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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Unexpected Visitors
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“Looks like quite a commotion.”
Watching Elisha's carriage from the window, I patted Enoch's hand, which was wrapped around my waist.
“Your Majesty, what do you mean? What do you mean you don't feel warm?”
“I don't feel warm. It's strange. The warmth… I can't feel it.”
“The warmth?”
At his unexpected words, I tried to pull away from his embrace, but his strong arms showed no sign of letting go.
“Your Majesty, could you let me go for a moment?”
“No.”
Enoch shook his head, his face still buried in my shoulder.
“Um… Well, you don't have to let go, but could you loosen your grip just a little?”
At my words, the pressure around my waist lessened slightly.
Seizing the brief opportunity, I spun around and grabbed Enoch's hand.
“You don't feel warm? Even like this?”
“…Yes.”
“Really?”
Letting go of his hand, I cupped my own cheeks with my palms and tilted my head.
“That's strange. I don't feel any different.”
I tried touching them with my palms and the backs of my hands, but the temperature of my cheeks felt the same as always.
Neither hot nor cold, just a lukewarm temperature.
Pressing my cheeks with both hands, I muttered seriously.
“Ah. Since this is related to my power, I guess my own body temperature doesn't matter.”
Watching me, Enoch's eyes wavered with anxiety.
“Ever since that duke's daughter grabbed your wrist, I haven't been able to feel the power. Even when we touch like this,”
Enoch pulled my hand to his face, burying it against his cheek and closing his eyes. His long eyelashes cast shadows.
“My heart doesn't grow warm.”
His words reminded me of the strange sensation I'd felt earlier, as if something was draining from my body. I lifted Enoch's lowered head.
“Not at all? Not even a little bit warm?”
“There's a very faint trace of power left, but it's so weak. Almost imperceptible.”
“Don't tell me…”
My brow furrowed in distress.
“Actually, a little while ago, I felt like something was leaving my body. Could it be because of that?”
Could it be? Was that strange feeling I had earlier the sensation of my power draining away?
‘Is that even possible?’
It's not like someone was drawing my blood. How could that happen?
“Still, if my power is really gone…”
Muttering to myself while cupping Enoch's face, a sudden thought made me flinch and pull my hands away.
Or rather, I tried to. If only Enoch hadn't refused to let go.
“Your Majesty, let go! If I don't have my power, you shouldn't be touching me either!”
The only reason Enoch can touch me is because my power acts as a source of warmth for him.
Without that power, touching him like this would surely trigger his rampage, just like with anyone else.
So I had to get away from him, and fast…
“Don't… let go.”
But Enoch only pressed his face deeper against my hand.
“It's very weak, but there's still some power left, so it's all right. So please, don't let go.”
Was he afraid that if my power disappeared, he'd return to that state where he couldn't stop his rampages?
As he anxiously pressed closer, leaving me at a loss, the communication stone on the table began to buzz again.
“Your Majesty, it's ringing again.”
“…”
Staring at the head of black hair that seemed to have no intention of leaving my hand, its owner's eyes shut tight, I stretched my short arm out as far as I could and grabbed the communication stone.
Wondering how to answer it, I turned it over and over until I pressed a protruding part. A chime sounded, and a bright light spread through the air.
And in the projected image…
“Your Majesty! Little Marquess! You're still at the manor, aren't you? Do not, under any circumstances, leave your room!”
…were two old men, running for their lives, their white beards flying wildly.
***
“Are you feeling a bit calmer now?”
“…Yes.”
Sitting quietly in the room as the old men in the video had instructed, I stole a sideways glance at the tips of Enoch's red ears.
The moment he'd calmed down, he must have become embarrassed by how he'd clung to me like a child, because his pale ears had been flushed red ever since.
Suppressing the urge to touch the crimson color that contrasted so sharply with his deathly pale skin, I gently shook our joined hands.
“Anyway, what are we going to do? It hasn't even been a day since I offered to be your cure, and this happens.”
“You remembered?”
“Hm? Remembered what?”
“About being my cure. I thought you wouldn't remember.”
“What… I didn't drink so much that I'd forget my own words, you know.”
I shot him a light glare and pinched the back of his hand gently.
“Ow. That hurts.”
“Don't be dramatic. Anyway, if my power really is gone, do you think it will come back?”
“I'm not sure. We'll probably have to ask the Elders about this.”
“The Elders?”
“Yes. The ones you saw in the communication stone's projection just now—”
*CRASH!*
“Your Majesty! Little Marquess!”
“…You mean… them?”
“…Yes.”
