Awake

MASKS TO UNVEIL! CHAPTER 13: Awake

"Hnnng…"

Naxzi lifted his head and alarmedly looked at Sencha's slightly moving fingers. He widened his eyes and shouted, "Imperial physician, he-help my wife! She's a-awake! Hurry!"

The Imperial physician brought by Jaekin was alerted. The imperial physician hurriedly went inside when Sanc opened the door with the permission of Naxzi and he gulped his saliva. The imperial physician sweated when Naxzi glared at his back and closed his eyes.

He must make sure that he diagnosed Sencha well, without any mistake, otherwise the glare he received from the crown prince might not be the only thing this always kind and generous prince might unleash.

The imperial physician took Sencha's wrist and felt her pulse. "Your Highness, Her Highness feels better."

"Are you sure?" Naxzi's sharp voice made the imperial physician tight-lipped for a while before he could answer.

He bowed and faced him, "Your Majesty. I am sure. Earlier, she was breathing unsteadily. There seemed to be a positive power inside Her Highness's body which helped her recover fast."

"… Unknown foreign objects which helped her recover fast?"

Sanc anxiously looked at the pitiful Imperial Physician when he heard how stoic Naxzi is when it comes to Sencha. Just why can't he admit that he still has feelings for her? He's hurting himself for being in denial. It can't only be due to his obligation. The look on his face was way too sincere and true that it looked like he'd kill a person when he or she offended his beloved wife.

The imperial physician sweated, filled with cold sweats. His forehead, that was fresh, frowned and met each other. He clasped his hands together and tried to explain,

"Y-Your Highness.. it's not a harmful object. A-and it's not a foreign object."

Naxzi lifted his brow and tilted his head, resting it on his palm, as if wondering if his words were reliable. The imperial physician glanced at Sencha and spoke.

"Your Highness, may I speak bluntly?"

Naxzi gave a cast to Sencha and lightly nodded and said with a low voice. "You may do so. Now, tell me."

The imperial physician felt that his life was suddenly numbered when he only wanted to do his task and be done with it. But the Crown Prince is making it difficult for him to finish his job early. How is he supposed to finish when Naxzi kept glaring menacingly at him when he wasn't the one who whipped Sencha badly? Hai, it's really bad to be on the bad side of him.

Truly merciless.

"H-her highness possesses a very great and powerful mana in her body. From my guess, and what I felt from her pulse, I am sure that what made her recover is her own power."

"What do you mean? My wife only possesses Blue Level."

The imperial physician froze and was stiffened. But it was true. What he felt was an immense power.

"Y-your highness, will you give me one more chance to prove my claim? A-and not only that, I felt a bit of White Level in her body. Does Her Highness perhaps… have two powers?"

The imperial physician was cautious but at the same time nervous. How can he stay calm when the person in front of him looks like some hungry lion that will devour him at any minute?

Naxzi shook his head. "I understand. It must have been because of the power she accumulated through the beating yesterday. Don't you think, San?"

Suddenly, Sanc was involved in the matter, and he politely bowed. How is he supposed to know when they caught her, fighting for her life already? They never even know if Loushin used any sort of powers other than whip or wood.

"Y-yes, Your Highness. Indeed, your words are wise."

The imperial physician was confused. Is the crown prince implying that he didn't do well in diagnosing Her Highness? But he's the Imperial Physician! He even healed a disease which they called incurable. He looked at his hands then to the Crown princess, who was frowning.

"Your Highness, please give attention to my words. Even though that immense power helped her, it might not always be a good thing. If she can't control it perfectly, it'll have a great toll on her body."

"Aren't you a physician? Then you should know better what to do."

"T-this, Your Highness.. then, will you trust me that I can help Her Highness?"

Naxzi looked directly into his eyes and furrowed his brows. "Just what are you trying to pull? If you can't even trust yourself, who is a physician, go now before I order Sanc to chop your head off." He sounded unhappy and the imperial physician had no choice but to retire from the quarters of the Crown prince.

"Y-your highness, then… I shall go. Before that, I suggest this for her to drink."

It was a blue pill. Naxzi looked at it. "What's this unknown pill?"

The imperial physician smiled and bowed. He put the pill on his opened palms, "If ever Her Highness has troubles controlling her energy, please eat this." He kindly smiled and Sanc and examined the blue pill if ever it has a poison in it.

"Your Highness, it's really a blue pill. It was said that this is one of those restricted pills except under the Emperor's consent."

Naxzi scoffed and threw the blue level. He then crumbled it with his Black Power. Sanc felt bitter when he did that. His father, the emperor, has never done good to him. Rather, his childhood was filled with horrors and nightmares that he didn't want to even recall. What's the use of being kind to him now? It's all useless and it's too late. He had been waiting for his attention and affection, how can he be thankful for a mere blue pill?

Sanc begged, "Your Highness… it's a blue pill. It's a rare pill."

"What's the difference? What is he doing for all of these?" Naxzi felt so pissed off.

"… Hng…"

Naxzi's face, which was grimace, turned bright when he heard Sencha's small voice and waved to Sanc too, motioning him to leave them alone.

"Sen-, I meant… wife. H-how are you? Can you sit up?" Naxzi stretched his hand and touched Sencha's hand and was annoyed. How dare Loushin hit his wife? For what reason actually?

".. Mmphh…"

"It's alright. I am here, wife. Tell me where it hurts. Hmm?"

Sencha then slowly opened her wife and turned her head only to see him, who was deeply worried.

"H-husband… wh-why are you here?"

"What do you mean? I am here to take care of you." He smiled kindly at her.

Sencha tried to sit up, but Naxzi stopped her. "D-don't try to sit up when you can't. Since you're awake, are you feeling any discomfort? Anywhere? Tell me." He was serious, but she was more persistent. She sat up and smiled at him.

"I.. am feeling finer now, husband."

He lightly blushed at the call of her husband. "A-ahem, really? I'd have the imperial physician brought here."

"No. I am really fine now. I think I'm more than refreshed. And… I felt that I had a good sleep rather than being bedridden… for how long again, Husband?"

"You were unconscious for the whole night. It's a relief that you're better now."

"The whole night? Hmm, more than that… did you not have a wink of sleep last night?"

Naxzi tilted his head, feeling perplexed. It wasn't because he didn't know what she was talking about, instead he was baffled at how she found out.

"What.. do you mean?" Did she already see-through him? That fast? But he merely did anything?

Sencha lightly chuckled. "Why don't you have a sleep first here instead of sitting there taking care of me?"

"No, I can't do that, wife. You're a patient."

"Husband, why must you be unreasonable? Look how big your eyebags are. Come now." She stood up and grabbed his arms.

It took her a long time before she could put him into the bed. Naxzi confusedly looked at her.

"Wife…. What are you trying to pull?" he watched her as she covered him with the blanket and pushed his head on the pillow.

Sencha smiled at her. "Husband… I don't know how I should explain it.. but I really feel so refreshed. I think my soul has been cleaned and I feel so relaxed."

Naxzi looked at her face then remembered. The imperial physician said that he felt a White Power in Sencha's body then he chuckled. It was his power. Why didn't he remember sooner? It was his power that made her recover fast. He snickered at his own foolishness.

"Wife, can you help me sit up? I am not feeling sleepy." He smiled at her and nodded, as if assuring her that he was fine. She pouted then stood up, smiling at him.

When he sat on the bed, he touched her hand and stared at the bruises.

"Any of these bruises hurt, wife?"

Sencha looked at her hand and answered, "Although I feel alive… my body feels strange. I think there's a flaw…"