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Chapter 35
“So what are we going to do now?”
Mercheli shot Naiven a sideways glance, clearly dissatisfied.
He hadn’t even managed to hold the Grand Duchess’s hand once yet.
Mercheli wasn’t being chased out, and yet Naiven had agreed all too readily to leave the estate, which irritated him.
“Why don’t you keep Esselian busy, brother? I’ll bring the Grand Duchess back. We can just say I did it all on my own.”
Naiven glanced sideways at Mercheli, who was spouting nonsense. The two of them were hiding in the brush some distance from the castle.
“As if Esselian would just hand over the remedy while wide awake.”
At the mocking reply, Mercheli groaned, “Then what are we supposed to do!” and flopped onto the ground, causing a loud rustle of grass.
Naiven shot him a warning look and continued staring at the castle. Before long, the gates opened and a carriage rolled out. Only then did Naiven speak.
“Esselian has taken the bait.”
“What?”
“When the carriage is far enough away, we head to the archducal castle. I’ll draw attention while you extract the Grand Duchess.”
“Wasn’t it you who said Esselian would never give up the remedy while conscious?”
“Haa… Esselian is in that carriage. If you can’t understand what I’m saying, just do as you’re told. Don’t think. Just follow orders.”
Mercheli sprang to his feet and stared at the carriage leaving through the gates. Naiven did the same.
“What if Esselian didn’t take the Grand Duchess with him?”
“If he hid her, then hid her he did—but he wouldn’t take her along. He’ll put her somewhere he believes is safest, to eliminate the source of danger.”
Naiven was certain of it. Even as a child, when he’d worried about what Naiven might do to the direwolf, Esselian had hidden it in the forest and put up warning signs to keep people away.
Naiven and Mercheli frowned just as the carriage carrying Esselian passed them.
“Hey… isn’t that the Grand Duchess?”
Through a slowly opening window, a small head peeked out. A bright, innocent face—then it vanished as the carriage sped away.
Naiven and Mercheli stood there blankly, watching until the carriage disappeared completely.
“Wow, the air feels so cool.”
Esselian watched the Grand Duchess speak as though the air inside the castle and outside were entirely different, and silently smiled.
He stepped closer to the window Shu-wen had been leaning on. The same cold air brushed against his cheek.
Tilting his head slightly, he looked unconvinced.
“It feels the same to me. But it seems you prefer the outside air, my lady.”
“There’s no real difference. It’s just how it feels.”
Like someone experiencing the outdoors for the first time, the excited Grand Duchess shivered briefly as the breeze slipped through her clothes.
She reached out and closed the window.
A faint blush colored her flushed face.
Unable to sit still, she fidgeted before sensing his gaze and smiling awkwardly.
Resting his chin in his hand, Esselian seriously wondered what it was that made her so happy.
“I’m really glad you agreed to my request, Your Highness.”
It was as though she’d read his thoughts, and he was quietly startled.
“I couldn’t bear to make you sad.”
He hadn’t planned on taking the Grand Duchess to Kalden.
He assumed he’d receive the cute cookies she’d made once he returned.
But just as he was about to board the carriage, a maid came running, breathless, and grabbed him.
‘Y-Your Highness, huff—huff—the Grand Duchess said she has something to tell you… right now!’
She’d looked so desperate that he’d wondered if something serious had happened.
‘Your Highness, if you have time… would you like to go on a date—no, not a date, just a short outing? There’s something I really want to show you!’
After a brief moment of thought, he changed his plans.
“I happened to have business in that direction anyway. It won’t be a problem.”
The reason was simple.
They were going to the same place. The Grand Duchess’s eyes had lit up. She was cute. And she looked like she might cry if he refused.
Even though his cousins had left without resistance, he didn’t let down his guard.
He set up a barrier and, just in case, released his direwolf.
All that thorough preparation was undone in mere seconds.
Shu-wen grinned and rummaged through her clothes. She pulled out a small booklet she’d extorted from a maid and handed it to Esselian. It showed the cliffs of Kalden and the aurora shimmering above them.
“They say it feels like the sky opens when you see the aurora.”
Naturally, Shu-wen had never seen one herself. She’d suggested the trip to lift Esselian’s spirits, but she was excited too.
“Have you ever seen an aurora?”
“Sadly, I haven’t. Thanks to you, I finally will.”
Despite the somewhat perfunctory reply, Shu-wen’s face brightened.
Esselian wondered what exactly he’d said to lift her mood so much.
“That’s a relief. I was worried you’d already seen it and wouldn’t be impressed. That absolutely wouldn’t do!”
“Why not?”
“Ahem. It’s a secret.”
Shu-wen was practically itching to drag Esselian to the cliffs right away.
But before that, Esselian had someone he needed to meet.
“Then we’ll meet my benefactor first, and go see the aurora tomorrow.”
He’d mentioned in the carriage that there was someone he needed to see first.
When Shu-wen tried to get down, worried about being in the way, Esselian reassured her and had her stay.
