Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 92

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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 25. Aria
“Is he still like that?”
“Yes.”
Crown Prince Aseraian, who had come to the Arcane Tower, stood before Chaien’s door and exhaled a long sigh.
Luka, Chaien’s secretary, felt no differently.
“What on earth happened that day?”
“I’m not entirely sure either. He simply won’t speak of it.”
It was the day of the welcome party for his younger brother, Prince Aleks.
Aseraian had barely shown his face at the venue when news came of another corpse bearing the marks of a Demon Beast, forcing him to rush to the scene instead.
When he returned to the Imperial Palace afterward, he heard something peculiar.
The door of the Imperial Carriage that Chaien had ridden in came back completely shattered.
And the one who had destroyed the carriage door was none other than Grand Duke Persha—or so the coachman had told him.
‘What could have happened between Persha and him…’
A figure flickered past.
‘…? Chaien?’
He had sought out Chaien immediately after hearing this, but could extract nothing from him.
Unable to broach the subject, he watched as Chaien entered his room with an expression of profound confusion, saying nothing.
And now, days later, as Chaien remained sealed within, both Aseraian and Luka found themselves lingering outside his door once more.
‘This has never happened before.’
Though he might complain or grow irritable, never—not once—had Chaien shown such prolonged silence.
“What has Grand Duke Persha said about it?”
“He only sent compensation for the damaged carriage.”
It would be more than enough to escalate the matter considerably. After all, the Imperial Carriage had been attacked.
An Imperial Carriage with a prince inside, no less.
Yet neither Chaien, who had been attacked, nor Grand Duke Persha offered any explanation.
“Has he eaten?”
At Aseraian’s question, Luka silently gestured to one side.
On a small tray positioned a short distance from the door lay food that had remained completely untouched.
“Tsk.”
Aseraian clicked his tongue softly and rapped lightly on the door.
No response came from within.
“I’m coming in.”
As he opened the door and stepped inside, the dim interior revealed a room without even a lamp lit.
“Chaien.”
By the window where pale moonlight filtered through, Chaien sat on his knees, unmoving.
“……”
Chaien did not respond to Aseraian’s call. His gaze remained fixed on the world outside, lost in deep thought.
“You need to eat something.”
“……”
“Should I bring you that dessert you like?”
“…Brother.”
“Yes. What do you want? Anything at all. I’ll get it for you.”
“There was a time, you know.”
“Hmm?”
“When I loved this.”
“Loved what?”
A faint smile traced itself across Chaien’s lips.
“A brother who would indulge every thoughtless whim and tantrum of mine.”
Perhaps that’s why I grew so willful—because I could have whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.
“But then……”
What if that willfulness, that thoughtlessness, simply didn’t make me someone to rely on?
That one scene keeps replaying in my mind.
The way Seres pushed away my hand and grasped Kainel’s, Grand Duke Persha’s hand, as though it were a lifeline.
“…I hate it now.”
With those softly spoken words, Chaien’s gaze turned back to the window.
* * *
“…Ugh.”
How infuriating.
A longer sigh than usual escaped Seres’s lips as she tossed and turned in bed.
“Does that even make sense?”
Seres laughed softly at the memory of that day—collapsing after a single glass of wine—a hollow sound escaping her lips again and again.
And here she was in this new body, and it was still the same mess.
“It seems like finding a body that suits you perfectly takes quite a bit of time.”
“…Is that why?”
The words from a letter Artia had left before suddenly surfaced in her mind.
Back then, she’d brushed past that remark without much thought.
She suspected that the word “everything” must have included her body’s constitution as well.
“Are you joking?”
There was no need for even that to match so perfectly!
Seres clicked her tongue softly and bolted upright from the bed.
The room was vast and sprawling—every piece of furniture exuding luxury beyond compare.
It was Kainel’s quarters.
After losing consciousness in the carriage that day, she’d awakened here.
The problem was…
Creak.
“Where are you going?”
