A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Marie burst into the room, trembling.

Her face was drained of color, her eyes wide with fear.

Startled, I jumped to my feet.

“The training grounds?”

“Y-yes…!”

She was shaking so badly she could barely stand.

Then I remembered—Marie couldn’t stand the sight of blood. After the carriage accident years ago, she had developed hemophobia.

“Okay. I’m going right now. Do you know how it happened?”

“T-training… with a r-real sword… h-hic!”

She couldn’t continue. Her voice broke into helpless hiccups, her eyes filled with frustration at herself for failing to explain.

“It’s alright. That’s enough.”

Just knowing it involved a real sword was enough.

I swept up hemostatic powder, disinfectant, tetanus solution—everything within reach—and shoved them into my bag.

Leaving the trembling Marie in the dispensary, I ran.

The training grounds lay far beyond the annex, in the opposite direction from the main building.

My lungs burned.

Still, I ran faster.

The Training Grounds

The grounds were vast—befitting House Ashellen—but I didn’t have trouble finding the injured knight.

Because I heard it first.

Shouting.

Panicked voices.

And a scream.

In one dusty corner, a group of apprentice knights—still in training uniforms—were gathered in chaos.

“H-hey! The bleeding won’t stop!”

“Press harder! Stop the bleeding first!”

“Bring ointment! Hurry!”

They were completely overwhelmed.

In the center, a young knight lay on the ground, clutching his leg and groaning.

Blood soaked through his trousers, dripping into the dirt.

…This is bad.

I inhaled sharply and pushed through.

“Excuse me! Let me through!”

They startled at the sudden appearance of a stranger, but something in my tone made them part instinctively.

“W-who are you—?”

“I’m an apothecary.”

There was no time for more.

I dropped to my knees and assessed the wound.

Deep.

A clean laceration from a real blade.

Someone must have made a mistake during training.

Thankfully—the artery appeared intact.

“Press here. As hard as you can.”

“Huh? Ah—yes!”

One apprentice obeyed instantly.

“Take the white bottle from my bag.”

“Yes!”

“Not that one—the one next to it.”

The chaotic panic began to settle. They focused on my instructions.

What Happened

Earlier, apprentice knight Eric had been training with wooden swords during free practice.

Then the knight-commander, Morden Barnes, had suddenly appeared.

“Wooden swords? Who authorized this?”

“Instructor Eugene ordered wooden sword drills.”

“Pointless. Do you think you’ll become shields for Dragon Blood by swinging sticks?”

His cold gaze swept over them.

Then he tossed real swords onto the ground.

Train with these.

No one dared question him.

Even without supervision.

Even though it felt wrong.

And eventually—

The inevitable happened.

A miscalculation.

A serious injury.

With no assigned healer—because the previous one had quit fifteen days ago—and no instructor present, panic consumed them.

They had ointments Marie had sent recently.

But none of them knew if it was enough.

They had learned emergency response in theory.

But theory crumbled in the face of blood.

Until—

A pink-haired woman appeared.

She took command instantly.

No hesitation.

No fear.

She cleaned the wound.

Disinfected it.

Applied hemostatic powder.

Wrapped it in a pressure bandage.

Her movements were swift and precise.

Even more skilled than the knight order’s former physician.

Finally, she exhaled and pressed a hand to her chest.

“Good work, everyone.”

Her eyes—clear and soft like spring sprouts—met Eric’s.

Only then did recognition strike.

Pink hair.

An apothecary.

And—

“She’s really kind and beautiful. I hope I can serve her forever…”

Marie’s endless bragging echoed in his head.

Eric blinked.

Miss Squirrel.

This had to be her.

His Grace Kain Ashellen’s rumored woman.

And judging by the glances the other apprentices exchanged, he wasn’t the only one who realized it.

She was already famous within the order.

First—because the ointments she’d sent had been incredibly effective.

Second—because one knight had witnessed something shocking not long ago.

The cold Dragon Duke carrying Miss Squirrel in a princess carry.

The entire order had buzzed for weeks.

“They say spring has finally come to House Ashellen.”

Eric had thought it exaggerated.

But now—

She truly looked like spring itself.

“Is anyone else injured?”

Her worried tone made several apprentices flush.

“Yes!”

“No!”

They answered at the same time.

Eric instinctively checked himself.

Do I have even a scratch?

Nothing.

Not even a scrape.

What am I thinking?!

“Hey! What’s going on here!”

A booming voice cut through the air.

Eugene—training instructor and right-hand man to the vice-captain—strode in.

“I-Instructor Eugene!”

The injured apprentice looked ready to faint.

Even if Morden had ordered it—

Using real swords during free practice was still forbidden.

Eugene took in the blood, the bandage, and clicked his tongue.

“If you don’t cause trouble, will you break out in hives or something? Who pulled out real swords without permission?”

“Th-that’s because the captain suddenly—”

Eugene froze mid-step.

“…Move the injured knight inside.”

“Yes!”

Only then did something occur to him.

That wound had been serious.

Too serious for apprentices to handle this cleanly.

Who treated him?

He scanned the group.

Rough young men.

And—

…A pink head?

He blinked.

Then looked down.

“H-hello…?”

Only then did he properly see her.

A small woman standing among towering trainees.

She seemed to glow in the dusty training yard.

He had never seen her face before.

And yet—

He felt like he already knew her.

Realization dawned.

“…Miss Squirrel?”

“Huh?”

She tilted her head, confused.