Chapter 2 Part 5

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After confirming everyone was asleep through Raphla’s cry, I immediately moved to the Black Forest.

The sight of people and monsters strewn about like corpses everywhere was quite a sight to behold, more than I expected.

“…Found him.”

Hyle, with his black hair and pure white uniform, was immediately noticeable.

Getting closer, I saw he was in an uncomfortable sleep with furrowed brows.

Since I had to make physical contact to transport him with magic, I gently embraced Hyle who was sound asleep on the ground.

“…Ugh.”

As soon as I touched him, fierce wariness filled the green eyes that barely opened through his sleep-induced haze.

What? He’s already awake? It would be troublesome if he suddenly causes a commotion…

When our eyes met, I gave him a relaxed greeting.

“Hello, Young Lord Feros.”

“You’re from House Laté… urgh.”

As expected of the one with the purest holy power in the empire, he doesn’t fall easily to black magic.

Even though Raphla’s sleep curse is famous for its potency even in the demon realm… this is taking longer than expected.

But this level of resistance is necessary for me to comfortably entrust my heart to him, right? So, he passes.

Regrettably, Hyle tried to resist by twisting his body in my grasp. However, his movements were noticeably sluggish due to the strong effect of the curse.

“Shh, moving will open your wounds.”

Due to his unnecessary movements, the wounds that were already all over his body spilled dark red blood.

Though his mind is awake, his body isn’t yet. Should I consider this fortunate…

“You, what did you do to everyone?”

Despite clearly suffering from the curse, Hyle managed to glare at me and speak his mind.

“Wrong question.”

His ashen green eyes, visible through his disheveled black hair, slowly traced my moving lips.

Looking down at him quietly, I slowly brushed back his hair and spoke again.

“You should ask what I’m going to do to you from now on.”

After arriving at the Duke’s residence with the finally unconscious Hyle, I entered the basement room I had prepared for him.

This room, equipped with just a simple bed and bathroom, had only one heavy iron door as its exit.

“…Is he asleep?”

After barely managing to drop him onto the bed, I poked at Hyle’s cheek as he lay with his eyes closed, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

There was no response from Hyle, who was now deeply asleep without the slightest movement.

Though he was stubbornly holding onto consciousness and responding well earlier, it seemed Raphla’s sleep curse had finally taken full effect.

“…Can’t be helped.”

After debating whether to leave Hyle in his filthy state, I decided to change him into clean clothes considering his condition.

When I removed his uniform, his shirt was completely stuck to his bare skin, covered in dark red blood from unknown sources.

He was so drenched in blood that the shirt wouldn’t come off easily.

Only after struggling to pull up his top did the cruel wound near his kidney become visible.

The wound was still spurting blood even now.

I couldn’t help but sigh at the gruesome sight.

“With a wound this severe, it must have been hard to even stay conscious – how stubborn.”

He would probably heal basic wounds on his own with his holy power anyway.

However, there were fatal wounds that couldn’t be completely healed with holy power, necessitating manual treatment.

I took out herbs and antidote from the first-aid kit I had brought just in case, and slowly began treating his wounds.

“…Ugh.”

Perhaps due to the sting of the herbs, Hyle occasionally let out low groans before slowly and painfully opening his eyes.

“You’re awake?”

“…You.”

In response to my still-casual greeting, green eyes filled with evident surprise and confusion turned toward me.

“Don’t move, you’ll interfere with the treatment.”

“Why are you…”

“Though it might be hard to believe, I won’t harm you, so stop being so wary.”

At my firm and concise words, Hyle remained silent, enduring the pain until the treatment was finished.

Though my inexperienced hands must have been hard to bear since this was my first time treating someone else, Hyle stoically endured the pain without letting out a single groan.

“All done. I’m not a professional doctor so it might be a bit rough… but it should work for immediate emergency care.”

“Where is this place?”

Killing intent slowly emerged in his sharp tone. However, it was somewhat softer than before.

“First, heal those wounds. I have no intention of arguing with a dying patient.”

“…Very well.”

The small cuts and tears all over his body were enveloped in pure white light, and in an instant, they became clean as if they had never existed.

As I quietly watched this mystifying sight that was still hard to get used to, I slowly leaned back against the cold wall.

I had thought holy power was just a weak force incapable of harming others, but now it seemed that wasn’t entirely true.

Finally, Hyle removed his shirt, which I hadn’t been able to fully take off due to the dried blood.

When the stained shirt fell to the ground, his firm, muscular chest came fully into my view.

Flustered by the sudden display, I hurriedly turned my head away.

Be mindful that I’m right here, you thoughtless man!

“Now we can talk.”

Under his jet-black hair, calm green eyes focused entirely on me.

Though he clearly had many questions, he seemed to have decided to wait until I spoke first.

“Let’s make a deal. You help me, and I’ll grant what you wish for.”

Hyle’s eyebrows twitched momentarily at the direct proposition that came without any preamble.

It wasn’t my style to carefully approach with various pleasantries.

Besides, I didn’t have much time.

There was no answer from Hyle.

Since I was willing to give him some time to think, I quietly waited for his response.

“I refuse.”

After letting out a short breath, Hyle gave his brief answer.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to be quite suspicious of me.

“I’m quite disappointed if it appears I’m the one making the proposal.”

“I am a Feros. I have no dealings with House Laté. Ever.”

Of course, I had expected Hyle to refuse.

As the next head of House Feros with exceptional pride, he would never readily accept a deal offered by me, a Laté.

“Well, I expected as much.”

Straightening up from the wall I was leaning against, I approached Hyle, who was sitting on the bed, with a light laugh.

Hyle tried to back away from my approach, but he couldn’t move.

“Ugh, what is this?”

“You’re a valuable hostage, after all. It would be troublesome if you got hurt from thrashing about.”

Thanks to the binding spell I had placed on the bed beforehand, Hyle had magical shackles around his neck connected to the bed.

“How dare you…”

“I’ll say it again – let’s make a deal. It won’t be such a difficult task for you.”

Just as Hyle was about to voice another refusal, I casually brought up an image before his eyes.

In the projection, the Feros knights were surrounded by Grade 1 monsters, trembling in fear with their fighting spirit lost.

Of course, the image was fake, created by me.

The knights in the image were all safely asleep in the innermost part of the Black Forest.

But Hyle, who couldn’t know this, became dead serious.

“You don’t think House Laté will be safe after pulling something like this?”

Judging by the heavy anger showing through his teeth, Hyle seemed to have properly fallen for my trap.

Come to think of it, wasn’t House Feros known for valuing their bonds with each other above all else?

In contrast, House Laté teaches us to eliminate even blood relatives without mercy if they become a burden.

“We have to be safe. Because after they die, you’re next.”

Hyle, who had been glaring sharply at my relaxed smile, soon suppressed his anger with a deep sigh.

He’s maintaining his rationality quite well even in this situation.

So much for putting on magical shackles in case he might attack and cause trouble.

“…I’ll listen. What’s the deal?”

“Good thinking. Then first, could you take a look at my heart?”

“What?”

“My heart contains holy power.”