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Episode 28

"Denzel!"

What was inside was none other than Denzel.

And he was covered in burns and wounds all over. He was in such a terrible state that he could have been mistaken for a beast.

"H-How...!"

Tears rolled down Iodel's cheeks.

'Don't tell me, His Majesty the Emperor did this to him?'

She looked at Aegir with resentful eyes and immediately began to question him.

"Why is he like this? Why is he so hurt, huh?!"

Forgetting her fear, Iodel's voice rose involuntarily.

"Denzel! Denzel! Open your eyes!"

Unable to contain her emotions, she wailed. Then she approached Aegir.

Clinging to him, she shouted fiercely.

"Why can't he open his eyes?!"

"...I'm sorry, Iodel. He resisted too much during the process of bringing him to the Imperial Palace."

"Don't tell me...!"

Did they use violent methods to bring him here? Shocked, Iodel's eyes welled up with tears again, and he quickly made excuses.

"Those aren't wounds we inflicted. We brought him here unconscious. No matter how much we told him you were looking for him, he wouldn't believe us, so there was only one way..."

"Then..."

"He seems to have suffered a lot on his own. Perhaps because he looked different from an average imperial citizen..."

"Denzel..."

Hearing Aegir's explanation, she sniffled repeatedly and gripped the iron bars tightly. Then she turned her head towards Aegir and spoke.

"Let me care for him. Please let me care for him myself..."

It was a plea, almost as if she was collapsing. Looking at Iodel with pity, Aegir finally nodded.

"Yes. With you here, he won't lash out as much. Open the cage."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The knights who brought the keys opened the cage door. Then they carefully lifted Denzel's wounded body.

"I'll carry him myself."

He placed Denzel in the room right next to Iodel's bedroom.

"Royal physician."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Examine this child's condition."

"Understood."

The aged royal physician slowly examined his body.

Though there were scars that might hint at Denzel's identity and unhealed wounds all over, there was no major health issue.

"Fortunately, there is nothing seriously wrong with his health. First, we will give him a bath, then treat the wounds that appear to be from a recent sword cut."

"Proceed."

At Aegir's command, the waiting servants moved quickly.

They bathed Denzel, who was still unconscious from the medicine, and brought him back before Iodel.

The royal physician began treatment in front of her.

The wounds, which had been cut by a sword and left untreated, were festering to the point where they made people frown.

"Hic..."

Seeing that, Iodel burst into tears again.

"Iodel, are you alright?"

"Iodel..."

"Don't cry..."

Pluto, Thetis, and Cordelia didn't know what to do seeing her like that.

Demaret, Bell, and Theodore, who had never seen Iodel cry so much, were the same.

"My lady..."

"Please don't cry..."

It was Theodore who stepped forward first.

He took a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her.

A handkerchief embroidered with daisies, the symbol of the House of Belice. In high society, a 'handkerchief' signified affection.

But Theodore, still at a pure age, simply wanted to console Iodel as she cried like a child.

"Here..."

He couldn't bring himself to tell her not to cry, and just looked at her.

Iodel slowly took the handkerchief. Her throat was so choked that she couldn't even say thank you.

She gave him a grateful nod and wiped the tears that kept streaming down her cheeks.

Just then.

"Ugh..."

With a groan, Denzel's eyes slowly opened.

His bright blue eyes blinked lazily.

Soon, he sat bolt upright. Then, like a wild animal, he began to glare warily at the people surrounding him.

"Denzel...!"

Iodel immediately rushed towards him.

Afraid that she might hurt the wound on his chest, she stopped herself from hugging him and held both of his hands tightly.

"Denzel, I'm so glad you're awake. I'm so glad...!"

"...Iodel?"

His legs gave way, and he sat down on the spot with a dazed expression.

"Denzel!"

"Iodel, is it really... really you?"

A tear rolled down Denzel's cheek.

He had never once shown a crying face in front of Iodel before.

"Yes, it's me. It's me, Denzel... Where on earth were you..."

"I... I was looking for you..."

A cracked voice escaped through his chapped lips.

On the day flames erupted from the Freya Ducal residence, he had been caught in the explosion and lost consciousness.

Fortunately, he came to quickly, but no matter how much he groped through the flames, he couldn't find Iodel.

Even after the fire had completely blackened the enormous mansion, it was the same.

Denzel saw the Emperor's royal guard searching through the Freya Ducal residence, as if looking for something, and made his way to the capital.

But no one would help a child who looked like a beggar, with shabby clothes and burn scars all over.

He was chased away by the guards protecting the capital, beaten by people, but still lingered near the capital.

Then he was captured by the Emperor, who mentioned Iodel's name and made him listen.

He sobbed silently and spoke slowly.

"No matter how much I searched, you, weren't there..."

"I was at the Imperial Palace! The Grand, I mean my father, the Grand Duchess, and Sherelle all lost consciousness, so the only one who could take care of me was His Majesty the Emperor, my cousin."

"All of them, lost consciousness?"

"Yeah. So while I was staying here, I kept looking for you. His Majesty promised me he would find you..."

"So that's what happened..."

Finally understanding the whole story, Denzel let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad, Iodel. I was afraid that you..."

He had been cleaned up from the bath, but his face was still a mess from all the swelling.

Still, he smiled brightly, just as Iodel remembered him.

"I was so worried, thinking you might be suffering somewhere..."

"...Suffering, you say."

She patted Denzel's shoulder lightly.

He still didn't know how she was living here.

Thinking she should first tell him about that after everyone left, Iodel smiled awkwardly.

"For now, we should get him some food. He's been unconscious for a long time because he resisted so much."

"...Thank you, Your Majesty."

Denzel bent one knee and bowed to the Emperor.

"For protecting Iodel."

Seeing him, Iodel's eyes widened.

'Huh?'

It was a strange thought, but at this moment, he looked like someone who had perfectly mastered social etiquette.

"Yes. We should give you two some time to catch up."

"...Your Majesty."

Pluto looked at Aegir worriedly. But he nodded, signaling that it was alright.

"Everyone, leave. Have the food brought in first."

"I'll have the food brought in immediately, Your Majesty."

All of them—the Emperor, the royal family, Demaret, Bell, the escort knight Theodore, and the royal physician—left the room.

"Den..."

As the door closed, Iodel turned her head towards Denzel.

And in that moment, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

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