Koul was taken back to his chamber where the maids with healing abilities came to ease his pain.
The ones they could heal, they healed. While the dislocated bones and cracked ones that king Aziel didn't heal was mended to the best they could.
They bandaged him all over. From his shoulder to his chest and round.
When he was offered dinner, he refused to eat because he lacked the appetite. His loss pained him so deeply he lacked almost every motivation.
After they treated him, he asked them all to leave. But the vice captain saw to it that he kept guard outside his door,
Koul sat hunched on his bed. His hair poured forward, masking his face and the sadness etched on it.
He lost…. woefully. However, it wasn't the pain of losing that he was beating himself over. It was his inability to even do much.
He could barely land a proper hit on the knight. This made it clear to him how useless he was.
I thought I could take some breather for a while before I start to work on myself. But as things stand, I can't.
I shouldn't give any room for delay.
He clenched and unclenched his fist, staring solemnly at it with dull eyes.
I need strength. I need to get stronger.
If it'd be up to Koul, he would have liked to start his training to get stronger right there and now. But his condition wouldn't let him.
The best he could do was try to recover as fast as he could.
Wrapped in such sadness, his body was weak and soon succumbed to sleep. He laid on his bed and drifted off.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Outside Koul's chamber where the vice captain kept watch, Yui walked up to him.
She wanted to demand of him to let her see Koul, but before she could even utter a word, the vice captain pushed open the door for her.
Then he moved aside.
Yui was surprised for a moment, delaying her response. But she quickly bowed and walked in.
She was draped in a flowing night gown made of fine silk. The gown clung to her body proportions, but just enough to let her large assets jiggle freely.
The cloth also framed some parts of her breasts, exposing the swells enough to see the glossy sheen of her skin.
If not for it being dry, it would've been completely revealing if just a little water touched it.
Yui went inside Koul's chamber and toward his bed. There, she found Koul laying peacefully.
His night garment was just a one piece robe with nothing else, and it barely covered his chest. So his bandages were exposed.
Yui's face turned dull, her eyes carrying a quiet sadness.
She felt concern for Koul and pitied him.
"He must be hurting a lot," she muttered softly, drawing near.
After a moment of simply staring at him, she squatted beside his bed. She placed her hands on the bed and rested her chin atop her hands.
"I wish I could help."
Slowly and as gentle as she could, she swept some strands of hair that was covering Koul's face aside.
At this, Koul stirred. Her body instantly stiffened up with surprise, fear lurking inside her.
She held her breath and remained still, hoping Koul would continue sleeping.
But, unfortunately for her, his eyes fluttered open the next second.
Koul blinked slowly, his eyes still as dull as before he went to bed. He turned to the side, seeing Yui stiffened up like a doll.
"Yui," he called softly.
"I-I… I."
Her mouth fell agape, unable to voice out anything. She drew back in panic, falling to her butt on the floor.
Koul struggled up to a seat, rubbing off the drowsiness.
Yui attempted to explain again why she was there, but Koul was first to speak.
"You're here," he said, turning his face away from her.
His voice was quiet with a thick sadness beneath it. And his expression didn't show any excitement like it used to whenever he saw Yui.
He was still feeling down.
And Yui noticed this. That he was barely even looking at her and giving her attention like he recently started to.
Come to think of it, he turned to gaze at Yui who was getting up from the floor.
Tomorrow is the last day for me to complete that horrendous task.
His eyes darted to Yui, lingering on her glossy breasts for a moment before darting away.
Well.. not really horrendous, but….
I don't think I'll be able to do it.
He threw his head back, ignoring the pain that shot through his body and exhaled aloud.
The penalty wouldn't kill me. Somehow, I will endure it.
Just as he concluded he wouldn't be able to do the task this time, because he didn't see Yui giving herself to him, he felt her soft hand grab his wrist.
Koul threw forward his head and turned to look at her, confused and surprised.
Her face was flushed red, and her gaze was tilted aside as if she was purposely avoiding him.
But as Koul stared at her, his body tremperature rising just from her touch, her lips parted.
"To-touch it."
Her gaze was still averted as she said this. The only difference was her face reddening deeper.
Koul was confused. He couldn't understand what she meant and could only continue to stare.
"Huh?" He asked since she didn't show any sign of clarifying what she meant or letting go of his hand.
"L-last time you… you wanted to t-touch," she continued softly, heat rushing to her face. "But I pulled away a-and you got hurt."
Her voice was enticing. It drifted seductively into Koul's ears, grazing his insides.
He searched his memory, trying to recall what she was talking about.
Touch? Is she talking about when I tried to touch her nipple?
It was out of reflex and I wasn't even thinkin—
"I feel bad about it," her voice interrupted Koul's thoughts.
Before Koul could fully grasp the situation, she freed his hand. Then she drew near, awkwardly looking away.
"So.. touch it."
Huh?!!
While he somehow now understood what she was saying, he didn't want to get ahead of himself.
For all he knew, he could be misunderstanding the situation. So he asked, just for more clarity.
"Yui, what do you mean?" He asked, eyes drifting to her large breasts.
Without a reply, Yui arched her chest outward, pushing her breasts forward.
Her nipples were hard and grazing the thin cloth as they pointed directly at Koul's face.
"You can touch it."