Chapter 91
I flailed my arms and legs in the air, my eyes locked with Asdal's.
"Huh?"
Before I could even wonder, a splitting headache struck me.
It felt like someone was cracking my skull with a hammer and then tickling my brain with feathers. I let out an internal scream. This headache was terrible, damn it.
I felt like my temperature was rising. I even thought my body might burn up and explode.
I was burning with thirst. I wanted to touch someone. I wanted to make contact. I felt like I needed to touch someone to quench this thirst.
"It's best to sleep quietly."
Enoch's voice reached me.
When I came to, I was on a bed.
It seemed to be Yuanna's bedroom on the second floor. Unlike Asdal's bedroom, which was destroyed by the Monster, Yuanna's bedroom was intact.
I saw Enoch standing by the bed. He was shirtless, his body wrapped in bandages.
He didn't look too good either. But that didn't matter to me right now.
"How can I sleep like this?! Why don't you just knock me out? Please, just knock me out. I don't want to die in pain like this."
I thrashed around and started to cry.
'My body is so itchy.'
I pleaded with him again.
"Enoch, I'm so embarrassed, just knock me out."
Tears streamed down my face against my will. Enoch looked troubled.
The longer he hesitated, the more my patience wore thin. I reached out with trembling hands and grabbed his arm.
Enoch's face came close. His surprised face filled my vision. Our noses brushed. I stared desperately at his red lips, almost touching mine.
Our excited breaths tickled each other's faces, and I was on the verge of losing my mind.
'Please, get a grip. Get a grip.'
I kept muttering that to myself, but my body wouldn't listen.
Enoch frowned, swept his hair back, and glared at me.
He bit his lower lip with a pained expression, pushing me away as if he was holding something back.
"Damn it, this is driving me crazy."
He muttered through gritted teeth.
After being rejected by him, I felt a sense of relief, but I also started crying more sadly.
"Just knock me out quickly, I'm so ashamed I could die!"
Enoch slowly leaned towards me. I thrashed on the bed, holding my breath as his face came closer. He pushed my shoulder and turned me to the side.
Thwack.
Then I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck, and my vision went black.
Thank goodness. And on the other hand, even though I asked him to knock me out, I didn't really expect to get hit by the male lead.
I guess I'm not the female lead type after all.
Yeah. A survival thriller is more my style.
\ \ *
When I woke up, it seemed to be dawn. Bluish light was seeping in through the window in the bedroom.
My vision was still dim. I slowly tried to sit up, but then I realized that my arms were tied to the bedposts.
Damn it. I sighed and lay back down on the bed.
Then, startled by the presence next to the bed, I turned my head. Enoch was sitting on the floor, leaning his head against the bedpost, asleep.
As soon as I saw his face, I vividly remembered what had happened last night, and I let out an internal scream.
'Damn it, how embarrassing!'
As I replayed the shameful history of last night, Enoch opened his eyes.
"……Margaret?"
I made eye contact with Enoch in a somewhat embarrassing state, my hands tied to the bedposts.
"Well, it feels like it's been a long time, doesn't it?"
Enoch stared at my face without saying anything. I lowered my eyes, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Could you untie my hands?"
I asked, unable to meet Enoch's eyes.
After a moment of silence, I heard a heavy sigh. Then a shadow fell over my face. It was because Enoch had leaned towards me.
Only after he untied the ropes was I able to sit up.
As I sat on the bed, rubbing my wrists, Enoch reached out and grabbed my wrist.
Enoch frowned and examined my swollen wrist.
"I need to apply some medicine."
I couldn't bring myself to answer and kept my mouth shut.
Enoch, who was holding my wrist, looked up at me.
"Are you okay?"
"……Huh?"
I blinked in confusion. Enoch carefully examined my complexion and asked again.
"I asked if you're feeling better."
"I'm fine. How about you, Enoch?"
He placed his hand on my forehead. It wasn't just an empty gesture, I really felt refreshed.
"Me, okay?"
I tilted my head in confusion at his strange question. Then he chuckled briefly.
"Not at all."
He tilted his head and scanned me with a languid gaze. He stroked his chin slowly and laughed as if he couldn't believe it.
"You really make it impossible to take my eyes off you, Margaret. You do."
I just blinked at his words and looked back at him.
"That's what I should be saying."
I retorted, but then I quickly corrected myself.
