.
Furrowing his brow, Varkas spoke seriously.
“You needn't worry.”
“From now on, no medicine prepared by that healer will ever touch Your Highness's lips.”
“After that incident, she was already removed from her principal duties.”
“You should be the one being careful!”
“She may have been dismissed from her position, but she's still acting as the Grand Duke's physician!”
Talia scoffed sharply.
Varkas let out a quiet sigh.
“I summoned her only as an exception.”
“They say no one in the East knows more about medicine than she does.”
“She has successfully treated wounds that even magic could not heal.”
“So until the poison has completely left my body, I decided to entrust my treatment to her.”
His calm explanation only made the knot in her stomach tighten.
Talia pictured the healer again.
A young woman with enormous, clear eyes like a gentle ox.
She knew perfectly well that Varkas, who had never spared even a glance for the famed beauties of the Imperial Palace, would never become interested in a woman of such humble standing.
Yet her unease refused to disappear.
Even though she also knew that, to him, nearly everyone was little more than living objects.
Ever since she was very young, Talia had been unable to tolerate other women lingering around him.
She had even driven away every maid who dared cast longing glances in his direction.
Once again...
She surrendered to that revolting jealousy.
“I don't trust her.”
“One mistake always becomes two. Two mistakes become three.”
“What exactly makes you willing to entrust your life to her?”
After silently studying her face for a long while, Varkas slowly nodded.
“If that's how you truly feel...”
“I'll have her leave the castle before long.”
His ready agreement caught Talia completely off guard.
She hurriedly protested,
“Who said to go that far?”
“Then I'll be the only one who looks like the villain.”
“They'll say I heartlessly drove away one of the Grand Ducal House's most loyal retainers.”
He looked at her strangely, his brows drawing together.
Since when did you ever care about your reputation?
That was probably what he was thinking.
Talia narrowed her eyes.
“For now, I'll allow her to continue treating you.”
“But every step of the treatment must happen where I can see it.”
“If I ever catch you alone with that woman while I'm not there...”
She abruptly fell silent.
Only then did she realize her own words had laid her naked jealousy completely bare.
Sneaking a glance at his face, she hurriedly added,
“If something happens to you, my own position becomes unstable.”
“So this concerns my own safety as well.”
After listening to her rambling excuses, a deep crease formed between Varkas's brows.
He stared at her with relentless intensity, as though trying to dissect every thought inside her mind.
Only after a long silence did he finally speak.
“If that will put Your Highness at ease...”
“Then I shall do as you wish.”
His unusually obedient answer only made her more anxious.
Her eyes wandered helplessly as she bit her lower lip.
Why do you indulge every whim I have?
Is it simply because I'm your wife? Because you think it's your duty to treat me well?
...Or do you actually like me, even if only a little?
Is that why you want me beside you?
She crushed those countless questions to pieces before swallowing them back down.
That would be begging.
I will never sink that low.
I don't expect anything from you anymore.
She desperately clung to that tattered lie.
Then Varkas pulled her onto his lap.
Talia instinctively curled herself up, careful not to touch his wounds.
He, however, seemed completely unconcerned by them.
Wrapping one arm securely around her back, Varkas effortlessly took the medicine bottle from her hand.
“Open your mouth.”
Without realizing it, she obeyed.
He raised the mouth of the glass bottle to her lips and slowly tipped it.
A liquid so sweet it seemed capable of melting her tongue flowed into her mouth.
Watching her through shadowed eyes, Varkas lowered his head.
His tongue gathered up the sweet liquid pooling inside her mouth.
Like a cat delicately lapping milk, he teased the tender flesh of her mouth with slow, gentle strokes before gradually deepening the kiss, exploring her with quiet persistence.
Almost unconsciously, Talia slipped her arms around the back of his neck.
The overwhelming sensation of their mouths meeting made it feel as though her mind itself were melting.
“Ah...”
After drawing out less than a single mouthful of liquid for what felt like an eternity, Varkas finally withdrew.
As she tried to steady her breathing, the rim of the bottle once again pressed lightly against her lower lip.
Silently understanding the unspoken request, she parted her lips once more.
The honey-thick liquid slowly filled her mouth.
A moment later, as naturally as breathing, his tongue followed.
The kiss that had begun under the pretext of taking medicine continued until the crimson glow of sunset was finally swallowed by darkness.
“...When will your wounds be completely healed?”
Resting her head against his uninjured shoulder while catching her breath, Talia asked absentmindedly.
His gaze, dark enough to appear almost navy in the fading light, settled upon her face.
His voice, carrying a faint metallic timbre, brushed softly across her forehead.
“Four days.”
Long, elegant fingers gently brushed the damp strands of hair away from her face.
She could feel the weight of his gaze settle upon the sweat-dampened nape of her neck.
Then he quietly added,
“If the medicine works well... the treatment should be finished in three.”
Unable to meet those eyes any longer, Talia lowered her lashes, hiding her gaze beneath them.
