Chapter 15. The First Feeling of Déjà Vu
Terban muttered to himself, voicing a thought he had only kept in his heart.
“Truly, everything is unexpected.”
“Is it really that unexpected? That I spared them?”
Ellea assumed it was a continuation of their earlier conversation and spoke casually, and Terban did not refute it.
“Most nobles would’ve killed them on the spot. Especially a princess.”
“This meeting might not have been mere coincidence. I just thought of it that way.”
At times like this, when she looked like an innocent young lady who knew nothing, Terban felt a little thrown off. Just who was this woman before him?
As his gaze lingered on Ellea, something suddenly leapt out from the bushes.
‘What is that?’
Ellea, who noticed it first, saw that Terban wasn’t reacting despite the need to slow down. Without thinking, she placed her hand over his, which was holding the reins.
All she could think in that moment was that they had to stop, so she didn’t even realize she had touched his hand. She pulled the reins hard, and the horse skidded to a stop.
Terban was momentarily startled when she suddenly reached out, but the real surprise came when Ellea’s body lurched forward due to the abrupt stop.
Without hesitation, Terban wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her toward him. It was a reflexive move to protect her.
Once the horse had fully stopped, Ellea quickly raised her head to check the front. Fortunately, what had blocked their path was just a small deer.
The deer, seemingly startled as well, quickly darted into the bushes on the opposite side and disappeared.
“That scared me.”
Ellea let out a deep sigh of relief. But then she suddenly noticed the strong arm around her waist and the solid chest behind her. Startled, she looked back.
Seeing Terban’s face now so close—closer than before—startled her even more.
They were at a distance where, if they moved even a little, their lips might touch. Their eyes locked, neither one looking away.
‘Too close…’
The same eyes that had earlier looked at her with harsh intensity were now filled with something else, and Terban couldn’t look away from her for some reason.
In the silence, Ellea was the first to come to her senses.
“I’m… I’m fine now.”
As she moved to free herself from his embrace, Terban finally and awkwardly pulled his arm away. Ellea fully turned her body forward and spoke.
“Let’s get going again.”
Terban had intended to do just that—but once again, something held him back. Ellea, once again.
“Before that… your hand.”
Following his gaze, Ellea looked down and noticed her hand was still resting on top of his, which was holding the reins. Shocked, she quickly withdrew it.
“I was just in a rush earlier, and…”
“Let’s head out.”
Seeing Ellea nod slightly at his words, Terban gently urged the horse forward.
‘Nothing ever goes as I plan.’
Ellea looked down at her hand for a moment, then turned her gaze straight ahead.
Soon, their horse arrived before the lined-up knights, and as Terban dismounted, Vandel—who had been waiting—rushed over.
Then, spotting the woman still on the horse, he gave Terban a questioning look, but before he could ask, Ellea had already dismounted.
Now, once again, Ellea found herself face-to-face with someone from her past—her old comrade, Vandel.
‘So you came with His Majesty too.’
Vandel hadn’t changed much, though he looked thinner than before, as if he had endured some hardships.
Ellea wanted to rush up and ask if he was okay, if he was hurt anywhere—but she desperately held herself back. She was Ellea now, not El.
So she had to greet him like a stranger.
“I’m Ellea Jebenica. Something happened on my way here, but I happened to meet His Majesty and joined him.”
Vandel was surprised to learn she was a princess, but quickly composed himself and gave a proper bow.
“I’m Vandel Dave, a knight of His Majesty the Emperor’s personal order. I will escort Your Highness to the Imperial Palace with utmost care.”
Though she wasn’t as nervous as when she met Terban, Ellea still couldn’t take her eyes off Vandel, worried about him.
Terban noticed this and asked curiously,
“You seem to recognize Vandel.”
“What? Oh, no, not at all. He just reminded me of someone I used to know.”
She brushed it off quickly and changed the subject before suspicion could deepen.
“Will we be departing immediately?”
“Yes. Please board the carriage. Welcome to Lubein.”
“Thank you. I look forward to the journey.”
Ellea smiled at Vandel and accepted his hand as she boarded the carriage with Terban.
The knights, having completed their preparations, assumed their positions and began to escort the carriage.
