I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 102
CHAPTER 102
“Argh!!”
I coughed violently, clutching my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes.
It felt like my lungs disappeared and then came back again.
My head spun, and I felt a burning pain in my chest.
‘It hurts…!’
I bit my lip hard enough for blood to flow.
Why am I in pain? Is it because I dared to use divine power with a mere human body?
Or is it the price for venturing into the afterlife in a living body?
“…!!”
Tears streamed down my face as I spat out blood once more.
The white sheets quickly turned crimson.
“Ha!”
“Hurry… call for… help…!!”
“Qu… quick…!”
Unintelligible voices echoed in my ears, making me dizzy.
The slightest movement from the people around me made my skin crawl with excruciating pain as if being sliced by a blade.
Please, everyone, stay still. Please.
But no words escaped my lips.
I clutched my throat with both hands, only able to vomit blood.
“There… there!”
“I… I beg of you…!”
A familiar hand extended something, a watery substance.
I didn’t want to consume it, but due to the relentless insistence, I had to swallow a few sips.
Even that caused unbearable pain, and I cried a little.
“Hah…”
After a while, the bleeding finally stopped, and I could muster a semblance of a voice.
The constant buzzing sound finally became clear, and my vision somewhat sharpened.
‘I’m back at the villa.’
I blinked slowly.
I had collapsed on the villa’s walking path, that much was certain.
Opening my eyes, I saw the familiar scenery of the room I was assigned to.
There were many people around my bed.
Betty and Liena were there, of course, along with some maids, servants, the villa’s butler, and royal knights.
Among them stood someone who seemed like a physician.
“Your… your Highness…”
Betty, who looked pale, tightly held my hand and choked back tears.
“Are you… are you okay? Are you coming to your senses now?”
“…”
With great effort, I managed to smile and nodded. Finally, the clouds lifted from the faces of those around me.
“Thank goodness!”
Betty buried her face in the bed and cried tears of relief.
Oh dear.
I tried not to cry but ended up like this in the end.
I forced a weak smile again.
Then I asked.
“Ah, what about Arkin?”
The voice that emerged from my throat sounded nothing like my own.
It was low, mixed with a lot of wind, like the sound of scraping metal sheets.
“Your Highness is safe.”
The physician stepped forward.
“He has not yet regained consciousness, but he has not suffered any major injuries, so he should come to soon.”
Thank goodness.
I breathed a long sigh of relief and relaxed my body.
Arkin’s soul had returned safely.
‘Still, I wish I could see what’s happening firsthand.’
But in this condition, I couldn’t even if I wanted to.
I chuckled as I looked at my trembling hand.
When I regained my memory in prison, my physical condition was even worse than before.
‘All the medicines I’ve taken have turned out to be worthless.’
I squeezed out every last drop of health I had.
‘But well, I’ve kept my end of the bargain.’
It wasn’t a bad deal, was it?
…Or was it?
I shook my head.
Honestly, it’s a bit bitter that everything I’ve done so far has gone to waste.
But it’s already over.
It’s better to quickly let go of bitter emotions.
It’s not like it’s the first or second time I’ve let go, so I’ll be fine this time too.
‘Now, shall we get to work?’
I opened my mouth, keeping my gaze fixed on one person.
“I… have something to say to you.”
My gaze fell on a royal knight with a dark complexion and brown hair, who was avoiding eye contact.
‘He must have been the head of the escort this time.’
The day we departed for Arkin’s summer villa. He politely greeted me, saying he hoped I would take care.
The royal knight bit his lip tightly as my gaze landed on him, blood staining his lips.
“Your Highness.”
Thud! The knight knelt, bowing his head and gritting his teeth.
“It may have been an act of God, but I am responsible for my failure to protect Princess Lottie and Prince Arkin.”
He bowed his head.
Hmm, so that’s how it is?
It seemed like Pendrade had covered up traces of Kyres and arranged the surroundings to make it seem like a natural disaster.
Well done.
“The crime of arriving too late and injuring the nobles is punishable by death. I will accept my punishment!!”
Thud, thud!
Other royal knights behind him also knelt and shouted the same.
“I will accept my punishment, Your Highness!!”
“That’s enough.”
Huh?
My resolute words, spoken with determination, were swiftly rejected.
