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Chapter 52
He was so overly energetic that he sent several people to their sickbeds…
Of course, Isel had no way of knowing what Ceres was thinking and merely nodded slowly.
“I see…”
As if imagining an energetic Rahan, Isel blinked quietly for a moment.
Ceres stared blankly at her profile with a complicated expression. Lately, it felt as though the number of things weighing on his conscience kept increasing.
“Isel. I think we’re running low on linseed oil. Could you bring a little more from the jar?”
Isel answered that she would and headed into the storage room where the jar of linseed oil was kept.
Ceres let out a sigh and picked up his brush again when suddenly the velvet curtain separating the studio from the shop was swept aside in one motion.
“…!”
The person who entered as though he owned the place was none other than Rahan. Startled, Ceres rubbed his chest and was about to ask if he thought he was the owner—
Then stopped.
Right. That bastard was the landlord…
Rahan glanced at the displeased-looking Ceres and asked casually,
“Nothing happened, right?”
“Yeah. Nothing—”
Ceres, who had been about to answer lightly, suddenly snapped his mouth shut.
No, that wasn’t true!
Something far more important and shocking had happened, but while talking about Isel and the academy, he had completely forgotten about it.
Grabbing Rahan firmly by the shoulders, Ceres whispered in a low voice,
“Hey. Did His Majesty happen to tell you anything?”
“What kind of thing?”
“Like the Crown Prince returning, for example.”
“I haven’t heard anything.”
When Rahan replied indifferently, Ceres pressed a finger against his temple with a groan.
“Ha… but it was definitely the Crown Prince’s face…”
“What are you talking about?”
“His Highness came by earlier. Saying he wanted to see El’s sculpture.”
Rahan’s brows narrowed instantly.
“…And?”
“Obviously I didn’t show him.”
Rahan sank into thought.
Judging from the sharp angle of his brows, they weren’t positive thoughts. Then again, Rahan and Prince Sion had never gotten along particularly well.
Technically speaking, the two were cousins, yet Rahan, as he did with everyone else, often showed his terrible personality even toward his younger cousin.
It was as if he didn’t care in the slightest that the other person was the Crown Prince. Strangely enough, however, Prince Sion always followed Rahan around regardless, which caused people endless concern.
Everyone worried that someday the empire’s precious Crown Prince would end up with broken legs at this rate. Still, perhaps Rahan knew where to draw the line, because he never physically harmed him.
Officially, at least.
The Crown Prince constantly begged Rahan to spar with him. Then one day, during one of their matches, the prince fell badly and sprained his ankle.
Since the Crown Prince himself laughed it off and insisted it was his own fault, the incident passed without much commotion or rumor.
But Ceres had never forgotten it.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
At Ceres’s probing question, Rahan merely grinned silently.
Even now, the chilling sensation from that moment remained vivid in Ceres’s memory.
Shuddering, Ceres stared at him.
Thinking about it now, Rahan’s personality really had improved a lot.
Well… only when Isel was around.
“Then the holy knights came searching… Isel almost got discovered in the studio, but thankfully we managed to get through it.”
After a brief silence, Rahan asked,
“Where’s Isel?”
Ceres tilted his head toward the storage room, and right on cue, Isel emerged carrying the linseed oil.
“Isel!”
Though they had been apart for less than an hour, Rahan hurried toward her as though seeing her again after an entire year.
Spotting him, Isel greeted him with a bright smile.
“Your Grace, did your business go well?”
Rahan nodded and extended a hand toward her.
The hand offered so formally, almost as if asking for a dance, made Isel’s eyes widen.
“There is somewhere I would like you to come with me.”
After glancing between his face and hand for a moment, Isel placed her hand in his.
“Alright.”
The place Rahan led Isel to was a clock tower not far from the studio.
Inside the tallest clock tower in the capital, a spiral staircase stretched all the way to the top.
Without letting go of Rahan’s hand, Isel climbed the stairs beside him. As though trapped inside a fairy tale, the staircase seemed endless.
At last, after climbing the final step, an unbelievable sight spread out before her eyes.
“My goodness… the entire street…”
The two of them stood at the very top floor of the clock tower. A cool evening breeze drifted through the arched windows.
Pressing close to the window, Isel gazed down at the streets glowing with colorful lights.
More brilliantly than ever, the people celebrated the birth festival of the goddess Enix.
The melodies of string instruments played spontaneously by wandering musicians, the sound of wineglasses clinking after lengthy toasts, the laughter of children watching silly little plays…
Perhaps because of the distance, or the damp evening air, the noisy chatter of the crowd echoed softly in her ears.
It felt warm and comforting, as though submerged deep underwater.
Smiling faintly as she admired the view, Isel suddenly turned to Rahan.
“But… is it really alright for us to be up here so freely?”
“It is not.”
Contrary to his calm tone, the answer itself made Isel jump in surprise.
Don’t tell me we broke in illegally?
Momentarily frozen in panic, Isel quickly turned, saying they needed to leave immediately, but Rahan chuckled softly and caught her wrist.
“Normally, it wouldn’t be allowed. But just for today, I’ll permit it.”
“…Pardon?”
The hand gripping her wrist slid down and intertwined their fingers.
Looking down at her, Rahan added gently,
“Because this building belongs to me.”
Only then did Isel understand, releasing a relieved breath.
“You startled me, Grand Duke.”
At her mild scolding, Rahan smiled sweetly.
“My apologies.”
It wasn’t exactly the expression of someone who felt sorry, but seeing him smile made one naturally smile too.
