The grand marble corridors of the royal keep gradually gave way to a quieter, secluded wing of the castle.
Warm afternoon sunlight filtered through tall, arched stained-glass windows. The air here was noticeably cooler, thick with the soothing scent of crushed lavender and dried medicinal herbs.
Kaito pushed open the heavy mahogany doors and stepped quietly into the Royal Infirmary.
Rows of neatly made beds lined the wide, airy room. Injured palace guards and royal attendants rested peacefully under thick velvet blankets, their breathing soft and rhythmic. Kaito paused near the entrance, taking in the tranquil surroundings before his gaze landed on a pair of elf nurses tending to a table of potions across the room.
One of them turned around—and Kaito's train of thought derailed entirely.
She was a breathtaking blonde maiden with eyes as blue and clear as a tropical sea. Her silken hair cascaded down her shoulders in loose, shimmering waves, catching the sunlight like spun gold. But what immediately seized Kaito's absolute, undivided attention was the absurd, jaw-dropping figure. Her white nurse's uniform was cut tantalizingly tight around her waist, straining harshly against the impressive, massive swell of her breasts. Every single time she took a breath, the fabric pulled taut, threatening to pop a button.
She glided toward him with fluid, ethereal grace, her full hips swaying naturally with every step. She stopped a few feet away and lowered herself into a deep, respectful bow. The movement gave Kaito a brief, unobstructed view down her surprisingly generous neckline, making his blood run hot instantly.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," she purred, her voice like honey. She straightened up, offering him a warm, dazzling smile. "Welcome to the infirmary."
Kaito swallowed hard, his throat suddenly bone-dry. He forced his eyes to stay glued firmly to her radiant face, though his dirty thoughts were screaming at him to glance down again.
Holy shit, he thought, his heart thumping against his ribs. How am I supposed to stay focused on being a respectable king when every woman in this godamn kingdom is built like a literal goddess?
"I—ahem!" Kaito cleared his throat awkwardly, forcing a polite smile. "Good afternoon. And please... just Kaito is fine. I don't think I'll ever get fully used to the whole 'Your Majesty' thing."
The blonde nurse giggled softly, a delicate, melodic sound that vibrated right through his chest.
"You are far too humble, Sire," she replied playfully, her blue eyes sparkling with subtle fascination. "May I offer you something to drink while you visit? Freshly brewed herbal tea, perhaps? Or a glass of chilled fruit juice?"
Kaito stared at her full, painted lips for a fraction of a second before dragging his gaze back up. His dirty mind immediately flashed through a dozen wild, unwholesome scenarios involving the gorgeous blonde and a quiet corner of the medical ward. He took a slow, deep breath through his nose, desperately trying to purge the lustful thoughts before his face turned completely red.
Control yourself, man, he scolded himself internally. You're here to check on your friends, not drool over the staff.
"I'm fine, thank you," Kaito managed to say smoothly, offering her an earnest, friendly look. "I really appreciate the offer, though."
"Of course, Sire. If you require anything at all, simply call for me. My name is Sandy." She bowed once more, giving him one last long, fluttering look through her dark eyelashes before turning back toward her potion station.
Kaito exhaled a long, silent breath of relief, discreetly tugging at his collar. He took a moment to compose himself before turning his attention to the far side of the room where the seven summoned maidens were recovering.
The girls had been placed in a private, spacious section of the infirmary, their beds arranged in a neat semicircle.
Kaito walked over softly, his boots clicking quietly against the stone floor. First, he stopped beside Cherry's bed. The fiery-haired maiden lay fast asleep beneath a thick fleece blanket, her small hands curled loosely over her chest. The deathly pale, bloodless complexion she had suffered after the battle at Southwatch was completely gone, replaced by a healthy, rosy glow on her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell in a steady, restful rhythm.
An affectionate smile softened Kaito's face. He reached down and gently tucked the corner of her blanket closer around her shoulders.
"I'm really glad you're safe, Cherry," he whispered softly.
He moved down the line, checking on the others one by one. River lay fast asleep with a tranquil expression, her light blue hair spread out across her pillow like a halo of water. Beside her were Orchid, Lily, Rose, and Iris, all resting peacefully as their depleted magic slowly replenished itself after the grueling trial.
Finally, Kaito reached the bed at the very end of the row.
Sage sat propped slightly against her pillows. The usually stern leader looked remarkably soft and vulnerable in her sleep. Her dark green hair—normally bound in a tight, professional ponytail—was completely undone, cascading freely over her shoulders and frame in long, silky waves.
Kaito pulled a wooden stool up to the side of her bed and sat down quietly.
"You really pushed yourself past the limit back there," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the soft hum of the room.
