OPDPS 69

“If I lie down now, I’ll fall asleep.”

Aeryl squirmed, trying to get up. The more he moved, the more disheveled his clothes and hair became. Especially those tousled brown strands splayed across the white sheet—they stirred imagination.

“I told you, I can’t. Your Grace…”

Even his words carried a peculiar weight.

Aeryl squeezed his eyes shut against the wave of drowsiness, then opened them again. His reddened eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The sight, from above, was almost too much for the Grand Duke to bear.

“Aeryl.”

“Yes…”

Acting on impulse, the Grand Duke reached out and gently smoothed the wrinkle between Aeryl’s brows.

“Want me to stop it?”

Even if it meant playing into Lady Merel’s schemes, he didn’t care. If it meant sparing Aeryl from further strain, it seemed more than worth it.

“…No.”

“Why not?”

“Because then I’m letting her win.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. That’s not why I brought you here.”

“But it’s Your Grace’s work…”

Aeryl mumbled. His muffled voice slipped into the Grand Duke’s ears and left a soft ripple in its wake. That ripple stirred something in his chest, made his fingertips tremble. His heart pounded fiercely.

He felt elated, flustered—yet deeply ashamed.

‘What is this? Why am I suddenly like this?’

He couldn’t even meet Aeryl’s eyes. His gaze wandered through the air until it landed on the mirror hanging on the wall. His reflection stared back, his face bright red.

He couldn’t bear to look at it and quickly lowered his gaze.

“Your Grace…”

Aeryl murmured, half-asleep, eyes barely open.

“Sleep.”

I don’t want to show him this pitiful side of me. The Grand Duke lifted his hand from Aeryl’s brow and gently covered his eyes.

Aeryl fell asleep almost instantly. The Grand Duke drew his hand back and stood frozen for a moment before covering his own face with one hand.

“Haah…”

A deep sigh slipped out. It had happened again. Aeryl had thrown him off balance once more.

The past few days had been hard on the Grand Duke too. Aeryl had only come for checkups before hurrying back. Though he’d understood the reason, emotionally, it had been frustrating.

Every night, he’d waited with anticipation, only to be left alone and disappointed. The emotional whiplash wore on him. Add to that the self-loathing and confusion over his own reactions, and it was a mess.

He’d known it was becoming too much. That’s why yesterday, he’d stayed in the outer palace, using work as an excuse not to return. He’d even considered skipping the infirmary altogether.

But in the end, here he was again. Whatever resentment he’d felt had long since melted away.

At this point, the Grand Duke had no choice but to admit it.

“…You’re special to me.”

He murmured the words, his expression as dark and heavy as storm clouds.

***

It had been a glorious nap.

Aeryl sat up groggily. About two hours had passed, and the Grand Duke was gone. Understandable—he was a busy man—but somehow, it still felt a little disappointing.

‘I’ll see him tonight, right?’

No matter how packed his schedule, they should at least schedule a checkup every few days. As he thought that, his stomach let out a loud growl.

‘I haven’t eaten at all today.’

He’d skipped breakfast because he had no appetite, and he missed lunch while sleeping. Now that the fatigue had eased, his hunger was returning. Normally, Connie would bring meals at the proper times, but she wasn’t around.

‘Guess I’ll just stop by the kitchen and see if there’s any leftover bread.’

Aeryl headed to the kitchen with practiced ease. Since kitchens were full of sharp tools and open flames, injuries were common—so he came by often. It was between lunch and dinner now, so the chefs were on break.

“Hello.”

As he entered and greeted them, the chefs responded cheerfully.

“Oh, Doctor! What brings you here?”

“You didn’t eat anything today, right? Connie didn’t come by for food. You’re here for a meal?”

Their tone was warm and familiar. Aeryl was a frequent visitor—treating cuts, checking injuries—so of course they were fond of him.

“Let’s see… We’ve got some tomato soup left, right? That, and some bread. I’ll whip up a salad real quick. Just wait a moment.”

“Doctor, have a seat here.”

They led Aeryl to a small table in the corner of the kitchen. Soon, a bowl of soup, a chunk of bread, and a small salad were placed before him.

“Thank you for the meal.”

