Chapter 37
It was a sorrow so full that it seemed as though a single touch would cause it to burst. Yet that little child was bearing it all alone and forcing herself to smile.
‘Isn’t there some good way to cheer up Rorre…?’
Rustle.
Sensing movement, the book spun around as if turning its head.
[Oh ho, you’ve appeared at just the right time.]
Whirr—. Golden powder sprinkled down over Rorre’s head, who was rubbing her flushed cheeks.
“Rorre?”
At that moment, the bushes rustled and a familiar voice rang out.
‘It’s Kainel!’
Rorre tried to rise happily but froze in place.
“What’s this?”
When Rorre just sat there blankly even after seeing him, Kainel’s voice turned a little sulky.
‘She didn’t come out last night either. Now she’s ignoring me?’
Kainel’s lips stuck out.
He had waited for her like always. Even until the break of dawn.
Having stayed up all night, Kainel was very tired right now, and that made him even more sensitive.
Determined to say something, Kainel ran to stand in front of Rorre.
“Huh?”
Just as he was about to speak, Kainel widened his eyes at the sight of her face.
Her eyes were red, and now that he looked closely, so was the tip of her nose.
Her eyes glistened more than usual!
Kainel’s face twisted harshly.
“Uh, uh… Kainel…”
T-to think I’d run into him here…
Rorre gave a stiff smile.
She had been planning to apologize for breaking their promise yesterday, but his frightening stare made it impossible to get the words out.
‘Wh-what do I do…? Kainel must be really mad.’
Flustered, Rorre simply looked up at him, at a loss.
“Who was it?”
Kainel growled as he stepped closer to her.
“Mm?”
Rorre just blinked up at him, confused, which only made Kainel’s temper flare hotter.
‘I can’t take my eyes off her!’
He had only meant to sulk a little and then scold her for not coming out yesterday.
But those swollen eyes! Anyone could tell she had been sobbing alone, and it turned his heart upside down.
“Who made you cry?”
“Wh-what?”
At the unexpected question, Rorre’s eyes widened before she quickly started blinking.
She couldn’t say anything, just hesitated. Kainel caught on immediately.
“Aha—.”
Narrowing his eyes, nodding knowingly, he suddenly raised his voice.
“It was him, wasn’t it? That Raykal, the Crown Prince bastard!”
“Ahh!”
Rorre jumped up in shock. She quickly covered Kainel’s mouth with both hands and looked nervously around.
“Whew…”
Luckily, no one was nearby.
With a sigh of relief, Rorre let go of his mouth.
Kainel froze stiff, eyes round in surprise.
“That’s not allowed!”
Rorre shouted at him with a stern voice and face.
She clearly remembered what her father had told her.
Raykal might be her cousin, but he was still the Crown Prince. One must never be rude to him.
And it was true, just as her father said. The maids, the knights—everyone tensed up stiffly whenever they were in Raykal’s presence.
If even adults were that careful, then surely being disrespectful to the Crown Prince would be a very, very big problem.
‘If the adults found out Kainel said bad things about Raykal, he might get scolded!’
And Rorre really, really didn’t want Kainel to get scolded.
Her determined green eyes shone straight into his.
Kainel blinked, stunned, hand rising unconsciously to his lips.
He hadn’t dodged her small palm that had covered his mouth. Or perhaps, it was more accurate to say he chose not to.
The spot her tiny, warm palm had pressed felt soft and lingering, and ripples spread strangely through his chest.
“You mustn’t say things like that!”
“Uh…? O-okay…”
Still looking dazed, Kainel nodded obediently. Rorre looked at him with satisfaction.
Her furrowed brows, once tight with firmness, finally relaxed a little.
‘Phew, that was close…’
As though the lingering sadness in her heart had been blown away, Rorre now stood tall, hands on her hips and chin raised proudly. Her round face glowed with pride.
“If you say bad things about Raykal, the adults will scold you. So you can’t do it, okay?”
“Uh, yeah…”
In truth, she hadn’t exactly been told they’d say “bad child” to him, but still—she had to stop Kainel from speaking badly.
Since Kainel stayed quiet, it seemed he understood.
I did it!
The book fluttered in circles around her as if congratulating her.
“Kainel is good! Yes, good boy!”
Rorre stood on tiptoe and reached up to pat his head.
“…Yeah.”
Kainel received her touch silently, then nodded.
Her soft, fluffy hand on his head felt nice.
So he bent his knees slightly, lowering his head so her palm could rest comfortably on the crown of his hair.
When their height difference lessened, Rorre happily put down her heels, grinning.
Now she could scratch his fluffy head properly!
Kainel even closed his eyes, letting himself lean into her touch.
The waves stirring in his heart only grew larger.
What is this feeling?
It was a strange emotion, one he had never felt before. Or… was it really the first time?
Perhaps he had felt this before, now and then, whenever he was with Rorre….
Why did he always feel this way when standing before her?
Was it because her hair shone bright like sunlight? Or because the way she looked at him was so warm and gentle?
He thought maybe he’d know the reason if he just looked at her face.
So Kainel slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head.
Naturally, Rorre’s hand slipped away.
Feeling oddly disappointed, Kainel smacked his lips, studying her face.
Her eyes still curved with a soft smile… but were those tear stains at the corners?
Ah! This wasn’t the time to be thinking about that!
His eyes sharpened again.
“…So, whose fault was it? Why were you crying?”
“Mmm? N-no!”
This time Rorre shook her head desperately, flustered.
Crying? What nonsense.
Sure, a little bit of tears had come out, but she wiped them away before they rolled down!
Rorre was a good child who doesn’t cry. Princess Helen liked her because she was such a good child!
But Kainel didn’t let it go.
“…I saw it all. Lying is bad too. Bad children lie.”
“…Eh?”
Rorre’s mouth dropped open in shock.
Now Kainel wore the stern expression. He knew exactly what her weakness was.
Not being a good child.
Being called a bad child.
That was the thing Rorre hated most. Why it mattered so much, he didn’t know, but sometimes it came in handy.
He tilted his head, wearing the smug look of a fairy-tale delinquent, fingers laced behind his head.
“First you didn’t show up yesterday without a word. Then today you cried, but you’re lying saying you didn’t. Wh-o-o-seh, you’re turning into a real bad child, aren’t you?”
Oh… oh no.
With every word Kainel said, Rorre’s face grew paler.
‘Me… a bad child?!’
She shut her mouth tight in shock.
‘W-what do I do…?’
Inside her little head, countless tiny Rorres ran around panicking.
Sure, some tears had come out, but they hadn’t even fallen.
But since tears had come out… did that mean she had cried?
A short silence stretched long for her.
Finally, her eyes rolled around nervously before she admitted,
“…Just a little… a tiny bit of tears came out.”
“And also…”
Rorre dropped her head low, sneaking glances at him before mumbling.
“Yesterday… I’m sorry. So…”
She fidgeted with her skirt, clutching and releasing it over and over, as she explained why she couldn’t come out the night before.
Kainel, who had been pouting on purpose, now straightened his face and listened.
“…So the Grand Duke—no, His Grace—already knew everything?”
As he thought.
Kainel was surprised, but it also made sense.
After all, for Rorre, the Grand Duke was everything.
Hmm.
Kainel’s brows furrowed faintly. Their nightly garden play had been their secret.
The nighttime garden was magical. The pale moonlight replaced the lamps, the black sky glittered with stars like silver threads, and apart from the sound of insects, the world seemed to sleep.
The secluded back garden was dark and chilly since few people went there, yet whenever he was with Rorre, it always felt warm and safe.
