The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 92
“Also, no matter how itchy it gets, don’t scratch it. And you should refrain from drinking alcohol.”
“Tch.”
“And don’t expose the area to sunlight. Make sure to follow all these instructions.”
Daniel, the shop owner, gave a dry advice as he took off his gloves.
Igmeyer resignedly nodded and accepted the mirror handed to him by Daniel.
Although old, the mirror was spotlessly clean, a testament to Daniel’s obsession with cleanliness and the meticulous maintenance of his shop.
“It looks good.”
Igmeyer, inspecting his back in the mirror, seemed pleased.
The design wasn’t fully clear yet, but it didn’t feel wrong, and there was nothing noticeably off about it.
“I never thought I’d be drawing the Grand Duke’s back. I’m glad I learned this craft.”
Daniel, who had stayed up all night working, chuckled with dark circles under his eyes. Igmeyer quickly dressed in his shirt and left the shop.
He had intended to return to the castle earlier, but somehow it had gotten very late.
‘I wonder what Amber is doing. Is she still in the library? Did she eat yesterday? She shouldn’t skip meals.’
His back throbbed. But the pain was pleasant as he strolled down the street, whistling.
He looked forward to the day he could show her his back.
* * *
Meanwhile, Amber was spending her time doing word puzzles with Jason.
The boy was quite open with her, though not fully healed from his past wounds. Amber had many questions but chose not to ask, just trying to get a bit closer each day.
Before they knew it, it was lunchtime, but today, Amber didn’t feel like she could lead the mealtime conversation.
“Do you feel unwell?”
Mikael said with concern.
Amber lifted her head and managed a faint smile.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine at all. You look like you might collapse at any moment.”
“It’s nothing.”
How could Amber admit that it was her husband’s absence that was troubling her?
When Amber firmly stated it was nothing, Mikael didn’t press further. However, Prince Loki was not as easily dissuaded.
“If you’re not feeling well, you should receive a blessing of healing! It’s not ‘nothing.’ Your face is pale!”
“….Really, Your Highness, I’m fine,” Amber insisted gently, dabbing her mouth with a napkin and excusing herself from the table.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll excuse myself first.”
“Perhaps you should lie down. You need to rest.”
With a slight bow, Amber hurriedly left the room.
Prince Loki, who had been watching Amber’s golden hair with a pained expression, slammed his head down onto the table in frustration. He wanted to speak more freely, but lacked the ability to do so.
“I feel like I’m no help to the princess.”
“There’s really no reason why you should have to be.”
“That’s a harsh thing to say, you know.”
Mikael recognized Loki’s unrequited love but had no intention of encouraging it.
As always, Mikael rose elegantly from his seat with an inscrutable smile.
“The master of this castle seems to be conspicuously absent. Hopefully, he is merely far afield…”
“…”
Mikael was planning something, and it would soon come to light.
Something was about to happen in this otherwise peaceful and boring castle.
Loki realized this and hardened his expression. He felt a lump in his throat, but he lacked the courage to find Amber and confess everything.
He didn’t even dare to probe what Mikael might be plotting, so it was no surprise he remained silent.
* * *
Amber thought. Why does she feel so upset?
There was no fault on Igmeyer’s part, yet she found herself wanting to blame him. Where did this impulse come from?
Having lost her appetite, she ate only a little and returned to her bedroom, suddenly longing to see flowers. In Shadroch, she would look at flowers when she was sad.
Having a greenhouse would be nice, but that was too much to wish for at the moment.
Standing in front of her bedroom door, Amber sighed and reached for the handle.
Just as Amber was about to open her bedroom door, the butler approached her.
“Madam, you’ve received a letter. It’s from the guest who visited previously.”
“Nicholas?”
A sudden surge of happiness brightened Amber’s expression.
She eagerly took the letter, her smile widening as she saw the nickname ‘Nick’ written on the envelope. It suggested that he was doing well.
Had it been serious, somber, or bad news, he likely would have used his full name instead of ‘Nick’. If he was writing as the heir of the Eaton family rather than as a friend, he would have included his surname as well.
So, Amber could read the letter with ease, walking into her bedroom to do so rather in the hallway.
“Where have you been?”
“Igmeyer!”
“I thought I’d die of curiosity.”
However, what was this? Igmeyer was already in the bedroom.
She had been certain he wasn’t there before lunch, his sudden appearance seemed almost magical, and Amber was startled like a frightened rabbit.
