The Male Lead’s Sickly Aide is My Type - Chapter 94.1
Chapter 94.1
“Sir?”
“….”
“Sir, are you alright?”
“….”
Archen lifted his head at the sound.
The vaguely discernible pattern of the wallpaper filled his vision. His head felt heavy as if weighted down with stones, and his limbs were powerless. His entire body ached as though he’d been beaten with a club. In his hazy state, he felt something round in his palm and closed his hand around it.
‘I must have lost consciousness for a moment.’
He’d debated taking another dose, despite the physician’s warning, but the pain had overwhelmed him, causing him to collapse. Fortunately, he hadn’t been moved to the bed; he remained slumped against the hallway wall where he’d been sitting.
The closed door suggested that Carinne was unaware of his current state.
“Are you alright?”
A young maid looked down at him with concern. Carinne was particularly fond of this girl.
Marie, was it?
“Is something wrong?”
The maid’s eyes trembled anxiously as she hesitantly asked.
Archen imagined how he must appear: his shirt soaked with sweat, the fabric around his chest crumpled and unsightly. The marks from his scratching and clawing would be visible beneath the thin material. His face must be deathly pale, his lips the color of faded parchment.
He was the very picture of illness.
Thankful that the day had not fully broken, he raised his collar to hide the raw scratches on his chest and forced a smile to reassure the young maid.
“No, I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a bit. I meant to go back inside after sitting for a while, but I must have fallen asleep.”
It was a flimsy excuse but the best he could offer. Carinne mustn’t know about last night. He didn’t want her to learn of his secret this way. If she ever discovered the truth, it would be on his terms.
“Oh, I see. Would you like some tea? I was on my way to the kitchen anyway, to prepare breakfast.”
Carinne’s assessment of her as a kind and innocent girl was accurate. The maid didn’t question his words.
“No, thank you. But could you keep this from the Princess? She’ll worry unnecessarily if she finds out.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. You should go back inside and get some rest.”
‘That was handled smoothly.’
Archen breathed a sigh of relief, bracing himself against the wall. A sharp, stabbing pain shot through his chest, but it was bearable. Managing to stand up without losing his smile, he entered his room and quietly closed the door.
Marie, however, felt a strange sense of unease. To see the aide asleep in the hallway…
‘Even the seemingly perfect aide makes mistakes.’
‘He’s human after all.’
Having reached her own conclusion, she continued down the hall when something caught her eye.
“What’s this?”
It lay where the aide had been sitting.
Marie bent down and picked it up. Small, white, and round like a snowflake, it looked like it could be swallowed whole.
‘Is it food? Why is this here?’
Marie tucked it into the small pocket of her maid’s apron and hurried down the hallway, her steps quickening as she descended the stairs. She had a mountain of work ahead of her: waking the other maids, reheating the cooled soup, preparing the ingredients…
She had to hurry to get breakfast ready before the Princess awoke.
* * *
As he suspected, Carinne was still asleep. Archen stood beside the bed, gazing down at her. Bathed in the dawn light filtering through the window, she slept soundly. Dressed in a white slip, she looked like an angel who had descended to earth to save him.
An angel in white, filling his heart with joy.
Mesmerized, Archen watched her for a long moment before perching on the edge of the bed. The curves of her body were visible beneath the muslin fabric.
A sudden impulse urged him to bring his lips to hers, but he pulled back.
He was afraid of waking her, but more than that, he feared he wouldn’t be able to control himself if he gave in to the urge. He recalled the previous afternoon. Throughout their time together, Carinne had subtly reproached him. He’d feigned ignorance, but he wasn’t a fool, and certainly not naive.
Every night, as they lay in bed together, he had to struggle to maintain control as Carinne spoke in suggestive tones, her eyes full of expectation. When she’d unexpectedly embraced him and kissed him as they were settling down to sleep, he’d reached his limit.
His mind had gone blank, and he’d stammered out whatever came to mind. Disappointed by his awkwardness, Carinne had turned her back to him. It had been a stroke of luck for him.
He’d lain awake all that night.
The reason he’d pretended not to understand, even though he desired Carinne and she clearly desired him, was simple. He didn’t want to advance their relationship, while Carinne believed his affliction was merely a magical imbalance. It might bring temporary happiness, but ultimately, it would inflict irreparable pain on her.
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