I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 63

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 63
“Thank you for saving my only brother.”
The man extended his large hand.
Without gloves, Aaron’s hand revealed prominent veins running across its back.
“Not at all. Rather, it is my honor.”
Claire grasped his hand while carefully controlling her energy from leaking out. The sensation felt firm, like someone who had trained in martial arts for years.
Aaron’s eyes twitched slightly with dissatisfaction before relaxing, though Claire failed to notice.
“Hmm.”
After the two released their hands, he placed his right hand beneath his chin as if deep in thought, then asked with a puzzled expression.
“From what I understand, only Theodore Voltier from House Voltier participated in the hunt.”
So why are you here?
Faced with the question she had anticipated, Claire swallowed hard. Since she was already caught, she decided to become a bit more brazen.
“I lost my way out of curiosity.”
“Out of curiosity?”
“Yes, I stepped out for some fresh air from where I was waiting, and when I saw the barrier to the hunting grounds open, I couldn’t resist my curiosity….”
It was better to appear as a reckless fool than to be caught up in palace intrigue that had nothing to do with her.
“For mere curiosity, your skills are quite impressive. It looks like you shattered that hard carapace with a single strike.”
“I’ve learned some self-defense techniques.”
“Self-defense?”
The monster’s shell still bore the indentation of Claire’s fist. Though she spoke carelessly to evade the situation, the man accepted her poor explanation with amusement rather than annoyance.
“Oh, I do hope my beloved brother could learn that self-defense technique as well.”
At those words, Elliott lowered his head in embarrassment. Claire barely managed to suppress the sigh that threatened to escape from the suffocating atmosphere.
“You’ll draw considerable attention looking like that.”
Aaron offered his handkerchief to Claire, who was drenched in the monster’s blood, and continued speaking.
“My followers will arrive shortly. Since we won’t be able to hide this anyway, I have a good excuse in mind. Would you like to hear it?”
Aaron’s lips curved into a smile. Claire alternated her gaze between that smile and the dense tree shadows behind the man.
‘Is there no other way?’
Regardless of his hidden intentions, she had no choice but to cooperate.
She slowly nodded her head.
* * *
“Goodness! Prince Elliott!”
“Both of you are covered in blood!”
Those in the pavilion erupted into chaos. Claire appeared supporting the blood-soaked Second Prince Elliott.
“What on earth happened!”
The commander of the Imperial Knights, who oversaw security, rushed over looking ashen. The wine stain on his sleeve made it obvious what he had been doing.
“There was a monster attack. We barely managed to escape, and thanks to Miss Claire’s support, we were able to return.”
Claire silently handed Elliott’s arm over to the Knights.
‘So this was the method.’
The picture of Claire, who had stepped out for fresh air, coincidentally supporting the prince as he emerged from the forest. The monster that had attacked Elliott would be known to have been dealt with by Crown Prince Aaron alone.
‘He wouldn’t want to be entangled in a situation where a member of the imperial family nearly lost their life.’
Aaron earned merit by personally slaying the monster that threatened his younger brother’s life, while Claire managed to escape the precarious situation unscathed.
‘Would that man have saved Elliott without my intervention?’
This was the part that troubled me most.
“This! What in the world! Blood everywhere!”
Melissa approached Claire with a pallid complexion, looking as though she might collapse at any moment.
“Ah, it’s not my blood, so there’s no need to worry.”
“That’s not the issue right now!”
She hadn’t simply let me go when I mentioned needing fresh air.
Seeing Claire blink calmly despite being drenched in blood on her new dress, Melissa’s composure shattered entirely.
“The Hunting Festival will be suspended today for investigation and repairs. First, let’s get you changed into fresh clothes.”
“Yes.”
I answered obediently to prevent Melissa from becoming more agitated and followed her.
‘I’m grateful I prepared extra clothes.’
The crowd parted easily on both sides, unwilling to touch me as I was covered in the monster’s blood.
‘Hmm?’
As I moved, I noticed two pairs of eyes burning with unusually intense emotion.