He hesitated for a second, looking at her pale, delicate face. Feeling a swell of deep gratitude for everything she had done to guide him, Kaito slowly reached out his hand. He gently brushed a loose strand of green hair away from her temple, his warm fingertips lightly brushing against her cool skin.
"Thanks for saving my life, Sage."
The very instant his skin made contact with hers, Sage's eyes snapped wide open.
Her dark pupils dilated into tiny pinpricks of pure, unadulterated terror. For a fraction of a second, she simply stared up at Kaito's face. Then, a sharp, ragged gasp tore from her throat.
"N-NO!"
With a violent burst of desperate strength, Sage slammed both of her hands into Kaito's chest, pushing him away with startling force.
"Whoa—!" Kaito stumbled backwards, the wooden stool tipping over behind him with a loud CRASH! He caught his balance just in time, wide-eyed with shock. "Sage?!"
Sage scrambled backward across the bed until her back slammed hard against the headboard, pulling the heavy velvet blanket up to her chin like a shield. She was hyperventilating, her body trembling so violently her teeth were chattering. She pointed a shaking, pale finger at him.
"Stay away from me!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with terror. "The... the cursed vessel! That light... that terrible, forbidden light! It shouldn't exist! He shouldn't exist!"
Kaito raised his hands, taking a cautious step back. "Sage, stop! Calm down! It's just me! It's Kaito!"
"It can not be!" Sage buried her face in her hands, rocking back and forth as incoherent babble spilled from her lips. "The magic... the strange vessel... it's awakening! We're all doomed!"
The sharp, frantic screams shattered the peaceful silence of the infirmary. Within seconds, a half-dozen elf nurses—including the busty blonde, Sandy—came rushing around the privacy screens in a flurry of white skirts.
"What happened?!"
"Lady Sage! Please, calm yourself!"
"Is there an attack?!"
The loud commotion stirred the rest of the maidens from their deep slumber. River blinked sleepily, sitting up first. Rose rubbed her eyes, looking around in confusion, while Orchid groaned softly, clutching her aching head. Lily grumbled loudly from beneath her blankets, tossing her covers aside with an irritated huff. "Ugh... what is all this racket?! Can't a lady rest for more than five minutes...?"
Kaito kept his hands held high, turning to the anxious nurses. "I was just checking in on her to see if she was feeling better! I didn't mean to scare her." He turned back to Sage, lowering his hands and keeping his tone as soft and reassuring as humanly possible. "Sage, look at me. We're safe. We're inside Queen Fiore's palace. You collapsed after healing me at Southwatch, remember? You used too much magic."
His steady, gentle voice seemed to slowly pierce through the thick fog of her panic attack. Sage's trembling gradually slowed, though she refused to lower her hands from her face, her chest heaving as she drew in ragged breaths.
River swung her legs over the side of her bed, standing up and stepping over to Sage's side. She gently placed a warm, soothing hand on the leaders' quivering shoulder.
"Sage..." River said softly, her tone laced with deep sisterly comfort. "It's alright. Take a breath. Look around you. We're home. Kaito isn't going to hurt you."
The familiar touch and soft words brought Sage back to reality. She slowly lowered her hands, revealing her pale, tear-streaked face. She stared at Kaito with a complex mix of lingering fear, profound confusion, and intense guilt, before turning her head away entirely.
Across the room, Lily let out a long, dramatic stretch, her jaw cracking as she yawned. "It's only been two days since the battle," she grumbled under her breath, tossing her untamed hair over her shoulder. "I feel like I could sleep for an entire month..."
Kaito turned his head towards Sage again and froze for a second time that afternoon.
Sage always kept her hair bound in a tight ponytail that gave her a fierce, sharp appearance. But right now, with her long, dark green locks falling completely free over her bare shoulders, she looked entirely different. The soft, cascading hair framed her delicate face, highlighting her features. She looked even more gorgeous than usual.
Kaito offered her a warm, genuine smile. "You know... your hair looks really pretty like that, Sage. It suits you."
Sage blinked, her sharp green eyes widening in sudden surprise. A faint, instantaneous flush of pink dusted across her cheeks. "H-Huh?
"I'm serious," Kaito laughed softly, stepping closer to her bed. "You look beautiful with your hair down." He noticed a small, loose strand hanging directly across her forehead, blocking her vision. Without thinking, acting purely on instinct, Kaito reached out his hand. "Here, let me just—"
SLAP!
The sharp, crack of skin striking skin echoed loudly through the high-ceilinged room.
Kaito's head was snapped sharply to the side. He stumbled back a step, his breath catching in his throat as a stinging, burning sensation exploded across his left cheek.
Every single person in the room froze. The nurses gasped in collective horror.
Sage stood beside her bed, her hand still raised in the air, trembling violently. Her face was flushed, her chest heaving, and her eyes were wide with a volatile mix of fiery rage and deep, terrified panic.
