Chapter 8
A few days passed.
Luckily, Easton’s cold had completely gone.
To say sorry for worrying the villagers, Pilgrim cooked a lot of food and set it out on the tables in the inn’s dining area.
“Today is the village festival!”
There weren’t many villagers, so only about ten people had gathered, including Layla.
And Easton, even though he was an outsider, was also there.
“Sir, come join us too!”
At her words, Easton blinked in surprise as he stared out at the falling rain.
He hadn’t expected her to personally invite him to eat together.
“I’m just a visitor…”
He gave a small awkward smile.
“No way! Of course you should join! You found little Sera for us! And I heard you even got sick after looking for her!”
But before he could say more, Pilgrim grabbed his hand and shook it happily.
Then, Pilgrim brought over a glass full of beer and a big plate of food.
There were juicy roasted chicken legs, nacho chips with chili and cheese sauce, and even large pieces of barbecue meat—something you’d only eat on special days in the countryside.
“Eat and drink as much as you like today! I cooked a ton, even if it’s not perfect! I’ll pay for all the drinks!”
“You’re the best, Pilgrim!”
The villagers cheered and raised their beer glasses.
‘…But I’m only seventeen.’
Easton was still legally a minor and not allowed to drink beer.
He awkwardly lifted his beer glass, then quickly went to get a cup of Darjeeling tea with ice from the innkeeper instead.
He used his magical pendant (which he always kept with him) to check if the tea or food had poison.
Even during a cheerful festival, he couldn’t fully trust food given by others.
Once he confirmed it was safe, he drank the cold tea.
“Meeting again, huh?”
Layla came and sat across from him.
“…Miss Layla.”
She was smiling as always, looking carefree.
Easton quickly looked away and nodded politely.
“Did you rest well the past few days?”
“Ah, yes.”
“The medicine worked well, didn’t it? I wanted to check on you more often, but…”
She sipped apple juice and kept chatting, even though Easton didn’t ask.
“I held back because I didn’t want to bother you.”
“I know you already did a lot for me. Thank you.”
Her eyes widened at his words.
“No need to thank me. It was only natural.”
“Thanks to you, I got better quickly. But you didn’t have to go that far.”
“I wanted to.”
With her chin resting on the table, Layla suddenly said:
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
“Eh?”
Easton was surprised and accidentally looked straight into her eyes.
She tilted her head and smiled.
“Hmm, I wonder why?”
Then she drank her juice all at once. Her cheeks turned a little red.
“I don’t really know… I guess it’s because I don’t meet many people my age around here. It feels nice.”
“…I see.”
Easton frowned slightly and took another sip of his tea. Then he asked, curious:
“What have you been doing these past few days?”
“Oh, I went to the capital to deliver my nanny’s belongings. I had to sort some things out.”
She didn’t sound too sad, but just mentioning her dead nanny made the mood heavy.
Trying to lighten the mood, Layla pointed at his empty glass.
“You already finished your tea?”
“Oh, I guess I did.”
He stood up to get more.
“Would you like another drink too, Miss Layla?”
“Yes, please!”
Even though she only had a little apple juice, her cheeks were already flushed like she was tipsy.
Easton thought it was harmless and brought back one tea and one juice.
“Thank you.”
Layla happily took the drink and sipped it.
“Mmm, delicious!”
Seeing her like that, Easton couldn’t help but smile a little.
“It’s just plain fruit juice. I thought you’d prefer tea.”
He remembered the cute teacups he’d seen in her cottage.
“Oh, I like both. But my favorite is honey wine!”
“Honey wine?”
“Yes! It’s expensive, so I only had it once, but it was amazing.”
Honey wine… It wasn’t real alcohol. It was a special drink from the Imperial capital made of honey and milk.
Easton found himself wondering when the royal palace would be ordering it again.
“Um, Easton.”
“Yes?”
“How is your little sister doing?”
She asked carefully.
“…Not well.”
Easton sighed deeply, his heart aching.
“She’s the only family I have left.”
When he closed his eyes, he remembered Psyche—his frail little sister who told him to give up on her.
“No matter what… I want to save her.”
He clenched his fists tightly, holding back tears.
Layla stared at him for a while, then looked down at her teacup.
“I understand that feeling.”
Easton turned to her.
“My nanny, the person I trusted most in this world, died not long ago.”
“That must have been very hard.”
“Yes. That’s why I wanted to help you.”
Her throat felt tight as she spoke.
She sipped her juice, barely holding back tears.
“My heart hurt so, so much.”
Even though she looked like she was in pain, Layla smiled.
“If I can help someone else avoid that kind of pain… I want to.”
Easton quietly looked at her—maybe slightly drunk—and then he finally understood what he had been feeling.
‘It was affection… I liked her.’
He had been betrayed by so many people. He didn’t trust anyone.
So this feeling… it was unfamiliar and confusing because it had been so long since he’d liked anyone.
Just then—
“A festival needs music!”
The villagers started pulling out instruments.
The innkeeper opened all the doors and windows wide.
Soon, cheerful music filled the air.
Even the sound of rain became part of the music.
“Let’s dance!”
Some played instruments, some hummed along, some stood and danced with joy.
Easton looked surprised at them. He couldn’t believe how freely they danced.
Even country folks must have worries. But for this moment, they let it all go and enjoyed the now.
“Easton!”
Just as he was feeling a bit jealous, Layla reached out her hand to him.
“Let’s dance too!”
“Huh?”
“Come on!”
She grabbed his hand and pulled him up.
Easton, feeling something strange, took a sip of her juice.
‘…It has alcohol in it.’
It was sweet, but he could taste a slight hint of alcohol.
He looked at her, worried.
But Layla grabbed his hand and led him outside.
“Wait, but it’s raining—!”
“You look like you have too many worries, Easton!”
Then she smiled brightly and ran out into the rain.
“Sometimes, it feels like the rain can wash away small worries!”
She shouted in the rain.
“It’s romantic! We’re only seventeen!”
Easton stared at her, hand reaching out toward him in the rain.
She was so different from him.
She didn’t doubt people. She helped others even if it meant hurting herself.
She was full of kindness.
Layla looked like a warm ray of sunshine, even in this gloomy rain.
Maybe that’s why he kept looking at her.
The confusing emotions in his heart finally began to make sense.
And finally, Easton stopped trying to lie to himself.
“…Romantic, huh.”
He took her hand.
“All right.”
Then he ran out into the rain with her.
There was no grace or form to their dance. It wasn’t the fancy dances of high society. It was just dancing freely to the rhythm.
But he had never felt so happy.
Being seventeen meant sometimes wanting to forget everything and just enjoy life.
For the first time, he felt truly free.
Easton laughed brightly and danced in the rain with Layla.
And somehow, that rain seemed to wash away all the heavy thoughts from his mind.
