66: Chapter 66 The Head Maid's Grievance! She Personally Heals Her Wounds! She Comforts Her!

When Rowan returned to White Cliff Castle,

the horizon was already a dim yellow, a light about to be extinguished.

The late autumn twilight came early, painting the gray-white castle walls with a layer of warm golden afterglow.

As soon as the carriage came to a steady stop in the courtyard, Elise, having received the news, lifted her skirts and hurried out from the side door of the main keep to greet him.

She was now the head maid of White Cliff Castle; aside from Rowan, she was the second-in-command with actual power in the territory.

Today, she wore a goose-yellow long dress, her pale blonde hair tied into a neat bun that revealed a section of her fair neck, her face carrying an irrepressible joy.

That hateful Lord Rowan had been gone for many days.

She had to manage the castle's internal affairs, look after the little masters, and handle various territorial matters.

In her heart, she was constantly worried about her master who was out adventuring.

Hearing the sound of wheels now, how could she sit still?

However, as soon as she stepped out, she saw Rowan stepping down from the carriage carrying a red-haired woman with an exquisite figure.

The smile on her face froze instantly.

The upward curve at the corner of her mouth slowly disappeared.

A flash of clear astonishment crossed her eyes, followed by an irrepressible surge of bitterness in her heart.

Bringing a woman back?

And such a beautiful one?

Elise's gaze quickly swept over the woman's brilliant features, which even unconsciousness could not hide, and her flame-like, dazzling long hair.

She bit her lower lip, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

But she was, after all, the head maid personally trained by Rowan, and she quickly suppressed the churning emotions in her heart.

She noticed the woman's pale complexion, as well as the bloodstains and bandage marks that hadn't completely dried.

Was she heavily injured and unconscious?

She didn't look like a new lover Rowan had abducted from somewhere.

She looked more like... a bit of trouble he'd picked up?

She looked at Rowan searchingly, her eyes filled with inquiry and a trace of imperceptible reproach.

Holding the female knight, Rowan took in every change in Elise's eyes.

But he had no time for explanations at the moment, saying concisely:

"Find a quiet room, clean it up, and bring some clean warm water."

"Yes, My Lord." Elise lowered her eyes to hide her emotions, responded, and immediately turned to make arrangements.

She personally selected a well-ventilated guest room on the second floor of the castle.

She directed two quick-handed maids to swiftly change to brand-new sheets and bedding.

She lit the fireplace to dispel the chill in the room and prepared each item Rowan had requested.

Rowan gently placed the unconscious female knight onto the soft, large bed.

The woman's body was light, but the supple touch brought by her combat qi cultivation was still clear.

He didn't delegate the task to others, personally unfastening her blood-stained clothing to examine the wounds.

The most serious was a sword wound slashing diagonally from her left shoulder to her ribs; it was deep enough to see bone, the flesh at the edges was turned outward, and it held the corrosive combat qi unique to the Crimson Breathing Technique, which was constantly eroding her vitality.

In addition, there were multiple bruises and bone fractures.

He thought for a moment; it seemed his combat qi furnace didn't have any healing-related traits yet.

However... Crimson Combat Qi.

His gaze fell back on the dark red luster flickering on her wound, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.

That's right, power from the same source.

He extended his right hand, and a thin, solid layer of Crimson Combat Qi slowly rose from his palm, yet it was even purer than the energy on the wound.

His fingertips hovered an inch above the wound, and that wisp of combat qi probed down like a thread, gently touching the mangled flesh.

The moment they touched, the two streams of Crimson Combat Qi—of the same origin but different qualities—clashed violently!

The corrosive combat qi at her wound struck back like a startled venomous snake, but the combat qi in his palm suddenly turned soft, like a net or a cocoon, wrapping around it layer by layer.

It wasn't a confrontation; it was a devouring, a guiding.

He activated [Insight], handling it with ease, completely sinking his mind into that control which was precise to the millimeter.

First, using his own combat qi as a bridge, he drew out the rampaging foreign energy within her wound, then used the Myriad Phenomena Melting Furnace as a kiln to refine the extracted crimson power inch by inch.

During the process, his left fingertips didn't stop either; dipping into the medicinal salve he carried, he applied the pale green ointment to the wound after the foreign combat qi had been expelled.

The medicinal power seeped into the muscle tissue under the guidance of the combat qi.

For a full half-hour, only the faint hiss of circulating combat qi and her gradually stabilizing breathing could be heard in the room.

When the last wisp of eroding combat qi was refined, although the gruesome wound had not healed, it was no longer bleeding, and the edges showed the healthy pale pink of new flesh.

He withdrew his hand, and the Crimson Combat Qi in his palm was actually a bit more condensed than before.

[Myriad Furnace Breathing Technique Proficiency +24]

It could actually work like this?

Rowan was somewhat amazed.

This Crimson Breathing Technique was clearly a bit like the Star Sucking Skill from his previous life.

However, with the furnace in his body to refine foreign energy, he didn't need to fear any side effects.

He propped up Mira's medicated upper body, letting her lean against the crook of his arm.

Even in her coma, the woman's brow was still tightly furrowed, and her lips were cracked and pale from blood loss.

He pulled the crystal stopper from the potion bottle, pried open her jaw with one hand, and slowly poured the ice-blue medicinal liquid into her mouth.

Elise had been standing quietly to the side, holding clean warm water and a towel, but her gaze involuntarily followed Rowan's movements.

Watching him focus on treating the strange woman's wounds, watching him take out that precious potion, watching his careful manner as he fed her the medicine...

The bitterness in her heart grew even stronger.

But at the same time, a trace of doubt arose.

Rowan's attitude toward this woman seemed a bit different?

Having finished all this, Rowan laid Mira back down flat and checked her pulse, confirming that her vital signs had stabilized under the effect of the medicine, before giving a soft smile.

He stood up and finally looked at Elise, who had been standing by quietly.

Meeting those bright eyes that seemed to want to say something but hesitated, Rowan understood.

He walked over and naturally reached out to wrap his arm around Elise's waist, pulling her into his embrace.

Elise's body stiffened slightly before softening, leaning obediently against his chest, though her lips were still subconsciously pouting a little.

Rowan lowered his head, planting a kiss on her smooth forehead, his voice carrying a trace of charming reassurance:

"I picked her up on the road; she was being hunted by the Crimson Knights and was nearly dead. I saved her in passing; she might be of some use."

His explanation was concise.

But the keyword 'Crimson Knights' was enough for the clever head maid to understand the gist of it.

Elise gave a soft "mm" in his arms.

That night, in the master bedroom on the top floor.

Rowan thoroughly comforted the head maid, who had been slightly provoked...

As the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased, Elise, her fair and smooth back bare, lay on Rowan's solid chest, her fingers unconsciously tracing circles over his heart.

"Coming back this time... how long can you stay?"

Her voice still carried the hoarseness and softness following their intimacy, but deep in her eyes, there was hidden expectation.

Rowan stroked her smooth long hair and thought for a moment: "I'll stay for a while longer, probably... about half a month."

Elise's eyes lit up, but then dimmed slightly as she grumbled softly:

"You, always leaving as soon as you say so, leaving me to watch the house... You asked for me from the Young Mistress, surely it wasn't just to have me watch the house for you?"

"And the little ones, they're getting bigger now and are getting more rowdy by the day. You don't show them much concern either, only knowing how to be outside..."

Rowan smiled without speaking.

He tilted up Elise's delicate chin.

He saw a pair of beautiful eyes with ripples of emotion flowing within.

Then, he leaned down...

...