Please Kill Me - Chapter 127
After returning with Yekaterina, Leonid was immediately moved to the medical tent. In other words, Leonid didn’t have a proper opportunity to talk with Yekaterina. And that fact was bothering him.
As soon as Vasily, who had left to speak briefly with Yekaterina, returned Leonid asked:
“Vasily, where is Yekaterina?”
“She mentioned she had some errands to run.”
“Errands?”
“Yes. It seems she has something to discuss with Olga.”
Had the circumstances been different, Leonid would have noticed that Vasily’s gaze shifted to the left. Leonid knew that slightly looking the left was a sign of deceit. However, his mind was already preoccupied with Yekaterina, so he didn’t pick up on it.
“Well, Olga was quite surprised to see Yekaterina, it makes sense that they’d need to talk. Is that why you’re concerned?”
“What happened?”
“It’s nothing major. Yekaterina seemed preoccupied with something the whole time she was here.”
“What was she like?”
“She answered briefly to everything, avoided making eye contact, and was distant.”
Vasily briefly recalled Yekaterina’s usual demeanor.
“Didn’t it seem like she was being aloof, no matter what was said?”
“That’s right.”
“Didn’t you ever think she might actually dislike you?”
“Yes.”
“And did you also wonder if she might be upset or complaining about something?”
“Yes, exactly! Is there something you can pinpoint?”
At Leonid’s question, Vasily’s gaze became more serious.
“Your Excellency… Please don’t be alarmed.”
“I won’t be alarmed. Just tell me.”
“Her behavior was exactly the same as usual.”
“…What?”
Leonid, who had been tense, suddenly relaxed at this unexpected answer.
“Her behavior was no different from usual.”
“It can’t be…”
“Miss Yekaterina is always like that. When she doesn’t have a specific purpose, she barely speaks, avoids eye contact, and remains aloof. This isn’t new.”
On reflection, Leonid saw the sense in that.
“To me, she seemed to be just as she always is.”
“…No, there was something different.”
“What was it?”
“The corners of her eyes were drooping. Just a little bit.”
Leonid held his thumb and index finger slightly apart—just enough for an ant to pass through.
“….Are you serious?”
“I’m serious. It’s harder to miss such a difference than to notice it.”
It was a lamentable situation. Vasily had never felt this frustrated about his master’s habit of never speaking idly.
‘What His Highness Yuri said was true.’
Before coming to the medical tent, Vasily recalled Yuri’s words after Yekaterina had left.
— Vasily, are you going to see Leonid? If so, try not to mention Yekaterina.
— Is there a reason?
— I’d rather ask you. It hasn’t been long since those two were last at my palace. Even then, things seemed odd. Did they get married or something in the meantime?
— What? That’s not… Nothing happened!
Vasily was sufficiently social and mature to understand what romance is and why many lovers break up and reunite. However, he was utterly clueless about this matter.
— Is she still being distant?
Unfortunately, his sensitivity in such matters was almost nonexistent. Yuri looked at the oblivious and straightforward knight with genuine pity and shook his head.
— There’s something between Leonid and Yekaterina. I’m sure of it. Of course, whether they’re getting married or having children is none of my business, but in the current situation, such a relationship isn’t beneficial. So, avoid bringing up Yekaterina in front of Leonid.
— Can I avoid mentioning it? It’s bound to come up while explaining the situation.
— Just say that I handled it in his absence. If my name comes up, he’ll overlook it without questioning.
— Are you asking me… to lie?
Vasily’s face hardened, but Yuri remained firm.
— Yes. I can’t bear to see Leonid being manipulated by Yekaterina any longer.
— Your Highness.
— Don’t misunderstand. I have no ill will toward her. In fact, I’m grateful to her. Truly… But it’s also true that being with her will not benefit Leonid in the slightest.
Yuri said that at first. He intended to let things be, no matter how they turned out.
But after hearing that Leonid had been attacked by Dmitry and fell off a cliff, Yuri could no longer ignore the situation.
For Yuri, all that remained were Leonid and his deranged mother.
— I don’t want to lose anyone else.
Before such words, Vasily had nothing to say.
‘But Your Highness, what should I do if her name comes up before I can act?’
He didn’t expect Leonid to be so concerned for Yekaterina. Vasily felt as though he had entered an entirely different world.
‘He’s looking for the Miss as soon as I arrive?’
The Leonid he knew had always seemed indifferent to his own well-being.
