Esa Promesa

Of course, Diver was the king, and even if he had given me a single flower, it could be described in such grand terms. But for a medicine prepared under Diver’s royal orders, even delivered to me personally, calling it a bestowal seemed like a stretch.

“Does the medicine contain incredibly rare or expensive ingredients?”

I ventured a guess, but Asyan pressed his lips together tightly. Though his expression showed no outward disturbance, I’d known Asyan long enough to catch the subtle flicker in his eyes—a barely perceptible reaction.

“Don’t tell me it’s made with ingredients cultivated exclusively for royalty?”

“…In any case, you must take the medicine. I’ll be checking once a day.”

Asyan blatantly changed the subject and blinked, his tone hinting at an attempt to downplay the matter. Could my offhand remark have been accurate?

The memory of that day flashed through my mind—the day Diver confined me.

‘It’s medicine.’

‘take one pill every day without fail.’

Diver had personally brought me the medicine, insisting that I take it. It had been stored in a luxurious crystal bottle, but I’d assumed it was made with the same ingredients permitted for palace attendants.

But if it was truly made with ingredients reserved exclusively for royalty…

“If I take it, wouldn’t that make me guilty of treason against the crown?”

Ingredients permitted only for royalty could not be consumed by anyone else, even if the reigning monarch granted permission. Why? Because the law, established by the founding king, forbade it.

“I don’t know anything.”

“But you’re the one who prepared the medicine, aren’t you?”

“I’m only saying this for your sake, Sir Teian. I know nothing.”

His tone all but begged me to drop the subject, and I had no choice but to nod. Asyan had his duties, and if I pressed him further, he’d be forced to speak. I didn’t want to trouble him any more than he already was on my account.

Sipping my now lukewarm tea, I worked to calm the simmering frustration Diver’s antics had stirred in me. After a deep sigh, I apologized to Asyan.

“I’ll take the medicine diligently starting today.”

“Thank you. But I’ll still be checking.”

“Do I look like a child to you?”

At my question, Asyan grinned, the smile I liked most.

Whenever Asyan smiled like that, he looked so much younger than his age, giving off the mischievous vibe of a playful child.

“Of course not. But since I put effort into making the medicine, I’d like you to take it in front of me starting the day after tomorrow.”

“The day after tomorrow? Does that mean…?”

“Yes, I’ll be accompanying you to Sol Avla.”

“But isn’t there a royal physician stationed in Sol Avla?”

This was Asyan’s domain, and Sol Avla had its own resident royal physician. Diver was meticulous about personnel, especially when it came to positions responsible for lives. He would have chosen the Sol Avla physician with great care.

Taking Asyan, who wasn’t even Diver’s personal physician, to Sol Avla could imply distrust toward the resident physician there. While they wouldn’t express it outwardly, they’d undoubtedly feel slighted. A king didn’t need to worry about a physician’s feelings, but that wasn’t how I had taught Diver.

I’d repeatedly emphasized respecting those he chose to serve him.

I couldn’t recall any similar instance before now. As I considered the possibilities, one particular thought crossed my mind.

“I’m not your assigned patient, am I?”

“You are. I’ll be accompanying you as your personal physician.”

I downed the still-warm herbal tea in one go. Cold water would have been better, but with nothing else available, I had no choice.

The sensation of the hot tea burning its way down my throat brought tears to my eyes.

Clicking his tongue, Asyan handed me a tissue. Grateful, I took it and dabbed at my eyes carelessly. Watching Asyan refill my empty teacup, I felt a mix of emotions.

I planned to persuade Diver not to take Asyan with us when he returned to the room. But considering Diver’s behavior lately, I wasn’t sure my words would have any effect.

He claimed to love me, yet in the end, he forced his will on me.

How selfish. Not that I had any right to think so, considering I’d planned to leave without saying a word. Still, I didn’t like the idea of others being dragged into this mess because of me.

Especially Asyan. His family lived in the capital, didn’t they? Even if he didn’t plan to settle there permanently, the thought of him being separated from his loved ones because of me filled me with guilt.

“Why are you feeling guilty?”

