TBCOS 64

Chapter 64

The two of them began by carefully examining the training ground.

The training ground was modest, but there were plenty of hiding spots in every corner.

For a small person like Elly, there would have been even more places to hide.

There were bushes, spaces behind or under the equipment, inside boxes… there was no end to the potential hiding spots.

Rilkia started searching through the bushes first.

Cleas checked the gaps between the equipment.

Since it was a child, it was highly likely that she had squeezed herself into a small space.

“Elly?”

Calling out Elly’s name, Cleas lifted lids and peered into the spaces.

Elly wouldn’t answer, of course, but somehow, it felt like this would make her easier to find.

“Elly.”

At first, pronouncing “Elly” felt awkward.

It felt almost like committing a sacrilege, and it was uncomfortable…

But after repeating it a few times, it gradually felt natural.

It felt less like calling out to a sovereign on the throne and more like searching for a real friend.

“Elly, are you here?”

But play is play.

Elly did not respond.

‘I want to hear her answer.’

Cleas wanted to hear Elly’s voice replying to his call.

He searched even more diligently for her.

But Elly was hiding extremely well.

“…Not there either?”

Rilkia, camouflaged with leaves stuck all over her body, panted heavily as she asked.

Cleas, covered in dust, nodded.

“…Not here either.”

“Where on earth did she hide in this tiny training ground?”

Rilkia couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Honestly, she had never imagined that Elly could hide this well.

Hiding well is a skill. There’s even camouflage training during the exercises, for strategic purposes.

Being small doesn’t automatically make one good at hiding.

One has to consider the terrain and movement paths to truly hide effectively.

It seemed their majesty had accomplished just that.

“Your… Majesty!”

Hearing Rilkia’s shout, Cleas grew anxious as well.

By now, it wasn’t about who would win anymore.

‘Elly!’

He wanted to see Elly’s face quickly.

She was surely somewhere nearby, but not even seeing her face was cruel.

Cleas checked the bushes Rilkia had searched and glanced at his watch.

Not much time had passed. The predetermined time hadn’t even elapsed, yet it felt like ages.

“Elly… where are you? Elly…”

At that moment, something fluttered past Cleas’ nose.

“?”

He turned toward it.

It was a butterfly.

‘Huh?’

But not just any butterfly.

It shimmered with rainbow colors across its translucent body.

It wasn’t a living butterfly.

“…!”

It was the same butterfly he had seen at the coronation.

He had thought it was merely a gift from the academy, and now here it was again.

The butterfly circled around Cleas a few times before fluttering away.

Cleas followed, entranced.

It felt as if the butterfly was guiding him somewhere.

Following it, he arrived at a corner of the training ground.

He had checked this spot before. There were no bushes or equipment here—just a wall. There was no space for anyone to hide.

Still, he looked around cautiously, but there was nowhere to hide.

“Nothing here…”

Cleas tilted his head, puzzled.

He looked back, hoping the butterfly might give him another hint, but it had vanished.

‘Did I imagine it?’

He rubbed his eyes, hoping he might see it again—but it didn’t reappear.

“I don’t get it…”

Had it gone underground or flown away?

Looking at the wall, he unconsciously glanced up at the branches hanging down.

“…!”

And there, he found Elly hanging.

“Your… ”

When someone is too stunned, words fail.

Elly clutched the branch, hiding among the leaves.

It was an unimaginable position.

If anything, one could cling to a pillar after climbing a tree, but who could hang on to a branch like that?

Cleas was dumbfounded, his mouth agape.

Sunlight shone on Elly’s back.

The sun glimmered through the leaves, and there she was, crouched, meeting Cleas’ gaze.

Her eyes widened, and a smile spread across her face.

The sunlight stung her eyes, but it wasn’t dazzling. Her smile was far brighter, filling his entire vision.

‘She looks like a fairy.’

He wasn’t sure if fairies existed, but if they did, perhaps this is what they’d look like.

Radiant, luminous, beautiful.

“Cleas!”

The fairy called out cheerfully.

Cleas smiled brightly, matching her laughter.

“Elly!”

“Mm-hm!”

Finally, he heard her answer.

Elly giggled, her clear laughter like the ringing of a bell.

“You found me, Cleas!”

“Uh…”

He was so captivated by her clear, bright presence that he momentarily forgot they were in the middle of hide-and-seek.

Then a gust of wind blew.

Branches and leaves swayed violently.

“Come down quickly!”

Cleas shouted urgently.

Rilkia, watching from nearby, was also running over.

“Your… Majesty!”

Elly remained unbothered.

“Mm, just a moment…”

She looked back and began grasping the branches the same way she had climbed up.

“No, just jump down!”

“What? It’s too high!”

Why did she even climb up there in the first place?

He muttered instinctively, scolding her—but now was not the time for that.

“I’ll catch you!”

Cleas spread his arms, looking at her.

“Uh, but…”

“It’s fine!”

He could catch her. It was better than letting her fall from the branch.

“Mm-hm!”

Elly hesitated for a moment, then leapt toward Cleas.

The wall was roughly adult height, so it wasn’t extremely high.

But for a child, it felt like falling from the sky.

“Elly!”

Cleas held her tightly, afraid he might lose her.

Thud!

He landed on the ground with Elly in his arms.

Elly lifted her head from pressing down on Cleas.

“Are you okay, Cleas?”

Instead of answering, he hugged her tightly again.

“…Cleas?”

Elly turned toward him, but his grip was too tight to see his face.

Still, the strength of his arms gave away his resolve.

“Please don’t go to such high places again.”

“Huh? Mm-hm…”

She must have been startled by how high up she was.

They were just playing hide-and-seek, after all.

She had often hidden like this with her brother, but now he worried she might fall.

‘But Cleas isn’t a magician!’

Her brother could catch her safely with soft magic, letting her climb trees without worry.

Cleas couldn’t do that, so naturally he was concerned.

“I won’t climb too high from now on.”

“Don’t go too far either.”

“Mm-hm? Mm-hm…”

He didn’t fully understand, but he nodded.

Cleas rested his face against her hair, exhaling deeply.

Elly, shimmering through the leaves, looked beautiful yet so light, as if she might float away.

‘I almost lost her.’

Cleas felt a sudden fear.

Elly had suddenly come from another world and become a princess. This was supposedly the world inside a book.

If the book has an end, would she return when her story concludes?

“Are you alright? Goodness, how did you hide there?”

Rilkia, who had arrived, spoke.

Cleas finally intended to let go of Elly.

But Elly reached out and hugged him tightly.

“…!”

Cleas stiffened in surprise.

“I’m here, Cleas.”

Elly whispered into his ear.

Had she noticed what he was thinking and fearing?

“I’ve come down from the branch, so don’t be too startled. Sorry for scaring you.”

“Ah…”

So that was it.

“Well, shall we get up? Can Duke Bernt rise as well?”

“No problem at all.”

Cleas took Rilkia’s hand and stood.

“So the game is decided. Victory goes to Duke Bernt.”

“Mm-hm!”

Elly smiled and accepted Cleas’ victory.

“Then, since I’ve come as both an instructor and a friend to help with training, I’ll take my leave and return to my post.”

“Mm-hm! Thanks for playing with us, Rilkia!”

“…Not at all.”

Rilkia’s earlobes turned slightly red.

“Let’s play again next time!”

“…It would be an honor.”

This time, her cheeks flushed too.

Rilkia rubbed her face with her palm and walked toward the corner of the training ground.

It was as if she had intentionally left them some private time; the ground had quieted down.

“By the way…”

Once Rilkia was far enough away, Cleas lowered his voice and asked a secretive question.