Chapter 35
“I–I’m sorry.”
Phil lowered his head slightly as he apologized. His clumsy words betrayed how flustered he was.
“But let’s at least take a look at the condition of the herbs. Where are they?”
As Rayra pushed her chair back and stood up, Phil immediately rose to his feet as well.
“This way!”
As he walked ahead, Phil subtly curled his lips upward.
Huh. This actually worked?
By beating around the bush for no reason, he had only ended up arousing suspicion. If he’d been honest from the start and asked for what he wanted, there was a better chance she would have agreed.
Reaching one side of the greenhouse, Phil pointed to a flowerbed that had been set apart.
“Here.”
At a glance, the herbs were clearly withered compared to the others. Rayra crouched down, checked the soil, and sniffed it.
“We take care of them the same way as the other herbs, but for some reason they keep wilting.”
“I see.”
After examining them closely, Rayra slowly reached out her hand toward the herb.
She had no intention of using her power. She simply wanted to know exactly what state it was in.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch the plant—
Tap.
Someone suddenly appeared and grabbed her hand.
“You promised that while you’re in Rihden, that power would be used only for me.”
Though he was breathing heavily, as if he’d rushed over, Arzeo spoke clearly.
“Jeo? How did you get here…?”
“Y-Yeah, how did you end up here?”
Pulling Rayra’s wrist and hiding her behind him, Arzeo glared at Phil as he caught his breath.
Damn it. No time to savor her calling me ‘Jeo.’
Clicking his tongue softly, he saw Phil flinch.
“T-This is, um….”
Staring down the wildly trembling Phil, Arzeo growled,
“I don’t recall giving permission for my guest to go out—especially to a greenhouse like this, where outsiders aren’t allowed.”
“More importantly, you came back early. That’s a shame. I was planning to leave before you returned.”
“Don’t casually reveal your true intentions.”
Arzeo shoved aside the smoothly smiling Phil, then glanced back at Rayra and muttered,
“I told you to come quickly.”
“Oh.”
For some reason, when their eyes met, Rayra couldn’t look away. She didn’t avert her gaze, yet her expression remained calm, without a hint of agitation.
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“You don’t need to know, Phil.”
As Phil thrust his face forward, Arzeo pushed him away again and turned his head from Rayra.
Once Arzeo’s gaze left her, Rayra felt heat rush to her face.
I told him to come quickly?
So that was why he’d hurried back. The thought made her feel strangely embarrassed—and oddly ticklish inside.
She pressed her free hand to her cheek, awkwardly trying to cool herself down.
Unaware—or uncaring—of her reaction, Arzeo led her away.
“Let’s go back.”
“Ah, but—”
Instead of following him right away, Rayra cast a lingering glance at the withered herbs.
Noticing her gaze, Arzeo stepped closer to her.
“No.”
“I wasn’t going to help. I just wanted to check their condition.”
“I already told you—while you’re in Rihden, that power is only for me.”
“Jeo, I told you before. That wasn’t what the promise was about. Please stop distorting it.”
Arzeo was about to retort that regardless, it was still not allowed, when he quickly covered his mouth.
She called me ‘Jeo.’
His lips twitched uncontrollably at the affectionate nickname, and he had to hide it.
“How heartless.”
In the end, he could only brush it off like a joke, his hand still covering his mouth.
“Anyway, you can’t let that guy see.”
“Your Highness, you’re the one being too heartless toward me.”
Pouting and grumbling, Phil glanced sideways at Rayra.
Then, toward Arzeo’s back as he tried to lead her away, he spoke.
“I found a merchant caravan to travel with.”
At those words, both of them stopped short. Turning around, their expressions were so alike that Phil smiled broadly.
“It’s a reasonably sized caravan, and the merchant leader is trustworthy. They’re also scheduled to depart for the Valois Empire soon.”
At Phil’s words, a brief silence lingered. As if he’d expected it, Phil simply kept smiling.
“…Ah, thank you.”
With a slightly delayed response, Rayra bowed her head a little.
“Thanks to you, I’ll be able to return safely.”
“Of course! You don’t need to worry about safety.”
The fleeting change in her expression vanished without a trace. She merely lowered her gaze calmly.
The emotion that surfaced on Arzeo’s face didn’t last long either. He soon pressed his lips together and silently stared at Phil. Somehow, that made it even more chilling.
“When do they depart?”
At Rayra’s question, Phil cautiously checked Arzeo’s expression.
One wrong step here, and his life might hang in the balance.
But he couldn’t concern himself only with Arzeo’s mood. Phil understood the situation clearly.
And if Arzeo was helping her, they couldn’t afford to drag things out too long.
“Before dawn tomorrow.”
