blueteamnovel Chapter 43
Chapter 43
“What is it?”
“Could you turn around for a moment?”
On Tristan’s broad shoulders, wrapped in hunting clothes, something was glinting every time he breathed.
I narrowed my eyes to examine it and...
I jumped out of bed in surprise.
“Your Highness! Are you bleeding from your shoulder?”
The thing that had been sparkling under the light of the lantern was a bloodstain, slowly soaking into his clothes.
What on earth had he been doing?
I tried to inspect the wound, but just as I was about to jump out of bed, Tristan reached out again and gently pushed my forehead, laying me back down.
“Ah!”
“Stay in bed.”
“Your Highness!”
“You could have slept longer.”
“What do you mean? The infirmary is for patients!”
“Aren’t you a patient?”
“I’m fine now, no fever, and the pain’s gone. I think I can go back...”
I looked around for a doctor to confirm that I was indeed fine. But there was no one in the tent.
Where did the doctor go?
Tristan spoke up.
“Looking for the doctor? They’re busy in the general infirmary right now.”
“Really? What happened?”
“A seriously injured patient was found at the bottom of the valley.”
... No way, no way?
The only person who could have been found injured at the bottom of the valley was one person!
Unaware of my concern, Tristan casually responded.
“Don’t worry. His limbs were broken, but he was conscious enough to explain how he fell.”
“Why did he get hurt?”
“He tripped over my foot.”
“... Really?”
“Really.”
As Tristan poured some water, he added, “If I’d strengthened the patrols earlier, this wouldn’t have happened. I’ve learned a big lesson thanks to you.”
Can someone’s limbs break just from falling? That wasn’t the case in the original story, was it?
Not wanting to spoil Tristan’s attempt at a warm conclusion, I stayed silent and just stared at him.
Even just drinking water, he looked like a painting.
... But wait, huh?
“Your Highness, what’s that?”@@@@
“What?”
“Could you turn around for a moment?”
On his broad shoulder, something was glinting every time he breathed. It was a bloodstain slowly soaking into his clothes.
I sat up in shock.
“Your Highness! Are you bleeding from your shoulder?”
Tristan didn’t seem surprised by my reaction and simply continued drinking water.
“Don’t worry. It’s nothing.”
“You’re bleeding! That’s not nothing!”
“It’s nothing serious.”
But I could see the blood staining his clothes more and more.
I tried to get out of bed, but before I could, Tristan pushed me back gently. “Stay in bed.”
“Your Highness! You’re hurt!” I couldn’t hold back the concern anymore.
Tristan sighed lightly. “I’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”
“But it’s bleeding so much! You need treatment!”
He raised his eyebrows, but didn’t argue. Instead, he calmly unbuttoned his shirt.
I couldn’t help but stare, suddenly acutely aware of how little space there was between us. His shirt fell to the floor, revealing his broad, muscled back.
For a moment, I forgot the blood and the injury altogether.
“Your Highness?” I asked, still struggling to focus.
“Hmm?”
“What’s the wound?”
“Foolish? Quite the opposite! When learning how to fight, getting injured is normal. If you didn’t get hurt, it means either you were slacking off, or your opponent just fell down on their own.”
“You’ve really studied seriously, haven’t you?”
I was a bit surprised by Tristan’s sincerity.
I had assumed he only learned enough to look impressive with a sword, especially since he gets beaten by Seobnam in the latter half of the story.
Tristan, who didn’t know his future, seemed slightly caught off guard by my reaction. He turned his head awkwardly and continued speaking, as if shy.
“I was serious once. I grew up hearing my two older brothers won the martial arts tournament on their first try, over and over again. I wanted to be like them.”
“....”
“But when I finally got the chance to participate at twenty, I learned the truth. My brothers’ victories were nothing but decorations, set up to shine a light on the prince, a gift never meant for the youngest.”
It was like a corporate executive handing over a small project to their children to build their resumes before passing down the company.
The first and second children get the glory.
But the third doesn’t get the honor.
“When I said I didn’t need a sham, that I wanted to participate on my own merit, my mother showed reluctance. She didn’t want to see the youngest lose while the older brothers won, so she told me not to go.”
“Ah...”
“After that, I just learned how to protect myself. After all, there wouldn’t be any need for me to fight. The dangerous land of Blue Atrium would be taken over by the Duke of the North.”
As he tied the bandage, he smiled—a bitter, self-deprecating smile.
Tristan, you always smiled with confidence. Any exceptions were just mockery towards others.
But seeing you laugh at yourself doesn’t suit you at all!
“...I think you’d do fine.”
“Hm?”
“The strength you built until twenty didn’t just disappear. Plus, I heard you’ve always read the reports on the monsters coming from Frosthill, haven’t you?”
“I only read them for fun.”
“Finding enjoyment in that is a talent too. Even if you went there not knowing anything, I’m sure you’d have managed the Blue Atrium and fought monsters just fine.”
The self-deprecating smile on Tristan’s face disappeared.
It wasn’t a serious look, but a softer one, almost as if he’d been pulled out of his own mental barriers, a vulnerable... pure expression.
What did I just see?!
This expression doesn’t suit you at all!
As I recoiled inwardly, Tristan suddenly turned his head sharply, and with his usual blunt tone, said:
“You should save empty compliments. There’s value in words, and endlessly issuing empty praise might come back as a debt of distrust.”
“Empty praise? I’m being sincere. Your Highness’s abilities are much more than...”
“Enough.”
“Huh? Wait, what’s going on?”
Before I could protest, Tristan lifted me up without warning.
“Now, let’s go back to your bed.”
“I’ll walk! Put me down! I’m fine!”
Naturally, I wanted to resist, but after struggling a bit, I ended up leaning into his chest, feeling suddenly embarrassed and quickly gave up. I was just a bundle, and he was the deliveryman.
He lay me down and covered me with the blanket.
“Stop talking nonsense and just rest.”
“I’ve rested enough.”
I tried to lift the blanket, but Tristan immediately covered me again.
“If you ask the doctor, they’ll tell you to rest more. Wait until I come back.”
“But you were called to assist with the critical patients, weren’t you?”
“Then, as someone with knowledge of emergency care, I’ll decide in place of the doctor.”
“I also know my own body. And Your Highness is a patient too!”
As we exchanged words, the blanket went back and forth at least ten times.
I just want to go have dinner!
While I considered pulling the blanket off, Tristan, as if this was the final round, pressed the edges with both hands.
“Lie down.”
“Eek!”
I was completely trapped, like a fish in a mold!
I struggled, but escaping was impossible.
Looking down at me, Tristan sighed deeply.
“This way, I can rest easy too.”
Since when did I have to be comfortable for you to be comfortable?
But I couldn’t win against his stubbornness.
For now, I pretended to listen and closed my eyes.
Tristan waited a little while, then seemed to get up.
But his footsteps didn’t move away. They stopped right by my head.