"Ah, of course, I have nothing to say about last night's commotion either……."
Of course, he didn't seem to care much about what I said.
"Um…… Enoch? Huh?"
I called his name because he had been silent for a long time, and he suddenly hugged me.
Enoch's embrace was warm and firm. He lowered his head and rested his face on my shoulder. His hot breath tickled my shoulder.
"I'm glad you're safe."
He buried his face in my shoulder and let out a weary voice. The weight of those words was so heavy that I couldn't say anything and kept my mouth shut.
"You should explain what happened, Margaret."
Enoch pulled away from me slightly and looked at my face. His Golden Eyes scanned my complexion thoroughly.
"Where did you go with Lord?"
"As I said, I was attacked by a Monster. Do you remember the small silver egg I saw in front of the cabin before?"
Enoch thought for a moment at my question and nodded.
"Margaret, you didn't throw it deep into the forest."
"Kaiden found the egg in a different place. It was as if someone had moved it. But when Kaiden touched it, it emitted something like poison, but when I touched it, it was fine. Strange, right? Anyway, that's when we encountered the Tarantula monster. In front of the cliff, too."
I went on to tell him the story of falling off the cliff, the egg constantly following me, and Eunji hatching and helping us.
"Thank you."
"Huh? What are you thanking me for?"
"For being safe."
I was flustered. I thought it was a commonplace thing to say, but strangely, I felt my face heating up. Is the Tentationem poison still not completely gone?
"……Then, what about Enoch? Why did you Berserk state like that?"
"I had to eliminate the Monsters."
I gaped at his nonchalant answer.
"Oh my god, so you really intended to Berserk state? Do you know that's a suicidal act?"
"I believed you would come back."
Enoch looked at me with eyes full of trust, truly believing in me.
"What if I hadn't come back in time?"
"I asked the priest to stab me with a sword."
Stab with a sword…… Oh my god.
I quietly rubbed my face. What am I supposed to do with this guy?
"I'm thankful too."
"What?"
"For being safe."
At my words, he suddenly pressed his lips together and looked at me. I silently watched the veins bulge on his clenched fist.
He seemed to be managing his intense emotions with reddened eyes, then he hugged me again and took a deep breath.
I quietly patted his back, waiting for his heart to calm down.
Enoch was a person with many emotional deficiencies. Maybe my words were comforting to him.
Then suddenly,
"I like you, Margaret. Just so you know……."
The words he had said right before he collapsed as if he had fainted came back to my mind.
'Could those words be real?'
I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I couldn't help but ask him.
"Enoch, were those words sincere?"
Enoch finally pulled away from me. His face filled my vision.
"What words?"
"That……."
It's a little embarrassing to say it myself.
"Do you remember coming to the cabin? And what you said to me after that."
At my question, Enoch frowned and fell silent with a thoughtful expression.
"……I don't remember."
I thought so. It must have just been nonsense he said while he was feverish, like me last night. I sighed, feeling somehow disappointed, and then I was startled.
I shook my head and got up from my seat.
"How's the priest?"
"Well, he's probably still tied up in front of the Gate."
"I'm fine now, so the priest is probably back to his senses too. Shall we go down?"
At my words, Enoch, who had been sitting on the bed, got up from his seat with a regretful look. He gently stroked my hair.
"How about resting a little more before going down?"
I shook my head at his question.
"Luzef must be having a hard time too, so we should untie him. If you're tired, we can just sleep in our usual spot again."
"Okay. I'll be next to you anyway, so it should be fine."
Enoch looked at me with unreadable eyes and nodded.
Is he saying that if Luzef's condition doesn't improve, he'll protect me by my side? I was about to ask him again, but I soon swallowed the question.
I would have poured out questions to him without hesitation before, but now I strangely felt a little shy.
I interpreted his words about being by my side as I pleased, and somehow I didn't want to break that interpretation.
In the end, I gave up on asking him.
I went down to the first floor with Enoch. As expected, Luzef was sitting in front of the cabin Gate, tied up, sobbing.
Then, seeing us coming down from the second floor, he wiggled his butt with a happy face.
Asdal was asleep in front of the fireplace, but he didn't wake up, probably because he was a heavy sleeper.
I untied the rope that was binding Luzef's wrists and thought.
Come to think of it, where's Eunji?
And if Tentationem has started to bloom……. Is Kaiden okay?