“I see.”
“You can leave the preparations to us. Until then, please rest well.”
“Thank you.”
That seemed to be all there was to say. Phil stepped back and bowed politely.
Arzeo then resumed walking with Rayra.
Going straight outside would attract attention, so they entered the passage Phil had used.
Walking a little behind Arzeo, Rayra glanced back. But Phil, apparently occupied with other matters, didn’t follow them.
“…You weren’t really about to use your power, were you?”
Arzeo asked quietly as they walked through the passage.
Only then did Rayra recall the withered herbs in the isolated flowerbed.
She felt some regret, but if it posed a threat, she had no intention of acting.
“I was just checking their condition.”
“Why do you keep following anyone who asks you so easily?”
“He’s your man, Jeo. He knows who I am. And he’s helping me return safely, so I had no reason to refuse.”
Arzeo pressed his fingers to his forehead. She wasn’t wrong.
She’d gone because she trusted him. That was why she’d entrusted him with finding a caravan in the first place. And more than that…
Get a grip….
Even in a situation like this, he was bothered by the fact that she’d called him by his nickname.
The thought that his expression might soften at any moment felt absurd.
“Still, you can’t show your power.”
“I know.”
Even so, her heart felt uneasy.
As they walked, Rayra glanced at Arzeo and carefully spoke.
“Tomorrow morning… before we leave, would it still be impossible?”
“The herbs?”
“Yes. You helped me find a safe caravan, after all. I thought it might be okay to help just a little before I go. Once I leave, I won’t be coming back anyway.”
At that, Arzeo stopped and turned to her.
“No, no—if we’re being precise, this is help I’m giving you. Phil only moved because of my request. If you want to repay that favor, you should repay me.”
Seeing Arzeo speak so earnestly about receiving repayment, Rayra let out a small laugh.
“You said you’d put it on my tab. With interest.”
“I did. But there’s something you can do for me right now.”
“Right now? What is it?”
They emerged from the long passage and entered the lodging again, and the sudden brightness made her squint.
Arzeo went straight up to their rooms and stopped in front of her door. Then he lowered his head slightly, his gaze cast down.
Once today passed—before dawn tomorrow—Rayra would leave with the caravan.
“Spend tonight with me.”
Rayra looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Pack your things now. And until it’s time to depart, give me your time.”
“……”
When Rayra only stared at him without answering, Arzeo slowly reached out.
Gently stroking her long, flowing platinum-blond hair, he smiled with curved eyes.
“You don’t want to?”
“I don’t mind.”
At her immediate reply, his smile deepened.
“Then I’ll take that as a yes. See you later.”
Carefully releasing her hair, Arzeo turned away.
Rayra also turned and entered her room.
Thud. Leaning against the closed door behind her, Rayra let out a warm breath.
This futile emotion, just beginning to sprout, would meet its end before tomorrow even came—so just a little, just a little longer, she would let it be.
She’d been swept into this absurd situation by a storm. Once she returned, she could dismiss it all as a dream.
So just a little.
Let it grow just a little more.
That night, after midnight, Arzeo came to find Rayra.
Apologizing for taking her out of the lodging without permission during the day, Phil willingly opened the greenhouse for them.
A place no one visited, where they wouldn’t be seen. And a place she would like.
Holding a single lantern, Arzeo walked with Rayra once more through the low passage they’d used earlier.
“How do you feel? You’re going back soon.”
Breaking the silence lightly, Arzeo turned his head.
“To exile.”
He grinned mischievously.
Rayra stared blankly at his face as she walked—and then stumbled over a stone.
“Ah!”
“W-Wait… are you okay?”
Catching her quickly, Arzeo let out a shaky breath. He looked genuinely startled.
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he gently took Rayra’s hand.
“So you don’t fall.”
“Yes.”
At his excuse, Rayra smiled faintly and nodded. Then, as she walked, she answered the question he’d asked earlier.
“Now that I’m actually going back, I feel a little regret.”
“Huh?”
“You asked how I felt.”
“Oh. Right.”
Nodding, Arzeo walked on, then suddenly stopped.
“Regret?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
From the beginning, she’d said she had to go back. It was her will, and likely the situation as well.
But she’d never once said she regretted it.
At Arzeo’s confused expression, Rayra tilted her head slightly.
“Is that strange?”
“Not really. I just didn’t think you’d regret it.”
“Is that so?”
At her surprised question, he nodded.
Still dazed, Arzeo opened the door leading from the passage into the greenhouse.
Bathed in faint moonlight, the greenhouse felt completely different from how it had during the day.
With a gentle smile, Rayra stepped inside and looked at Arzeo.
“I was happy, Jeo—being with you.”
