Chapter 1 : Agnes Levadein (3)
Chapter 1 : Agnes Levadein (3)
<89 days remaining until the blooming of the Demon Flower Extrias.>
Deltain checked Agnes's wrist.
Then, he channeled mana into her body.
'No special changes.'
The Demon Flower's growth was still within the normal range.
The roots were spreading at the same speed as before, and it hadn't sprouted yet.
'...I have to do something before it sprouts.'
The true threat started from that point on.
From the moment the Demon Flower sprouted, its growth would accelerate.
In other words, the amount of life force it sucked up would increase.
From then on, Agnes would also start complaining of pain in earnest.
Even for Deltain, who found her displeasing, that was not a sight he particularly wanted to see.
"It's roughly done. This much is safe for this week."
As Deltain let go of her wrist and said that, Agnes replied with a smile.
"What is? Ah, does that mean you're satisfied for this week since you touched me this much?"
"...I meant the Demon Flower. Why ask when you know?"
"Well, your touch was too lecherous."
Curses rose to the tip of Deltain's throat.
Agnes laughed, shaking her shoulders as if she were immensely pleased by his reaction.
"Pfft... It's true. You tickled me gently with your thumb and stroked my ankle bone with your index finger. And yet, your expression was so serious—you're a total pervert, aren't you?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I changed positions to channel the mana. Finding the path to the heart isn't that ea...."
"It wouldn't be easy, right? Sure, let's go with that."
"It's not 'going with that'—!"
Deltain barely managed to hold back from shouting.
His complexion was turning as bright red as his hair.
'Hold it in, hold it in...!'
There had never been a moment where the fact that his opponent was a patient felt so lamentable.
Deltain even thought that he might die of anger faster than Agnes would die from the Demon Flower.
"Just you wait until you're cured. Seriously, just wait...."
"What are you going to do with my healthy body once I'm cured? Are you trying to collect a reward? No wonder, I thought your gaze was lecherous."
"First, one punch to the philtrum. Then, two consecutive hits to the solar plexus, and after that, I plan to slap your cheek about five times."
"You'd probably pretend to hit my philtrum while trying to touch my lips, right? And the two hits to the solar plexus are because I have two breasts? Oh, are five slaps to the cheek your preference? How indecent."
"Is that all you have in your head? You live in such delusions because you're cooped up in this room all the time. Live in reality."
"Because I'm not in a physical state to live in reality."
"...."
Deltain took a deep breath.
When she used her situation as a weapon like that, even Deltain was at a loss for words.
Agnes watched Deltain trembling and giggled, then reached out and grabbed his wrist.
"Are you angry?"
"I'm not."
"Seems like you are?"
"Well, if I am, you'd be the cause."
"Calm down."
Agnes said that and stroked the inside of Deltain's wrist with her index finger.
Ossak-.
Her body temperature was slightly colder than a normal person's.
And at the feeling of her thin finger tickling the inside of his wrist, Deltain flinched.
Agnes's eyes crinkled into crescent moons.
"Are you calm now?"
"You crazy...."
"Guess you are? Oh, your wrist got hot."
Just as Agnes said, Deltain's body temperature had risen to the max.
Overcome with shame, Deltain swung his arm and shook off her hand.
Agnes made a sulky face.
"Ah, it was nice because it was warm."
"Bullshit, this room itself is warm, so why are you looking for something warmer?"
"It's different from body heat. People need human warmth."
"For someone who needs warmth, your tongue is quite rude."
"The phrase 'tongue movement' is very lewd."
"...."
Deltain let out a dumbfounded laugh.
Agnes savored his expression, then poked her tongue out between her lips.
The bright red flesh caught Deltain's gaze.
Like the movement of a mollusk without joints, the tongue curled softly and brushed against her lips; at that movement, Deltain swallowed dryly without realizing it.
Agnes's eyes curved.
"...vert."
Deltain's fist clenched tight.
He had been dragged into her pace again.
"...I'm leaving."
He said that and got up from his seat.
Perhaps thinking she had teased him enough, Agnes didn't hold him back and waved her hand.
"See you tomorrow."
"I'm not coming tomorrow."
"You will."
"I said I'm not coming, so why are you deciding that...."
"I want to see you."
Meomchit-.
Deltain's body stiffened.
Agnes, wearing a smile that felt somehow forlorn rather than the playful grin from before, said it again.
"I want to see you. Every day."
Deltain's fingertips twitched.
It was because he had no idea what that statement meant.
Was it her usual prank, or was it the lingering attachment of someone whose life was coming to an end?
Whatever it was, it was certainly a bewildering thing to say.
"What kind of bullsh...."
"Ah, you're red again."
In an instant, Agnes burst into giggles.
Only then did Deltain realize he had been toyed with by her again, and he glared at her with his golden eyes burning with rage.
Immediately after, he turned around and left the room, slamming the door shut with a loud 'Bang!'.
Only Agnes's laughter echoed long inside the room.
*
Deltain leaned against the door, his face bright red.
'Crazy....'
There was truly no woman as crazy as her.
Now, Deltain was even curious about what kind of grudge she had against him to be acting like this.
Isn't that right?
He was the only hope to reclaim her life.
And he had expressed his displeasure with her behavior the whole time.
Leaving aside etiquette, any person with common sense shouldn't act like this toward someone like him.
