Chapter 363: A Vow To Protect Lorelle
Primrose honestly had no idea who else could handle Lorelle’s case besides Naveer, but by saying that, she managed to make the eccentric lady pause and think twice before speaking.
"I need to know what terms you’ll set if I and this man here take the soul-binding oath?" Naveer finally asked.
Leofric furrowed his brow, feeling somewhat offended because Naveer addressed him so rudely. However, before he could say anything, Primrose spoke first.
"My terms are actually very simple," she said. "All I want is for you to keep the identity of the person who will be your research subject a secret, and to promise you’ll never run any experiment that could hurt them."
"You can use the results of this experiment for your future research, but all private information related to the person you’ll be working with must remain secret," Primrose said firmly. "That’s all, Lady Naveer. If you can agree to that condition, then the case will be yours."
Lorelle was someone deeply precious to both Leofric and Edmund, which was why Primrose felt she had to protect her identity at all costs.
After all, if Naveer really did have a way to heal her, there was a chance Lorelle could walk the world again, and it would be better if only a few people knew about her dark past.
[I honestly thought she’d ask me to do something impossible, like guarantee a hundred percent that I could handle the case, or even make me her slave or something.]
Naveer’s thoughts sounded calmer now than before. [Maybe the queen isn’t as cruel as I thought.]
Naveer finally sat back down on the couch and let out a slow breath. "Very well," she said quietly. "If those are your only terms, then I accept."
Without further delay, Naveer and Leofric began the ritual for the soul-binding oath. Though the oath itself was something dangerous and carried a majestic weight, the way to perform it was surprisingly simple.
They clasped their hands together, palms pressed tight, as a faint glow began to form between them. The light was not blinding, but it carried an eerie stillness.
Naveer spoke first. "I swear upon my soul that I will honor the terms given by Her Majesty."
Leofric followed. "I swear upon my soul that this bond will hold true."
The glow flared for a moment before sinking into their skin, leaving only faint marks that quickly faded away.
The oath was complete.
It seemed almost too simple, but that was the nature of the soul-binding oath. It wove itself directly into their souls, which meant there was no need for blood to seal it.
Still, because the oath was tied so deeply to the spirit, at least one of those bound by it had to understand the flow of magic.
Naveer immediately shook her hand after letting go of Leofric’s, acting as if she had just touched something utterly disgusting.
"Was that enough to prove I’m worthy of seeing my research subje—I mean, the poor soul who seems to be struggling?" she asked.
Primrose only smiled, ignoring the way Leofric’s frown deepened at Naveer’s constant rudeness. "Of course," she said softly. "Let’s go meet her."
As they walked toward Lorelle’s room, Primrose gave Naveer a short explanation of what Lorelle had gone through.
"What was it she wanted to chase, really?" Naveer almost laughed when she heard Lorelle’s story. "Love? How absurd. Only a fool would choose to suffer for the sake of love."
Primrose pressed her lips into a thin line, shifting her eyes toward Leofric, who, to her surprise, had done the same.
It seemed the two of them were fools in their own way.
"Please don’t speak so harshly when you see her, Lady Naveer," Primrose reminded gently. "Lady Lorelle has a fragile heart, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t try to break it."
Naveer only gave a small nod in response, but even that was enough to ease Primrose’s heart.
When they reached the room, Primrose gently pushed the door open and spotted Lorelle sitting on a chair out on the balcony.
"Lorelle!" Leofric rushed toward her at once. "How many times have I told you? You can’t sit out here for too long, you’ll catch a cold!"
Primrose narrowed her eyes as she watched Leofric scoop Lorelle up—his sister, or whatever their relationship really was—and carry her back inside. He’d said before that he felt nothing romantic for Lorelle, yet the way his eyes lingered on her told a very different story.
This man was truly testing her patience.
This man was seriously testing her patience.
If he was doing this on purpose, making sure Lorelle could never let go of her feelings for him, then Primrose swore she’d gladly toss him into a pit full of raging beasts.
