Chapter 12

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 12

Chapter Title: Benefactor

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The crocodile's eyes darted wildly as its prized large prey slipped from view, then locked onto Clodel.

She had collapsed to the ground amid the wreckage of the crudely built wooden platform they'd just been standing on.

The crocodile snapped at her in an instant.

"Aaak!"

Even with her boots on, its jaws clamped down on her slender leg—barely a handful thick—and it turned toward the swamp it called home, dragging its prey along.

Watching the scene, Kaiyan's vision went white for a moment, then blood boiled in his veins until it felt like his heart would burst.

"No!"

He drew his sword in one fluid motion and charged at the crocodile.

"Everyone, provide cover!"

But not a single knight stirred at his command. They seemed dazed amid the chaos, as the ladies fled screaming toward the forest where the rest tents were pitched, in full panic.

Kwachak.

Kaiyan pursued the crocodile, leaped onto its back, and drove his blade precisely between its eyes, into the crown of its skull.

Blood sprayed from the crocodile's head.

Kwachak, kwak, kwak.

Kaiyan withdrew his sword and plunged it down again and again.

The beast that had borne his weight without faltering finally went limp, its body sagging as it toppled sideways.

"...Hah. Hah."

Out of habit, Kaiyan shook off his blade, flinging away blood and filth, then hurried to Clodel.

Clodel's condition was a mess.

The woman who'd been dragged over twenty meters in seconds was scraped raw all over, her clothes reduced to tatters.

Even so, the crocodile's jaws weren't pried wide open around her. Gritting his teeth, he forced them apart with both hands.

"......"

He squeezed his eyes shut.

The leg the crocodile had clamped down on and dragged her by was mangled, chunks of flesh chewed away to expose bone in places.

The pale deerhide boots, which had suited her so sleekly, had offered no protection.

As Kaiyan stared in dazed horror at the gruesome sight,

those who had fled in the opposite direction when it happened now crowded back to gawk.

"What a relief!"

Someone among them said.

A relief? A relief?

Their buzzing voices droned into Kaiyan's ears as shock froze his mind.

"House Vermonte got bit. Talk about lucky!"

Lucky?

"Heaven must have intervened. What a relief."

Lucky? This?

"Thank goodness the lord is safe......"

Thwack.

Kaiyan lashed out with his fist, sending someone blathering about relief flying without even looking.

His rage-filled voice cut through the sudden silence, like cold water dousing a fire.

"Fetch a stretcher."

The long-awaited crocodile hunt, anticipated by all after three years, ended in utter fiasco.

Crocodiles were prized catches.

Tedious to hunt, perhaps, but their massive bodies yielded solid meat, and their hides—once skinned—bore unique, beautiful patterns with endless uses.

The crocodile hunt was a grand event in House Temneth territory: stirring bloodlust in the men, vanity and anticipation for future luxuries in the noblewomen.

And yet, it had ended with the Vermonte bride—married less than a month—being mauled by a crocodile right as the lord gave his opening speech.

"Would you look at that. Typical Vermonte. Ruining the hunting tournament."

"Still, it's a relief the lord wasn't the one bitten, right?"

"Vermonte got chomped. Even the crocodile must've figured she was fair game. Kah hah hah."

"Huh, you're right. With that red hair, she'd make perfect bait—nice and visible."

Outside the castle, the incident became lively tavern fodder.

But the mood inside was different.

The lord, who had publicly shamed his lady-in-waiting before his subordinates, was now personally tending to Clodel.

In Clodel's bedroom, Hanna rubbed her cheek against Clodel's hand as she lay in bed, weeping in dismay.

"Miss... Sob."

Hanna's own cheeks and arms were bandaged here and there with salve.

When the crocodile had bitten and dragged Clodel away, Hanna had been the first to lunge, trying to hold on.

Bravely, she'd even kicked at the beast's jaws clamping Clodel's leg—but it wasn't enough.

Kaiyan glowered at the physician, his face stern.

The doctor hadn't sinned, but facing the man's menacing aura, reporting Clodel's condition straight made him feel like he was dying inside.

"The wounds on her body look severe and widespread at first glance, but they're mostly abrasions. No punctures or other injuries."

"And the leg?"

Yes. The leg was the real issue.

"My assistant and I stitched together the mangled muscle and skin..."

"Get to the point."

The physician's heart shredded in place of Clodel's treated leg. But Kaiyan—who had reportedly rescued her himself—must have already seen the damage, so the doctor swallowed dryly.

"We've done all we can. Now we just need to watch for infection. If necrosis sets in and the skin or muscle starts rotting, we'll need to amputate that section."

