Don’t Tame It [Novel]

1.

“Ah.”

As if only just remembering, Diego curled his empty hand into a fist and smiled. He readily withdrew his outstretched arm.

“This side is opposite to where Physician Rios’s tent is. It’s where the soldiers’ barracks are. Let’s go.”

With those words, Diego gestured toward the path they were to take. Irene, who had been standing blankly in place, took a step forward. Walking side by side, Diego asked in a nonchalant tone.

“I’m curious about what happened while I was away.”

Irene blinked, as if asking what he meant. Diego lightly shrugged.

“The military surgeon mentioned something a moment ago. Did you treat a wounded soldier?”

“Ah.”

Acknowledging his meaning, Irene nodded indifferently. She recounted the day’s events in a calm, chronological voice.

Diego listened, punctuating her narrative with an occasional nod or a soft chuckle.

The camp was a sprawl of barracks set upon dirt ground. Though the Alvar army had retreated, it remained a volatile battlefield where violence could erupt at any moment. Soldiers bustled to and fro, coarse shouts erupting from all sides, the air thick with boisterous singing and the sharp clatter of steel.

Yet, Irene’s calm voice cut through the clamor with striking clarity. Frowning slightly, Diego interrupted with a question.

“Didn’t you say you hated humans? That you couldn’t be a doctor who treats people because of that?”

“……”

Irene couldn’t easily answer. She didn’t know why she had done it herself. The moment she saw the blood gushing, her body had moved on its own.

At the Royal Medical College, she had worked primarily with cadavers—specifically the share belonging to the hairy Jellyfish. In return, the Jellyfish handled the practical training involving living patients, though those were limited to minor abrasions and expectant mothers.

It wasn’t free, of course. She had to cut her dinner steak in half to pay the Jellyfish. It was a silent, win-win arrangement.

“If not for me—”

Irene, having spoken without thinking, bit her lower lip. Seeing this, Diego asked in a leisurely voice.

“Did you think he would die if it weren’t for you?”

“……”

“A sense of duty, perhaps?”

“No.”

Irene shook her head slowly. Is that true? The question hung in her mind.

Diego stared at her, his eyes unreadable. A sudden, inexplicable discomfort reared its head. He had wanted her to treat his soldiers; that was one of the reasons he had brought Irene to his territory.

But his gut churned, as if a dark mass were writhing within.

Why?

Just as Diego began to knit his brows, a voice cut through the tension.

“Physician Rios!”

Mia, scurrying between the barracks, spotted Irene and came running. Her forehead was slick with sweat.

“Physician Rios, where did you go? I went to the barracks after dumping the slop, but you weren’t there.”

Noticing Diego, she bowed her head. Mia glanced at Irene with a hint of resentment and whispered quietly.

“You were with the Grand Duke. You could have at least told me.”

It wasn’t like that, but Irene offered no excuse. She walked straight toward her tent, Mia following with short, quick steps, casting wary glances at Diego.

“Let’s go, Physician Rios.”

Diego stood where he was, watching her retreating back.

“Javier.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Irene’s back looks very familiar. Don’t you think so?”

At those words, Javier shifted his gaze to follow Irene, who had already vanished from sight. Diego chuckled and turned toward his own tent.

He muttered, almost to himself.

“Whether I stick a flag or paint it bright red, I should make it stand out even from afar. Ah, I wonder if blue would suit her better than red?”

Javier had no trouble guessing what he meant, but the loyal retainer knew his master wasn’t looking for an answer. The squirming shadows stretched long behind them.

Meanwhile, rumors about Grand Duke Cassis and his personal physician spread like wildfire. The story of the soldier kicked out for harassing her stirred a mix of fear and curiosity.

“She must be quite the expert if the Grand Duke treasures her that much.”

“Didn’t you hear? She sewed a soldier’s skin with a needle.”

“What? Instead of a cautery iron? Is that really such a big deal?”

