Chapter 5: I’m Back
“You have to treat it.”
“I know.”
“Right now.”
That sounded dumb. Adeline swallowed the words threatening to spill out. She didn’t know where she was, but she recognized that racing toward the capital would be far more effective than searching for a skilled heavy-mouth physician, especially one who might take ages to arrive. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
However, the Lion King didn’t seem to share her sense of urgency. “The wound could fester, and you might fall into a coma. We need to remove the arrowhead lodged inside.”
That much was obvious.
Adeline rolled her eyes, making eye contact as if to prompt him to elaborate. He opened his mouth again. “It’s a simple treatment. I can do it for you.”
His tone was clinical, almost businesslike.
A small, sharp arrowhead was embedded in her right shoulder. When she had been struck, she had writhed in agony, screaming for someone to pull it out. Yet her maid had turned away, pale with fear, and Richard had hesitated, claiming he didn’t dare touch the princess’s body. The other knights had seemed indifferent, almost wishing her to succumb.
But here was this man, offering help and insisting that the more troublesome a problem was, the sooner it should be addressed.
“Have you ever done anything like this before?” Adeline asked, skepticism lacing her voice.
The Lion King frowned. “What?”
“So you think everyone on the battlefield knows how to administer basic first aid? Well, I know how to do it, too. But you’re a king. Do kings really learn such things?”
“I am the Lion of Baltica.”
“And I am the Princess of Marma,” she shot back.
As Adeline echoed his earlier words, the wrinkles between his eyebrows deepened. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Despite the pain, she couldn’t hold back her laughter.
“All of my knights told me they didn’t know how to do it. Now that I think about it, they’re truly idiots.”
“Stop talking. You’re surprisingly talkative.”
The Lion King recognized her laughter as approval and called the maid with a wave of his hand.
The maid, who had been standing in the corner of the room, quickly ran toward them like a puppy that had found its owner.
“Explain the situation to my man and get some disinfectant and painkillers. I will do the rest.”
“Yes? Ki—K-King himself…?”
“Isn’t she the only princess in your country? Should I tell my men to treat her?”
“No! I’ll be back!”
Adeline sighed as she watched her maid move away at a rapid pace, wishing she could move that quickly when she gave orders.
“It’s going to hurt.”
Before Adeline knew it, the Lion King was right in front of her, lifting her into his arms. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
As she was lifted from her lying position and sat up, the world spun. Her vision was already blurry because of the fever, and now her whole body ached every time she breathed.
The Lion King spoke to her as she took a short breath, “You have to take off your clothes.”
His voice was mixed with a buzzing sound in Adeline’s ears. She barely raised her head and looked into his face. “Okay…”
“You can’t take it off alone.”
“It’s alright. So hurry up and—”
She hadn’t realized her hands were hot until she grabbed his forearm. The Lion King’s body felt as cool as stone in water. She wanted to lift his hand and rub it against her cheek.
The Lion King flinched for a moment but then took off her clothes without hesitation. The sweat-soaked dress stuck to her skin and wouldn’t fall off. He took out a dagger from his belt and tore open the seam at the back of the dress.
The sound of torn fabric echoed, and the cool air hit her burning back.
“Bite this.”
The Lion King brought the scabbard to Adeline’s mouth.
Adeline did what he told her, opening her mouth and clamping down on the scabbard. She heard her maid coming in as the Lion King poured a sour-smelling liquid over her wound.
“Please hang in there a little bit.”
How little does he mean? Adeline groaned faintly, cradled sideways in the Lion King’s arms. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
He called the maid over and instructed her to hold Adeline’s body so she wouldn’t collapse. Trembling hands gripped her.
Soon after, a tremendous pain surged through her. Adeline’s vision turned white, and her breath caught in her throat. She screamed, grinding her teeth as the dagger scabbard fell to the floor.
A lukewarm liquid trickled down her back.
“Bite it.” He brought the dagger scabbard back to her mouth.
After removing the arrowhead, the Lion King remained mostly silent as he poured disinfectant and sewed up the wound. The treatment wasn’t very long, but it felt like an eternity to Adeline.
“Princess… It’s over. Hang in there.” The maid had been crying the whole time.
Adeline felt ridiculous. The maid’s voice was filled with concern, despite having been ordered to keep an eye on her. Even though Adeline was sick, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“It’s done.” He wrapped her body in wide bandages.
Adeline had no choice but to pull down her dress below her bosom and surrender her entire body to him. However, no one was uncomfortable with that fact.
The crying maid covered Adeline with a blanket.
The dagger handed to her by the Lion King fell out as she helplessly opened her mouth. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
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