Saving You, Villain - Chapter 84

Camian’s sudden question caught me off guard, but I quickly realized why he’d spoken. After I had said I was quitting my assistant job, he probably suspected I was lying when he saw me get up during my free period, as usual.

“I quit the assistant job,” I said plainly.

But Camian’s eyes remained locked on me, making me feel like I was bound by invisible chains.

“Did I ask about that?”

“……”

He didn’t specifically ask, but it seemed obvious that his reason for speaking to me was about the assistant job. Whether I answered this way or that, it was all the same. He never let things slide.

Camian kept staring at me for a moment before getting up. His sudden movement made me tilt my head back to meet his gaze.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“To where?” I asked.

“To wherever you’re going.”

It was clear he didn’t trust me. Even though I’d said I quit, he still didn’t believe me. He was probably worried that, just like last time, I’d take up his time and delay him from seeing Lila again. It was almost pitiful how suspicious he was.

“I really did quit. I’m going to the library, not the study.”

“Perfect.”

“What?”

“I need to borrow a book too,” he said, though I doubted that was the real reason.

Camian did frequent the library, but only because new romance novels were added about once a semester, and he always borrowed them. But today wasn’t the day for new books. It was clear he just wanted to follow me to make sure I wasn’t lying. It stung, honestly. After 15 years of being together, we had come to this—him trailing after me like a watchdog. I considered saying something but decided against it. I didn’t want to argue.

I walked ahead, and Camian followed a step behind. His presence was so overwhelming that, even with my eyes wide open, it felt like I couldn’t see straight.

“Ah!”

I almost walked straight into a round column. Camian’s strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back. His solid warmth pressed against my entire back, and I could feel the firmness of his chest.

“…!”

The unexpected contact felt like a bomb had exploded over my head. My heart pounded uncontrollably, and I couldn’t calm the rush of emotions. I was frozen, unable to even breathe properly. My heart hammered so hard it felt like it would burst through my skin.

His arm slowly released me, and as the warmth left, I felt a strange combination of relief and disappointment. At least I could breathe again.

“Can’t seem to take your eyes off me,” Camian muttered under his breath.

I didn’t want to look like a fool, but my face burned with embarrassment. Swallowing nervously, I stammered out an excuse.

“I-I was just thinking about what books I need to borrow and lost track of my surroundings.”

“Is that why you’re babbling? Do you feel guilty about something?”

Camian walked past me, and I could only stare at his back, unable to come up with a retort. After a few steps, he stopped and turned to look at me.

“Want me to carry you?”

“…Are you crazy?”

“Call me crazy then. If you can’t walk, just let me know.”

My face was undoubtedly as red as a ripe apple. I pressed my knuckles against my burning cheeks, trying to cool down, and hurried to walk ahead of him again. Even with his long legs, he didn’t overtake me. I had to put all my effort into not bumping into anything else, my focus on just walking.

I never realized walking could be this hard. Being around Camian used to make everything feel easy, but now even something as simple as moving forward felt like it was draining all my energy.

As soon as I stepped into the library, a long sigh escaped me.

“Don’t go ahead of me.”

His low voice rumbled in my ear, startling me. I looked up just in time to see Camian’s back as he walked away.

“…I almost had a heart attack,” I muttered, my fingers still lingering over the ear where his breath had brushed.

“Agh… It’s not here.”

I’d pulled out every book on herbs in the library, scouring each one for information, but nothing was helpful. There were herbs that aided in sleep, sure, but none that caused the kind of sudden, deep sleep I had experienced.

Was I just overthinking Luke’s intentions? Maybe he hadn’t done anything wrong, and I was misinterpreting his actions. Yet the uneasy feeling in my chest wouldn’t go away. And why had he written that awful book in the first place?

The academy’s library, fitting its rural location, was small and limited. The selection of books here wasn’t nearly enough to cover all the knowledge I needed.

What I wouldn’t give for an expert to tell me straight up, “No such herb exists!” Unfortunately, we didn’t have any professors specializing in herbal medicine at our academy.

“Ah.”

That hut was surrounded by lush greenery, and the woman who made strange remedies from bizarre ingredients—Lila. Of course! Maybe Lila would know something about this. I straightened up, suddenly determined. Surely, she could help me figure this out.

