Right now, Iris was in a state of confusion. For some inexplicable reason, Prince Rezeda was in her family’s guesthouse, holding a basket full of bok choy, his crimson eyes twinkling as he tilted his head in an endearing manner.
But still!!
“So, I’ll be staying at Iris’s place for a while. Oh, and here’s the bok choy you wanted,” Rezeda said cheerfully as he handed over the vegetables, causing Iris, who usually prided herself on her problem-solving skills, to grasp her head in distress.
“How did it come to this?!” Iris exclaimed, causing Rezeda to look at her in shock.
Oops, I lost my composure there… But who wouldn’t!
Clearing her throat, Iris first took the bok choy and set it aside.
“My apologies. Can you explain why this is happening?”
As Iris asked for an explanation, Rezeda elaborated.
He had indeed spoken to the king about the smallpox vaccination as he mentioned before. He had brought Citis along and used the magic circle as evidence. However, the king recognized it as an application of forbidden magic and deemed it too dangerous to accept.
Frustrated by the deadlock, Rezeda had impulsively inhaled the vaccine himself to demonstrate its safety, causing a panic at the palace. Surrounded by knights who kept their distance, Rezeda declared he would go to Iris, who had previously contracted smallpox and was therefore immune. Consequently, the palace sent Rezeda to the Chevalier estate.
He had arrived secretly in a modest servant’s carriage, along with the bok choy.
As a knight’s family, the Chevaliers could not simply turn away the prince.
Naturally, the Marquis Chevalier decided to accommodate Rezeda temporarily in a small detached house on the estate, hastily preparing the space that wasn’t currently in use.
“What reckless behavior!”
Some townspeople had confirmed the vaccine’s safety, but Rezeda was a prince. He shouldn’t be turning himself into a test subject.
However, Rezeda felt that, although it was Iris’s project, he didn’t want to seem as though he was stealing the credit for the vaccine’s development. He wanted to be properly involved, not realizing he could be blamed for such an action.
“I wanted to be your accomplice, Iris. Besides, I’m only second in line. Even if I die, my brother is still there, so it’s fine.”
Rezeda laughed off the matter as if it were trivial.
Iris became furious.
“Don’t say such foolish things!”
She grabbed Rezeda by the shoulders, and he looked at her puzzled.
He doesn’t understand! It’s sad and frustrating. I can’t stand him talking about himself as if he’s just a spare.
“Don’t say ‘anyway’… There’s no replacement for you, Rezeda.”
Tears rolled down Iris’s eyes.
Seeing this, Rezeda smiled as if a flower were blooming.
“This isn’t a laughing matter!” Iris retorted gruffly as Rezeda wiped away the tears from her eyes with his finger.
“You called me by my name for the first time, Iris.”
He smiled contentedly, and Iris stepped back, bowing her head.
“I apologize!”
“There’s no need to apologize. Call me that more often, Iris.”
“I absolutely cannot!”
Iris shook her head vehemently, her curls bobbing with the motion. She took another step back.
“What’s wrong, Iris? What are you running from?”
Rezeda laughed and closed the distance, smiling yet somehow appearing intimidating.
No, you run, right? Because it’s scary. He says it lightly, but he must be really angry, right? I could physically stop him, but that would be like signing my own execution order. I won’t call you that casually ever again! Please, someone help!!
As Iris slowly backed away, she suddenly bumped into someone.
“Did you call, Iris?”
At the sound of Serj’s voice, Rezeda momentarily looked puzzled, then let out a disappointed sigh.
“Oh, was I interrupting something intimate? My apologies.”
“Not at all! Perfect timing!”
Iris clung desperately to Serj. Rezeda shrugged, and Serj chuckled.
“However, a prince willing to test a vaccine himself is quite a sight. I ended up lending a hand.”
“You helped?”
“Just now, I spoke to the Orange Fairy Leader, the kingdom’s guardian. Soon, the king will understand the situation. You’ve got a good man here, Iris.”
Serj laughed jovially, and while Iris looked bewildered, Rezeda bowed deeply.
“Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. It was quite entertaining. Do keep amusing me.”
With that, Serj disappeared.
“He really is a capricious Fairy Leader,” Iris said, half in gratitude, half in exasperation.
“Your Highness!”
Abruptly, the door burst open, and Nigel rushed in. Rezeda clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“Nigel, do not enter further.”
Rezeda commanded sternly, and Nigel halted. He had come prepared to take on whatever ailment Rezeda had, but he could not disobey a direct order from the prince.
“I apologize for the poor accommodations.”
As Nigel apologized, Rezeda laughed weakly.
“It’s supposed to be kept internal. Can we announce that a prince has contracted smallpox?”
Both Nigel and Iris made grim faces at this. If Rezeda had contracted smallpox, it would be kept secret, treated as a mere illness, and not disclosed. The royalty must not be seen as forsaken by the gods.
“It’s ridiculous,” Iris sighed softly. In the town, survivors were heroes.
“Let’s not make a big deal about it.”
“I will also inhale the vaccine. It would be better for me to do so if I am to stand by your side, right? Iris, share the vaccine with me.”
“No, Nigel. You are the firstborn. You have a duty to protect the knight’s family.”
Rezeda snapped, and Nigel fell silent, frustrated.
All these obligations of being a noble… Knights’ families aren’t all that special; they might have the physical strength but barely any magical power.
Iris thought as if it were someone else’s problem.
“Besides, I need nobles to follow my lead in getting vaccinated after my safety is proven. I’m counting on you for that, Nigel.”
“Understood,” Nigel agreed reluctantly.
“Don’t worry. Iris will protect me, as a knight’s family should, right?”
At Rezeda’s voice, Iris snapped to attention and looked at the two men. Rezeda was smiling warmly, Nigel looked uneasy.
A knight’s family is not just a convenient label! But, dismantling it would be troublesome…
“…Leave it to me…”
Iris felt the weight of an invisible responsibility on her shoulders as she reluctantly agreed.