"Don't touch me!" she spat out, her voice raw and shaking. "Stay away from me! Just... stay away!"
Before anyone could say a word, Sage turned on her heel, pushed past the stunned nurses, and bolted out of the infirmary doors at a dead sprint.
"Sage! Wait!" River called out, taking a step forward, but the heavy mahogany doors slammed shut behind the fleeing maiden.
Silence settled over the infirmary like a heavy shroud.
Kaito stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded. He slowly raised his hand, pressing his palm against his throbbing, red cheek. "...What... what just happened?" he whispered, his voice laced with genuine hurt and confusion. "Why is she so angry at me...?"
The brief silence was instantly shattered as the team of elf nurses snapped out of their shock and swarmed around Kaito in a hyperactive panic.
"Your Majesty! Oh, heavens!"
"Sire! Are you alright?!"
Sandy, the blonde nurse, pushed her way to the front, her massive chest pressing lightly against Kaito's arm as she reached up with a cool, damp cloth. She began gently dabbing at his reddened cheek, her bright blue eyes filled with immense worry.
"Hold still, My Lord," Sandy coaxed softly, her breath warm against his skin. "Let us soothe the mark."
Another nurse, her face twisted in absolute outrage, turned toward the closed doors. "How dare she! That ungrateful bitch! She has no right to assault our future king! To lay hands on Her Majesty's chosen hero!"
"She should be dragged to the dungeon for treason!" another nurse agreed angrily. "The nerve of that girl!"
"No! Please, stop!" Kaito interjected hastily, stepping back from the crowded circle of hovering nurses, though he couldn't help but blush at the intense, overwhelming care they were showering on him. "It's fine, really! I'm totally okay! Please… there's no need for punishments."
He looked toward the doors where Sage had vanished, his expression softening into deep concern. "Sage isn't a violent person. She wouldn't just strike someone for no reason. Something... something must have happened to make her act like this."
The remaining maidens in the room looked between each other, deep worry etching their faces. Rose shifted uncomfortably on her bed.
"Kaito..." Rose asked anxiously, her voice soft and hesitant. "Did... did you say anything to upset her before she went to sleep? Did something happen between you two?"
Kaito shook his head firmly. "I haven't spoken a single word to her since she passed out from mana exhaustion at Southwatch. I swear."
Beside Sage's bed, River stood silently, her gaze fixed on the floor. She let out a long, heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping. Unlike the others, River noticed the strange, fearful glances Sage had been casting towards Kaito ever since his terrifying, god-like awakening on the battlefield. She knew Sage was harboring secret, forbidden knowledge about the nature of his magic—knowledge she was too afraid to share.
River looked up, offering Kaito a gentle, reassuring smile. "I think I know where Sage might have run off to," she said softly.
She walked over to Kaito, stopping directly in front of him. "I'll go talk to her and find out what's going on and bring her back."
River reached up, resting a soft hand on Kaito's shoulder, before leaning in and gently pressing a sweet, tender kiss directly over the red mark.
"Please forgive her behavior on our behalf," River whispered close to his ear. "She's just confused."
Kaito felt a warm flush spread across his face, a grateful smile breaking through his confusion. "Thank you, River. I really appreciate it."
Seeing River's affectionate gesture, Rose immediately hopped out of her bed and trotted over, a determined look on her sweet face. "I want to help make you feel better too!" she declared softly, stepping on her tiptoes to plant a gentle, lingering kiss on his other cheek.
Cherry chuckled softly, leaning back against her pillows with a sly, playful smirk. "Well, if we're handing out healing kisses to our handsome King, I certainly won't be left out." She beckoned him over, pressing a warm kiss right to the center of his forehead.
Iris, Lily and Orchid followed suit, offering a shy, sweet kiss to his cheek with a blush.
Even the nurses couldn't resist the temptation. Sandy stepped in close, brushing against his side as she leaned up and pressed her full, painted lips against his cheek, lingering just a second longer than necessary.
"There, Your Majesty," Sandy whispered with a wink. "Is the pain fading now?"
Surrounded by a harem of gorgeous, attentive elven maidens and stunning nurses all fussing over him, kissing his face, and treating him like precious glass, Kaito's lingering stress completely melted away. A dopey, lovestruck grin spread across his face, and he let out a soft, embarrassed giggle, his cheeks burning a brilliant shade of crimson.
"Oh boy..." Kaito mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck as he soaked in all the attention. "I think I'm getting ridiculously spoiled right now..."
A wave of light, musical laughter echoed through the infirmary, breaking the heavy tension that had gripped the room moments before.
Yet, as River slipped quietly out the mahogany doors to search for Sage, a heavy, unanswered question lingered in the quiet corners of the room.
What had Sage seen during Kaito's divine awakening at Southwatch? And why did the power meant to save Valeria, terrify her so deeply?