The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 70

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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 70
When Perian, sitting on the floor, leaned his arm against the hammock, it swayed side to side.
Tatiana’s long lashes trembled, and beneath her thin eyelids, her eyes rolled visibly.
‘She’s determined to hold out to the end.’
But Perian, true to his profession as a physician, was a man of considerable persistence.
“We have three Combat Specialists, so who gets injured the most?”
Perian continued speaking while touching her hair and the tip of her nose.
“Who is it that keeps me trimming medicinal herbs without pause?”
“Sigh…”
At last, Tatiana’s emerald eyes came into view.
“Move your hand.”
She glared at him with a nasal grunt, and Perian withdrew the hand he’d had on her nose.
“I’m trimming these herbs for you. Why are you making such a fuss?”
“No matter how many times I’ve been hurt, using this much doesn’t make sense. Just be honest—you just want an excuse to make me do it.”
“It’s hard to do alone. When we talk while working, it goes faster.”
“Why don’t you just ask me directly? Then I could trim it all for you.”
Tatiana rose and tied her disheveled hair high in a single knot.
“I’ll help you without needing to ask. I’ve already prepared coffee.”
“How thoughtful of you.”
With a sullen expression, making her displeasure obvious, she headed toward the Infirmary—and Perian found himself laughing without meaning to.
‘Still, she’s adorable…’
The moment that unbidden thought crossed his mind, Perian’s face hardened rigidly.
Certainty.
If only he could trust her completely, even once.
Then perhaps he wouldn’t linger nearby, uncharacteristically apologizing for things he shouldn’t.
‘Tatiana has a remarkably beautiful appearance, after all.’
Even if he didn’t trust her, he’d admit that much—so those absurd thoughts about her being cute were only because of that.
“Aren’t you coming?”
Tatiana, who’d entered the Infirmary first, poked her head back out to ask.
‘Right. No man would dislike that shell. In the end, what matters is character.’
Perian quickly agreed, smiled as he did with other noble ladies, eyes crinkling, and entered the Infirmary.
Tatiana sat in one of two chairs in front of the desk as if she’d grown accustomed to it.
“Let’s do only a little today.”
Despite his words, Perian placed a large sack of medicinal herbs on the desk.
“…How am I supposed to do this?”
Knowing it was necessary regardless, Tatiana sighed and reached toward the sack.
“Wait.”
Perian quickly caught her wrist.
“These herbs have fine spines, so you need to be careful.”
After trimming herbs all day yesterday, only the dangerous ones remained.
“Put these gloves on first, hold them gently and parallel so you don’t get pricked, then pluck the leaves off.”
“They’re awkward.”
As Perian offered his own gloves, Tatiana put them on and spoke.
“Do you have your own pair?”
“No.”
“Then bear with it. You can’t do it with bare hands.”
When Perian saw that the gloves extended a full knuckle past her fingers, he felt a pang of guilt—though he had no intention of backing down.
“But honestly, is all this really necessary?”
Tatiana asked once she’d begun trimming the herbs.
“Yes, it is. It’s different from what we trimmed yesterday.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever done this much before.”
“Tatiana, while you were lying in the hammock resting, I was shut in this room trimming these every single day.”
“I had plenty of chores too.”
They were in the midst of such trivial conversation
when there came a knock, and Dilshard entered the Infirmary.
“Are you hurt?” Perian asked.
Dilshard looked at the cluttered desk of herbs and then at Tatiana in turn before speaking.
“I wanted to talk to Tatiana.”
“About what?”
“You went down to the Underground.”
“How did you know it was me?”
Dilshard strode forward and drew Tatiana into an embrace by the shoulders.
“Hey, be careful.”
“How could I not know it was you? Thanks for the gift. I never expected it.”
“I knew you’d like it.”
Tatiana smiled as brightly as a guileless child.
“It’s a kind of Jasmine. It grows long climbing up walls, so it’s perfect for someone good at Vine Magic like you, right?”
“Yeah. Perfect.”
Watching the two of them make contact so naturally, Perian felt suddenly isolated in a separate space, and it displeased him.
