Poisoned Touch
Canna pulled a needle from the acupuncture kit she had prepared in advance.
“What I’m about to do is a detoxification treatment—removing toxins from the body. I performed it on the Eastern Continent sailors before. You saw it, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a highly effective method, so you can trust me with it. There’s no need to be afraid.”
“I’ll do my best not to be.”
His calm reply left Canna feeling slightly awkward.
Of course. This was a man who fought monsters for a living. Something as simple as a needle was hardly going to intimidate him.
Since he had already witnessed her treating the Eastern sailors, Sylvien obediently loosened the front of his robe and pulled it back.
Whoa.
Canna instinctively averted her eyes, only to naturally slide them back into place a second later.
She had seen plenty of shirtless male patients during her practice, but never a body like this.
I’ve only seen this in movies.
For a moment, Canna froze at the sight of a physique that was the complete opposite of his elegant face—one that belonged to a predator. The sheer obscenity of it made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
In a stiff voice, Canna said, “Lie down.”
The words came out sounding like an order before she could stop herself. She immediately regretted it, but Sylvien complied with surprising docility. It felt strangely off to see him obeying her so readily.
“Lie down comfortably. And relax your body.”
Canna sat down close beside him. Then she added quietly, “I’ll examine you for a moment.”
She placed two fingers on his chest, searching for the right acupoints for the needles.
…Will the needle even go in?
The question crossed her mind as she felt the rock-hard muscle beneath her fingertips—there wasn’t a single ounce of fat.
For some reason, she was tense. Canna swallowed.
Meanwhile, Sylvien lowered his gaze. He couldn’t tell exactly what she was doing, but it was clear her fingers were searching for something as they glided over his skin.
Her steady, tremor-free fingers slowly slid downward from his chest. Sylvien endured the ticklish sensation for a while before lifting his eyes again.
In that instant, Canna’s expression was gravely serious.
She was completely absorbed.
Even though a strand of hair had slipped from behind her ear and brushed across her cheek, she didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she bit down on her plump lower lip, concentrating even harder.
He stared at the red flesh caught between her teeth, then closed his eyes.
The soft touch slid down his abdomen like a tongue tracing over the uneven ridges of muscle. The movement was excruciatingly slow.
Then, at last, she must have found the spot.
Suddenly she pressed down with force. He felt her fingernails scrape lightly across his skin.
“It might sting a little,” she whispered.
“It’s fine.”
Canna inserted the needle with a soft tap.
She glanced at Sylvien’s face. He looked so relaxed that anyone might have mistaken him for asleep.
“Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t.”
“That’s a relief. Stay still and wait like this.”
“Understood.”
Now all that remained was waiting. Canna let out a small sigh and relaxed her shoulders.
How on earth did he get poisoned?
His body was strangely resistant to toxins, so maybe he hadn’t been cautious… but that didn’t seem right.
The Sylvien she knew was not a man who let his guard down.
“How did you end up getting poisoned?”
Ah. Canna nearly slapped herself. The question had slipped out before she could stop it.
It was overly intrusive, but Sylvien answered as if it were nothing.
“I was hit by a hidden weapon from the Eastern Continent.”
“A hidden weapon?”
“Yes. It was a very peculiar device that doesn’t exist in the Western Continent.”
“……”
She was curious, but she didn’t ask any further. What kind of weapon could possibly poison Sylvien?
Well, honestly, it’s not even at the level of poisoning. More like a mild case of indigestion.
Even though the extreme poison of aconite had entered his system, he only felt slightly tightness in his chest. If left alone, his body would likely heal itself. That must be why Sylvien had been so relaxed about it.
Yet he had still chosen to entrust this matter to her.
Either to prevent any unforeseen complications, or to identify the poison and obtain the antidote formula in advance for future use.
Or perhaps both.
Canna stared at Sylvien in silence.
Suddenly, this moment felt like a dream.
A quiet night where only the sound of their breathing existed. Inside his bedroom, both of them wearing nothing but nightclothes, sitting on the bed.
And Sylvien had even half-removed his robe.
