ITETD 23

Chapter 23

“Imperial Visitors and Emotional Confusion”

Huff, huff…

I was running.

Ahead of me was a cliff. Behind me, a burning mansion.

I could feel several people chasing after me.
I wanted to look back—but I couldn’t.
It felt like they’d catch me any moment.

My lungs burned with exertion.
Grass brushed against my ankles as I sprinted.

The edge of the cliff approached quickly. I looked around frantically.

‘What do I do? What do I do?’

It was only a moment of hesitation—but that was enough.

Several men caught up and pinned me to the ground.

“Regiana Rohello Troxia! You are under emergency arrest for treason!”

“No! I didn’t do anything!”

But they didn’t listen.

Before I knew it, I had been dragged to the capital and thrown into a deep underground prison in the imperial palace. I think I recognized a few familiar faces, but not many.

Among them, I thought I saw the head of House Hertio…
Calix Excel Hertio—who once stayed in our home, indebted to us.

He cried in front of me, but I couldn’t say anything.

And then—I remembered nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, I was already on the execution platform.
I could hear the angry cries of the crowd.

Why…? I felt the world’s magic churning inside me.

I saw a rope being prepared for my neck.

Then it all happened in a flash—

I fell.

Downward.

Downward.
Downward.
Falling endlessly—

Until I locked eyes with a pair of bright, golden-yellow eyes.

“…Me!”

“…Rena!”

Gasp!

My eyes flew open.

“Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?”

Turning my eyes, I saw Calix looking down at me worriedly. I tried to catch my breath and make sense of where I was.

The bedroom. Calix’s bedroom. In the Hertio Duchy.

Words tumbled from my mouth, unorganized and panicked.

“I ran away, but they… they tried to catch me…”

When I clutched his clothes, I realized I was trembling.

“It’s okay. It was just a bad dream.”

Calix gently stroked my cheek, trying to reassure me.

“Don’t worry. I’m right here. Nothing’s going to happen. Just a nightmare, that’s all.”

“You came too… and you were crying…”

“I cried in your dream?”

“Yeah… you cried, and… I don’t know…”

I blabbered nonsense while clutching him tightly.
More than half the words weren’t even coherent.

He continued to soothe me gently, and slowly, my breathing began to calm.

Eventually, the dream faded into the back of my mind. I was finally able to see the room clearly.

Everything was the same—but reversed.

I was in Calix’s bedroom.

And I—

“Why am I in your bed?”

That was when I realized where I was lying.

“And why are you lying here with me?”

Wait, was I cuddling with him in my sleep?

Startled, I asked, and Calix smiled softly.

“Don’t you remember? You pulled me in while you were half-asleep.”

“I did?”

“Yep. You said ‘let’s sleep together’ and dragged me down so I couldn’t even get up.”

“…Me?”

“I never lie.”

“You…?”

I asked again in disbelief. Calix laughed lowly.

“Ah, already losing faith in me? What a shame.”

He didn’t look troubled at all—just pretended to be as he muttered,
still not releasing the arms wrapped around me.

As I eyed him suspiciously, he glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

“It’s getting late, but… want to have dinner?”

“I’m not hungry.”

I pushed off the blanket and sat up—but the moment I tried to leave the bed, he grabbed me and gently pushed me back down.

He hovered over me, looking down.

“Skipping dinner isn’t good for your health, Rena.”

Was now really the time for that kind of advice—especially like this?

But his eyes bore down on me so intensely I couldn’t even argue back.

“R-Really?”

“Yup. So let’s eat dinner.”

Nod, nod.

He spoke like he was talking to a child, without a hint of ulterior motive.
So why was I the one getting nervous?

‘I feel like trash right now.’

Even after I nodded, he didn’t move off me.

“Why, why are you still here…?”

Flustered, I stuttered like a fool.

Calix chuckled and lowered his head.

I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut.

…?

But nothing happened for a long while.
I peeked—and met his eyes, just inches away, their breaths overlapping.

“What were you expecting?”

“You, you…”

Then finally, he kissed me—lightly, at the corner of my mouth.

Dinner was late, as he had said—but it wasn’t late enough for a midnight snack either.

We had a simple meal of soup, salad, bread, and cheese.
Still, Calix seemed determined to stuff me with food like always.

“Just one more bite. You’ve barely eaten anything.”

“I’m full. Really.”

Only after I insisted several times did he finally give up.

Afterward, I got ready for bed—my bed this time, in my room.

But Calix followed me like a loyal dog, all the way to my bedside.

I had to stop him at the door.

“You might have another nightmare.”

“I won’t have two in one day. And I’ve already forgotten the dream.”

“You said I cried in your dream.”

“Did I?”

I paused, then replied offhandedly.

“Maybe you cried because you couldn’t get me a flying carriage.”

But his response wasn’t what I expected.

He gently took my hand and pressed it to his cheek, tilting his head.

“Do you want to see me cry?”

“…What?”

I stared, dumbfounded. He wore a sorrowful face but spoke complete nonsense.

I pulled my hand back.

“What kind of crap are you spouting?”

“Who knows? Maybe if I cry in front of you, you’ll pity me enough to give me a chance.”

Suddenly, I remembered the tear that had rolled down his cheek the moment I woke up at the inn.

‘Was that… acting too?’

Suspicion started to creep in.

Then he said, in a deliberately casual tone:

“So tell me, Rena. Is it still true that I’m not your type?”

“…”

His face was already wearing that teasing smirk.

A strange stubbornness rose in me.

I was going to slam the door in his face—but instead, I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down.

Our faces were suddenly close.

His eyes widened in shock. That look of surprise—so satisfying.

Nose to nose, I looked him in the eye and said:

“…Want me to kiss you?”

He gave a meek nod. The tips of his ears were bright red. Calix slowly closed his eyes.

I smiled softly and leaned in.

I could have kissed him anywhere—his cheek, lips, forehead. It would’ve been easy.

But then I remembered his earlier antics. And a childish urge overtook me.

“I changed my mind.”

I dropped his collar and pulled back, feigning indifference.

I was going to say it was a joke. Ask what he was expecting.

But then I saw his eyelids twitch.

“…”

Suddenly, a strange impulse surged—

‘I kind of want to lick his eyes.’

I nearly shoved him away in shock. Somehow, I held it back.

“Rena?”

His confused voice almost made our eyes meet.

Panicking, I planted a kiss on his cheek—randomly—and shoved him out the door.

Then I slammed it shut.

“Rena…?”

I could hear his voice, but I couldn’t answer.

I covered my face, red as a beet.

‘I’m insane!’

Wanting to lick his eyes? What are you, a pervert?!

I could feel his startled presence beyond the door.

And then… a soft chuckle.

He must’ve made his own conclusions and walked away.

My legs gave out beneath me.

I sank to the floor in front of the door and stayed there for a long while.

The next morning.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I sensed the mansion was in a commotion.

‘What’s going on?’

Strangely, Calix’s usual cheerful morning greeting never came.

I opened my door in confusion—and saw every servant and maid rushing around. Even the knights outside the window were in full formal uniforms.

‘Seriously, what is happening?’

Just then, one of the maids noticed me and stopped.

“Ah, Lady Rena! You’re up—do you need help washing?”

“No, I’m fine. But… is something happening today?”

I asked casually, expecting a minor answer.

But the maid replied with wide eyes:

“Oh my goodness! Someone from the capital arrived at dawn! The Emperor’s messenger is coming—everyone is preparing!”