But as soon as I thought about going to see her, I hesitated. There was her cryptic way of speaking… and then there was her complicated relationship with Camian.

“…This isn’t the time to be picky,” I told myself.

If Luke really had used a sleeping herb on me with the intention of harming Camian, I had to stop him before he made another move.

“Finished reading?” Camian’s voice startled me from behind, causing me to drop the book. Before I could even bend down to pick it up, Camian had already grabbed it. He glanced at the title on the cover and began flipping through the pages, scanning the contents quickly.

“What are you doing?” I asked, slightly irritated.

“Just wondering what was so interesting that you couldn’t put it down.”

“It’s a medical book about herbs. Give it back.”

“Are you borrowing this?” Camian asked, snapping the book shut and waving it in front of me.

“No, I’m not.”

“What about the others?”

“No, I’m done with them too.”

“Let’s go then.”

“What about you? You said you had a book to borrow,” I reminded him.

Camian paused for a moment, uncharacteristically hesitating. “Someone else checked it out.”

Despite the wasted trip to the library, Camian didn’t seem the least bit bothered, speaking in a dry tone.

“Let’s go,” he repeated.

After that, we didn’t speak. I focused intently on not walking into another pillar as we made our way down the hallway. This time, I succeeded in avoiding another embarrassing incident.

***

The next morning, I came downstairs in my pajamas, unwashed, and still disheveled. Camian, already prepared for the day, frowned slightly as he looked at me.

“I’m skipping the academy today,” I said, my voice casual.

“……”

His expression didn’t change, but his eyes remained fixed on me, as if waiting for an explanation.

“I’m not feeling well. I’m going to stay in bed all day,” I lied. In truth, I needed a window of time to visit Lila, and the only opportunity I had was when Camian was at the academy.

As soon as he reached out his hand to me, I quickly took a step back, avoiding his touch. His hand hung in the air, hesitating.

“Come here,” he said.

“Why?”

“To check your temperature.”

I bit my lower lip nervously. My body, which usually burned with fever at the most inconvenient times, was perfectly normal today. As if it knew this was the one time I actually needed to fake it.

“I’m burning up,” I said, trying to sound convincing.

“You look fine to me,” Camian said, his eyes narrowing slightly, unconvinced.

Cursed perceptive man.

“It’s rude to say that to someone who’s not feeling well.”

“You’re the one who told me not to treat you like a patient before.”

“…You never let anything go, do you?”

“Sit at the table. I’ll bring you some medicine.”

“I already took some when I woke up.”

“Funny. The bottle still looks full,” he pointed out, his tone neutral.

When had he checked the medicine bottle? Was he keeping track of this every morning? A shiver ran down my spine. Recently, there had been nights where my fever was so high I thought my brain would melt, but I couldn’t even make it downstairs to take medicine. I had no choice but to grit my teeth, clutching my blankets as I fought through the pain.

If I had taken the medicine, Camian would have known and interrogated me about where I was feeling unwell.

…Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the fever was so severe.

“Oh, maybe I just thought about taking it and forgot. I’ve been so forgetful lately,” I said, lying through my teeth. Camian wouldn’t buy this flimsy excuse, so I needed to think of something else, quickly…

“Take it later, then,” he said, turning away without further comment.

His abruptness left me feeling oddly embarrassed as if I’d been strategizing for nothing. His persistent care for me—tough and unyielding—was only possible because of the affection he once had.

After Camian left for the academy, I picked up the bottle of fever medicine and held it up to the sunlight streaming through the window. The liquid inside sloshed around.

“Why does he check the medicine every morning… He’s confusing me,” I muttered to myself.

***

As soon as the sun hit its peak at noon, I headed straight for Lila’s house. I closed my eyes tightly as I passed through the grassy area where I’d once hidden, the memory of that shameful day still fresh enough to make me cringe. I knew that embarrassment would haunt me for years.

I reached Lila’s house without any problems but faced another obstacle at the door—a thick green vine had wrapped itself around the door handle. Could the door even open with that thing in the way? I knocked cautiously, wondering what would happen.

Instead of a voice answering, the door swung open. Lila stood there, looking mildly surprised to see me.

“I thought you were the assistant,” she remarked.