Blink, blink.
I felt the knights staring at me in surprise.
I raised my chin and smirked.
What are these kids trying to die for over something like this, really?
“No, Your Highness.”
The head of the escorts raised his head with a firm expression.
“We must protect Princess Lottie and Prince Arkin. But we failed to fulfill that duty.”
“…”
“So please, issue the punishment.”
He already had a prepared look on his face.
Sigh, words won’t do it.
Without a word, I gestured toward the window.
“…Are you telling me to go there?”
As I nodded, the head of the escorts stood up and walked to the window without hesitation.
I pointed at the window handle.
“Shall I open the window?”
As I nodded, he wordlessly opened the large window wide once again.
Swoosh.
As if it was waiting for this moment.
As soon as the window opened, a cool breeze filled the room.
The stuffy air in the room changed in an instant.
A cool breeze touched my sweaty cheeks.
‘It feels like I’m alive.’
I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the cool breeze, then opened them.
And issued my command.
“Don’t close the window, try to block the wind.”
“What?”
The eyes of the head widened in surprise at the sudden demand.
In no time, he attempted to block the wind with his own body and clumsily covered the window with a curtain.
Whoosh-.
The wind kept finding its way in, relentlessly penetrating further inside.
The head shook his head.
“…I apologize, Your Highness. Due to my lack of ability, I failed to carry out the command you desired.”
“It’s not that your ability is lacking.”
I shook my head.
“That’s just nature.”
It was something humans couldn’t prevent.
If it could be prevented, instead of using words like disaster or calamity, we would use words like talent.
This incident was no different.
Even if the knights had arrived on time, there was nothing they could do.
We could have all joined hands and knocked on the gates of the afterlife.
“So, it’s not your fault.”
“…!”
Tears welled up in the knights’ eyes at my words. Some of them even had their shoulders heaving heavily.
“Thank you for saying that, Your Highness. But…”
“I will speak to His Majesty myself.”
My throat hurts now.
I ended the conversation firmly, meaning I wouldn’t respond anymore.
‘Why are you crying?’
The knights began to cry collectively.
“I’m, I’m sorry, Your Highness!”
“You’ve been so kind to us…”
“We’ll serve you loyally for life! Hah!”
I blinked as tears filled the room, observing the procession of crying giants.
I thought they would appreciate it, but I didn’t expect such a strong reaction.
‘I didn’t want more casualties because of that Kyres guy.’
Honestly, because of that brainless guy, I felt like I would collapse again if more people got hurt.
“But.”
I rubbed my sore throat and looked around.
I hadn’t seen one face that should have been among the people since earlier.
“Weren’t there supposed to be three of us, me, Arkin, and one other person? Well, wasn’t there?”
“Oh.”
Even with my vague words, Liena nodded as if she understood immediately.
“You’re talking about the wandering bard, right?”
“Uh, bard?”
My voice rose in surprise.
Wait, what did I just hear?
There was only one other bard in the world who was as good as me.
That was Pendrade.
Even when he was in Cranis, whenever he sang, all the monsters would cover their ears and run away.
And that guy is what? A bard?
A bard??
‘I must have lived too long.’
I sighed, pressing my forehead.
“So, where is he?”
“Here I am!”
With the answer, the door swung open wide.
At the same time, Pendrade came in spinning around, emitting a delightful aura even sprinkling petals as he entered.
I was speechless, as were my thoughts and everyone else it seemed.
What is happening right now?
Betty, Liena, and even the knights who had been kneeling on the floor sobbing stopped their tears and looked at Pendrade with strange eyes.
Regardless of that, Pendrade, elegantly touching the strings of his lyre, bowed gracefully.
“I am Roy, the wandering bard of the continent, Your Highness.”
He seemed completely immersed in the role of a bard.
Even Elam was like that.
Why do long-lived beings play around like this??
I barely restrained the urge to smack my forehead.
Suddenly, Pendrade lit up the lyre again and opened his mouth.
“Prince Arkin has just woken up.”
I looked at Pendrade, and he smirked.
“Shall we go, Your Highness?”
There was no need for an answer.
I immediately got up from the bed.
Though my body was swaying heavily, with the support of Betty and the knights, I could manage.
“Lead the way.”
Take me to my brother.