Chapter 65: Awakening
I feel a dazzling light through my eyelids.
As my consciousness resurfaces, I gently open my eyes.
As my focus sharpens, I see the ceiling of the guest room in the Duke of Moore’s mansion.
(I feel like I had a very long dream)
As I gaze at the ceiling, I realize that my left hand is wrapped in the warmth of human skin.
As I raise my body and look to the left, I see William-sama, who is still asleep while sitting on a chair beside the bed, holding my hand.
(That’s right… I collapsed from poison, and then…)
As I think back on the events so far, William-sama’s eyelashes tremble slightly.
“Hm…”
William-sama’s eyelids gradually open, and deep cobalt-colored eyes are shone by the morning sun.
He blinked a few times, but as soon as his eyes caught sight of me, they opened wide.
“Leah…?”
A trembling, hoarse voice calls out my name.
“Yes, William-sama.”
As I respond to his call, William-sama’s face contorts as if he is about to cry.
He was silent for a while, holding my hand tightly, but eventually he smiled at me with a smile that was like a mix of tears and laughter.
“Welcome back, Leah.”
A tear runs down his cheek as he says this.
A clear drop falls, sparkling in the sunlight.
William-sama informed Turner, the doctor who stayed at the Duke of Moore’s mansion, that I had awakened and received a medical examination that said there was nothing wrong with my condition. Turner then returned to the capital.
After that, I was told about what happened while I was unconscious by William-sama.
Poppy and Riley came to this mansion.
Finlay, the Crown Prince, and Charlotte wiped out the anti-royalist faction and sent them to prison.
Riley brought the herbs needed for treatment and gave them to me last night, but I didn’t wake up for a while.
“I have to apologize to Poppy and Riley for worrying them.”
As I said that, William-sama nods.
“They introduced themselves as your friends and have been worried about you all this time. When you are able to move, it would be nice to show them a healthy face.”
After these words, both of us stopped talking and silence fell in the room.
I had realized it.
William-sama had found out about my secret that I had been hiding.
And I expected that he would ask me about it from now on.
“…I thought I would lose you.”
William-sama whispers softly.
“While you were asleep, I thought about a lot of things. I thought we had been together since we were 12 years old and knew almost everything about each other, but it seems I was wrong.”
William-sama looks at me.
I feel that there are unexpected emotions in the depths of his quiet eyes, and I return his gaze.
“Leah. Why did you hide the fact that you are a woman and join the Order to become my escort knight… Could you tell me?”
(Finally, this time has come)
I take a deep breath and turn to face William-sama.