"Aaak! No! Not my miss..."

Hanna's wails grew louder at the doctor's words.

"......She may never walk properly again."

"I see."

Kaiyan replied without a flicker in his expression.

"You're dismissed."

"Y-yes."

The doctor, summoned from the castle clinic and having worked through two sleepless nights treating Clodel, bolted out with an ashen face.

"Sniff. Oh, miss. What are we going to do."

"Quiet."

Kaiyan snapped.

"You, leave too."

"N-no!"

"I'll stay here."

Under his glare, Hanna finally dawdled out, sobbing so loudly the corridor echoed.

Once silence fell, Kaiyan could finally examine Clodel properly.

Strangely, she seemed to shrink smaller every time he looked.

Last time, he'd thought her face would fit in his palm. Today, she looked even tinier than that.

How long had it been since he'd seen her sleeping peacefully?

During the dragging, her delicate skin had scraped raw—cheeks and arms crusted with scabs.

But that was nothing.

The leg.

That anxiety when he'd seen the crocodile's teeth embedded in her impossibly slender, fragile leg.

The words—that even if it healed, she might struggle to walk—settled heavily on Kaiyan's chest.

"Why the hell did you save me?"

Didn't she hate him?

After coming to Rowen Castle, he'd assumed she resented him for everything.

Yet she had saved him.

She was his benefactor.

Considering the blood feud between Vermonte and Temneth—where neither could kill the other fast enough—leaving him to suffer major injury or infection, as the doctor said, would have earned high praise from Duke Vermonte.

And as his official wife, she could inherit Temneth assets and start anew anywhere.

"Could it be you..."

...actually like me?

This woman who gave nothing but near-expressionless indifference, no matter what he said.

Had she been drawn to him enough to throw herself in harm's way, risk her life to save him?

...Like I am to her.

"Ahhh."

That fleeting final thought scattered as Clodel let out a faint groan, her eyes fluttering weakly open.

"Ugh."

Clodel moaned softly.

But given her body's state—enough to warrant screaming and wailing—her subdued reaction felt oddly muted, creating a strange disconnect.

"How do you feel?"

"It hurts."

A sharp pang twisted in Kaiyan's chest at her feeble reply.

"Yeah."

"Am I hurt bad?"

"A bit."

"I see."

Clodel's responses kept nagging at Kaiyan.

Is she just not one to complain?

He'd seen countless wounded on the battlefield.

Grown men wailing like children.

Noble ladies especially, for whom looks were paramount, couldn't treat scars like badges of honor the way men might.

Yet this reaction? Stoic? Indifferent?

Could someone be that detached from their own pain? She's human.

Still, telling her about her ruined leg now wouldn't aid recovery, so Kaiyan—who didn't want to—held his tongue, somewhat relieved.

He had the physician's assistant fetch painkillers from outside.

The doctor had warned they might be too bitter to keep down, providing extra. Clodel swallowed hers in one go.

She never minced words about pain or bitterness. So why this indifference?

Kaiyan ignored the nagging unease prickling him.

"Rest more."

"Okay."

As her eyes closed, he sighed.

"Don't worry too much about your leg."

He gently clasped her small hand.

"I'll make sure it heals somehow."

Kaiyan had changed.

Forgotten were the days of snapping at Clodel, berating her at every turn. Now he tried to be genuinely kind.

Hanna grumbled as she arranged flowers sent by Kaiyan.

"Thought he was trash, but turns out he's human after all. Guess he has a conscience."

Her trash benchmark was solely how he treated Clodel. With his attitude softening post-incident, Hanna seemed to upgrade her low opinion of him slightly.

"How's this?"

Hanna showed off the vase brimming with roses. Clodel nodded.

"Pretty."

"Flowers are innocent, at least."

She smiled contentedly at her own handiwork.

"Between these and yesterday's, which do you like?"

"Today's."

Hanna swapped the bedside flower's vase for the new one.

Clodel's room now resembled a florist's. Kaiyan sent flowers daily.

"Time for lunch soon."

Hanna set up a table and chair by the bed.

"I was worried you weren't eating enough at first, but you're doing better now. Eat well to recover faster."

Clodel now had bandages only on her leg.

Her other wounds had healed cleanly ages ago.

The leg injury had been deep, but they'd dodged the worst fears by luck.

Hearing it'd scar but heal well eased Hanna's worries.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

Hanna replied brightly.

Expecting maids with lunch, they were surprised when Antyone entered instead.

Antyone wore ballet-style shoes with deliberate ribbons at the ankles, visible thanks to her calf-length dress. She beamed at Clodel.

"I heard your leg got fucked up?"