Chapter 54
Moonlight Trading Post.
It was late at night.
Outside the window was dark, and only the magic lamp on the desk gave off a faint glow.
Hella sat at the desk, organizing documents.
Suddenly, the door behind her opened without a sound.
“I’m back.”
At the young voice, Hella turned her head by reflex.
Her expression became subtle.
A small boy was walking in, hugging a small box.
“…What is with that appearance?”
“Isn’t it cute?”
Sion spread the arm that was not holding the box and smiled brightly.
“Won’t you say it’s cute?”
“Oh my, how unfortunate.
An old man over 800 years old is not my type.”
“That’s too harsh….”
Muttering gloomily, Sion walked over and placed the box on Hella’s desk.
“What is this?”
“You’ll know if you open it.”
Inside were rare herbs—ones that only grew in the East.
They were rare ingredients used to detoxify demonic energy.
Hella’s expression turned strange.
“Hm, what’s the occasion?”
“What do you mean?”
“You brought something I didn’t even ask for.
And from the East, no less.”
Sion answered with a blank face.
“Yeah. I’m kind, right?”
Hella narrowed her eyes.
Unless something special happened, Sion and Hella barely interacted.
The last time they had contacted each other was about fifteen years ago, when demonic energy was taking over the continent.
Thud.
Hella closed the box and asked coldly,
“You’ve been shut inside the magic tower all this time.
What sudden wind blew our great tower master here?”
“I’m hurt. I came because I missed you, Hella.”
“Don’t lie. It’s disgusting.”
“So sad… I’m being mistreated….”
Sion pretended to sob pitifully.
Hella only watched him indifferently, resting her chin on her hand.
After shaking his shoulders for a while, Sion suddenly dropped the act and smiled.
“I had something I needed help with.”
“Help?”
“Yeah. Someone I need.”
“……”
“She’s very cute.”
Hella raised an eyebrow.
Her gaze toward Sion became strange.
“So… you met her again in the end….”
“Hm?”
“Nothing.”
“Hella, you’re weird.”
“Oh my, have I ever not been weird?
And I don’t want to hear that from you. It’s insulting.”
Hella smiled softly, her pale eyes flickering between her gently curved lashes.
Not knowing—or perhaps not caring—about that gaze, Sion blushed slightly and murmured,
“It’s been a long time since I felt this excited.”
Hella finally looked at him with tired eyes.
“When are you going to fix that habit?”
“What? Why are you scolding me?”
“Running around whenever something interesting appears.
I told you to take it easy. You’ll only exhaust yourself.”
“Don’t say that. I’m having fun these days.”
“Yes, and that’s your problem.
If something looks fun, you jump in first.
What was it last time? Ancient civilization excavation?
Magic formula modification?
Do you remember what happened after that?”
“…Well. Trial and error.”
Sion glanced sideways and shrugged.
Hella lazily crossed her legs and looked him up and down.
There was only one reason someone who had lived over 800 years would imitate a child.
Something Hella knew, but Sion did not.
“…So, did you like her?”
“Yeah. I liked her. She was cute.”
“Of course.”
Hella now looked half-resigned.
Meanwhile, Sion seemed completely unaware of what she meant.
Instead, he posed with a flower gesture and shamelessly asked,
“Am I really not cute?”
Hella frowned.
“Creepy. You’re over 800 years old.”
“That’s not good… I should be liked.”
“By whom? That ‘fun’ girl?”
“Yeah. The cute one.”
Hella stopped responding.
Answering would only tire her out.
She suddenly remembered the young girl who had visited the Moonlight Trading Post not long ago.
She had a bold face, yet could not hide her tension.
She was slightly different from the “past” Hella remembered…
“Your taste really never changes….”
“Hella, you’re really strange today.
You keep saying weird things.”
“You said it was insulting.”
Sion looked up at her smiling face with dissatisfaction.
But only for a moment—then he turned away without regret.
“Anyway, I gave it to you, so I’m leaving.”
“Already?”
“It’s boring being alone with you.
You’re gloomy. You only say strange things.”
“Oh my, how hurtful.”
“You hurt me first.”
Sion stopped at the door and looked back.
“Hella.”
“Yes?”
Sion smiled.
Not his usual blank smile—something deeper.
For a brief moment, the gaze of a being who had lived 800 years appeared.
“I’m really having fun these days.”
“So?”
“Just… don’t worry about me.”
He shrugged, then quietly closed the door behind him.
Silence fell over the room again.
Still resting her chin on her hand, Hella stared at the door where Sion had disappeared.
Then she lowered her gaze and traced the herb box with her fingertips.
With a sigh, she murmured softly,
“…You’re planning to get involved in something troublesome again, aren’t you.”
Even after everything he had suffered, he was smiling foolishly again.
Unlike the person involved—who did not even realize the seriousness—
Hella’s dark expression showed no sign of easing.
She pressed her forehead and muttered,
“This is going to be a headache….”
She only hoped she would not become exhausted again this time.
It was a useless wish.
* * *
The carriage rattled as it moved forward.
Outside the window, the dense eastern forest passed by.
This area still had thick demonic energy, but the farther they moved from the center, the clearer the air felt.
The sunlight filtering through the trees also seemed brighter.
I looked down at the document on my lap.
Tracing the letters with my finger, I read again the official paper stamped with the temple’s red seal.
I didn’t know how many times I had read it.
Probably more than ten.
[Guardian: Archduke Carter.
Ward: Lorea Friese.]
Every time I saw that sentence, my cheeks flushed.
The corners of my lips kept rising no matter how I tried to hold them back.
My heart pounded.
I did it.
I really did it.
“…You’re making a foolish face, Princess.”
A low voice came from across from me.
I looked up.
Carlos was staring at me with an indifferent expression.
“Yes.”
I answered honestly.
There was no reason to hide it.
“I’m happy.
So happy that it still doesn’t feel real.
I keep checking if it’s true…
because I’m afraid it might be a dream.”
“……”
Carlos let out a faint scoff.
I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me or laughing.
Mock me all you want.
I’ll still be happy.
Now I could legally stay in the mansion until I became an adult.
I would make myself the healthiest person in the world.
Smiling again as I reread the document,
I suddenly let out a silent gasp.
The excitement faded as reality came to mind.
“…This news must have reached the Emperor’s ears.”
