Chapter 56
A sneer curled deeper at the corner of Harnen’s mouth.
“Look at that. You must’ve felt so guilty you tried to shut me up, huh?”
“……”
“Ah, yes, Your Highness. A subordinate must obey when ordered by their superior.”
Harnen’s previously slumped upper body slowly straightened back to its original posture.
Blinking blankly, I suddenly felt my sleeve tugged lightly.
“…Don’t mind what Harnen said.”
As’s voice whispered softly, slowed even more than usual.
His small fingers clenched tightly, as if afraid someone might leave.
“At that time, I thought Einra hated me… so I needed something to focus on.”
“……”
“Something to keep me from thinking about Einra…”
So I wouldn’t force you.
His quiet afterthought was drowned out in the conversation, but I clearly understood he was rambling nervously.
I couldn’t stand to watch him fret any longer.
Reaching out, I gently clasped the small hand that was gripping my sleeve so tightly.
“You don’t have to explain.”
“……”
“I’m just glad you came back safe.”
Startled, As looked up and met my gaze.
Meeting his eyes, I interlaced my fingers with his tightly held hand.
‘…I am selfish too.’
Hearing Harnen say he swept across the battlefield, one thought came to mind first:
It’s a relief Akes didn’t have it as rough.
What exactly that meant didn’t really matter.
How much blood was on Akes’s hands?
Really, it didn’t matter.
The puppet show ended while maintaining a refreshing and overpowered charm.
After the show, I stared at the Akes puppet waving to the audience and fell into thought.
‘I wonder how much that puppet costs…’
Of course, the troupe wouldn’t sell the puppet they need for performances.
Still, how could I just ignore such a cute Akes puppet!
‘Maybe I should find out where they made it?’
Just then, my thoughts were interrupted.
“Einra, it’s about time we head out.”
Harnen, who had been chatting with the person sitting next to him, spoke to me.
Startled awake, I nodded.
“Yes, right. We should go.”
I began gathering my things, then heard Harnen’s voice again.
“The person sitting next to us just told me there’s a boat ride on the Anyb River today. How about it? Want to go?”
“I’m fine with it. But why would that stranger suddenly tell us?”
I tilted my head, curious.
Harnen chuckled lightly and spoke.
“They said it looked nice to see a family enjoying themselves and suggested we check it out.”
“……”
“Guess we looked like a family.”
“Ah, haha…”
A perfect stain on my beloved self… such an embarrassment I can’t stop feeling grateful.
I quickly turned my gaze toward As.
“Ah, As, what about you? Want to go on the boat ride?”
His gaze, which had been chillingly cold, softened the moment it landed on me.
“If Einra wants to.”
“Great! Then let’s go!”
I raised my hand sparklingly and shouted.
A starry night sky, shimmering lanterns filling the riverbank, boats floating gently on the rippling water!
This is totally a must-do date course!
…Or so I thought.
It might have been better not to go at all.
“Oh my, looks like a family outing?”
The staff handing out tickets at the dock smiled warmly as they saw us.
Feeling awkward, I opened my mouth to deny it.
“Ah, haha, no, that’s not…”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Harnen answered lazily, pulling me closer by the shoulder.
“We’re out having fun for the first time in a while — as a family.”
‘H-Harnen?!’
Startled, I opened my eyes wide and looked at him, and he blinked once as if to say “Please.”
You can’t make your favorite one a liar.
I mechanically smiled and nodded.
“Y-Yeah. Family. Ha. Ha. Ha…”
“Your son looks exactly like both of you. So cute.”
The staff’s pleased gaze shifted toward As.
As’s mouth twisted in displeasure.
Just as his lips moved, Harnen laughed first and spoke.
“Our son is really cute, isn’t he? Right, honey?”
His sky-blue eyes curved gently toward me.
I swallowed back tears and smiled while nodding.
“Yeah! So cute!”
“Haa…”
A cold breath came from beside me.
Though I was forcing a smile, my eyes looked ready to spill tears at any moment, but I held on with hope that once on the boat, we could finally escape this whole “family” frame.
And that was just wishful thinking.
“Oh my, the child looks just like his parents! So cute!”
“You’re out for a family outing?”
“We came as a family too, so if you don’t mind, maybe we could join…”
We definitely should have had one boat per group, but as people swarmed around, it was no use.
That was how the painfully awkward boat ride ended the date with As.
“……”
“……”
On the way home riding Hisha, I glanced sideways at As sitting in front.
Freed from Harnen’s spell, As had returned to his original self.
‘Is As really that angry…?’
Since he hadn’t said a word after parting with Harnen, it seemed so.
After arriving at the mansion in complete silence, he immediately had a bath served by the butler.
‘Well, he had every right to be upset — being treated like a commoner’s son despite being a duke…’
How could I possibly cheer As up?
While drying my hair, I mulled over the problem.
Stepping out of the bathroom, As was already sitting in the bedroom.
‘…Huh?’
No, it wasn’t As.
The person sitting on the bed reading a book was…
“Akes?”
Calling his name blankly, his red eyes turned from the book to me.
His eyes, which held me, curved without warmth.
“Einra.”
He closed the book and set it on the bedside table, calling me.
“Uh, yes?”
A strange pressure made my body shiver.
Unconsciously stepping backward, Akes’s mouth twisted slowly.
He slowly stood up.
Though he hadn’t taken more than a few steps, a tall man now stood before me, looking down.
“Where did you think you were going?”
His long fingers slipped through my damp hair.
The sensation of another person invading such an intimate place sent a strange chill down my spine.
“Uh, uh…?”
The scent of someone I liked filled my nose; the slow motion of him brushing my hair back was a peculiar feeling.
It had been difficult even before I realized it, and now, knowing my feelings, I couldn’t keep my sanity.
My chest tightened unnaturally. My heart pounded wildly, making it hard to breathe.
‘At this rate, I might unknowingly offend Akes.’
Stepping one more step backward, the distance closed just as much again.
“See? You just stepped back again.”
“……”
“Where did you think you were going while backing away? Hmm?”
His eyes curved coldly again.
He slowly stretched out his other hand.
Seeing that, an unknown anxiety rose in me.
I reflexively took another step back.
“Ah…?!”
I tripped on the leg of the sofa and fell backward, sinking into its soft cushions. Akes slowly climbed over me.
“Einra.”
His wavy black hair gently brushed my cheek, tickling it like a soft rain.
My heart felt like it might just stop right then and there.
“You introduced me as your son several times today.”
“……”
“I wondered if it was because I’d been looking too young, so I decided to return to my original form after a long time.”
His firm fingertips slid gently across my cheek.
“How is it?”
He lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Do I still look like your son?”