“Uno was talking about it like it was something incredible. We’ll see soon enough. More than that, it’s unusual for the Grand Duke to give a warning like that.”

“True. He didn’t do that for Physician Flich. Just how skilled is she…?”

“Or maybe.”

A soldier lowered his voice meaningfully. His comrade looked at him, confused.

“Yeah?”

“She might not just be a simple personal physician.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re a man and a woman. It wouldn’t be strange if something happened.”

“Hey, surely not. Think of all the women involved in scandals with the Grand Duke. They don’t have even this much in common.”

“Who knows.”

The soldier cast his gaze toward the night sky. The full moon was bright—a night when humans turn into wolves and vampires prowl in search of prey.

“You never know what might happen on a night when the full moon rises.”

* * *

To others, Irene’s face remained a blank mask, but there were faint, subtle shifts beneath the surface. She was simply clumsy at expressing emotion, not devoid of it.

Standing in front of Diego’s tent with her medical bag, Irene felt a profound sense of bewilderment.

*What’s the matter?*

No answer came. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Javier pulled back the tent flap from within.

“……”

The expressionless mask flickered, replaced by surprise.

Javier turned his gaze directly to her, as if he had known she was there, and stepped aside. Irene walked inside.

She met eyes with Diego, who sat in a crude wooden chair draped in fabric, a stark contrast to the ornate armchairs of the castle. Yet, he held himself with such relaxed leisure that the desolate tent felt like a comfortable living room.

Irene walked firmly toward him.

“I heard you were looking for me. Is there something bothering you?”

That was the only reason he would call for her, surely. Since he had summoned her instead of Physician Flich, it seemed he had sustained an external injury.

That was a grave problem. Even a minor wound could be fatal to Diego.

“Hmm.”

Diego tapped his temple with his index finger, eyes narrowing before his lips curled into a smile.

“My shoulder is aching so much I couldn’t sleep a wink. I must have hit it on something during the war.”

Irene nodded indifferently. It was fortunate there was no bleeding, but she couldn’t be relieved yet. Diego’s condition meant his blood would not stop, and internal bleeding would be disastrous.

*Hm?*

Irene tilted her head. Diego’s face looked remarkably refreshed for a man who hadn’t slept. Still, she approached him, assuming he was merely interpreting his pain differently.

“I will examine it.”

Diego nodded readily. Irene stared at him blankly; Diego arched one eyebrow.

“Go ahead.”

“Please take off your clothes.”

“Ah.”

Diego furrowed his handsome brows. The “Oh dear,” he muttered, sounded like a performative affectation.

“My fingers are aching, too. Physician Rios wouldn’t know because you don’t swing a sword. It has quite a bit of weight, and after hours of fighting, every corner of my body aches.”

Irene nodded, fully convinced. Her own fingers and wrists throbbed after holding a pen for hours during exam studies; it was only natural for a heavier sword to do the same.

Diego whispered in a languid voice.

“So, Physician Rios, please take off my clothes for me.”

For an instant, Irene froze. It wasn’t the request itself that stopped her.

“……”

It was his husky voice and piercing, murky gaze—a presence that pressed against her skin.

Somewhere near his collarbone, the air felt itchy, as if bitten by a mosquito. Irene forced herself to ignore the urge to scratch and stared at him. His gaze was more intense than usual, stripped of its gentle smile. He didn’t blink.

She could feel the heat radiating from him.

“……”

It felt as though she had stripped off her own gloves, her heart fluttering as if she were touching the world with bare, vulnerable skin. Her fingertips burned with anxiety.

Irene managed to turn her head toward Javier, who stood at the entrance.

“I think the person over there would be more suitable than I am.”

Diego’s brow furrowed, caught off guard. He shifted his eyes to his retainer, his look cold.

Javier, who had stood silently with his hands behind his back, acknowledged the gaze.

“……”

A brief silence followed. Javier bowed his head to the two pairs of eyes fixed upon him.

“Niseto, the Deputy Commander, has something to discuss. I will be going.”