"Oh, Rosie! You’re finally here!" Lorelle waved both hands eagerly the moment their eyes met. "It’s been three whole days since I last saw you!"
Primrose walked over to the bed, shooting Leofric a sharp glare before turning to Lorelle with a bright smile. "I’m so sorry, Lorelle," she said warmly. "My workload has been merciless these past few days, and as you know ...." She leaned in closer to whisper, "The baby has been making me sleep longer than ever."
Lorelle was about to reach out and touch Primrose’s stomach when she finally noticed the unfamiliar figure who had entered with them.
"Who ... is this?" she asked, her voice cautious.
Primrose quickly introduced Naveer and explained the reason she had come. "This is Lady Naveer," she explained warmly. "She’s here because she wants to help you."
Naveer cleared her throat before speaking. "I can’t say for certain if I’ll be able to help," she admitted, "but I’d like to examine your condition, if you’ll allow me to."
[She looks far too well for someone who supposedly failed the ritual of immortality,] Naveer thought to herself. [Could Her Majesty be lying to me?]
Primrose hadn’t told Naveer that she had already eased Lorelle’s pain, but that was because she was still trying to think of a reason that would sound believable enough to hide the truth.
"Lady Lorelle might seem fine now," Primrose said gently, "but that’s only because a healer managed to brew a medicine to ease her pain. Before that, she truly suffered and could barely get through her days in comfort."
Primrose left many details unexplained, but using the excuse of a mysterious doctor curing Lorelle sounded far more believable than admitting that she herself had taken away the pain with mind-control magic.
"What do you think, Lorelle?" Primrose asked at last, turning her gaze back to her friend. "Lady Naveer might be able to help you. Would you be willing to let her examine you?"
She had already spoken to Lorelle about this several times before. Lorelle also knew Naveer would eventually come to check on her, but even so, she still carried a strong dislike for the idea.
[Would this really do any good?] Lorelle wondered bitterly. [Rosie can take away my pain, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be blessed with another miracle. There’s no way I could ever be free of this cursed fate.]
Primrose reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to calm her. "I know you’re scared," she said softly, "but please ... at least give her a chance."
Lorelle stayed silent for a moment before finally letting out a tired breath. "Alright," she murmured in defeat. "Do whatever you want. There’s no harm in trying."
[Besides, my life is already nearing its end. If Lady Naveer ends up killing me by accident while trying to heal me, then so be it.]
[Just being free from pain for a few weeks is already more than enough for me.]
Primrose’s heart ached painfully as she listened to Lorelle’s thoughts. She might look happier and brighter these days, but among everyone else, Primrose was the only one who could hear the darkness still lingering inside her mind.
There was never a day when Lorelle truly believed she would live any longer.
On the other side, Naveer rolled up her sleeves, her eyes gleaming with both curiosity and impatience. "Sit still," she ordered gently.
Lorelle didn’t argue and simply did as she was told. However, before Naveer could continue her examination, the eccentric lady turned to Leofric. "Sir, you need to leave the room."
Leofric frowned. "What? Why would I leave the room?" he demanded. "I’m here to make sure you don’t try anything reckless with her."
Naveer let out a long sigh, her tone edged with impatience. "To examine her body properly, I need her to remove her clothes. I don’t think she’ll feel comfortable with a man in the room. Besides, we already took the oath earlier, so there’s no way I could harm Lady Lorelle."
Leofric clicked his tongue and looked at Lorelle. "Do you want me to leave?"
Instead of answering, Lorelle narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you want to see me naked?" she shot back.
[If he really sees me as family, shouldn’t he have no problem with that?] Lorelle thought. [Should I test it?]
Primrose resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands because Lorelle was, once again, dragging herself into that endless web of complicated feelings.
Leofric stiffened, then turned his gaze away and strode toward the door. "I’ll wait for you on the balcony."