Inside the quiet carriage, Ellea couldn’t bring herself to look at Terban sitting across from her, instead keeping her gaze fixed out the window.
She looked calm on the outside, but deep down, she still couldn’t believe she had met him again.
The more she thought about it, the more questions arose. Why had the Emperor himself come all the way here? It was unlike Terban, who would never leave the palace unless it was absolutely necessary.
“Can I ask you something?”
When he nodded slightly, Ellea couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.
“Why did Your Majesty come all the way out here? I thought it was something the knights alone could handle.”
Their eyes met for a moment, and Ellea quickly turned her gaze away to avoid awkwardness.
Terban noticed her discomfort but didn’t do anything to ease the mood.
Instead, he gave her an answer to her question.
“There’s no special reason. I just needed to get out for a bit.”
He spoke calmly, but Ellea, who had watched his every move for a long time, knew the truth—he was struggling.
“I see.”
That was all she could say in response.
No further conversation followed between them.
As the carriage sped away from the border, it eventually stopped in a forest for a short rest.
Ellea, having belatedly noticed dried blood on her hands, got out of the carriage to clean up.
“Is there a river or lake nearby?”
“If you go deeper into the forest, you’ll find one. I can guide you.”
When Vandel offered to accompany her, Ellea quickly shook her head.
She wanted to be alone to clear her thoughts, and more importantly, she instinctively felt that Terban shouldn’t be left unattended.
This was such a natural reaction for Ellea that she didn’t even realize she was prioritizing him.
Seeing her firm refusal, Vandel assumed she was still feeling uncomfortable.
“Understood. Don’t worry, the knights are guarding the area.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Ellea walked in the direction Vandel had pointed, and before long, a lake came into view.
Perhaps because it was untouched by people, the water was clear, and the surface shimmered under the sunlight.
Wanting to clear her mind, she splashed cold water on her face and wiped off the blood on her hands and arms.
“Ah, that’s refreshing. I feel more awake now.”
Sitting on a rock, Ellea decided to rest there until her face dried. As she stared at the lake—so vast and freeing—she fell into thought.
‘I thought everything would end once I died.’
“But instead, it was a new beginning.”
Just then, a voice she hadn’t expected broke into her quiet reflection.
“What do you mean by that?”
Startled, Ellea turned around to find Terban emerging from the woods.
He ignored her reaction and stood a bit away, gazing at the lake.
Trying to calm herself, Ellea responded as if it were nothing.
“It wasn’t anything deep. Just that this is the start of my life in Lubein.”
“People are the same everywhere, anyway.”
“I think so too. And I’ll return soon. To the place I belong.”
Terban sensed a strong resolve in her words—like a knight praying to return alive from the battlefield.
Instead of continuing the conversation, he brought up the earlier situation and posed a question.
“If those people betray the opportunity the princess gave them—if it causes more victims—what would you do?”
Contrary to his concerns, Ellea found the question surprisingly easy to answer.
“Has Your Majesty never had such an experience? Where someone’s life or fate changed because of a chance you gave them?”
At her question, Terban immediately thought of a certain face. Someone who had smiled and held his hand—only to disappear in the end.
Clenching his fist, he replied in a low voice.
“No. Never.”
“Is that so? Then Your Majesty wouldn’t understand. Just how desperate and precious that opportunity is for them. I’m just choosing to believe in that desperation.”
“You speak as if you know it well, Princess.”
Startled, Ellea caught herself recalling the past and hurriedly erased those thoughts. How could she think of such things in front of Terban?
Realizing she was getting too relaxed, she took a deep breath to refocus herself and decided to return. The water had dried anyway.
“Everything about you is a mystery. You’re nothing like the person I thought you were. It’s honestly disorienting.”
Understanding his reaction, Ellea stood and casually replied while fixing her clothes.
“Sometimes what you see on the surface isn’t the whole truth. I suppose all Your Majesty knows of me comes from paperwork.”
‘Your Majesty… sometimes, what you see isn’t the whole truth.’
Terban was suddenly struck by her words—hearing them overlap with someone else’s voice from the past. Without thinking, he grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave.
With a strong pull, their distance closed in an instant.
