That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 229
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 229
Even the priests who had watched Ferdinand far longer than I had, and even the Crown Prince Palace servants, would never believe it.
Even if they saw it right before their eyes, they’d probably rub their eyes frantically, wondering if their vision had gone wrong.
Having made a cold wet towel, I returned to the bed. Ferdinand, who had been sitting still and waiting without even lying down until I returned, didn’t even ask what it was.
He just sat upright, as if he had only been waiting for me to come back to his side.
‘He really is… kind of cute…’
I cleared my throat and said.
“Please lie down a bit. That way I can put the wet towel on you.”
“…”
Ferdinand, who had been staring at me intently, slowly lay down on the bed. I was about to place the cold wet towel on his forehead when I hesitated for a moment.
It was because of the small, hot hand that immediately touched me as soon as I got close.
My mood changed instantly. I carefully and gently wiped Ferdinand’s forehead like it was delicate, fragile glassware, and said triumphantly.
“Your Highness, no, Ferdinand.”
“Mm.”
“No one has wiped your forehead like this before, right? Even I think I’m being incredibly diligent and kind right now.”
I wanted to earnestly win his favor to raise his affection level, and while I was at it, ask Ferdinand, who was the real power in this Grand Temple, if I could go see that damn sacred relic called ‘Han Ina’.
That’s why I boldly brought it up.
“There was someone.”
“…Really?”
I became embarrassed.
Under Empress Carmi’s tyranny and Emperor Alessandro’s indifference, I thought Ferdinand, who had been continuously abused, would never have received such gentle care.
I guess I was too conceited.
“Well… the Imperial Palace servants must have served Your Highness, no, you, with their utmost effort.”
“Never happened like this at the Imperial Palace.”
“Then where? Ah, the temple…”
“It was on the battlefield. Stop associating me with the temple already.”
‘The High Priests would cry if they heard this.’
They were already desperately pleading with Ferdinand.
I nodded for now, humoring this ice-cold fireball of a boy.
“I understand. But the military medics on the battlefield were surprisingly gentle.”
I thought military medics were the type who would pour strong liquor on wounded soldiers and just cut off limbs…
“It was my subordinate who wiped it.”
“Your subordinate? Were you badly injured?”
“My back got slashed. I had a fever from blood loss.”
I paused for a moment and asked.
“…Why was your back slashed? Was there a traitor?”
“Sharp. I guess it’s because you’re a knight family daughter.”
Ferdinand, who had been glaring at the air the whole time he spoke, closed his eyes. His bright red pupils disappeared under the shadows, and a thin sigh flowed out.
“It’s ancient history.”
“…”
Empress Carmi really didn’t give up on Ferdinand easily. To think she planted a traitor to try to kill him even after he left as if driven to the battlefield.
“If your subordinate personally wiped it for you, you must have had this level of high fever back then too.”
Ferdinand didn’t answer. Only steady breathing continued slowly.
“…That means you must have been really badly hurt.”
I muttered to myself. To think a subordinate he trusted enough to turn his back to had deliberately swung a sword at him – not only would the physical wound have been severe, but the emotional wound must have been just as great.
“Is that the only wound like that?”
“Why are you asking about that?”
‘…There must be several.’
I said nothing and just bit my lips. I maintained silence and just kept wiping Ferdinand’s burning face.
The high fever that wouldn’t leave his body somehow felt like screaming.
That was the moment.
“Lady Tulia.”
“Yes?”
“If you want something, just say it…”
“Yes?”
I was startled, having been caught in my intention to use Ferdinand to go see the sacred relic called ‘Han Ina’.
Since our bodies were touching, Ferdinand, whose energy sensitivity was several times more acute than mine, must have clearly felt my reaction just now.
“Otherwise, why would you be trying so hard to win my favor?”
“That…”
“You don’t even love me.”
“…”
Quiet silence enveloped the bedroom. The hand that had been diligently wiping Ferdinand’s feverish face had also stopped at some point.
“Since you put it that way, I have something I’m curious about too.”
“Tell me.”
“You were hurt by me.”
“…Yes.”
“And it wasn’t just any wound, but a severe one.”
Ferdinand didn’t answer. But it didn’t matter. I really did have something I was curious about.
