Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 10
“I’ll help prepare for the name treatment.”
“Okay.”
However, there was still one person Macy felt uneasy about. After Dia had tied the blindfold and left, someone approached with their usual precise footsteps and sat in the chair opposite.
“I was thinking we could do something different today.”
It was Eren Wood.
“What would that be?”
As she was about to extend her hand as usual, he spoke.
“How about we hug?”
“Hug…?”
“It seems that just holding hands isn’t enough. Is that uncomfortable for you?”
Macy knew that the treatments weren’t very effective for Eren, but she hadn’t anticipated escalating to this stage… His voice even cracked slightly at the end, a subtle change she could detect due to their frequent meetings.
After a moment of silence, she spoke calmly.
“No, it’s okay.”
“Then come here.”
He took her hand and helped her stand, guiding her since she couldn’t see.
“Where are we going?”
“Sitting in a chair for an hour might be uncomfortable if we’re hugging.”
“To the bed? I, I’m okay with that…”
Was he suggesting they lie down to hug? The unexpected suggestion jolted her.
“We could also sit in chairs and hold hands, maybe stretch a bit if it gets uncomfortable.”
“…”
Eren must have noticed her tapping her back occasionally after treatments, a habit she developed because sometimes, even just holding hands for a long time could be tiresome and painful.
She frequently stretched every thirty minutes while painting because of her bad back, but that was not possible here…
Finding herself without words, she followed his lead to the bed. She heard him lie down first. Macy cautiously sat down and then slowly reclined her head on the pillow. Unsure of what to do next, she stared at the ceiling until she felt a sudden pull.
Eren’s arms enveloped her in a firm hug, a stark contrast to the gentle background scent of verdant foliage in the room. A different fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose, enveloping her in an unfamiliar but intriguing aroma.
The scent was heavy and distinct, reminiscent of cigar smoke with a hint of refreshing coolness mixed in, like walking on a beach on a summer night—refreshing yet not entirely light.
“The clothes…”
Macy belatedly realized how close they were and tried to create some distance by reaching up, but her palms only met bare skin. As she moved her hand down to his chest, she found it exposed as well.
“This should help with faster recovery.”
It seemed he had deliberately undone his shirt. She had felt it when touching his back; his body was well-maintained. The contours of his abs were distinctly felt under her palms, along with rough scars similar to those on his hands.
“You might not need this anymore, but I still do.”
Eren was aware of the differing speeds of their recovery. The absence of her cane draped over the chair for some time now made it obvious.
‘It looks like there was still some pain. It must be the initial stages, no stiffness yet, maybe just a sore throat or headaches?’
Macy didn’t remember her own early symptoms, but she had heard that the initial signs of a name’s manifestation could be similar to a severe cold lasting about six months. Once stiffness set in, the pain was almost nonexistent.
Now that her own stiffness had eased, she occasionally felt dizzy.
“Are you still in a lot of pain?”
“…”
When she asked cautiously, he didn’t respond.
“Is the treatment with me not working?”
“It’s not entirely ineffective.”
His voice had returned to its usual deep, resonant tone. Being so close, she could feel the vibration of his neck when he spoke.
“But the symptoms flare up badly when we’re apart, tsk.”
It seemed he was okay inside the cabin, but the problems arose outside.
“Your recovery seems slow. I’ve heard that happens to some. I don’t get sore throats, but I do get headaches sometimes. Do you get them too, Eren?”
“Headaches are a constant issue for me.”
“Pressing here on the forehead sometimes helps.”
Macy placed her hand on his forehead. As her fingers touched his hair, Eren instinctively pulled his neck back, then stopped and remained still.
“Ah, sorry. I remember you don’t like being touched.”
Macy was about to quickly withdraw her hand, remembering how he had brushed her away before.
“Keep going.”
“…”
“It’s okay, keep going.”
His tone was still commanding, but it lacked the usual harshness—it seemed a bit softer, almost less irritable.
‘He must be really in pain. Trying to endure it even though he dislikes it…’
Macy placed her hand back on his forehead. His temperature felt slightly elevated, maybe a mild fever.
She massaged between his eyebrows and temples, and his soft hair brushed against her hand. His bangs just barely covered his eyebrows, and his forehead was remarkably smooth.
Being so close to his face, a deep musky scent enveloped her, a mysterious scent she found attracting. Though the strong scent was slightly dizzying for Macy.
“Sigh…”
Meanwhile, he exhaled comfortably, his breathing even and soothing. Macy was surprised that he had accepted her touch for the first time. The man who had always seemed so distant and rigid was finally…
The fact that he was allowing this made the corners of her mouth want to turn up, and she struggled to manage her expression.
‘I shouldn’t be smiling at someone’s pain. Why am I reacting like this?’
