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Chapter 67
‘No… no, that can’t be.’
Why does the memory of approaching the Second Prince last night—calling him the one she loved in order to refuse his proposal—keep resurfacing?
The image of Inerea trying to stir the waves he had confined remained vivid.
Although her actions were beyond his control, Eshdwa found that sight oddly satisfying.
For now.
But if the moment comes when he no longer likes it…
“Then I’ll just break it.”
It was as simple as gripping a bird’s ankle before it could take flight, preventing it from soaring into the sky.
For him, it was effortless. She wouldn’t be able to resist either.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
“Your Highness, Duke Mertiel requests a private audience.”
Eshdwa glanced briefly at Calvin.
Without hesitation, he dusted off his seat and stood.
“I’ll be off then. Can you be seen with me?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
That was right.
Unless some unforeseen event occurred, she couldn’t escape her bindings.
The reason Inerea’s spell failed was a flaw within the magic itself.
But the spell he cast on her could never fail. The only flaw—that it wouldn’t affect mages—was irrelevant to her as a swordswoman.
So, there was nothing to worry about.
As long as he hadn’t missed anything.
✦ ✦ ✦
Before going to meet the person who could change my terminal life, I had some time and decided to find Eshdwa.
I hadn’t expected him to be with the First Prince, Calvin.
The First Prince exchanged a brief greeting and passed by, so I immediately sought Eshdwa inside the room.
“Eshdwa.”
“What brings you here so early?”
I hurried over and sat beside him.
The sunlight streamed through the window behind me, casting my body into shadow.
“Do you bring good news?”
Perhaps it was about taking care of the Second Prince, as I had requested yesterday?
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the reason I came today.
“Not really… I’m feeling a little unwell.”
A flimsy excuse to skip today’s party, but I threw it out there anyway.
Eshdwa tilted his head slowly.
“So you want me to soothe you?”
As he brushed my ear and traced my jawline, he forced me to look at him.
His other hand glided down my back with an intention that was blatant.
A touch that made my body tremble involuntarily.
“I just wanted to see your face again since I’m not feeling well.”
Thankfully, today, expressing affection as sweetly as honey wasn’t difficult.
Could it be… because soon I might actually have a chance to live?
“You speak as if seeing my face will make you better.”
At a time like this, I could withstand his warmth without feeling anything.
He rested his face against my neck.
His soft hair brushed against my skin, tickling me.
I couldn’t react, only twitching my fingertips.
“Really… I think I feel a little better now.”
Pulling away, he wrapped my stray hair between his fingers.
Every gaze he cast at me felt like it left a mark.
“Don’t be in pain, Inerea.”
His low, trembling voice seemed to fall directly onto my body.
Under his gaze, even breathing felt difficult.
He exhaled a satisfied sigh while looking down at me.
“If you wish, I could tell you as I did when you were hopelessly in love.”
Was it his tender voice piercing me without a shred of sincerity, or words colder than anything else?
Or perhaps it was simply the warmth he always carried.
“If you hurt, I hurt too. So don’t hurt, please.”
A pain like something shattered inside me, yet under his eyes, which were solely focused on me, I ignored it.
“That’s enough just as it is.”
I cupped Eshdwa’s cheeks with both hands.
Leaning onto his lean body, I fell closer.
“I love you, Eshdwa.”
Was it an act, or a remnant of feelings I once had?
I wasn’t sure. But one thing was certain.
I could easily say things to him that I had never said to anyone else.
Although my neck burned with embarrassment after saying it, I couldn’t hide the smile that emerged.
Smiling genuinely, I pressed my lips against his.
✦ ✦ ✦
Moving secretly in a foreign royal palace carried far greater risks than expected.
I cautiously hid on the terrace, waiting for a moment when no one passed by.
How much time had passed, I wondered.
There was no one in sight, no sign of life around.
“Let’s go.”
It wasn’t difficult to leave quickly.
Moving with precise, unobtrusive gestures, I avoided attention and reached the carriage prepared by the twins.
Once inside, I removed my robe to cool off.
Even in winter, the tension had made my body heat up.
“If we had been caught there, it could have escalated into an international incident, right?”
“Duke Mertiel caught sneaking around the Rumen Imperial Palace! That would make headlines everywhere, right?”
I buried myself in the rattling carriage, chatting lightly.
‘The clouds are beautiful.’
The day was clear, Kischel was beside me, and I took in the foreign carriage and land—it all felt unreal.
Above all…
It was unbelievable that soon I might finally escape this wretched fate.
“I really can’t believe it.”
I had tried to keep my overwhelming feelings in check, but the words slipped out.
After a brief hesitation, Kischel nodded.
I gently lifted his lowered face, and his eyes glistened red from emotion.
“Haha! I’m not crying, so why are you?”
“I’m not trying to cry. At least until I’m certain the curse’s side effects are gone… I won’t cry.”
“Alright, don’t cry. It’s a happy moment, why cry?”
“You can still cry when you’re happy. If it’s truly happiness, tears come, Master.”
I had never experienced it, so I wasn’t sure yet.
Would a day like that ever come for me?
Even if my broken body returned to normal, could I cry from happiness?
‘It’s not over yet.’
Yes, not yet.
This was just the beginning.
✦ ✦ ✦
Kischel took me to a workshop.
‘Alchemy? Witchcraft?’
The Rumen Empire invested heavily in such fields, so workshops were far more common than in the Libedro Empire.
‘Compared to magic, alchemy and witchcraft are considered less valuable.’
We entered a small, nondescript, run-down workshop.
An elderly woman came out to greet Kischel.
‘Her hair isn’t white from age… it’s naturally this color.’
Closer to silver than white.
‘She’s apparently from the Jafino Duchy family.’
Though her eyelids drooped, her eyes were a vivid green.
Mysterious and beautiful.
“You’re the young man from Libedro Empire who visited before.”
The elder recognized Kischel.
“So you brought what I requested back then.”
“Yes, I did. Now, please remove the side effects of the witchcraft as you promised.”
Her hands were rough and coarse.
Like mine, twisted and damaged from a lifetime of wielding sword and pen.
Though her hands were likely damaged from her witchcraft research.
“You said the side effects were engraved from the fetal stage. Come here.”
Did she recognize me, or had it been so long since I left the Libedro Empire that she didn’t care who I was?
It didn’t matter anymore.
Kneeling before her, she placed her hand on my forehead.
After a while, she clicked her tongue.
“Much worse than what that young man told me. A magic swordswoman… A power obtained at the cost of countless sacrifices, shaping the future of a child not yet born. Perhaps it’s only natural that the price is your life.”
My heart sank.
“So… when you said it could be removed… that wasn’t a lie, right?”
Through the strands of my hair, she slowly removed a pristine white earring.
With a strangely bitter expression, she hid it in her hand.