Deltain gritted his teeth and wiped his face with his hand.
He took deep breaths to compose himself.
Just then.
"...Count-nim?"
A woman's voice was heard.
It was Anya, Agnes's personal maid.
"Ah.... I was just tired for a moment."
Deltain suppressed the rising shame and straightened his posture.
The next thing he did was report the usual special notes.
"Ingredients containing mana are strictly forbidden. Her digestive system will start to be burdened soon, so feed her only soft things. Keep the water lukewarm, and you can feed her as many sweets as you like."
"Yes."
"Then, good work."
Deltain tapped her on the shoulder and tried to leave the hallway.
Suddenly, Anya grabbed him.
"Ah, just a moment...."
"Huh?"
Deltain turned his head to look at Anya.
At his gaze, she let out a short hesitation, then took out a nicely wrapped snack from her bosom and handed it to him.
"Thank you for always working hard for the Young Lady. This is a token of my gratitude...."
Deltain looked back and forth between the snack held out before him and Anya.
The blush rising over her freckles as if she were shy, her downcast, drooping eyes.
Brown hair and brown eyes.
Seeing the truly universal reaction of a woman who looked like she could be found anywhere, Deltain, who had been tormented by Agnes until just moments ago, felt his heart become quite at ease.
So, he willingly accepted the token of gratitude.
"I'll enjoy it."
He unwrapped it on the spot, popped one cookie into his mouth, and then shook the remaining cookies with a jjalang-jjalang sound.
"It's delicious."
He said that and left.
Anya's cheeks turned a little redder.
*
Several hours later, Agnes opened her mouth at the sound of someone knocking on the door.
"Come in."
Entering through the open door was her personal maid, Anya.
Anya brought the tray to the front of the bed with a small smile on her face.
"It's mealtime. Because of what Count-nim Hebron instructed, I've replaced the meal with rice porridge. Please be aware that it might be bland since I can't use spices containing mana."
Agnes looked at the rice porridge on the tray as if she were sick of it.
Anya chuckled and comforted Agnes.
"Instead, he said you can eat as many cookies as you like. I've made some, so I'll give them to you after you finish your meal."
"...That's a relief."
Agnes let out a deep sigh.
She watched Anya setting the food on the table in the corner of the room.
It would probably take another 5 minutes for her to finish preparing.
Out of rising boredom, Agnes asked Anya something that suddenly came to mind.
"Oh, right, about Deltain."
"Count-nim Hebron?"
"Yes, how was he right after he left my room?"
Anya's fingertips trembled for a moment.
However, fortunately, it was a movement that couldn't be seen from the direction Agnes was lying.
Anya moved her lips with her back to Agnes.
"...He left while frowning."
She didn't say anything wrong.
It was true that a frown had actually been on his face.
Of course, the fact that he was a person who always went around frowning was a separate story.
"Hmm, is that so?"
Agnes let out a laugh as if she were amused.
Meanwhile, Anya, who had finished setting the table, said:
"It's all done. Please eat now."
As Anya stepped back, Agnes finally got up from the bed and headed to the dining table.
She furrowed her brows for a moment at the rice porridge, which tasted like nothing.
Agnes, who had picked up a spoon and was stirring the porridge, finally looked at Anya's expression and tilted her head.
"Did something good happen?"
"Yes?"
"You look like it, don't lie. You know your lies don't work on me, right?"
Anya was slightly lifting the corners of her mouth with a face that had turned red for some reason.
Agnes knew that it was rare for the maid who had been with her for almost her entire life to make such an expression.
Anya let out a moment of hesitation at those words, then opened her mouth, her face turning even redder.
"That... the cookies. I made them to give to you, Young Lady, but there were too many, so I gave some to the Count-nim as well."
Meomchit-.
Agnes's hand movement stopped.
However, Anya was bowing her head deeply, so she didn't see it.
"...Is that so?"
"Yes, he ate them right on the spot as soon as he received them and said they were delicious... yes, I think I got a little excited."
Anya's head bowed even deeper.
Agnes was lost in thought with a strange expression, then soon smiled gently and opened her mouth.
"You must have been very happy."
"Ah, not to that extent...!"
Anya waved her hands as if embarrassed.
Agnes added with a gentle smile.
"Deltain. Yes, he is cool, isn't he? And amazing, too."
"R-right?"
He was the seventh Archmage recorded in the continent's history.
Was that all?
Wasn't he the hero who slaughtered demons and the god among gods who raised the continent's civilization by ten levels?
Considering that he achieved all of this despite being born as a fallen noble without a title, he was undoubtedly a great figure.
"How about it, Anya, do you like Deltain?"
"Ah, no. How could I...!"
Anya's face turned as red as a beet.
Unlike the words she spoke, her heart was already leaking out.
"Why not? You have a lot in common. You both like books, you're both from fallen noble families, and your tastes seem similar too. Aren't you a match made in heaven?"
Agnes continued speaking while stirring the rice porridge with her spoon.
The more she did, the more Anya's face became dyed with embarrassment.
Agnes chuckled.
However, that smile was one that would have made Deltain tilt his head if he had seen it.
If it were him, he would have described her smile right now like this: a smile that somehow lacked her characteristic sparkle.
"How interesting."
Agnes muttered that and began her meal.