One was Rozina’s warm brown gaze, her expression suggesting she might collapse at any moment as she stared at me, and the other was—
‘Ilya?’
She wore an expression both nostalgic and melancholic, composed as though she had anticipated this very situation.
As I unconsciously moved toward her, the sound of hurried footsteps from behind made me stop in my tracks.
“Claire!”
Having heard the situation, Theodore rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace. My eyes widened.
“Dory, no—Theodore.”
The monster’s blood clinging to me transferred to him as well. Seeing his clothes become soiled, I tried to pull away urgently, but Theodore, seeming to have fallen into a panic of sorts, didn’t loosen his grip.
‘He seems genuinely frightened.’
This was the first time he’d been this shaken since learning Isabella was trapped in the Annex. I waited for Theodore to calm himself, then whispered carefully near his ear.
“This isn’t my blood.”
“…I know.”
“I’m unharmed, and the monster is already dead.”
“I know that too.”
Then what’s the problem?
I suppressed the irritable thought from escaping my lips and chose to remain still. I had no right to complain, given how much of my own recklessness had caused this.
Thump, thump, thump.
His body was close enough that I could hear his heartbeat clearly. The sensation of being pressed against him felt unfamiliar, yet strangely not unwelcome.
‘It’s alright.’
A trembling hand patted my back—less an attempt to soothe me than a procedure to reassure himself of my presence.
‘It’s alright. Claire is safe.’
Theodore felt his body temperature, which had plummeted, gradually returning to normal.
When an urgent message arrived during the hunt, he abandoned his quarry and rushed back, only to find Claire covered entirely in blood.
‘If my stubbornness kept Claire at House Voltier to protect her, only for her to be injured because of it…’
Just thinking about it made my blood run cold. After taking a few deep breaths, he finally composed himself and pulled away, speaking with relief.
“Thank goodness you weren’t hurt. Let’s change clothes first and then talk.”
“Yes. I apologize for worrying you.”
As the two of them moved to change, the onlookers who had been holding their breath suddenly erupted into whispers.
“My goodness! Did you see that reaction?”
“He came rushing over without a care in the world, blood and all, and embraced her so passionately!”
A Noblewoman with flushed cheeks fanned herself with her fan to cool her face.
“This might not be just a passing fancy—it could be the love story of the century.”
Everyone’s eyes sparkled at the rare tale of pure and passionate love in High Society. Melissa scoffed at the sight.
‘It’s too late to care now!’
The image of them ignoring Claire as if she didn’t exist was still fresh in her mind.
Politely declining the Noblewomen who tried to engage her in conversation, she too turned her steps in the direction Claire had disappeared.
* * *
Claire confided everything that had happened at the Hunting Grounds to Theodore.
Theodore initially wanted to scold her for the dangerous action, but when he heard it was something she had done out of concern for him, his resolve crumbled entirely.
“Sigh. Still, don’t do that again.”
“Understood.”
Claire, who always gave good answers, readily nodded in agreement.
“Will the Hunting Festival continue as planned?”
“It was suspended today. Once the Imperial investigator finishes their work and security is reinforced, the second hunt can take place in three days.”
“So they’re not abandoning the event entirely.”
“Apparently not.”
Our return to House Voltier would be delayed further. I could already picture Isabella’s disappointed expression at this news.
“Were the people around you alright?”
At Theodore’s question, Claire recalled the people she had met in the pavilion. Except for Ilya, her memories of the other individuals were strangely hazy.
“Yes, there were no major issues. I shared a table with Ilya from House Everett, and I found her quite impressive.”
“Ilya?”
“Yes, she was very kind.”
Theodore blinked at the unexpected name. It seemed the woman known for her iron-cold demeanor had made quite an impression on Claire.
“I’m glad nothing serious happened then.”
Theodore, who had been worried about whether Claire might have encountered Lloyd Family’s Adopted Daughter, felt relieved. Claire nodded to him while recalling Ilya.
Those eyes that had gazed at her with longing and solitude.
Those eyes bothered me in an oddly persistent way.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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