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~Chapter 18~
Calix, observing her, asked:
“When did you hide it in the well?”
“When I first came to this village. I thought I needed to hide the ring but couldn’t find a good place—until I saw that well.”
“You chose well.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Calix… have you ever gone back to Troxia? Since that day…”
He turned to the window, avoiding her gaze.
“I did go a few times… looking for you. But not since then. Not once.”
Rena didn’t push him. She knew Troxia was painful for him.
As they drew closer, her nerves frayed. Though she’d promised herself she wouldn’t be shocked—she couldn’t help the anxiety.
Would there be anyone left? Would it be a ghost town? Would someone… recognize me?
They stopped for the night in a nearby village—too far to reach Troxia in a day.
It was a quiet, humble place, similar in size to her old village. They were welcomed, paid their dues, and offered dinner. But Rena remained lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about?” Calix asked, breaking the silence.
Since reuniting with him, everything felt predestined.
Finding the ring. Returning to Troxia… It all flowed too smoothly.
What if he had never found me?
In the original story…?
In the original novel, she had died. The ring, left behind. Calix had met the female lead two years later, and the plot had begun.
Back then, he had no desire for anything. He was numb to the world.
The heroine arrived with something he needed—and from there, they became bound by fate.
She barely noticed Calix sitting in front of her until he gently cupped her cheek, the firelight casting red shadows on his face.
“Do you hate me… because I kept hiding things?”
“…No.”
He looked relieved. Rena saw in him the Calix from the original story—the one who had lost all will to live after she died.
Leaning into his hand, she whispered:
“Calix… what if… what if I really had died back then?”
His smile froze.
He stared at her, trying to read her intentions.
Hoping she’d take it back. Hoping she was joking.
But she wasn’t. And he knew it.
“I would’ve wanted to die too,” he said.
“But I wouldn’t have been able to.”
“Because of the duke’s title?”
“No. Not because of that.”
He shook his head and looked away, conflicted.
After a moment, he stood and held out his hand.
“Let’s go. It’ll be better for you to see it with your own eyes.”
“At this hour?”
“To Troxia.”
His face was resolute. She found herself nodding before she could question it.
He took her to the stable, ignoring his knights’ protests.
“Master, it’s too dangerous at night!”
“Please rest and go in the morning!”
Villagers whispered among themselves—clearly thinking they were mad.
“We’ll return by tomorrow night. Wait here.”
Without waiting, Calix lifted Rena onto the horse, then climbed up behind her.
“If we’re not back by midday the day after tomorrow—come find us.”
“Yes, sir!”
He yanked the reins. The horse let out a cry and bolted into the night.
Rena shouted over the rushing wind:
“Do you even know the way?”
“I do. But stay close—it’s dangerous.”
He pulled her tight.
Her face burned. Now wasn’t the time to be flustered, but… she couldn’t help it.
She conjured small orbs of light to guide them.
“You can put them away if you’re tired,” he offered.
“I’m fine!”
The spell didn’t drain her much. The warmth of Calix’s body behind her and the rhythm of the horse made her feel safe.
Eventually, the horse slowed. She dozed intermittently.
Calix didn’t wake her. He let her sleep, holding her close the entire way.
At dawn, he gently stirred her.
“Rena, we’re here. Let’s walk the rest.”
He helped her down and tied the horse. They stepped into the open fields.
The cold morning wind cut through them. Calix finally spoke.
“Do you know why I came to Troxia seven years ago?”
“Because your father—the previous Duke—passed away and you needed help…”
“That’s part of it, but not entirely.”
“There was a pact between the Hertrio and Troxia families. If the heir died unexpectedly, the survivor would guide the next.”
“That’s why your parents called for me.”
He looked at her.
“Rena. Do you know what’s beneath the Troxia mansion’s basement?”
The way he said it—like there was a corpse buried there.
The breeze sent her hair flying. Calix tucked it gently behind her ear.
“Have you ever been curious… what’s under the mansion?”
“…No.”
She answered in a daze, eyes locked on his.
They walked again. Eventually, he pointed ahead.
A massive pile of ruins came into view.
The remains of the mansion—charred, broken, and collapsed—still looked familiar to her.
“The mansion…”
“You recognize it?”
How could she not?
The trees, the sky, the hill—unchanged.
Only the mansion had vanished. Burned to ash.
Calix let go of her hand and moved forward.
She stood frozen, watching him. Her chest ached. Her heart pounded.
He began clearing rubble from the least-damaged part of the ruins.
