Chapter 30
. Journey
If Irina’s memory was correct, Howard had always done strange things now and then—oddly whimsical acts that didn’t match his calm and detached face.
This moment was exactly one of those times.
“You want to go on a trip?”
“Yes.”
“Right now?”
As Irina’s eyes turned toward the clock, Howard followed her gaze.
“Hmm, if we leave around noon, that should be fine.”
Howard said he wanted to travel to Riston, the only harbor city in the Grand Duchy with access to the sea.
Irina was startled that he wanted to leave today, right away.
He spoke as casually as if he were suggesting they visit a neighbor’s house.
Irina blinked in confusion.
“To the sea? Ris… what?”
“Riston Harbor City.”
“Mm-hmm. That one. But you didn’t say anything last night. Why suddenly now? Are you sure it’s all right?”
He said it wasn’t far—just a single teleportation gate away.
Listening to him, Irina had a faint idea why he wanted to go on a trip.
She had murmured the night before, while spending time with him, that the weather looked perfect for an outing.
Howard hadn’t really replied—just let her words drift away in the evening air.
“You really mean it?”
“If you don’t wish to go, we won’t.”
“Ah… no, it’s not that I don’t want to, but can we really go just like this?”
A trip was, after all, the best way to clear one’s mind.
Irina tried to sound indifferent, but her voice was already trembling with growing excitement.
And of course, Howard noticed it before she did herself.
“There’s a villa there, so we won’t need to pack much.”
“R-right? Good. Casey!”
Irina called out for Casey, tugging on the bell cord as she answered.
Perfect timing—she’d been bored anyway.
Even in Arendor, seeing the sea wasn’t easy.
“Then I’ll see you shortly.”
“Okay. I’ll get ready! Oh—wait!”
Irina nodded enthusiastically, then suddenly stopped Howard just as he was about to leave.
“Yes, my lady?”
“Um, I just mean… I’m not the one who wanted to go, you’re the one suggesting it, right? You know that?”
“…I know.”
Howard answered with a knowing look.
After saying he’d depart once preparations were done, Howard left, and soon Casey came rushing in with two maids.
Having heard about the trip since morning, they’d been waiting for Irina’s permission to start preparations.
“The sunlight near the shore can be harsh, so I’ll pack a hat with a wide brim.”
“Mm-hmm. Make it light!”
The dress shouldn’t be too puffy—something light. Accessories, minimal.
By the time Casey and the maids were done, they were wiping the faint sheen of sweat from their foreheads.
“Hmm, what should I wear?”
Casey had been so busy bringing her snacks and tea that Irina hadn’t lifted a finger during the whole preparation process.
Only after everything was ready did she start seriously considering what to wear.
She wanted to wear white, but she also wanted to dip her feet in the sea.
Dark colors didn’t feel right.
Unable to decide, she looked to Casey.
“The sea is white, my lady.”
“I knew it, right?”
Perfectly in sync, they smiled at each other.
Following Casey’s advice, Irina chose a light white dress trimmed with lace.
It wasn’t one of the voluminous ballroom gowns she usually wore—this one draped gently down her legs in a calm, elegant line.
Casey, thinking it might look too plain, added a slightly ornate belt around Irina’s waist.
“Well, at least white matches everything today.”
Irina murmured as she looked in the mirror, her usual pendulum necklace resting neatly on her neck.
* * *
They left soon after a light snack to prepare for the carriage ride.
Casey and the guards, seated in the front and rear carriages, carried cookies and jars of candied fruit that the chef had prepared—since Irina had been too excited to eat breakfast properly.
Irina leaned out the open window, watching the scenery, before glancing at Howard.
In the distance, the teleportation gate came into view.
The horses ran fast, and despite holding her wide-brimmed hat firmly, its rim flapped wildly in the wind.
“It’s dangerous—please sit properly.”
Howard had been scolding her the whole time, worried she might fall out.
‘It’s not dangerous at all.’
The morning had been foggy, but by noon the weather turned out even better than yesterday—making Irina twice as cheerful.
The clear blue sky and the lush trees were beautiful; she was just enjoying the view.
Irina pouted.
“It’s not dangerous at all.”
“The carriage isn’t dangerous. You are, my lady.”
Howard had even chosen a carriage with large windows so she could enjoy the scenery—only to regret it.
To him, she looked like she could fall out any moment, one hand on her hat and the other gripping the window frame.
At least, that’s how it looked to Howard.
