Chapter 48
Joshua’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits, his face unmistakably brimming with discontent.
“Why! What are you trying to talk about again, huh?!”
“There’s something for the adults to discuss.”
Joshua crossed his arms and let out a short, sarcastic laugh.
“Why is it that the important conversations are always for the adults? I want to hear it too. I’m not going upstairs.”
“Joshua.”
“I can just be an adult starting today, can’t I? It’s not like I’m a child because I want to be.”
Enrique twisted his lips into a frown.
“You’re being completely unreasonable.”
“It’s not unreasonable…!”
Their back-and-forth grew more drawn-out by the minute.
Albury wore a familiar expression, as though he’d grown used to watching Enrique and Joshua bicker, and Eugenia didn’t look much different.
‘I thought we’d grown a little closer while riding together… but I guess we’re right back where we started.’
With a troubled smile tugging at her brows, Eugenia turned to Joshua.
“Joshua, that’s enough. Take Selmia with you and go up to your room.”
“But…! Why is it always me, Eugenia…?!”
His voice rose in protest, cheeks puffed out, eyes beginning to glisten.
Realizing she may have gone too far, Eugenia’s gaze sharpened as she turned to Enrique.
“You too, Lord Enrique. Why do you always act so childish when it comes to Joshua?”
“I just…”
One of Enrique’s brows arched in surprise.
It wasn’t out of anger—Eugenia could tell. He was simply caught off guard.
Albury caught Eugenia’s eye and subtly raised his thumb with a quiet grin.
Enrique, uncharacteristically flustered, fumbled for words in protest, but Eugenia wasn’t listening.
She turned her gaze back to Joshua.
“I’ll explain everything to you later in our room. So please, just go for now.”
“Well, if that’s the case… fine.”
Joshua finally backed down under her firm tone and climbed down from his chair.
“Come on, Sherry.”
Selmia, who had been quietly munching on a grape, nodded and hopped down from her seat.
With her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel storing food for winter, she beamed sweetly.
“Sweet dreams, everyone! Dinner was delicious.”
“Sweet dreams to you too, Miss Selmia,” Albury replied warmly, waving a hand as he watched her bounce off.
With the two children disappearing up the stairs, Eugenia’s eyes returned to the adults seated before her.
Enrique, who had remained silently still the entire time, now leaned slightly forward.
Uncharacteristically hesitant, he finally spoke.
“Miss Eugenia.”
“Yes?”
Startled, she hurried to set down her spoon and straightened her posture.
Enrique’s piercing blue gaze fixed steadily on her.
“You’ve endured a great deal. Let’s… end things here.”
“…Ah.”
The words came out of nowhere.
Her lashes trembled before falling shut.
What color, she wondered, were her barley-green eyes now—hidden beneath her lids?
What was she thinking?
Enrique couldn’t take his eyes off her.
‘I can’t delay the report any longer. If only it hadn’t come to this…’
He stopped mid-thought.
If it hadn’t come to what? What difference would it have made?
His gloved hand clenched into a fist, so tightly that the bones showed through the leather.
Eugenia slowly lifted her gaze.
The moment their eyes met—her calm, spring-green ones without the slightest flicker of hesitation—Enrique gently tightened his fist once more.
Eugenia sighed inwardly.
‘I knew we’d have to part ways sooner or later, but… I didn’t think it would be this sudden. I never imagined it.’
But there was no stopping it.
So she nodded with a composed expression.
“Yes, let’s end it here. Our agreement was only meant to last this long anyway.”
Just as she had something precious to protect, they must have their own reasons.
Eugenia swallowed the unfamiliar bitterness that welled inside her, doing her best not to let any emotion show.
‘I should feel relieved, shouldn’t I? I won’t have to keep worrying about the children’s identities being exposed.’
‘So why does it feel so… sad?’
Hiding those feelings, she rose slowly to her feet.
Then, bowing her head toward Enrique and Albury, she spoke.
“Thank you both so much for everything. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, we made it here safely.”
Albury, flustered by her formal tone, scrambled to his feet, waving his hands.
“No need to say that. We were the ones who received help. Thanks to you, we managed to escape Hallant safely.”
“I’m glad I could be of some help, then.”
Enrique said nothing. It was Albury again who filled the silence.
He motioned toward the chair.
“Please, have a seat again.”
Eugenia returned to her seat, and Albury asked lightly,
“Once we leave this village, the road forks. We’ll be heading straight for the capital—where will you go, Miss Eugenia?”
But she didn’t answer.
Instead, she simply lifted the corners of her lips in a quiet smile.
It was clear she had no intention of revealing her destination, and Albury tactfully let the subject drop.
Instead, Eugenia steered the conversation in a different direction.
“There is something that’s been bothering me, though.”
“And what might that be?”
Enrique, who had been silent all this time, finally addressed her again.
“Well, it’s about my… wanted status. Do you think it might still be valid here?”
She fidgeted with her fingers, speaking barely above a whisper.
Even though it was for something she didn’t actually do, bringing it up always made her feel as though she couldn’t quite meet their eyes.
What do they really think of me? she wondered.
A soft sigh brushed her ear—Enrique’s.
He began tapping the table slowly with the tip of his fingernail.
The rhythm was so precise, she felt as though she were listening to a metronome.
Finally, he spoke.
“You don’t need to worry. There’s nothing to be concerned about.”
Eugenia, who had been staring at her hands, lifted her gaze.
Both Enrique and Albury were watching her with calm, gentle expressions.
Albury added, “Actually, I asked the guard captain earlier. It seems the Principality of Hallant’s wanted notices aren’t being accepted here anymore.”
Diplomatic ties between the two had apparently been severed.
“So I’ll have to ask you to return that identification tag—under the name Hari Tricen—that we prepared for you.”
Eugenia pulled the ID tag from the pocket she had never let out of reach.
Tilting her head slightly, she asked,
“Why? It’s not like you’ll be needing it anymore.”
She had wanted to keep it.
She had no intention of asking who Enrique and Albury really were or where they lived.
That meant they likely wouldn’t meet again.
So she’d hoped to keep it as a memento.
To remember that she had met a man named Enrique, been helped by him, comforted by him.
She wanted to hold onto those memories, so she could draw strength from them when life got hard again.
But Enrique, unaware of those thoughts, insisted on taking it back—firmly and unequivocally.
“It was forged. While you were with us, the risk of discovery was low. But not anymore. Just possessing it could get you in trouble.”
“…I see.”
Eugenia trailed off, nodding slowly with a heavy heart.
Then Enrique, realizing how it must’ve sounded, quickly added,
“No, I didn’t mean to imply that you’d use it carelessly. Please don’t misunderstand.”
He sounded oddly defensive.
Eugenia nodded again.
“It’s all right. I’m not misunderstanding anything. You’re right—it makes sense. I’ve heard the Empire is especially strict about forgery.”
She fully understood why he had to take it back.
Gently, she laid the forged ID on the table and slid it toward Albury.
“Thank you for letting me use it.”
“We’ll take care of it properly.”
“Yes.”
The end was smoother than the beginning had been.
Perhaps because both parties had achieved their goals cleanly.
Enrique pulled something out from his coat.
“Thank you for everything.”
Albury took the pouch from him and placed it in front of Eugenia.
Then, after glancing at both of them, he quietly excused himself.
“Well, I’ve got preparations to make. I’ll leave you to finish your conversation.”
Eugenia remained silent as she slowly loosened the drawstring.
…Oh my.
She took a shallow gasp as she peered inside the pouch.