I hadn’t even said anything, but Asyan read my face like an open book.

“Because of me—”

“Sir Teian.”

His sharp tone made me flinch, momentarily wondering if I had said something wrong. Asyan stood up and moved closer, irritation plainly written on his face. I clamped my mouth shut as his hand covered mine, which was wrapped around the teacup.

“I requested this of His Majesty. I asked to treat you to the best of my ability and stay by your side. Let me be clear: this isn’t because of you. It’s because I chose it.”

Though his expression held irritation, his gaze was gentle.

“I understand.”

Unable to meet his eyes any longer, I focused on the teacup. Asyan returned to his seat, and the warmth of his touch slowly faded, leaving a cold emptiness on my skin. My chest felt heavier.

Had I been too arrogant? Had I taken things too lightly?

In my past cycles, I’d always maintained a safe distance from others. I subtly planted the idea that I could disappear from their lives at any moment.

It made facing death easier back then. Both they and I could part with light hearts, smiling as we said goodbye.

But this time was different.

“What are you brooding about now, to look so gloomy?”

Asyan pressed his finger against the back of my hand, jolting me out of my thoughts. I reflexively smiled and shook my head.

“Nothing.”

It might have been a flimsy attempt at self-satisfaction, but I didn’t want to lie anymore to someone like Asyan, who cared for me so deeply.

“I won’t ask what you’re thinking, but you really need to get into the habit of having positive thoughts, especially given your current condition.”

“For those positive thoughts to come, His Majesty would need to approve my resignation instead of rejecting it every time.”

*Crack.*

I watched in stunned silence as the wooden pen in Asyan’s hand snapped.

It wasn’t an ordinary pen—it was made of solid wood, tough enough that even a grown man would struggle to break it with brute force. Yet, Asyan had broken it with a single grip.

Wasn’t Asyan just a royal physician? His scholarly and slender frame gave no hint of strength, let alone the kind of grip power capable of snapping wood like that.

“If only he weren’t the king….”

“P-please calm down.”

“A man who drags a patient around as he pleases isn’t fit to be called a human. Do you understand, Sir Teian?”

Diver’s conscience often seemed far from humane, that was true.

If this had been before I submitted my resignation, I might have defended him with naïve excuses, like ‘Diver has the potential to become a better person. He’s just overwhelmed because of the suddenness of my impending death.’ But the current me wasn’t that foolish anymore.

I nodded vigorously in agreement—not because I was intimidated by Asyan’s intensity, of course.

*Knock, knock.*

A knock at the door drew my attention, and before I could respond, the door swung open without permission. The impolite intruder was none other than Ewyn, who should have been stationed by Diver’s side.

“Sir Teian, His Majesty requests your presence.”

“His Majesty?”

“Yes, please come immediately.”

Ewyn’s tone was formal and distant, completely unlike the casual, easygoing way he spoke when we were alone. Hearing him speak with such textbook decorum and stiff elegance was something I could never get used to.

“How rude.”

Asyan’s voice cut through the room. Reflexively, I turned to look at Ewyn instead of Asyan. Ewyn, however, was already glaring at Asyan.

At first glance, his expression seemed neutral, but I knew him too well to miss the subtle hints of irritation and disbelief. To Ewyn, Asyan was nothing more than just ‘Royal Physician #1,’ and he couldn’t understand why a mere physician would openly reprimand him.

But his eyes told a different story. I sighed inwardly.

Four years ago, on his day off, Ewyn had drunkenly stumbled into the barracks, where Asyan happened to be visiting my room. In his drunken state, Ewyn spouted nonsense to Asyan, and Asyan promptly beat him so thoroughly that even the rainstorm outside seemed tame in comparison.

To this day, Ewyn believed he’d fallen down a flight of stairs that night. Still, his body seemed to remember the truth. I noticed the stiffness in his gaze as he glanced at Asyan.

“Sir Ewyn.”

Asyan stood from his seat and approached Ewyn with deliberate steps. Ewyn flinched, retreating a step. Despite being one of the top knights, here he was, shrinking back from a royal physician.

As I casually picked up my coat, I watched the interaction with growing curiosity.