The person he needed to meet was someone who had once helped him—a benefactor.
He hadn’t explicitly called them that, but he’d said it was someone who’d appeared when he was at his lowest, then vanished quietly.
Close enough.
“To see the aurora, the weather matters, right? If it’s cloudy, you can’t see it well. I wonder what tomorrow’s weather will be like.”
“Shall we go tonight?”
He hadn’t meant it that way.
He’d just spoken without thinking, and Esselian had misunderstood.
“That’s not what I meant! If tomorrow’s cloudy, we can go the day after! Please take care of your business first—I won’t get in the way!”
“It’ll just be a quick confirmation. We should be able to go at night.”
All Esselian wanted was to confirm whether the person he was searching for really was that girl.
“Aren’t you going to catch up with your benefactor?”
“We’re not close enough for that.”
“But you said they helped you.”
“They did, but not enough to reminisce.”
“Hmm…”
What kind of relationship was that?
“You don’t need to think about it, my lady.”
Judging by his eyes, it felt less like he was going to see a benefactor—and more like an enemy.
Shu-wen tilted her head, watching how Esselian subtly changed whenever the topic came up.
“Could it be…?”
Only one possibility came to mind, and no matter how she thought about it, it couldn’t be.
“No. That’s not it.”
Right. No way.
The original story never mentioned Esselian having a first love.
“I’m curious what you were thinking that made you look away just now.”
“It was nothing.”
Recalling the original plot, Shu-wen suddenly felt a distance between herself and Esselian, whom she thought she’d grown closer to.
Meeting his gaze made her oddly nervous, so she’d looked away—but Esselian didn’t seem pleased.
“I was just wondering if Your Highness had a first love.”
She felt his gaze sweep over her from head to toe, as though trying to read her intentions.
Reluctantly, Shu-wen confessed.
“Did you have one, my lady?”
“Me? I… yes.”
When asked outright, nothing came to mind at first.
Then she remembered Bedin.
“Oh. So you did.”
Esselian didn’t look convinced at all.
“I really did.”
“Was he a knight?”
“How did you know?”
“Everyone’s been saying My Knight is all the rage in Lutenia these days.”
“Oh! You’ve read it? It’s so good!”
Shu-wen’s eyes widened, completely unaware that he was teasing her.
My Knight—a clichéd romance novel she loved.
She’d rediscovered her past-life memories while rushing out to buy the author’s latest book, come to think of it.
Only then did Shu-wen frown slightly.
‘Wait… is he making fun of me?’
That faint smile made it seem likely.
“I really did have one! Want to know his name? Bedin Parkers—he’s incredibly handsome and a very capable knight!”
“I see.”
Esselian nodded, smiling.
‘Does he really not believe me?’
Even if Titiana had been confined, she would’ve seen at least a few knights or maids. Esselian couldn’t not know that.
‘Whatever.’
She felt a little indignant, but it wasn’t worth arguing over.
Shu-wen glanced at Esselian. Before she realized it, thoughts of his benefactor had completely vanished.
Looking back at the booklet, her heart was already fluttering again.
Of course, it was to cheer Esselian up—but still!
“Isn’t it amazing? It’s already so beautiful in pictures. I can’t wait to see how stunning it’ll be in person.”
Still staring at the booklet, Shu-wen shifted seats.
She moved from facing Esselian to sitting beside him, adjusting the angle so he could see better.
The corner of Esselian’s lips curved upward slightly.
It seemed the Grand Duchess had only dragged him along because she wanted to see the aurora.
“I even brought cookies to eat while we watch it. I’ll give them to you later.”
“Not me. The aurora.”
“What?”
Only then did Shu-wen lift her gaze from the booklet.
She flinched in surprise.
“Even though I was so exhausted I shattered a teacup—for the aurora.”
His expressionless face was gone, replaced by something oddly sulky as he looked at her.
“I haven’t slept properly in days. I’m still worn out.”
“….”
“You said you were on my side, my lady—but you’re completely captivated by the aurora. Whether I’m struggling or not.”
His downcast eyes lifted toward her with effort.
Shu-wen opened her mouth, but no words came out—only a silent gape.
She was utterly, completely flustered.
‘Why… why is he suddenly like this?’
Esselian, who normally showed little interest in her, was suddenly acting as though he were jealous of the aurora—and it baffled her.
Shu-wen quickly concluded it must be because his mind and body were weakened.
“N-no, it’s not that… They say the aurora is beautiful. Seeing it will give Your Highness strength too.”
And with that utterly unhelpful remark, Shu-wen lightly patted the back of his hand.
“…In the end, it’s still the aurora.”
When Esselian gently pushed her hand away, Shu-wen’s face grew serious.
Inside the carriage, only the sound of a flustered Shu-wen trying to soothe a sulking Esselian could be heard.
Averting his gaze from the Grand Duchess as she continued to placate him, Esselian firmly pressed down the corner of his mouth that threatened to lift.
