HTNSA 120

Chapter 120

Tousled pink hair, a shirt carelessly unbuttoned.

It was Cedric Blanche.

“Ah…”

Eila, standing there with her mouth slightly open, quickly grasped the situation.

‘Now that I think about it, he did ask to meet after the Subjugation Festival.’

But something about his expression felt off.

Had something happened to him while she wasn’t looking? Dark circles sank under his eyes, and his lips were painfully chapped.

‘Did he go through a rough time after the festival?’

When Eila didn’t respond, Cedric spoke again.

“If you’re not busy, I’d like to talk for a moment.”

At his words, Pioni, standing beside her, lightly tugged at the end of Eila’s sleeve.

She, too, knew how uncomfortable Eila was around the Blanche family.

Eila glanced at Pioni and smiled reassuringly.

“It’s fine, Pioni. I’ll be back.”

“But…”

“It’s about something I promised him earlier. Let’s continue our talk later.”

At Eila’s quiet words, Pioni hesitated but stepped back without further protest.

Cedric gave the princess a small nod before turning back to Eila.

Eila, reading the mood, stepped closer and whispered softly,

“If it’s something important, I’d prefer to talk somewhere quiet.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take you somewhere appropriate.”

It seemed Cedric understood the need for secrecy, as he led her down a secluded path.

Walking in silence behind him, Eila tilted her head slightly.

‘If we keep going this way… it’s the academy’s back gate.’

As expected, they soon arrived near the back entrance.

There, in the overgrown grass where few people passed, stood an old, shabby wagon, oddly eye-catching in the quiet.

“We’re here.”

Cedric stopped and gestured toward the wagon, signaling for her to get inside.

“Did you bring this here on purpose?”

At her question, Cedric only nodded silently.

Various thoughts crossed her mind, but she soon steadied herself and approached the wagon.

Cedric quietly opened the wagon door for her as she stepped closer.

Eila glanced at Cedric briefly before moving to climb aboard—

“…!”

As she placed her foot on the step and lifted her head, Eila froze.

Inside, where she had assumed no one would be, sat someone—someone so familiar it felt unreal.

The same eyes as hers, hair neatly pinned up as always, shoulders thinner and frailer than she remembered…

It was as if a scene she had drawn countless times in her dreams had appeared in reality.

Eila’s eyes trembled violently.

“Mother…”

The words slipped out in a trembling whisper.

At that single word, Irenne’s eyes welled with tears in an instant.

“Eila… my daughter…”

Hearing her mother’s voice, Eila felt her mind go blank.

Slowly, she turned to look at Cedric, needing him to explain what was happening.

But when she saw the sorrowful smile on his lips, she understood.

They had learned the truth—all of it—without her knowing.

As she stood there in shock, Irenne reached out to her.

“How much… how much have you suffered alone, my poor daughter…”

Eila didn’t resist as she fell into her mother’s embrace.

Her body reacted first to the familiar warmth and scent.

A surge of emotion so overwhelming it made her heart ache flooded her, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

‘I should push her away…’

That’s what her mind was telling her, but her body refused to listen.

She realized just how lonely she had been all this time, and how desperately she had missed this embrace.

In the end, Eila closed her eyes quietly, burying her face into her mother’s shoulder.

* * *

That day, Felix, as usual, went straight to the library after training, freshly washed and changed.

He knew that around this time, Eila would be there, diligently studying.

However, when Felix arrived at the library, he was met with a puzzled sight.

Eila was nowhere to be found. Instead, Pioni was sitting there alone.

“Why are you here alone? Where’s Eila?”

At Felix’s question, Pioni glanced up at him, answering with clear displeasure.

“Cedric Blanche took her. They’re probably in the middle of a long conversation right now.”

“Cedric… ah.”

Felix’s brow furrowed as the memory came back to him.

‘Now that I think about it, they did agree to meet after the Subjugation Festival.’

Cedric had asked for Eila’s time, and although she had hesitated for a long while, she had eventually agreed.

Felix had stayed out of it since it wasn’t a situation he could interfere in—but honestly, it worried him.

Cedric Blanche had once been Eila’s long-time family, yet he was also part of the family that had cast her out.

During the Subjugation Festival, Felix had felt just how complicated their relationship was.

‘Cedric Blanche, and Eila too… they both pretend not to care, but they’re clearly conscious of each other.’

That was why Felix hadn’t responded to Cedric’s provocations, even though the latter often picked fights with him.

He didn’t want to make a scene and end up on Eila’s bad side.

‘Since she hasn’t come back yet, it must be a long conversation.’

With only an hour left before the library closed, Felix decided to leave and head toward the dorms.

He thought he might run into Eila as she returned.

‘I just hope Eila is okay.’

Every time she got involved with the Blanche family, Eila always ended up hurt.

She would pretend to be fine on the outside, but Felix knew she was hurting inside.

That was why, today, he decided to at least check on her and make sure she was okay before leaving.

As the sun set and time passed, he finally saw her.

In the distance, Eila was walking unsteadily among the students.

A sense of unease washed over him.

“Eila!”

Striding quickly, Felix reached her side.

At the familiar voice, Eila lifted her head.

The moment Felix saw her face up close, he felt a jolt like his heart had dropped.

Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying for a long time.

‘Just what did they talk about…’

The thought that Cedric had made Eila cry made anger rush through him.

“Who made you cry? Why are your eyes like this…?”

Seeing Felix’s worried expression, Eila let out a small laugh.

“Don’t misunderstand. Nothing bad happened.”

She said it with a bittersweet yet relieved expression.

It wasn’t the face of someone hurt, contrary to what he feared.

Realizing this, Felix’s anger melted away like snow.

“Then what happened?”

“Um, well…”

Eila hesitated, unsure of how to begin.

Felix’s eyes widened again as he saw tears welling up in her eyes once more, and he glanced around in panic.

Spotting a bench in the distance, he quietly led Eila there.

He judged that this wasn’t a conversation they could have while standing.

Once they sat down, Felix took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, waiting silently beside her for her tears to stop.

After a long moment, Eila finally opened her mouth.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to cry and worry you…”

“I’m fine.”

Felix shook his head.

“So, you talked with Cedric Blanche, right?”

“How did you know?”

“Pioni told me.”

“Ah, so you two met earlier.”

“So… it really was okay?”

Seeing him glancing nervously at her, Eila smiled to reassure him.

“Yeah, actually, you could say it was something good for me.”

“Something good?”

Felix tilted his head, clearly curious about what had happened.

Eila fell silent for a moment, wondering how much of her situation she should reveal to him.

‘Hmm… but maybe, it’s okay now.’

After all, Felix believed her when she told him she came from the future.

If she summarized things carefully, he might understand.