Chapter 45
Out of the Blue?
I wanted to refuse politely, but seeing Elena’s frightened expression made the words die on my lips.
Flora pretended not to notice and said casually,
“Hmm? Didn’t we just say we’d take a break for now?”
Then Elena smiled brightly, as if she had never been scared at all.
“Well, I just felt like playing again after such a long time.”
‘How strange… why has she been trembling like that all this time? And what’s that glowing thing under her skirt?’
When Flora stayed silent, Elena reached out gently and stroked her head.
‘Is she trying to hurt me?’
Maybe she was waiting for the right moment while Athanas was away.
But the sorrow-filled expression on her face made it difficult to conclude that so easily.
“I’ll be the seeker, and you, Princess, will hide. If I can’t find you and I chirp the magic word, then you win.”
“Mm-hm.”
“If you win, I’ll secretly give you some ice cream.”
“Mm-hm, good.”
Even the desperate look that made her offer Flora’s favorite treat as bait was notable.
‘Something’s not right.’
Before Flora could ask anything more, Elena spoke one last time:
“Princess, no matter how much I call, don’t come out unless I chirp the magic word that means I can’t find you. Understood?”
“Mm-hm, alright.”
“It’s a promise.”
“Mm-hm, got it.”
Flora extended her pinky, and Elena hooked her own pinky with hers.
“Elena, do I have to be the one to find you? If not, I’ll skip dinner and eat only snacks.”
“…Yes, then I’ll promise to find you quickly. You mustn’t be seen by anyone, okay?”
“Mm-hm.”
The two linked fingers tightly and shook them up and down.
As Elena was about to leave, she crouched slightly, looked Flora in the eyes, and said with a sorrowful expression:
“Princess, may I kiss your forehead just once?”
“Mm-hm? Okay.”
Flora nodded at the pitiful request, and Elena lightly kissed her forehead.
As always, she smiled kindly, but she couldn’t fully hide the fear in her eyes.
“Now, I’ll count to a hundred seconds. Go hide quickly.”
She then turned her back without hesitation and left the spot where Flora was.
Elena only quickened her pace after confirming Flora had disappeared deep into the garden.
The paper in her pocket kept flashing as if trying to alert her, but she pretended not to notice until the end.
When she reached the garden entrance, a familiar face appeared.
“Vasilian!”
“Ma’am?”
It was Vasilian, who had just finished training and come to see Flora in the garden.
“Why are you alone? Where’s Flora?”
Vasilian’s voice carried caution, but Elena was too anxious to notice it.
She grabbed Vasilian’s shoulder like she had found a savior and said,
“Go to the Princess right now.”
“Huh?”
“She might be in danger. So take the Princess and escape to a place where others can help. The knights’ side would be best!”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Danger?”
“If I chirp the magic word that I can’t find her, she will come out. So run as far away as possible with her. Ah, go to the opposite side of the garden entrance!”
“Wait, Ma’am. You need to explain the situation properly…”
“There’s no time to explain. Please, protect the Princess. I’m so sorry to ask this. I really am.”
Elena said only what was necessary and quickly left.
Vasilian, seeing her in such a hurry, could only let her go without stopping her.
‘Flora is in danger?’
He didn’t know what Elena was thinking, but there was no time to ask.
Ensuring Flora’s safety came first.
Vasilian ran quickly toward the garden Elena had left.
From afar, Elena saw him enter the garden and exhaled deeply, clutching her pounding heart.
‘Get a grip.’
Once she confirmed no one was around, she took out the paper from her pocket—but suddenly, a low voice came from beside her.
“Where are you rushing to?”
Elena swallowed hard at the sight of a suspicious man in a hooded robe.
“How did you get in here?”
“It’s easy to breach the Lucipher Duke’s castle with enough time. So, what’s your answer?”
Elena turned her head sharply, clearly uncomfortable, and said,
“The paper suddenly started glowing, so I was going to check it. You came just as I was about to.”
“The Duke has left the castle, so now’s the chance, right? Strange though… he left some time ago, so why didn’t you contact me earlier?”
Elena’s pride flared at the suspicious tone.
“I was going to! The Princess just wouldn’t leave my side, so I didn’t have the time!”
“Hmm. Really?”
Seeing her frustrated expression, the man smirked.
“We thought maybe you had a change of heart after staying so long with the Princess. We wondered if your heart softened and you wanted to save her, but lucky for us.”
Clearly mocking, Elena shouted angrily,
“What do you take me for?”
“Enough arguing. So where is the Princess?”
“She’s hiding in a game of hide-and-seek. Give me a moment to find her.”
“Hide-and-seek?”
Elena moved toward the opposite side of the garden while explaining,
“I needed time to check the paper. She was so persistent she wouldn’t let go, so I suggested hide-and-seek. You could have contacted me beforehand!”
The man remained silent.
Elena hid her trembling heart and whispered softly, calling out for Flora:
“Princess, where are you?”
Her voice grew as she went deeper into the garden, but Flora did not appear.
‘She hasn’t forgotten the promise.’
She wouldn’t come out without the magic phrase.
And she would escape with Vasilian.
They needed to buy time.
“How strange… she always comes when I call like this.”
Elena muttered and continued searching.
Time passed, but Flora still did not appear. Finally, the man, losing patience, asked sharply:
“Are you hiding her on purpose?”
Elena narrowed her eyes and glared.
“You keep asking unpleasant questions. Why would I hide the Princess? Do you think I’m just waiting to kill the enemy’s child?!”
“Yet you seem so close.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Being next to that child was awful!”
Elena’s anger flared again at his mocking tone.
But when he drew his sword, she fell silent.
“Stop pretending.”
“Pretending? What are you talking about?”
“Where did you hide her?”
Under his sharp gaze, Elena swallowed hard.
She had already spent over an hour wandering the garden.
She understood his impatience perfectly.
She looked at the sun, which was already setting, and laughed quietly to herself.
‘By now, the Princess should have escaped safely.’
With Vasilian, she must have reached a safe place.
There was no need to continue the act any longer.
“I’ll ask one last time. Where is the Princess hiding?”
She could feel the cold steel at her throat. Just brushing it slightly made her feel the sharpness.
Fear began to rise as the pain threatened.
If she wanted to live, she only had to speak.
But Elena could not.
She remembered the day she had put down the quill to contact someone.
The small painting next to the frame Lisa had given her.
〈This is a gift for Elena.〉
The face, smeared with paint, given as her portrait; the pure, innocent smile; the kind heart that wanted her to be happy.
All of it shook her resolve.
Knowing the warmth in that little girl’s heart, Elena could not let her die.
Even if it meant dying herself.
With a smile that didn’t fit the situation, Elena said,
“Even if you threaten me, you won’t be able to touch a single hair on the Princess.”
After parting with Elena, Flora looked around, pretending to know nothing.
‘Is she really planning to hurt me?’
After confirming Elena had disappeared, she emerged from the bushes, but nothing happened.
“What on earth is going on?”
Flora grumbled, tapping the ground lightly.
She glanced around with her lazy steps, but Elena, who had said she’d only count to 100 seconds, was nowhere to be seen.
“This is boring.”
At that moment, a rustling sound came from behind.
