Straighten Your Shoulders, Great Queen - 4
“You’re here?”
“You really came? That guy?”
Christine’s other subordinates stared wide-eyed at Artel and asked her the question.
“For now… as it appears.”
Artel turned around without realizing it. She had brought him herself, but she honestly hadn’t expected him to actually show up.
Far away from the place where they were whispering, Jekiel stood with a peaceful expression, calmly adjusting his clothes.
“They said he had suspicious intentions?”
Artel shook her head at the question.
- If you accepted thinking of doing something weird to Christine…
- No. I swear on my heart.
Vampires swearing on their hearts was absolute.
Of course. The heart, the organ that circulated blood, was far too precious to a vampire.
Even while hesitating, he had agreed to a body check. Jekiel had complied without question.
Things would turn out well if they went well, but his mind was full of every possible thought.
Was he truly trying to help Christine? Or did he have some scheme that would defy even death…
“This is unbelievable.”
At that moment, someone firmly shattered Artel’s thoughts.
“One secretary leaving her post and another bringing Jekiel here? What kind of nonsense is this?”
It was Kiaru.
Kiaru, arms crossed, glared at the situation so far with displeasure and continued her words firmly.
“I swear on my heart. If another vampire had said that, I would have immediately doubted it. I know the word is absolute. However…”
Kiaru hit her chest with a fist, the sound echoing like bang bang bang in frustration.
“Jekiel’s body contains Christine’s heart, right? What meaning does swearing on someone else’s heart have? Don’t you know that alone is an insult to Christine!”
Artel began to sweat.
There was no choice. Following Vivian’s advice, she had brought Jekiel, but Kiaru’s words were very reasonable.
Swearing on Christine’s heart…
Thinking about Jekiel’s actions so far, it was basically as if he hadn’t sworn at all.
Jekiel had said he had no heart of his own. It was said he had lost his heart that day he showed insolence to the Demon King.
…Then, he had basically sworn on Christine’s heart.
Artel approached Jekiel, leaving the subordinates behind her.
“Jekiel. No, Jekiel-nim.”
“What?”
“Can you truly promise? Not to do anything weird to Christine.”
Jekiel rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking, then replied.
“Truly audacious.”
That was all he said. The intimidation was not to be taken lightly, but Artel could not back down either.
“Even if it’s audacious, it’s a very important issue for us. So, answer…”
“That is not what audacious means.”
Jekiel continued in a cool tone.
I’m dying of frustration.
No, Christine was in pain. If something happened to Christine, this side would suffer the most.
While trying to check her condition as fast as possible, they were just saying all these things, so it was no wonder she was frustrated.
I knew the original Jekiel hadn’t had good actions. So I understood being treated this way…
Understanding and solving the situation were two different things.
So, here, I needed to strongly push.
“Your thinking that Christine is great is audacious.”
“Wha… what?”
“Schemes and strategies are things worth considering when dealing with great opponents. However, Christine is nothing to me. Remember this clearly.”
“Wha, wha, right now… what audacious words…!”
“Moreover, you called me here. I am the one who must be called. Then, just watch the developments in silence. What are you fussing about.”
“Fussing! Stop talking! If you continue…”
“If you want Christine to be safe, you should shut your mouths.”
Then Artel shut her mouth tightly.
No matter how much her pride was hurt or how bad she felt, in her position, there was no greater heart than wanting Christine to be safe.
The other subordinates glared at me as if to kill.
But no one rushed forward. Those guys also ultimately prayed for Christine’s safety.
“Step aside.”
After pushing the subordinates aside, I lifted the curtain in front of Christine’s bed.
-!!!!!
Everyone was greatly surprised.
An action that no one could do unless they were crazy, their eyes narrowed like a hawk as they touched their own treasures.
It was surprising for me too.
The atmosphere beside wasn’t tense; it was because of Christine’s condition.
Christine’s condition was so bad that the observer’s heart would be more shaken.
The veins on her white skin were dyed purple, and her breathing was very labored. The pillow and blanket were soaked in sweat.
First, I pulled the curtain back.
Artel asked as if seeking confirmation.
“Regarding the sin of envy, Vivian said it was due to poison. But what about Jekiel.”
