“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.”