From Juhwa’s memories, this would be an earth-shattering event…
She remembered Juhwa—no, the version of herself back then—clinging to his ankle and sobbing pathetically.
At the time, Sylvien had spoken to her with a gentle smile.
In the kindest voice imaginable.
Would he really have done it?
If their bodies hadn’t switched at that exact moment, Juhwa would never have released him.
She’s the type who, once she bites down, won’t let go for dozens of minutes.
She would have kept sobbing and clinging even harder.
If she had held on longer… would Sylvien really have cut off my wrist?
Or perhaps he would have taken the initiative and pushed for divorce first, even if it meant dealing with the annoyance.
How much time had passed?
When Canna finally removed the needle, Sylvien opened his eyes. His softened blue gaze fixed on her.
“Is it over?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“The antidote will be ready soon. Just wait a little longer.”
Canna spoke decisively and rose from the bed.
“I’ll return to the Addis mansion now. Could you call a carriage for me?”
“How strange.”
“Pardon?”
Sylvien tilted his body slightly to the side and rested his chin on his hand.
“When you treated the Eastern Continent sailors, didn’t you stay in the infirmary with them until they were fully cured?”
“……”
“I’m a patient too, you know.”
She wanted to snap back that it wasn’t the same—his body was practically made of steel, so a dose of gamdutang would fix him right up—but that would have been incredibly irresponsible coming from a physician.
Besides, a deal was a deal.
“Fine. I’ll stay.”
“Good.”
“You can take the antidote by yourself when it arrives, right? I’m tired and would like to rest in my room.”
Just before leaving the room, Canna quickly added, “And please convey my thanks to Count Raspael de Borde.”
“……”
There was no reply.
When Canna turned around, Sylvien was still lying there with his chin propped on his hand, staring at her intently. Then he asked bluntly, “Thanks?”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a strange smile.
“Why?”
…Did he just speak informally?
No, that couldn’t be. Canna shrugged her shoulders.
“After the trial, he sent a carriage for me. I wasn’t sure how to express my gratitude.”
“Count de Borde sent you a carriage?”
“Did you not know?”
Instead of answering, he smiled in that same eerie way. It looked as if he found something both insolent and unpleasant.
“I’ll gladly pass the message along.”
And with that, it was truly over.
Sylvien turned over to the other side and pulled the blanket up over himself.
What the hell? He only says what he wants to say.
Canna grumbled internally as she left the room.
As always, he was an insufferable bastard.
“Lord Callen has returned.”
At the maid’s announcement, Isabel quickly dove under the covers.
“Close the curtains! And tell everyone I’m sleeping! Don’t let anyone in!”
Isabel curled up tightly beneath the blanket.
I’m scared.
The memory of Callen’s eyes quietly glaring at her just hours ago sent chills racing across her entire body.
He’s definitely going to be angry.
And right now, her older brother Callen was not in his right mind.
She had thought something was off ever since he started making perfume under Canna’s name.
He must be crazy. There’s no way he’ll believe me.
Even though she had deliberately bumped into her, she had never intended to push Canna into the pond.
Or… did I? Was my strength too much?
Isabel knew her physical strength was far greater than that of an average woman.
When she was thirteen, she had arm-wrestled some young knight trainees her age as a joke—and ended up beating every single one of them.
After that, she never played those kinds of games again.
Maybe I’ve gotten even stronger since then.
So perhaps that was why Canna had been thrown backward…?
No. Maybe Canna deliberately fell in just to mess with me.
What was certain was that she had never meant to do it!
She had poured out her grievances to Chloe, but her mother had simply smiled awkwardly and said, “Why are you two always fighting?” with no intention of helping.
Isabel hadn’t expected much from her mother anyway. Whenever she and Callen clashed, her mother always took Callen’s side.
Everything is so annoying. There’s no one left in this house who’s on my side. I’m all alone.
She must have cried herself to sleep under the blanket.
“Isabel.”
“…!”
Isabel’s eyes flew open. It was Callen’s voice!
“Get up.”
“……”
“I know you’re awake.”