Saving My Childhood Friend Through… Questionable Means… - Chapter 22

Lucas stood silently next to her, waiting for an answer. The concern etched on his face made Seria realize she shouldn’t let herself feel this way. Sure, she had done this for him, but wasn’t it she who had convinced him to do something he hadn’t wanted at first?

“Right. We’re friends, of course. I think so too. But friends don’t lie in bed and chat, do they?”

“Ah… Then should we sit over there and talk instead?”

Lucas gestured toward a small table beside the bed. Seria shook her head and calmly replied,

“No, let’s talk in the daylight, when the sun’s up in the sky. It’s late, so I should go now.”

Lucas didn’t press her further. The moment he nodded, Seria quickly left his bedroom. Out in the hallway, her face flushed red. Maintaining a calm expression had been exhausting—she’d almost let her disappointment show. Feeling a headache creeping in, she rubbed her temples with a small sigh.

“Ugh.”

Seria glanced back at the closed bedroom door with a bitter expression, but only briefly. Dragging her reluctant feet, she eventually began to walk away. Her steps echoed through the moonlit corridor, her lips tightening with each one.

‘I started this to save his life. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. So why do I feel this strange disappointment? What’s wrong with me?’

Lucas had done nothing wrong. He had been considerate the entire time, even going out of his way to study so he could do better. Seria had been the one to convince him to go through with this, so there was no room for her to feel upset.

‘Why is this happening? Why does my chest ache so much?’

She lightly pounded her chest with a small fist, as if physically trying to steady her emotions. With a gloomy expression, she trudged back to her room, the moonlight streaming through the windows offering a gentle embrace.

The next morning, Seria was eating a simple breakfast in the dining room when the sound of the door opening caught her attention. She glanced up without thinking and immediately dropped her fork with a clatter.

“What…?”

Lucas stepped inside, meeting her gaze. At this hour? He almost never came to the dining room in the morning.

Despite his condition, Lucas looked better than expected—likely thanks to the two nights of effort they’d put in. He strode across the room and sat across from her at the table.

“Good morning.”

“Oh… good morning.”

Seria fumbled to pick up her fork, trying to act nonchalant as she studied his face. For some reason, seeing him during the day felt more awkward than the night before. Perhaps it was because, in the bright light of day, with both of them fully clothed, reality felt sharper. The contrast between his composed appearance and the intimate memories from last night made her stomach twist.

Lucas’s expression was hard to read—his cheeks slightly flushed, somewhere between embarrassment and discomfort. Maybe he also found the gap between night and day awkward.

After a servant brought food and left, the two ate in an awkward silence. The clinking of cutlery echoed through the spacious dining room. Finally, Lucas cleared his throat and sipped some water before speaking.

“In a few days, I have to go to the imperial palace.”

“What? You aren’t fully recovered yet. Shouldn’t you wait a bit longer?”

Lucas shook his head, his eyes lowered.

“There’s an important meeting, and I also need to meet some friends I haven’t seen in a while. I can’t let anyone know I’m unwell. It would raise too many questions.”

“So, how are you planning to manage that?”

How could he handle such a demanding schedule while still under the effects of the curse? The journey to the palace alone was a full day’s ride by carriage. Though he looked healthier now, his condition could easily worsen while staying at the palace.

Lucas swallowed hard before finally responding.

“Well… I was wondering if you could come with me.”

“Come… with you?”

“Yeah. I just… feel like I’ll be able to manage better if you’re there.”

His voice grew softer toward the end, his expression full of genuine remorse. The apologetic look on his face didn’t sit well with Seria.

‘Wait, this is the same guy who suggested going another round last night. Why is he acting so guilty today? What’s going on with him?’