Speak of the devil, I suppose.
Before Enoch could even bother to explain, the old man from the video burst into the room, shoving the door open violently.
“…My door is going to be destroyed.”
As I cast a pitying gaze at the magnificent door, which seemed to be having a particularly rough day,
“Aaaah! Close the door! Hurry, close it!”
Another old man scrambled in right after him.
“Your Majesty, you're here!”
“Your Majesty, please open the door for a moment!”
The moment the second old man made it through, the door was slammed shut, and a clamor of shouts could be heard from the other side.
*Slump.*
Leaning against the door, the two old men panted for breath.
But what on earth had they brought with them?
Every time the door banged, as if being rammed by a log, the frail Elders' bodies fluttered like paper.
Even in the midst of the chaos, they felt the need to introduce themselves, bowing their heads one after the other.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Little Marquess. I am the Black Elder.”
“And I, the White Elder, offer my greetings.”
“Oh… yes. Hello?”
“Ho ho. Please, speak comfortably.”
Though their bodies were being tossed about, the two Elders smiled benevolently, their gazes warm and pleased.
“Ye-es. But who is that outside? And why did you suddenly come here, after telling us to go to the palace?”
They told me to speak comfortably, but…
It wasn't easy to drop the formalities with two men of their venerable age, so I awkwardly changed the subject and gestured toward the door.
“Ah, about that…”
Seeing my gesture, the old man who'd introduced himself as the White Elder frowned.
“Somehow, a few nobles who follow Duke Herington found out His Majesty was here and swarmed the place.”
“They're raising such a fuss about His Majesty going after the Duke. Tsk.”
At that, I lowered my pointing finger and put on an apologetic expression.
“I'm sorry. His Majesty is in this predicament because of me.”
At my apology, the Elders' eyes widened.
“What are you talking about? Why are you apologizing, Little Marquess?”
The two of them, having already heard the full story via the communication stone, cursed the Duke for being a son of a bitch before glancing my way.
No, to be precise, they were glancing at my and Enoch's tightly clasped hands.
“Well, I'll be… It's really true.”
“Indeed. To think our Majesty is perfectly fine holding hands with someone else. Ho ho, my my.”
“His rampage is really— no, no. This isn't the time for that. Your Majesty, let's return to the palace to avoid those people. If you would just open a transportation portal… Hmm. But, Your Majesty.”
“? Why are you looking at me like that?”
At the Elder's meaningful gaze, Enoch tilted his head.
“Is there something the matter with Your Majesty's ears?”
“What nonsense are you on about now?”
“They're bright red, as if they've caught on fire.”
“…!”
When the fact I'd been trying so hard to ignore was pointed out, Enoch flinched and covered his ears.
Seeing how utterly flustered he was, I subtly shielded Enoch from the Elders' view.
“Haha, I think His Majesty was just a bit startled.”
“His Majesty? Our Majesty was startled?”
The Elder reacted as if he'd heard the most absurd, preposterous thing, but I nodded.
“Yes. My power—the ability that keeps His Majesty warm—has weakened.”
“What? But you said nothing of the sort when we spoke this morning.”
“Um… something happened between then and now.”
“What on earth could have— No, never mind. We can hear the details later. For now, may I see your hand?”
“Ugh! Hey, what am I supposed to do if you leave? How am I supposed to hold these people back by myself!”
As the White Elder, who had been holding the door with him, quickly approached me, the Black Elder's frail body shook as if in an earthquake.
Ignoring the Black Elder, who was crying out for him to return, the White Elder examined my hand carefully and spoke.
“Hmm… The power has certainly weakened, but it's regenerating on its own. It should return to its original state soon.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Little Marquess. As long as His Majesty doesn't have a rampage while it's recovering, there shouldn't be any problem…”
Hearing the White Elder's absentminded mumble, the Black Elder shot his hand into the air.
The very hand he should have been using to hold the violently shaking door.
“Ah! That doesn't matter either. In that case, you just have to use your mouth— Urk! Ugh!”
The Black Elder hastily tried to block the door again with the hand he'd unwittingly raised, but—
*CRASH!*
The balance of force was already broken, and the door flew open with a tremendous crash,
The nobles, who lost their balance when the door suddenly gave way, tumbled into the room like a row of dominoes.
“Your Majesty! Even for you, this is unacceptable!”
And from that chaotic mess, one noble who had somehow managed to stay on his feet rushed forward, reaching for Enoch.
“How could you banish a delicate man like the Duke to a battlefield without a single weapon, just because he laid a hand on the Little Marquess!”