Irina was wild like an untamed buffalo, and he, the anxious watcher.
Each time she leaned out farther, he pulled her dress back in with a firm tug.
Again and again, she’d be yanked back, then lean out again.
The more she leaned, the harder he pulled.
Pulled like a toy, Irina glared at him like a flounder.
“It’s not dangerous!”
“I know.”
Even so, he didn’t let go of her.
When they reached the teleportation gate, she finally had to sit still, since the windows had to be closed.
“The gate is fine and all, but I hate that dizzy feeling.”
Wouldn’t it be nice to travel without that awful lurching?
The momentary darkness, the floating, the jolt on landing—it was all so unpleasant.
When light returned and the horses started moving again, Irina immediately threw the window open.
Howard, exasperated, rubbed his forehead, then finally gave up and sat close beside her to keep her safe.
“I’m not going to fly out. It’s not dangerous.”
“I know.”
“Then could you move away a little?”
Too close—way too close.
If the carriage bumped again, she might end up sitting right on him.
But Howard stayed close enough to grab her waist in an instant if needed.
“You have… a record, my lady.”
“That was when I was little!”
How could he remember things only when it embarrassed her?
BUMP!
“Ahhh!”
Just as their conversation ended, the carriage wheel hit a small rock and jolted.
Irina tipped to the side, and Howard instantly caught her by the waist.
Startled, she turned to see Howard’s narrowed eyes—half annoyed, half resigned.
He sighed quietly.
He’d known this would happen.
Irina, embarrassed, gave a sheepish laugh.
“Hehe… see? You jinxed it by saying it was dangerous.”
If you hadn’t said that, it wouldn’t have been dangerous.
Don’t you know how that works?
Her flimsy excuse made Howard chuckle despite himself.
“Yes. My terrible mistake, clearly. I should’ve checked the road for rocks.”
“Mm-hmm, that’s right! Obviously!”
She said it smugly—but was noticeably calmer afterward.
Before the gate, the woods had been dense and dark, but in Riston Harbor City, broadleaf trees lined the road in wide open spaces.
The sea wasn’t visible yet, but the faint salty breeze hinted it was close.
“Oh! The sea!”
Irina shouted.
“Howard, look! Hurry, look!”
The scolding from earlier was already forgotten as she tugged at his sleeve, pointing excitedly out the window.
But for Howard, the scenery wasn’t the important part—she was.
Seeing her so excited always made him want to tease her.
Well, that, and the fact that he should probably correct her misunderstanding.
Finally, he said:
“My lady.”
“Hmm? Isn’t it beautiful?”
“That’s… a river.”
“…What?”
What Irina had called “the sea” was actually the Riston River at the city’s entrance.
It wasn’t until ten minutes later—after she’d sulked in silence—that the real sea came into view.
“You’re the worst person in the world.”
Even so, her face, as Howard helped her down from the carriage, was radiant. She couldn’t hide her delight.
“Shall we continue to the villa?”
“No!”
Her quick refusal made him chuckle.
He’d stopped the carriage early, before reaching the villa, so she could enjoy the beach first.
The place was remote—no one else in sight.
“Ah… it’s lovely.”
The wind carried the scent of the sea.
It blew just enough to make her dress flutter lightly as she closed her eyes and let the breeze wash over her.
A hint of salt, a touch of seaweed—it all filled her senses.
Then, a memory flickered through her mind.
‘Let’s live by the sea someday.’
‘Mm, anything’s fine.’
‘We’ll wake up with the sunrise, go to the market, and I’ll cook dinner for you every night.’
‘That would be wonderful.’
‘We could stay together forever.’
‘…If only we could.’
A man’s and a woman’s voices—so familiar.
“…Huh?”
Was it a memory or just a hallucination?
Irina opened her eyes.
For a moment, the sunlight was so bright that her vision went dark, then slowly returned.
The voices had vanished.
She turned to see Howard walking toward her.
“Are you hurt?”
Seeing her momentarily dazed, he approached quickly—wondering if she’d hurt herself after taking off her shoes to walk barefoot.
“Huh? No, no, I’m fine.”
Shaking off the strange feeling, Irina walked closer to the waves.
Whooosh—
The surf rolled in and out, in and out.
Something about the vast, open sea made her chest feel light and free.
Howard followed slowly behind her.
Noticing him, Irina tilted her head and then, with a bright innocent smile, motioned for him to come closer.
“Howard. Come here for a second.”
