It Seems Like The Infamous Trash Can is Right Here! - Chapter 8
The three knights, who had once served House Luanax with loyalty, betrayed him all at once.
While Lionel seemed to have anticipated betrayal from the first two, the attack from the third knight caught him off guard, and he allowed a single blow to slip through.
“At least it wasn’t in vain.”
The vision ended with Lionel’s muttered words as he dispatched the three knights.
I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them again.
His shoulder was now fully healed, not even a scar remaining, but I felt a faint, residual pain in the same spot on my own body.
It was barely a hundredth of the pain Lionel must have felt, yet cold sweat beaded on my skin.
‘This man… is he truly alright?’
Though it had only been a brief vision, I knew that Lionel had used himself as bait to root out the traitors.
A man who was head of a great noble family, yet so reckless with his own body—this wasn’t normal.
It wasn’t like he had multiple lives to spare.
Just as I was about to tell him that I was done and remove my hand, my gaze caught the sight of a deep scar stretching halfway across his broad back.
‘What about the other scars?’
Curiosity sparked unexpectedly.
“Your Grace, do these scars hold any particular meaning for you?”
He turned his head to look at me and replied.
“Not really.”
“Then would you mind if I touched them a bit more?”
“…..?”
He looked confused, not quite understanding my intention. I placed my hand on his back, letting it slide gently over the rough scars, as I channeled the last of my divine power into them.
While he hadn’t flinched during the treatment of the painful stab wound, this time he kept twitching, his spine rigid and straight.
‘Hmm…?’
Distracted by Lionel’s reaction, I decided to abandon my curiosity and focus on him instead.
“Does it tickle a lot?”
“…No.”
His voice came out tightly restrained, and I could feel his breathing grow more labored, which made me worry slightly.
“You don’t have to hold back if it’s uncomfortable….”
“Is this… how you always treat your patients?”
“For the most part, yes.”
“I… see…”
There was something like a groan mixed in with the words.
At that, I looked up, finally noticing the flush that had crept up his neck and onto his ears.
If he wasn’t just ticklish, could I have…?
‘No, that couldn’t be it. Not from this level of contact.’
Vivian was my age, and I’d heard Lionel was three years older than her, making him twenty-four.
Surely, a man with his wealth, power, and looks wouldn’t lack experience with women. No way would he be affected by something this minor.
Still, he was clearly uncomfortable, so I removed my hand after erasing only the largest scar across his back.
“I’ll take care of the rest another time.”
I half expected him to refuse, but unexpectedly, he nodded. He even added, as if to confirm that I hadn’t misheard him, “Yes, please take care of them next time.”
Since he couldn’t put his bloodstained shirt back on, Lionel summoned a servant to the sitting room.
While waiting for the servant to return with clothes, Lionel sat with only his jacket draped over his shoulders.
Sitting across from him like this felt awkward and somewhat embarrassing, so I busied myself preparing tea.
I’d been so focused on his injury that I hadn’t noticed earlier, but now my gaze kept straying to his chest and abdomen.
‘He must have put in a lot of effort to maintain a body like that.’
Being the head of a great noble family clearly wasn’t easy.
How blessed is the life of someone born into a simple family, able to live in peace and share love with their loved ones.
If Lionel could read my thoughts, he’d probably scowl and call me presumptuous.
But still… I…
I don’t need to be the protagonist of any world. I just want to avoid excessive pain. I don’t want to feel hurt or sad.
I’d rather live a dull but peaceful life than experience both ecstasy and despair.
But Lionel… whether he wants it or not, he’ll never live like that.
Even his face suggests he couldn’t live such a life—he’s too extraordinary for that.
