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~Chapter 61~
“I asked for dessert every night for a week.”
“Oh….”
So dessert was that important to you… You really wanted to win, even by cheating.
“Oh, but.”
Just as I spoke like I remembered something, Calix answered.
“Yeah?”
Calix’s eyes were shining, as if he’d answer anything right now. I asked him something I’d been curious about for a while.
“Do you not have any friends?”
Pfft…!
Then, I saw Calix spit out the chocolate he was drinking.
“Rena, why are you suddenly asking that?”
Calix looked really flustered. I had never seen him hesitate like this. I didn’t know he could make that kind of embarrassed face.
Seeing him react that way, I felt like I should explain myself.
“It’s just… When we went to the imperial palace, it seemed like you only talked to me and nobody else.”
I pretended to drink my chocolate like it was nothing.
“It’s okay not to have friends. You… instead…”
You don’t have family either.
But I couldn’t bring myself to say that.
So I ended my words awkwardly.
“You have a lot of money.”
“Hmm.”
Calix took a sip of chocolate and finally spoke.
“I don’t have anyone I’d really call a friend, but I know a lot of people.”
“That makes sense.”
If the Duke of Hertrio didn’t even know people, that would be a social problem.
“I’m fine because I have you.”
But we only met again a few months ago.
“So how did you live before that?”
“Before that…”
Calix spoke as if remembering a long time ago. Then he leaned against me.
“…I was looking for you.”
I was silent. While I was living comfortably for five years, was Calix living in pain?
Even if I tried not to think about it, guilt rose up inside me. But it wasn’t something I could help.
Sensing my feelings, Calix said,
“Rena, don’t feel sorry for me.”
“…But last time, you called me selfish.”
I replied in a low voice. Maybe because he noticed my mood, he said lightly,
“And you said, since you’re selfish, you wouldn’t even feel sorry.”
“…”
“What can I do? It’s my fault for falling in love with someone like you.”
Calix shrugged and sipped his chocolate again. I leaned my head on his shoulder without saying anything. Then, on impulse, I whispered,
“You know, someone said we’re each other’s weakness.”
“…Who said that?”
“Just, someone.”
“Aha.”
Since he wasn’t surprised, it was clear Tan had reported to him. That I asked him to check on the prince. He probably didn’t know the reason.
He must think the person who said that is connected to the prince. I suddenly wondered what Calix thought about the prince.
‘It’s certain he still doesn’t know the truth.’
Should I ask? What does he think about the prince?
If Calix removes the emperor, unless he rebels, the next heir will naturally be Crown Prince Adrian.
Even though we only met briefly, Adrian didn’t seem to hate me. He was just greedy to become emperor.
‘The problem is, he gives threats disguised as advice, and threats disguised as kindness.’
If he becomes emperor, he’ll probably leave us alone. Maybe I should just approach the prince and help him become emperor instead.
‘Wait. Is Calix already considering that?’
Is that why he did nothing after hearing my request through Tan?
If Adrian becomes emperor, I probably won’t like it, but I can just avoid him. He doesn’t want the dragon. Maybe it’s the most efficient way.
‘Still, I probably wouldn’t like seeing him.’
“Someone also said, people with a lot to lose are always at a disadvantage in a fight.”
“Did that person say that to you too?”
I shook my head while leaning on his shoulder.
“No, I just heard it somewhere.”
“Rena, that’s what normal people say.”
Calix flicked my nose and corrected me.
“Even if I have a lot to lose, that won’t happen to me.”
“Oh.”
That confidence. But it wasn’t baseless, so I wanted to believe it. After all, what would the main character of the original story be afraid of?
I took a sip of chocolate. The sweet warmth spread through my body. I sighed contentedly and rubbed my face against his shoulder.
The Duke of Hertrio and Miss Rena are poison for each other.
That ominous prophecy felt like it had faded away a bit.
“I should thank Sir Warret someday.”
“Why?”
“If Sir Warret hadn’t been hurt that day, we would never have met again.”
After that, we both fell silent. Only the sound of firewood crackling and us drinking chocolate filled the room for a while.
Suddenly, I thought I could finally heal the scar on my arm. I made that scar to remind myself this wasn’t a dream. But after hearing what Calix said a few days ago, I changed my mind.
‘If this is a dream, then I’m dreaming too, right?’
‘If it’s like you said, then we’re dreaming the same dream.’
Now, even if this is a dream, I don’t care.
I used magic on the hidden scar. As it healed, the faint pain disappeared.
“I really need to give Sir Warret a bonus.”
“Haha.”
I laughed at his words. It was a peaceful evening.
After Calix and Regiana spent their first night awake and saw the night sea together.
It was two whole weeks after their adventure on the seaside cliff that Calix Axel Hertrio was able to talk to her again.
They were both found at dawn that day and caught terrible colds. Regiana recovered in a week, but Calix had to be sick for a whole extra week.
So when he finally met Regiana again after two weeks, it felt awkward. The place made it even stranger: she was sitting on the highest branch of the biggest tree in the forest near the mansion.
Just looking at her up there made his hands sweat.
‘Why is she always in weird places when we meet?’ Calix thought.
Should he ignore her?
But his mouth spoke on its own.
“What are you doing up there?”
Regiana looked down and finally noticed Calix.
“Oh, hi.”
“…”
“You said you were sick. Is it okay for you to be walking around already?”
Calix wanted to ask her the same thing. But he was more curious about why she was up there so dangerously.
“What are you doing up there?”
At his second question, Regiana finally answered.
“Just… Testing my limits.”
“What limits?”
“My magic limits.”
Suddenly she wanted to test her magic? That was odd. He’d heard all the Troxia family had strong magic from birth. She must be the same. Maybe being sick made her feel weak.
Besides, girls her age usually liked chatting, arranging flowers, or embroidery in their rooms. Not climbing trees and testing magic.
If the count and countess saw this, they’d faint.
Still, it was true she was up somewhere dangerous, so Calix spoke again.
“Come down quickly.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
“That’s not something someone who once climbed the mansion wall at midnight should say.”
He had no comeback for that.
Anyway, Calix really wanted her to come down.
Every time he saw her, she was somewhere dangerous—on a cliff, now on a tree. It made him uneasy, like she’d vanish somewhere just like her parents.
“Re…”
He was about to say her name, but realized he’d never actually called her by name. She kept her distance at first, and even when they finally talked, he’d only called her “you.”
After thinking, he tried a compromise.
“…Miss Regiana.”
“Just call me Rena. No need for the ‘Miss.’”
That was a bit too friendly… but she didn’t object.
“Rena. Come down. It’s dangerous.”
“If I jump, will you catch me?”
“…If I have to.”
“Really?”
Rena brushed off her skirt and stood up.
“You have to catch me well.”
Calix instinctively stepped back. How was he supposed to catch someone jumping from that high? He’d never caught anyone like that before, much less from so high. But if he failed, they’d both get hurt.
‘If I catch her and fall backward, maybe I’ll get hurt, but she won’t.’
As he nervously spread his arms and stepped back, Rena grinned mischievously. She looked so pretty and playful, it made Calix freeze for a second. At that moment, he realized he was completely at her mercy.
While he hesitated, Rena finally jumped. Calix squeezed his eyes shut without thinking.
‘Oh no!’
When he quickly opened his eyes, he thought he was dreaming. For a second, he forgot it was magic.
She floated down slowly, as light as a feather, almost like she had wings. Dressed in white, she looked just like an angel.
All that tension was pointless. As she landed at his feet, her light dress fluttered, and she burst out laughing at his expression.
“Were you surprised?”
“…I wasn’t surprised.”