It was a simple spread, prepared in a rush, but it was delicious. The chefs’ skill elevated it beyond any lavish feast.

“This is a gift, since you looked at my wrist yesterday.”

One of the chefs set down a square slice of cake.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

Aeryl accepted it with a smile. It was a dense Northern-style cake, full of alcohol and preserved fruit—a unique treat. The sugar must’ve jumpstarted his brain, because his thoughts began flowing more clearly.

‘Learn the artifacts handling, plan the health checks…’

As he mentally sorted his to-do list, he suddenly remembered the Grand Duke’s younger brother. He’d treated the boy’s ankle last time in the east wing. He’d told him to come by the infirmary for a follow-up—but they hadn’t met since.

He couldn’t tell whether the boy hadn’t come at all, or if they’d simply missed each other because he’d been away. But somehow, it felt like the boy hadn’t come.

‘Is he trying to hide that he’s hurt? What for?’

He couldn’t be more than ten years old. Don’t kids that age usually throw a fit just from getting a paper cut?

“What’s got you thinking so hard?”

One of the cooks asked.

“Why do kids try to hide it when they’re hurt?”

“That’s random. Talking about kids all of a sudden? I don’t have any, so I wouldn’t know.”

“Maybe the kid’s afraid of how adults react? Or maybe he got yelled at every time he came home with an injury?”

“Could be.”

“No idea. But why do you ask? Doctor, do you have a kid?”

“No, no. Of course not. I’ve never even dated anyone, so how would I have a kid.”

Aeryl waved his hand dismissively. The cooks exchanged amused, knowing looks. They were all at that age where a young man’s love life was prime entertainment.

“What? You’ve never dated anyone? With that face? How?”

“Maybe it’s the way you carry yourself. These days, looks are important. You’ve got the base, Doctor—if you just did something about that hair and those glasses, you’d have people lining up.”

They really love gossiping about romance. Honestly, they looked more excited now than they ever did while cooking.

“Isn’t there someone you like? How about here in the inner quarters?”

Someone he liked… There wasn’t anyone he was close enough to feel that way about. Except for the Grand Duke.

‘The Grand Duke is… my patient!’

Aeryl cut the thought off at the root. He couldn’t afford to start becoming conscious of him like that. That way lay memories of the accident—and he didn’t want to go there.

“…No one.”

“You paused just now! You were thinking of someone, weren’t you? Right?”

“Who is it? You’re super popular, you know. This is big.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not even been ten days since I arrived. What popularity?”

Aeryl laughed off their teasing and rose from his seat. Time to head back to the infirmary. The chefs waved him off as he stepped into the corridor of the central building. If he just kept walking straight, he’d be back at the infirmary—but for some reason, he couldn’t make himself take that first step.

‘I don’t want to go back in yet!’

Maybe it was because he hadn’t had a moment to relax in so long. It felt like a waste to end it like this. Then, he suddenly remembered what one of the gardeners had told him—a small, quiet lake lay behind the central building. It was a good spot to take a break.

Just for a bit. Aeryl stepped outside and headed toward the garden in the back.

‘Ugh, it’s cold.’

He hunched his shoulders. Even wearing a wool coat, he could still feel the chill. Everyone here walked around in just their uniforms—how did they do it?

The inner palace buildings were arranged in a ‘ㄷ’ shape, with white stones paving the paths that connected the wings. Low shrubs lined the edges of the paths, making it hard not to be seen if anyone was around. It was a bit unnerving.

In contrast, the outer sides of the buildings were surrounded by thick greenery. The paths looked well-maintained, but the way the natural features had been preserved gave it a wild, untouched feel.

Aeryl walked along the path, looking for the lake. But maybe because it wasn’t a frequently used area, the trail was choked with vegetation. He was sure he was going the right way… but before he knew it, he realized he was once again standing in a place he didn’t recognize.

‘Where am I?’

How had he managed to get lost again?

‘Am I bad with directions or something?’

He’d always had an attendant guiding him, so it was never something he needed to think about. Maybe he really was hopeless with directions. Aeryl let out a deep sigh and looked around. Next time, I’m not going out alone.

He gave up on the lake and turned back—but just then, between the trees, a small, black-haired head appeared… and then vanished.