•?••? ? ?••?•

“Lady Iva?”

As she peered through a gap in her hand to look at the knights, she heard a low voice from behind.

Was this how a woodcutter felt when caught peeking at a nymph’s bath?

No, I didn’t see anything!

In a hurry to explain, she turned around and bumped her nose against something.

“Ouch!”

Instinctively, she held her nose as a sharp pain shot through it.

“Are you okay?”

Did I hit a rock? Why is it so hard?

Her eyes teared up, and her vision became blurry. She blinked rapidly to focus. The person’s face and features in front of her gradually became clearer.

She could see black hair and sun-kissed dark skin. But why did he seem so muscular?

“Ugh?”

As the person’s face came into clear view, her tears stopped. He, like the knights she was observing, was shirtless as well.

Revealing his heavily tensed muscles, he appeared even more muscular and defined than the knights.

I must have hit my nose against this man’s chest. With muscles like these, it’s no wonder it felt like hitting a rock.

“My lady, are you in pain?”

“Oh, no. I’m fine…uh?”

She belatedly registered his worried voice. But when she saw his face, she unconsciously took a couple of steps back.

It was Ray.

Of all people to meet, it had to be Ray. Trying to avoid him, she turned her head away.

“I’m fine. Excuse me.”

She was quickly trying to move to the side, but he moved one step ahead to block her way.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re okay.”

“No, really, I’m fine.”

Trying to dismiss the concern, she lowered her hand from her nose.

Even if she had to wander around the palace all night, she didn’t want to ask Ray for directions. With her head held high, she tried to pass him again.

However, she was blocked by Ray once more. Don’t keep blocking my sight with your bare chest like that!

“Young lady, are you really okay?”

“Really, I’m fine! Just step asi…?”

“Your nose is bleeding.”

“…huh?”

For a moment, everything froze. Then she raised her hand and gently wiped the area under her nose.

Bright red blood stained her hand clearly.

Oh no, I’ve completely ruined my dignity!

“Where is the west gate?”

“Huh?”

“My carriage is over there, but I got lost.”

Now that she had a nosebleed, it was more urgent to get back to the mansion.

“If you go back to the mansion, it’ll be too late to receive the treatment, so let’s treat it here.”

Ray looked at Iva with a serious expression and gestured toward the nearby medical room.

Iva tilted her head, trying to show that it wasn’t that serious.

“No, it’s okay. It’ll stop soon, so just tell me the way… Ah!”

“Young lady!”

Due to her head movement, the blood dropped down again.

Both of their eyes were drawn to the distinct blood drops staining the ground.

“Let’s treat it here. There’s a lot of blood.”

Ray couldn’t just let her go when he felt responsible for her getting hurt.

“I’m fine, just show me the way.”

But Iva only wanted to get away from him.

Both of them were firm in their own opinions and didn’t want to give in.

In the end, Ray approached her with a slightly furrowed brow.

“I can’t just let you go like this. Please excuse me.”

“What? What excuse… Oh my God, what are you doing!”

In an instant, he moved to hold Iva by her shoulders and the back of her knees, lifting her up.

Startled by the sudden movement, Iva forgot to cover her nose and instead clung to Ray’s shoulders.

She then felt the warmth of his bare skin touching hers.

Quickly withdrawing her hands, she awkwardly crossed her arms.

“Your Grace, please let me go!”

“We need to treat it. Let’s go to the medical room.”

“What? I said let me go! I want to go back to the mansion!”

Despite Iva struggling and shouting for him to let her go, Ray remained resolute. It was like trying to crack a rock with an egg.

He clenched his both fists, trying not to touch Iva too much, and led her to the medical room.

* * *

“I apologize. The doctor is momentarily absent.”

After arriving at the medical room, Ray carefully seated Iva on a chair before releasing his grip.

Then he grabbed a black short-sleeved shirt from the hanger, brought over a metal tray and a small chair, and sat down in front of Iva.

“Wait, Your Grace. You’re going to treat me?”

“I can manage some basic treatment.”

“Let me do it.”

“You don’t know what medicines to use.”

“…You’re right.”

Iva decided it would be quicker to let Ray treat her than to keep struggling with him.

With a resigned expression, she waited quietly.

Ray opened the metal tray and busily prepared everything, then raised his head once he was ready.

He was so focused on healing her that he didn’t realize how close they were.

When he realized they were close enough for their knees to touch, Ray held his breath.

“Ahem, could you close your eyes for a moment?”

“My eyes?”

“We need to treat the inside of your nose.”

“Oh, right.”

Not wanting to watch Ray as he carefully treated the inside of her nose, Iva closed her eyes.

“It won’t hurt, right?”

“It might feel a bit uncomfortable and cold since I’ll disinfect and insert some cotton.”

Ray wiped the blood from under her nose and prepared to disinfect the area.

However, he couldn’t concentrate properly because Iva’s face, waiting with her eyes closed, kept drawing his gaze.

Though the injured part was her nose, his eyes kept dropping lower. Specifically, to her lips.

Her red lips were as vibrant as her red hair. If she had been someone else, it would have been just a nosebleed.

But Iva was making his blood boil uncontrollably. Ray was struggling fiercely with something inside him that wanted to surge forward and overpower him.

•?••? ? ?••?•