Something I kept thinking I should ask, I should ask, but…
“Ferdinand.”
A question I would invariably forget when I fell asleep next to this boy burning with high fever.
“Why did you come to save me that day?”
Taking me to the Temple of Light was understandable.
But coming to save me after defeating those monsters – that would have required Ferdinand to risk at least half his life.
That appearance, covered in blood while still alive.
Actually, I couldn’t understand it. It was because of the desperation I felt from him.
Considering our last meeting, it was an urgently intense emotion that was more than I deserved.
Ferdinand had turned away after being hurt by me, and I couldn’t dare utter any words for the sake of the Quest.
Ferdinand answered a beat late.
“Since I brought you in, I couldn’t just let you die.”
“I see…”
I slowly nodded while simultaneously moving the hand holding the towel again.
An appropriate answer. Perfect enough that there was no room for any delusions.
I had heard a masterpiece of an answer, yet I didn’t know why a strange emotion was rising in my chest.
What kind of feeling was this, what kind of emotion? After several rounds of self-questioning, I realized.
Disappointment.
‘Why am I feeling disappointment right now?’
Just before the outline of some elusive emotion was about to become clearly visible.
Swish.
Ferdinand brushed away my hand.
It was the first time. Since he had climbed onto my bed saying I had stolen his divine power, this was the first time this fireball had rejected me first.
“Ferdinand?”
“You really…”
A small, fragile hand, clearly different from when he was an adult, grabs my wrist. His hand was hot. Hot and small.
“…Ferdinand.”
“Just how many times are you going to make me pathetic?”
A strange anger surged from Ferdinand.
Unexpectedly, a memory from the past suddenly came to mind. The day we first met.
Ferdinand had looked as young as he did today, and I too had just escaped from the warehouse, unable to shake off my shabby appearance from several years ago.
“Does the Young Lady really believe such nonsense?”
Ferdinand was angry.
The bedroom was dark with the fire nearly extinguished. However, my eyes had already grown accustomed to the darkness, so his blazing flame-like eyes came clearly into view.
“Because I like you. Because I couldn’t kill my love for you, whether you hurt me or not!”
“….”
Fevered breathing flowed out roughly. Ferdinand in his boy form seemed to find even shouting exhausting due to his high fever, slowly running both hands over his face.
“I couldn’t breathe thinking you might be dead. So I frantically searched around the temple….”
“….”
“When I saw you alive….”
His red eyes, hazy with fever, looked at me.
“I could only say I was sorry….”
“….”
Silence flowed. I felt the boy’s body collapse toward me with a thud.
Ferdinand, gasping with high fever in my arms, felt like a god who had exhausted all his life force.
A beautiful, small god with wings who could fly away anywhere.
“…You said you didn’t love me.”
“You asked with probing eyes, did you expect me to bare my true feelings?”
“….”
“You’re really terribly selfish. I’ve always felt that….”
“When did it start?”
It was a question with all context cut away, but Ferdinand understood. That’s why he would let out a laugh mixed with despair and anger.
“From the moment we first met.”
“….”
“From when you gave me that handkerchief over something trivial.”
Was Ferdinand still diligently taking divine power from my body even now?
While taking my divine power, he was.
Perhaps he had also been slowly stealing my heart….
Something indefinable seemed to surge up from my chest.
“That handkerchief wasn’t anything special. You weren’t either.”
Ferdinand let out a laugh mixed with fever.
“To me, it was everything….”
So this must be because of Ferdinand’s divine power.
It must be because of this beautiful boy who climbed onto the bed claiming he would take back his stolen divine power.
His boundaries, which had been cold and rigid like ice walls, had apparently melted this much in the heat that burned his body.
“From the moment we first faced each other until now.”
“….”
“I couldn’t forget you….”
Divine Power Excess Syndrome, Cupid Syndrome. The boy who couldn’t grow even as he grew embraced my cheek with hands as hot as metal heated to its limit.
Lips pouring with dry heat touched me like a lie. His face, mixed with sweat and moisture, was lukewarm, and the body held in my arms was hot enough to cause burns.
The moment I slowly closed my eyes, the boy’s body grew explosively.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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