At that moment, loud commotion suddenly erupted from the plaza below.
It had been noisy all along, but now the voices swelled as though calling out for something.
“It seems to be starting.”
“What is?”
Instead of answering, Rahan merely gestured toward the dark sky.
The stars glittered faintly in the cloudless night.
Just as Isel was about to ask again, a sound like air bursting filled the heavens.
“Fireworks.”
The moment Rahan whispered the word, the sky flashed brightly.
Light bloomed through the darkness.
“Ah…”
At first, she thought it was simply lightning flashing.
But it wasn’t lightning.
The lights embroidering the vast sky were gold, then blue, then crimson. Trails of light failed to reach the moon, scattering weakly as they fell.
Speechless, Isel stared at the sight.
Before the afterimages could fade, another brilliant streak pierced through the pale smoke and soared upward. This firework bloomed differently from the last.
In time with the continuous explosions, a fairy with golden wings seemed to laugh and leap across the heavens.
Each time the fairy bounded from star to star, fireworks rippled outward in its wake.
Every time new lights painted the sky, Isel’s face glowed softly, then darkened again.
Perhaps because of the dazzling fireworks before her eyes, Isel spoke as though entranced.
“Grand Duke.”
“Yes, Isel.”
“I want to thank you.”
Rahan’s eyes widened slightly at her quiet voice.
Watching the lights wave through the sky like rolling waves, Isel continued,
“For these fireworks… and for everything else too.”
“…”
“You’ve helped me so much, more than I could ever repay in a lifetime.”
Until now, Isel had shoved all her terrible memories and emotions into a tiny box and wrapped it up neatly.
The person who opened the dust-covered box bound tightly in chains…
was Rahan.
“It’s alright now, Isel.”
Though it hadn’t even been a month since meeting him, Isel had already received countless kindnesses from Rahan.
So many that she often jolted awake from sleep each night.
What if it was all a dream?
What if paying off her debts, accepting Rahan’s proposal—what if none of it was real?
Warmth welled behind her eyes.
After a long silence, Rahan called her name.
“…Isel.”
But Isel didn’t turn to look at him.
For some reason, she felt that if their eyes met now, something irreversible would happen. Stubbornly keeping her gaze on the sky, she continued speaking.
“I’ll repay this debt someday… I promise.”
The end of her voice trembled softly.
Her throat tightened painfully with emotions both unfamiliar and old. She pressed her lips together to suppress them when suddenly someone’s hand tilted her chin upward.
Her gaze naturally lifted, filling with Rahan’s face.
“…?”
The straight bridge of his nose cast shadows across his cheek, and beneath his dark brows, his eyes blinked slowly.
Rahan’s lips parted.
“Isel.”
His low voice was quiet, but Isel missed none of it. It felt as though every cell in her body had been captured by him.
As though seeing the Isel before him from somewhere far away, he gazed at her with distant eyes and said,
“Then… would you not call me ‘Grand Duke’ anymore, but by my name instead?”
Isel’s eyes widened slightly.
“I couldn’t possibly commit such disrespect toward Your Grace—”
As she tried to protest, Rahan gently but firmly shook his head.
“Could you not consider it part of repaying your debt?”
Unsure what to do, Isel’s eyes darted anxiously.
Rahan watched her awkwardness almost as though enjoying it before adding,
“Surely… you haven’t forgotten my name?”
His voice drooped so pitifully that Isel hurriedly cried out,
“N-No!”
“You remember it?”
“…Yes.”
How could she ever forget?
On that night when fear consumed her and she ran through the dark forest, it was his name that filled her mind.
Rahan waited silently, as though determined to wait until she said it herself.
Isel repeatedly bit and released her lip.
I thought he was only kind and gentle… who knew he could be this teasing…
Slowly, she parted her lips and let the name escape.
“Rahan.”
The sound leaving her throat felt both strange and familiar. Speaking the name of the man before her felt oddly intimate.
Carefully, Isel looked up at him.
Rahan’s eyes had widened slightly.
“Rahan?”
When she called his name once more, he blinked again before finally responding.
“…Yes. Isel.”
At that instant, fireworks illuminated the sky.
The dark world brightened all at once.
Like a boy experiencing first love for the first time, a faint blush colored both cheeks of the Grand Duke of Kanox.
The moment she saw it, something dropped heavily inside her chest.
The hand that had been holding her chin was now cupping her cheek.
Looking into her confused, crystal-clear eyes, Rahan moved his lips.
“I love you, Isel.”
Isel slowly drew in a trembling breath.
The chains wrapped around the small precious box inside her melted away like snow, and a quiet yet burning emotion surged upward. Her heart rattled violently, as though trying to escape her chest.
Isel thought she wanted to run away.
This happy feeling blooming inside her was so unbearably unfamiliar.
Her vision sparkled, her heart pounded wildly—
Though it was clearly her own body, she could control none of it, and that frightened her.
Keeping his gaze fixed solely on Isel, Rahan lowered himself slowly toward her.
As their hurried yet sweet breaths tangled together, their lips finally met.
For a moment, silence enveloped them both, as though their ears had been plugged with wet cotton.
His slightly dry lips pressed warmly against hers. A dreamy haze spread through her entire body.
The sound of fireworks bursting across the sky and people cheering and applauding drifted faintly in the distance.
Only one thing remained clear—
the sound of her pounding heart.
Feeling the firm arm wrapping around her waist, Isel slowly closed her eyes.
If this terrifying and wonderful feeling was called love…
Then surely—
I must be in love with Grand Duke Rahan.
