Seriously injured 91
Jose and Maria, being kind-hearted, had softened their anger considerably after having a son, knowing they now had an heir. They simply hoped Antonio would return the money from the stolen materials. However, Selena believed that such parasites should be punished severely, as otherwise, the employees in the shop might follow suit. So, she instructed Thomas to submit the relevant evidence to the police station. Despite Tasilla returning the stolen goods and Antonio being sentenced to a year in prison.
With the arrival of the cruel summer, the days became hotter and more stifling. Selena visited her mother and little brother every day, but even with the carriage available, she ended up sweating profusely due to the heat. Upon returning, she had no desire to go anywhere else, she just wanted to rest on a bench by the window with a water basin to cool off and a novel in hand. She spent the afternoons comfortably, sipping flower tea and enjoying some snacks.
However, one day, while she was engrossed in her reading, a maid hurriedly entered and exclaimed, "Madam! Mr. Simeone has been injured!"
Chaos ensued in the mansion. As Selena quickly descended the stairs with her coat on, she saw more than a dozen men dressed in knightly uniforms rushing in, all of them covered in blood. The maid was pale with fear. If it weren't for Selena ushering her into the house, she would have been frightened too. The sight of Lucio, who had been away from the mansion for over half a month, arriving in such a bloodied state left her stunned.
The knights, apparently close friends of Lucio, were visibly disheveled, with cuts and bruises on their faces and bodies. Selena couldn't distinguish who was who amidst the confusion, but she recognized one of them named Hector, who also had an injured arm and was hastily bandaging it with a piece of white cloth. After carrying the wounded person to the bedroom, Hector hurriedly explained the situation to Selena.
"Madam, the king's procession was ambushed on the return journey. Lucio, who was guarding the king, took several arrows for His Majesty in the moment of peril. He only received basic first aid on the road before hurrying back.
Fortunately, he was wearing armor, but one of the arrows was particularly dangerous. There's no need to worry, Madam. Lucio risked his life to save the king, and His Majesty has ordered the best doctors to come immediately. They will attend to Lucio's wounds. We knights still have duties to fulfill and cannot stay any longer. Farewell for now. Please take care of Sir Jian, and we will come to visit again another day."
With that, they bowed and left before Selena could react. The knights departed in haste, disappearing as quickly as they had arrived. Selena hurried to Lucio's side when she noticed the bed sheets stained with blood. Lucio appeared to have fainted from blood loss, his face drained of color. Despite this, his brow remained furrowed, and he still gripped a broken arrow in his fist, unable to release it. To prevent further injury, Selena removed the shaft and left the arrowhead lodged in his chest.
Recalling Lucio's ennoblement in her past life, Selena realized she had never delved into the specifics. She had assumed he had some extraordinary experiences, but now she understood the price he had paid, sacrificing his own life for honor and glory.
Selena wondered how a simple knight of humble origin, with no connections or wealth, had managed to win the favor of the king and rise from a mere knight to the captain of the Royal Guard in such a short time. Many, including herself, thought it was luck, but they had never considered the sacrifices he had made to get there.
Sitting by the bedside, Selena felt distressed as she gently wiped the cold sweat from Lucio's forehead with a cloth. The arrow had grazed his cheek, leaving cuts on his ear and on one side of his face, where there were already old scars.
Selena used to think that the scars beside Lucio's eyes were frightening, but now she saw them as symbols of his bravery. With determination, Selena stood up and instructed a maid to wait for the royal physician at the main door. She then instructed Mariana to bring the fortifying soup and finally mustered the courage to help the maid remove Lucio's armor.
As expected, Lucio's white attire was soaked through with sweat and blood, with some bloodstains already dried and sticking to the fabric. While Selena remained composed, Mariana trembled with fear at the sight of so much blood and the sight of Selena gently opening Lucio's shirt to reveal the wound on his chest. Selena instructed her to fetch more clean water and the powder made from Achillea millefolium, which she had prepared earlier as a gift for Lucio in case he got injured during their missions and didn't have immediate access to hemostatic medicine.
Only then did Mariana snap out of her shock and hastily ran outside. She almost tripped over the doorstep in her hurry and glanced back anxiously at Selena, who was focused on examining Lucio's wound without a trace of fear. Mariana couldn't help but feel her heart pounding at the sight. Selena, who usually appeared delicate, now showed remarkable resilience. With determination, Selena quickly removed most of Lucio's upper garment and wiped away the blood, periodically checking his breathing. She silently prayed for him.
After inspecting the wounds, Selena estimated there were five injuries on his upper body, but none seemed as severe as the one he had sustained in the cave. She surmised that the arrows had been expertly removed on the journey back, minimizing further damage. However, one injury, the arrow lodged in his chest, appeared to be particularly grave.
Upon seeing the golden shield she had given him hanging on his chest, with a noticeable indentation where the arrow had struck, Selena knew that the arrow had not hit his heart directly. Luckily, Lucio had the shield she had gifted him, preventing the arrow from piercing his heart.