Chapter 65
His Way
In the study where Cedric and I had arrived, I pulled out a novel and skimmed through it. It was an old fairy tale I had seen even in the Kingdom of Rundra.
“Hero Aslan” — a story of an immortal warrior who defeated enemies and became a hero. A splendid tale of a hero who would be remembered forever.
As I placed Hero Aslan back on the shelf, another book with a similar name caught my eye: Immortal Aslan? Skimming it, it seemed to be a retelling or adaptation of the original story. The author was “H.,” apparently an unknown writer.
I sat down in front of Cedric with the book. He remained silent, focused on the book in his hands.
Immortal Aslan
Aslan was an immortal warrior, also a hero who traveled with companions.
One day, news arrived that monsters were threatening a village. Aslan and his companions headed to the village mentioned in the rumors. A battle ensued with the monsters.
Aslan was wounded, but he healed naturally. His immortality did not extend to his companions. By the time Aslan defeated the leader of the monsters, his companion was no longer alive.
The villagers praised Aslan for saving the village. Aslan left. No one knew where he went. Soon, his name was forgotten, and people only called him a hero.
No one knew that Aslan and his companion were lovers.
I opened my eyes to find the corners of my eyes itching—I had been resting my head on the desk. I had dozed off. Aslan had appeared in my dream, swinging his sword against creatures spewing fire.
The tickling sensation on my eyes was hair… or was it Cedric?
“Gonzanni?”
“Awake, Princess?”
I was dazed, still half-asleep. After blinking a few times, I saw a hand. It quickly moved away, replaced by Cedric’s face.
I tried to straighten my back, but my arms were stiff. Groaning, I lifted myself upright.
Cedric picked up Immortal Aslan, which had been pressed against my cheek, and placed it neatly on the pile of books beside him. There were already several books stacked next to Cedric.
“Did you move my hair, Duke?”
“Your hair seemed to prick your eyes, Princess, so I took the liberty of moving it.”
“Ahh…”
My mind was still fuzzy, and I struggled to think clearly. Outside the window, darkness had fallen.
A creaking sound drew my attention, and I saw a maid dozing on a small chair near the door. The desk lamp flickered, casting shadows of Cedric and me on the wall.
Cedric handed me a glass of water. My fingers were weak, so I took it with both hands and drank.
“Why were you here until now?”
“Because you were here, Princess.”
I smiled. The water gradually cleared my drowsiness.
“You could have left, and the maid would have taken care of me.”
“I would prefer that you not believe I could leave you alone, Princess.”
Cedric smiled too.
Hearing our conversation, the maid stood and brought a simple evening snack: sandwiches and avocado. I quickly ate the small sandwich.
“I read Immortal Aslan today.”
“Ah, I know that story too.”
I took a bite of the perfectly cut avocado, chewed a few times, and continued.
“I don’t know if I read all the way to the ending.”
I swallowed the “I fell asleep” part along with the avocado. There was no way I could admit out loud that I had fallen asleep reading—Cedric might have known anyway, but still.
“How far did you get? If you didn’t see the rest, I can tell you.”
“It was up to the part where Aslan’s name is forgotten.”
“That’s how the story ends.”
“Really? But this story is about Hero Aslan…”
I felt a twinge of regret at how Immortal Aslan concluded.
After the maid cleared the empty plate and left the study, Cedric continued speaking.
“Not all stories can have happy endings, it seems.”
“That must be sad for Immortal Aslan. He must miss his companion.”
“Is that so?”
Cedric paused, then continued.
“Once, Rachel said that perhaps he would eventually forget such feelings entirely.”
“Did the princess read this book too?”
“Yes, it seems so.”
I realized that Cedric had already discussed this with Rachel before. Something in my chest felt like a small wooden block rattling.
When talking with Cedric, Rachel’s name would occasionally come up in unexpected ways. It always reminded me that they had been close since childhood.
“Princess Rachel’s words make sense, but just because one lives a long time doesn’t mean feelings fade, does it?”
“Is that so?”
Cedric said no more. I sensed he didn’t want to continue the topic—perhaps because it wasn’t interesting, or because we had already discussed it before.
“I heard you went out recently.”
“Yes. I went out with Count Axel.”
Cedric changed the topic. I swallowed the sinking feeling and spoke with a forced smile.
“Was the outing enjoyable?”
“I learned new things and tried unfamiliar foods.”
“Is that so?”
Cedric remained silent for a moment, then spoke again.
“Could you tell me where you went?”
“To the foreigner district.”
“On the outskirts of the capital, you mean?”
“I don’t know if it was technically the outskirts of Arcen, but we rode the carriage for a while before arriving.”
I described crossing a river and passing a side path through the forest.
“I see. I understand now.”
I picked up the last piece of avocado with my fork.
“Why did Count Axel suggest going there with you?”
“Ah, that… um…”
I had never spoken with Cedric about imperial supremacy. A few times we had encountered imperial supremacists together, but discussing the topic was different.
I wondered how it would look to Cedric, a duke of the Owen Empire, that I, a princess of another country, had visited the foreigner district.
Still, I found it hard not to mention it. After all, I was a princess of the Kingdom of Rundra.
“Whenever I met Count Axel, I was talking with imperial supremacists. That’s why he knew I cared about imperial supremacy.”
“Did anything dangerous happen?”
The question seemed slightly off in context, but I laughed and answered.
“The kingdom’s knights were always with me. I only intervened to talk with them.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Yes. So when Count Axel suggested visiting the foreigner district, it was because he knew I cared about the lives of foreigners.”
I took a sip of water.
Even someone like designer Mia, while claiming not all imperial citizens were supremacists, showed discomfort at the topic.
Yet Cedric, duke of the empire, seemed unfazed, even though I, a princess of another country, spoke on the topic of imperial supremacy.
His face was composed, neat, and orderly. For the first time in a while, I noticed an impassive quality in Cedric’s expression.
I added a little more thought.
“I only learned about imperial supremacy this year. I worry that Rundran citizens living in Owen might feel discomfort.”
“That’s a perfectly reasonable concern.”
I clasped my hands together on the table.
“I don’t think every thought is wrong. Not everyone can think alike. As foreigners increase, there may be inconveniences.”
“Is that so?”
“But I want to protect Rundran citizens living in Owen. Moreover, I hope everyone can get along well.”
Cedric, quietly listening while looking into my eyes, tilted his head slightly. Slowly, he closed his eyes.
He pressed the tips of his fingers through the strands of his hair on his forehead. Some of the carefully combed hair fell over his forehead. I realized even his neat hair could be disturbed by such a small movement.
I held my breath, watching his small gestures.
“Count Axel said the foreigner district has different building styles, new foods, and that one could glimpse the lives of foreigners living in Owen.”
“Yes, I understand that as well.”
Cedric lowered his gaze slightly and lightly tapped the desk with his fingers a few times. No sound came from the desk.
Then he raised one corner of his mouth. I had seen Cedric’s smile like this before, one side of his mouth lifting differently from the other.
“Did his way catch your attention, Princess?”
It was almost a question, almost not. Hmm… I wasn’t sure what Dandelion’s “way” meant.
As I pondered, Cedric spoke again.
“Could we go to the places Count Axel goes?”
I met his gaze. As he tapped the desk, his finger brushed mine.
Cedric’s arms were long, so reaching me across the desk wasn’t difficult. Even a single finger touching mine felt ticklish.
Though I was always in contact with Cedric when he escorted me, this touch still sent a small thrill.
