Chapter 31
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"Are you trying to get yourself kicked out right now?"
Ludville let out a disbelieving laugh.
He had given her a fortnight, but he could always change his mind.
But now, only a week or so remained.
Ludville sighed and readily answered every question Odelia threw at him after that.
It felt like he was telling her to take this and leave him alone.
"I don't know what difference it makes knowing my condition. Are you planning to play doctor now?"
"If necessary."
Odelia hadn't formally studied medicine, but she had self-studied quite a bit, and as a former healer, she had a considerable amount of medical knowledge.
Besides, she also had Ludville's memories.
She could roughly guess Ludville's condition...
'Hmm.'
She had expected it, but it was indeed very serious.
Lethargy, loss of appetite, sleep disorders, chronic insomnia, emotional blunting, separation of emotions and body, drug addiction, memory impairment due to drugs, and not even the slightest instinct for self-preservation...
'It seems like his self-awareness itself has collapsed...'
He lacked the basic sense of who he was, what he was doing now, and what he was living for.
He didn't feel alive.
He acted, but he didn't know why.
No identity, no purpose.
And yet, he wasn't even aware that he wanted to die...
"Perhaps... do you feel like you're already dead?"
"Here we go again."
Ludville recoiled instantly at Odelia's question.
Without a word, he left the terrace and headed somewhere without hesitation.
His aide, Edwin, who had been waiting outside, panicked and hurriedly followed.
Ludville suddenly crossed the hallway, went down the stairs, and immediately turned towards the training grounds.
"...Your Highness, are you running away right now?"
"Shut up."
"But Princess Odelia is still following behind you, isn't she?"
"I know."
Edwin glanced at Odelia, who was trailing behind them without a word.
Ludville didn't increase his speed enough to completely shake her off, nor did he slow down enough to be caught.
He kept moving forward, maintaining a constant distance.
Neither closing nor widening the gap.
"......?"
Why was he doing such a meaningless thing?
Edwin studied his master's expression.
It didn't seem like he was doing it to mock Odelia.
So...
He didn't even seem to be aware that he was doing it himself.
"Could this be that? Like that 'catch me if you can' game that couples usually play... If I'm intruding without realizing it, please tell me."
It certainly seemed like an insensitive remark.
The price for speaking carelessly came back very heavily.
"Ugh..."
Edwin collapsed to the floor, groaning, and Ludville coldly passed him by.
At that moment, Odelia, who had been following behind, was getting closer and closer to the aide, who was lying on the floor, groaning.
"Princess..."
Edwin called her desperately.
Odelia glanced at him, lying on the floor and groaning...
And passed by without stopping.
"I'm sorry. My abilities are not effective for treating external wounds. I also lack the strength to support you."
"......"
"Go see a physician. Well, then."
Leaving only those words.
She didn't have the power to help. Therefore, she wouldn't waste time on meaningless things.
He could feel her strong will to move efficiently every moment.
Edwin, who was staring blankly in the direction where Ludville and Odelia had disappeared, recalled one expression.
Birds of a feather...
* * *
The next morning.
Odelia obtained important information.
Ludville tended to eat better than usual after moving vigorously.
...Well, that was only natural.
'Moderate exercise is good for your health.'
It would stimulate his appetite, and if he accumulated fatigue, he would sleep soundly.
Although the screams of the knights that echoed in the training grounds yesterday still lingered in her ears...
...It must have been good training. Probably.
Anyway, that was why.
"We will be subjugating Monsters tomorrow, so stay quietly in the castle,"
When Ludville said this, she didn't bother to stop him.
Even if the reason for the expedition was the absurd reason that 'he needs to get his hands bloody periodically.'
In front of the castle gate, the Subjugation Force had finished preparing to depart.
The ranks were aligned, and the soldiers were waiting silently.
In the midst of them, Ludville, clad in armor, adjusted the shoulder straps to prevent his cloak from slipping, and stood before his horse.
He mounted the saddle with the same smooth movements as when he was wearing plain clothes.
Even while saying bloody words about getting his hands dirty, his face was listless, without any motivation, sense of duty, or spirit.
But the moment he discovered Odelia slowly approaching the Subjugation Force, his expression changed.
She was riding a horse.
Wearing hunting clothes that were easy to move in.
First, suspicion, then bewilderment, and finally, some emotion that was generally expressed as annoyance surged up.
For example, worry.
"...Were you under the illusion that I was going for a walk or inspection?"
"No, you said you were going to subjugate Monsters. And you also told me to stay quietly in the castle today. I heard you properly."
"......"
Ludville moved his lips, overwhelmed by the rising anger, but eventually suppressed the emotion and let out a deep sigh.
He was extremely displeased with the fact that he was so elated and disheartened by her every action.
It must all be planned.
He had no intention of being manipulated by her intentions.
"You heard me properly, and yet you followed me... Don't tell me, you wanted to see me worried and stopping you?"
But this is crossing the line, Princess.
Ludville said sharply, and said sternly that this was not fun.
Odelia, on the contrary, looked up at Ludville with bewildered eyes.
"Are you perhaps worried?"
"Are you even saying that...!"
Ludville seemed to be about to shout, but he managed to calm down.
After a while, he spoke as if grinding his teeth in a voice that had become chillingly low.
"Are you even saying that?"
"You caught the thief, too."
"The fact that you see thieves and Monsters on the same level shows that you're a hothouse flower."
His tone became increasingly rough.
"Monsters are on a different level than just vicious humans."
She knew.
Odelia had never faced Monsters directly, but she had seen the scene countless times through Ludville's memories.
A battlefield filled with blood and screams.
And even the look in the man's eyes as he silently wielded his sword in the middle of it.
That was why Odelia had to go even more.
"Of course, I'm not going to face the Monsters directly. I'll just stay in the rearmost or safest position and watch quietly."
"Why are you even trying to follow? Don't act like a child. I don't have the spare capacity to protect you during subjugation."
A child...
Odelia suddenly remembered that people knew her as Cardel's beloved youngest daughter.
She had never bothered to correct that misunderstanding, so it was not unreasonable to be treated like this.
"I have the means to protect myself."
Odelia gave a faint smile, reached out, and placed her hand on his head.
And like a daily routine, she relieved his headache today as well.
"And you will definitely need me, Your Highness."
Without hiding the fact that she was going to support and manage whatever he did in the future.