“I think you should stop there. What if you get pricked by a spine?”
Unable to hold back, he spoke—and Dilshard straightened, threw him a glance as if tossing a stone, then spoke to Tatiana.
“Want me to grill pork belly tonight?”
“I’d love that.”
Strange, for a noble lady to prefer pork over beef like that.
Dilshard waited for him to leave, wondering if it was the long period of confinement—when he suddenly turned and looked at Perian.
“We need to talk for a moment.”
“About what?”
“Here?”
Dilshard’s eyes flicked toward the desk.
Only then did Perian anticipate what he was about to say, and he readily followed Dilshard out of the Infirmary.
“What are you doing?”
The moment they’d put enough distance that Tatiana couldn’t hear, Dilshard shot at him.
“What?”
“Playing dumb? Those herbs don’t need trimming. Why are you making Tatiana waste effort on useless work?”
“Well, there’s something I wanted to know?”
Perian spoke carelessly, as if he felt no guilt whatsoever.
“Damn it. Stop already. How long are you going to keep this up? Either be honest and tell her to stay, or leave her alone.”
“…”
The smile faded from Perian’s face.
‘As if he knows Tatiana is leaving.’
He was deceived by everything about her.
By her clear smile hiding the nature of a breeze that would vanish, feigning affection.
“Why, do you think you could keep Tatiana?”
Despite his sharp words, Perian smiled gently.
“You must be anxious. She gives herself to even someone like me. But if you can’t stop her, stay quiet. Don’t struggle behind the scenes just because you want to have her.”
Dilshard laughed unexpectedly, bursting into a chuckle when Perian thought he’d bristle.
“Now I see.”
When Perian furrowed his brow, Dilshard continued.
“Rational Berto becomes emotional, rough Kies is quite mature, and gentle you torment her like a child?”
“…You’re misunderstanding. I have no intention of getting involved in romantic conflict.”
“Right. I hope you’re right. And your friends too. Otherwise, you’re all just shameless.”
Dilshard turned away as if he had nothing more to say.
“While I’m still being decent, stop touching Tatiana.”
After he left, Perian muttered to himself in bewilderment.
“That was being decent?”
He’d already thought he was baring his fangs like enough of a beast.
“These men—all of them.”
Perian shook his head and returned to the Infirmary.
Finding Tatiana standing awkwardly, he quickly approached and seized her slender wrist.
“What is this? Did you take off the gloves?”
A long cut beside her index finger had beads of blood welling from it.
“I thought it would be fine since I was using the hand that removes leaves, but I scraped it.”
Tatiana laughed sheepishly.
“…Sit.”
Perian examined her finger to ensure no spine remained embedded, then applied ointment and wrapped it with a Bandage.
“Eating will be inconvenient.”
He spoke as he looked at her unbending index finger.
“Because you complained the gloves were awkward and were careless, now your daily life is inconvenient?”
“You really need to stop being sarcastic.”
She chided him and reached for the gloves again.
“What are you doing?”
“I need to finish trimming.”
“You’re hurt.”
“It’s just a small cut.”
“…”
Just moments before, when he’d gone to call Tatiana, everything had been fine—but at some point his mood had turned foul.
“Don’t do it.”
He pulled off the gloves she’d put on and threw them aside carelessly.
“You don’t need to trim these. I made you do it on purpose.”
“…”
Her quiet eyes met his.
That made it worse. She’d been so ready to argue at first—why wasn’t she angry anymore?
As if she didn’t even have the will to fight.
“Aren’t you angry?”
“I’m thinking about it. I feel like I should accept your cruelty as much as you’ve shown me kindness.”
“Ah, I didn’t know you were so calculating.”
“It’s not that. It’s because I want to get along with you.”
Tatiana rose and moved toward the door as she spoke.
“I thought at least you wanted to get along with me on the surface. But now I really don’t know what you want.”
Her retreating figure overlapped in his mind with the image of white silk fluttering in the Jungle before vanishing into the earth.
Bang!
The door, which had been opening, slammed shut with violent force.
Tatiana’s previously emotionless eyes widened sharply.

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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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