Episode 83
Our eyes met.
One of his cheeks, tinted by the sunset outside the window, was reddish.
It felt as if the emotions Louise had left in the diary were swirling inside my chest.
“Hey, Karl.”
Given her personality, Louise probably couldn’t bring herself to say she had regretted it.
But wouldn’t it be alright if I did it for her?
“When I was younger… I had such low self-confidence.”
I broached the subject carefully.
“So I couldn’t take your kindness at face value. Were you hurt? It’s late, but… I’m sorry.”
He froze for a moment, then laughed out loud as if he’d heard a funny joke.
“What… So, does that mean you’ll take it at face value now?”
“Well, of course…”
Instead of letting me finish my answer, Calisteon grabbed one of my hands and pulled it.
Then he pressed his lips softly against the back of my hand.
His lips lingered on my skin for a moment, as if in prayer, then slowly lifted, parting with a hint of laughter.
“There’s no rule saying you absolutely must accept something just because I offer it. I never once felt hurt.”
He added one more thing.
“Maybe it’s because I, like you, wasn’t born a Grand Duke from the start.”
I blinked slowly and spoke carefully.
“You know. Even if I can’t right now, if I were to choose you…”
He waited for me to continue, tightening his grip on my hand.
“…it wouldn’t be because you’re the Grand Duke.”
I wasn’t sure if this feeling was mine or Louise’s, so my tone lacked confidence.
But Calisteon seemed satisfied even with that, lifting the corners of his mouth.
“I know.”
His voice that followed was confident, unlike mine.
“If you were going to choose me because I’m the Grand Duke, you had countless opportunities to do so before.”
I smiled back at him.
His firm fingertips stroked the back of my hand as if tickling it.
Calisteon looked at me seriously and promised.
“It’s okay to come slowly. Every single step you take toward me, I will make it worthwhile.”
I hoped the heart racing for this man was just because of the diary’s emotions.
So that I wouldn’t feel guilty toward Louise, and so that I could make the choice she couldn’t finish.
For the first time, I wished for that.
“Wow…!”
Even in weather cold enough to see my breath, the leaves were so green that upon entering the maze, it felt like I had stepped into another world.
The trees in the garden, seen up close, were taller than me, and their moist leaves were densely packed all around.
“Your Highness, look at this. It’s sprouting new buds even in this weather.”
Phoebe traced a section of the neatly trimmed maze hedge with her gloved hand.
“How? Is it magic?”
When I asked in surprise, Calisteon burst out laughing.
“That’s not magic. This tree naturally sprouts well even in winter.”
“Then, is there magic elsewhere?”
As Phoebe asked on my behalf, Calisteon countered with a laugh.
“Isn’t it less cold inside here than outside?”
“Huh?”
As I looked up at him, puzzled, he shrugged his shoulders.
“We heat the garden and put up a barrier to prevent the warmth from escaping. The trees are living the high life for once.”
“Whaat?”
No wonder it wasn’t windy!
I was astounded and said, “Wait, Carl. How on earth do you plan to take me to the Ice Festival? Don’t tell me you’re going to make the ice melt everywhere I go?”
“Of course not. That would be a disaster. I plan to take you on a sleigh ride too.”
“Really?”
Distracted by the talk of sleigh rides, I couldn’t scold him further and entered the maze garden.
At the first fork, Phoebe said, “Your Highness, shall we have a race to see who finds the way out first? One shilling to the first one out!”
Calisteon looked incredulous, but I quickly nodded.
“Alright. Then Cal has to be the fair judge. That means you can’t give anyone directions.”
He replied as if it were absurd.
“Even I don’t know this maze inside out.”
Phoebe suggested, “Let’s decide who goes first with rock-paper-scissors. The next person has to take a different path.”
“Rock, Paper, Scissors!”
I threw rock and beat Phoebe in one go.
Then, after looking back and forth between the two paths, I carefully chose the left one.
“You have to think of the baby! No running, Your Highness!”
Phoebe shouted sternly at my back.
After I had walked a few more steps alone, Calisteon’s voice came from right behind me.
“Shall I go with you? I’d like to go together.”
How could I refuse when he put it like that?
“If I win like this, Phoebe will grumble that it’s unfair.”
“Then we can just go together until the middle.”
Calisteon winked playfully with his blue eyes.
“I won’t show you the way. I don’t really know it anyway.”
“Okay, fine.”
I grinned and quickened my pace.
By the time we reached the twenty-first fork, I hadn’t seen a single strand of Phoebe’s hair.
“Lou, you…”
The moment I took the right fork, Calisteon asked with a sigh.
“Don’t tell me you think you’re taking this path for the first time now?”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“So, it’s not the first time? Have I been going in circles?”
Calisteon laughed as if it were ridiculous.
“Good thing I didn’t leave you alone here. From now on, don’t even think about entering a maze for fun by yourself. And no more bets.”
“Tch…”
I grumbled verbally, but even though I wasn’t at full term yet, my belly was starting to feel heavy.
As I subtly stroked my stomach, Calisteon’s voice immediately became tinged with worry.
“Are you tired? Should I carry you?”
I reflexively tried to say I was fine, but then nodded.
“Actually, for the past few days, my stomach occasionally gets hard. The palace doctor said it’s best to rest when that happens. I guess we should really stop wandering and find our way out now.”
“You should have told me sooner.”
Calisteon’s face filled with concern and he immediately picked me up.
“Comfortable? How should I hold you?”
He looked so nonchalant, as if holding a puppy, that I could answer honestly.
“Hmm. A bit more upright?”
Calisteon had me wrap one arm around his neck and lifted my upper body a little higher.
“Like this?”
“Yes, that’s better.”
He started walking with long strides.
‘Now I see, saying he didn’t know the way was a complete lie.’
With every step Calisteon took, the maze gradually brightened and widened until we soon reached a sunny clearing.
“Oh my goodness, Your Highness! You were late because you weren’t feeling well?”
Phoebe spotted us and came running, her face having completely forgotten about the one shilling.
‘Actually, I think we wandered for too long before I started feeling unwell…’
But Calisteon didn’t seem to want to put me down even after we were out of the maze.
“Hey, Carl…? I think I’m okay now.”
“Impossible.”
He answered bluntly and kept walking toward the main keep.
Calisteon commanded softly.
“The physician.”
“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll fetch her immediately.”
Phoebe ran ahead.
Still in his arms, I said, “Oh, come on, Carl. I’m fine now, really?”
“If you were to get sick in my castle, that crazy mage would tear this place down.”
That… didn’t sound wrong.
“…Didn’t you say Lendo knows we’re here now?”
When I asked quietly, Calisteon shrugged.
“Probably. How’s your stomach?”
I felt my stomach with the arm that wasn’t holding him.
It was much better than before.
“I’m really okay.”
“You have to tell me immediately if there’s even the slightest discomfort.”
“Okay.”
That part was fine.
But as we entered the main keep, dozens, hundreds of glances clung to us.
I had no choice but to whisper softly.
“Carl, everyone is staring so much…”
He was acknowledging the servants’ greetings half-heartedly, but upon hearing my words, he laughed like the wind.
“They’re looking because they’re happy. Pay them no mind.”
Easier said than done…!
By the time we reached my room, the physician had already arrived.
“Shall I take a look?”
I sighed and said, “You just saw me earlier. I’m really fine, this is all just an unnecessary fuss.”
Anyway, the first garden walk came to a noisy end.
That same night, in Edessa.
A faint light shimmered by a secluded lakeside, and a temporary gate opened.
Under the pitch-black night sky, elite soldiers of the Damiani family, dressed in black and wearing masks, poured out.