Even now, three days after regaining consciousness, she still hadn’t managed to leave this place.
When she opened the door, she found Kainel standing right there as if about to enter, something in his hands.
“Home. How many times do I have to say it? I’m going home now.”
“And I’ve said it just as many times. You need to rest a few more days.”
“I’ve rested plenty already. Since when does a single glass of wine call for three days of rest?”
“In your case, it does.”
“The children are waiting.”
Rustle.
Before Seres could finish speaking, Kainel produced a sheet of paper and unfolded it before her.
A letter with a brief message written in handwriting that was still quite clumsy.
“Sister, don’t worry about us. Get plenty of rest. The mister is taking good care of me.”
“Our Yulia does write so well…”
No, wait. That’s not what’s important right now.
“When did you even get this?”
“Inside.”
Kainel nudged her back and entered the room, setting down the plates he’d brought onto the table.
‘That’s also a problem.’
Why did he insist on bringing the food himself every single time? There were plenty of staff to handle such things.
What would people say if they saw this?
“Sit?”
Seres clicked her tongue lightly and moved to the seat Kainel indicated, settling into the chair.
The food he’d brought was quite simple.
Stew with meat, salad, and bread.
“Can I be honest?”
Seres tore off a piece of bread and put it in her mouth, then shook her head slightly.
“Your family chef’s cooking skills are absolutely dreadful. The bread is hard as a rock, the stew is bland, and the salad is oversalted. How is it even possible to oversalt a salad?”
“…….”
“Now I understand why you haven’t been eating well all this time.”
“It’s that bad?”
“Well, it’s not inedible, exactly…?”
Seres paused, fork poised over the salad, and gave him a puzzled look.
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why.”
“Why did you suddenly pout?”
“Pout? Me?”
“Yeah. You.”
That’s clearly a pouting expression if I’ve ever seen one. How many years have I known you—surely I can read a single expression.
The corner of one eye drooping slightly, his mouth twisting just a touch—it was definitely pouting.
“If it tastes bad, don’t eat it.”
“I said it’s not inedible.”
“…….”
…What’s wrong with him? What did I say that was so offensive about his chef’s skills?
When had he ever been the type to look out for his staff?
‘That girl’s got a sense of humor, anyway.’
Seres chewed her food thoughtfully, tilting her head.
“Huh?”
Then her gaze caught on something hanging around Kainel’s neck.
“That’s…”
A ring suspended from a delicate silver cord.
A crude wooden ring, if ever there was one.
It seemed vaguely familiar somehow, and then it came to her—she remembered exactly what that ring was.
‘He’s still carrying that thing?’
It was from when she was small. Very small.
Following her father, who enjoyed carving, she’d played around with him a few times, and that little ring was what they’d made together.
“This one?”
As Seres’s eyes widened, fixed on the ring, Kainel touched the wooden ring hanging at his neck with deliberate care.
“A treasure I kept in a box.”
“A box?”
Surely not the box they’d buried at the Academy back then?
The only treasure you’d put inside was this wooden ring?
“It’s a betrothal gift.”
“…What?”
Kainel’s casual remark left Seres even more bewildered.
‘You got that when we were playing house!’
Artia had loved playing house, so she’d often joined in to keep her company. The ring they’d played with back then—that was this very ring.
‘We did call it a betrothal gift when we played, sure. We always played husband and wife.’
It was playing house. Literally just playing house!
“Hey, you absolute madman.”
“Why are you suddenly cursing at me?”
Kainel touched the ring and made an unbothered face, as though nothing could be more natural.
Looking at him like that, Seres could only shake her head slowly.
* * *
“T-the kitchen again…”
“Chef…”
“Did he visit and leave again today?”
“Yes…”
“Sigh.”
Teddy, the head chef of the Imperial Household now in charge of the kitchens at the Persha Grand Duke Residence, stepped inside and lost all words.
At the sight of the kitchen, which looked as though a war had been fought there.

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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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