Chapter 22.2: "Yes."

"Yes."

He was like a child who was afraid of being caught in the accident he lied about not committing.

Whatever it was, it was clear Alastair wanted to hide something from me.

It was evident that Alastair would reluctantly confess to me if I were persistent. But I decided not to.

'I should respect his boundaries to some extent.'

"Okay. I'll believe you."

".....I don't have much to say."

"I see."

"Really."

"Okay."

I held back my laughter.

I don't know if he's innocent or not, but Alastair claiming his innocence as if I were committing an unfair injustice towards him was too funny. A strong negative is a strong positive.

Alastair was the same.

"My arm hurts."

Just drying his hair made me feel like I've worked hard.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

After wiping his hair, I tossed the towel over the table and laid it down.

I gently slipped his wet hair, sticking to his cheek, behind his ear.

I was worried about his soaked clothes because of the water that dripped off from his head.

If you stay wet like this, you will catch a cold.

"Alastair, would you like to take off your clothes?"

Alastair blinked stupidly at my words. After a moment, he began to release the buttons, belatedly understanding what I had meant.

As he undressed, I took the shirt out of his hand. He looked down, his eyelashes looking long, trembling as if he was a bit embarrassed.

"Serina ············?"

"Wait a minute."

It's new to me, Alastair wasn't just a man with a pretty face—his body was impressive too. His collarbone with beautiful bones ribbed beneath his white skin and a firm muscular chest and abdomen below it looked solid.

I took my eyes off of Alastair

Alastair decided to live in this room sometimes. He probably has some clothes he has left here.

"Wear this."

I threw a white shirt at Alastair.

Heading towards the bed I flopped down and then turned to watch him put on the clothes I gave him, lying down. I smiled faintly as I felt a sense of satisfaction.

"Serina."

Alastair got up from the chair, walked up to me, and sat on the mattress next to me.

For a moment, I felt the bed lean towards him.

I looked up at him to see him already staring at me.

"Alastair, I have something to say to you."

"......Is that so."

He seemed nervous, probably because of my questions from just before.

I got up and met his eyes.

"Igelto woke up."

"You mean the elf?"

"Yeah."

Igelto woke up safely, but he was still in bad shape.

There were still some small scars on his body from his time as a slave.

And due to his recent injuries, he couldn't walk.

"When Igelto's feels better, I'll start making your medicine."

Maybe after a few days, I can make his antidote.

Elves' resilience and healing abilities are much faster than humans.

"When Igelto completes the drug, you know you have to take it consistently?"

"........."

"Don't forget to take medicine without me. Okay?"

Alastair did not answer.

Usually, he was solicitous and listened to me intently—but now there was no hint of that.

My eyebrows rose slightly.

I was offended to see him persistently ignoring my words, but I felt even more perplexed.

Are you angry again like last time? I don't think so.

No emotion could be found on his face.

"Alastair?"

Even after calling his name, his mouth was sealed shut.

I just quietly blinked at him.

His eyes got darker and darker, his extraordinary purple eyes clouded.

There was an unknown, meaningful atmosphere.

For some reason, Alastair's reason seemed to have left.

I gently grabbed both of his cheeks and made eye contact with him, leveling him with me.

But his lost eyes didn't even register what I was doing.

"Alastair."

I called him again.

"Alastair. Answer me."

I called him again.

Strangely, I don't have the confidence that he will escape the grips of his trance and answer me—but still, I had to try and call him again.

"Alastair!"

I yelled at him, half angry, half scared, but he still didn't reply.

It's been a while since he had been entirely unresponsive like this.

Alastair only acted like this when he was entering and exiting the Hall of Hallucinations.

'What the hell is going on? Isn't this situation is completely different?"

This wasn't the aftermath of some torture Alastair went through at the hands of Duchess Melford.

There was no longer any poison buildup in his body, in fact, Alastair had tolerated the painful withdrawal of the poisonous plants leaving his body rather well.

His eyes were drenched in a hazy fog; I have never seen him look like this off the Melford ducal estate.

Panic and dread shot through me—I was afraid.

I was frightened of going back to that time again, where I felt hopeless and helpless, and I did not know what to do.

I did not know how to deal with this situation right now.

Icy, bitter air encircled me.

Time seemed to have stopped in this strange atmosphere.

I heard the clock ticking in the quiet room.

Contrary to my hypothesis that time had stopped, time went on smoothly.

Goddamn it. Nothing flows smoothly in this room except for time.

"Alastair·······?"

Only

After a long time, Alastair responded. He carefully held my shoulder.

I was embarrassed by his unexpected behavior, but I did not show it.

"Uff...!"

He suddenly gave strength to the hand that held my shoulder and pushed me down.

As my back hit the bed—Alastair climbed on top of my body.