“Vivian said that? Is it certain?”
“Yes.”
“That guy has completely lost his senses. Saying things like poison.”
Artel’s subordinates’ eyes widened. Artel felt her own heart beating faster with anxiety.
He knows something.
He knew something. Something that even Vivian couldn’t find out.
But at that moment, someone else interrupted. Again, it was Kiaru.
“Arbitrarily checking Christine’s condition is a major matter. If not treated, you must take responsibility.”
“Kiaru, first calm down…”
“What are you doing, Artel-nim! You swore on Christine’s heart, insulted Christine, and arbitrarily looked at her condition without fulfilling your role as secretary!”
Hah, I sighed deeply and approached Kiaru.
“Then do it yourself.”
“......?”
I pushed Kiaru’s back to make her approach Christine’s bed. Kiaru looked at Jekiel with surprised eyes.
“What?”
“Still complaining. Still complaining. If you can treat her while keeping etiquette towards Christine, then do it.”
“Of course I can’t do it directly…”
“Then, do you have any sharp ideas? If poison symptoms are suspected, you should send Vivian as far as possible. Who came up with the outrageous idea to call her instead? You don’t need to see it, right?”
The other subordinates closed their mouths with surprised eyes. It was actually Kiaru’s opinion.
“…Vivian is known for bringing back the dead! In this situation, who can you rely on! You have to grab even a straw!”
“In other words, you turn even the living into corpses. You idiot.”
Jekiel pushed Kiaru against the wall. Kiaru’s face turned red, and she grunted while shutting her mouth.
“W-well.”
From the side, Artel’s urgent voice was heard.
“If Kiaru was rude, I’ll apologize on her behalf. But time is really running out now. There are thirty-five minutes left until the ceremony…”
“Is that so.”
As if it was nothing, Jekiel took off his outer coat. Artel hurriedly took it and hung it on the hanger.
But Jekiel didn’t turn toward Christine.
He turned around and looked at the gathered subordinates of Christine.
“In exchange for saving Christine, there is a condition.”
“Condition?”
Everyone swallowed hard. A man who had extracted even Christine’s heart. What exactly was he going to demand this time.
Christine’s eyes…? The queen’s enemy eyes?
It was a possible story. One of Christine’s few preserved artifacts in her body.
…What if I demanded that? Artel’s mind started to get confused.
But Jekiel’s words were quite different from their thoughts.
“You must devote your loyalty to Christine no matter what happens.”
“......?”
Before the subordinates’ expressions became dumb, he continued.
“Without specifying in detail. Even if the Demon King, the ruler of the Demon Realm, tells you to abandon Christine, you must stay by Christine’s side to the end. Follow her will.”
Silence flowed in the quiet hospital room.
“Answer.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Artel nodded first. Then the other subordinates also nodded hurriedly for now.
“Then it’s settled. All of you vacate your positions and ensure no one approaches this side.”
The subordinates vacated their positions in full force without even answering. Kiaru hesitated to the end but eventually left.
The way they treated Jekiel had changed in just a few minutes. Now, only Artel and Christine remained in this room.
“Christine.”
No answer came back. After lifting the curtain, I gently held her wrist.
I knew what symptoms she was experiencing.
- Boss HP is 1% or less. The boss is experiencing split symptoms.
I had seen it clearly beyond the monitor. She just had too little blood left.
At the time, I thought it was just because the boss’s blood was almost gone, but now I understood. She didn’t have a heart, did she.
Like high-end cars needed high-end fuel, top-tier vampires needed top-tier blood. However…
Without a heart, it would be impossible for you to refine normal blood into top-tier blood.
So, it was impossible to go through the process of filling blood with normal bloodsucking or blood cells and then refining it to top-tier blood.
It must have been suffering for hundreds of years. Enduring and enduring until she collapsed. How much pain was it? I couldn’t even imagine.
The act of giving her blood and saving her could be the beginning of another pain for her. No, probably definitely so.
“However, even so. Christine.”
You must live.
For the happy ending of this world, you must survive.
And as the price, someday, really someday.
“Even if it’s not Jekiel, someday I will definitely make you happy.”
It was thirty minutes left until the ceremony.