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~Chapter 30~
He gazed down at her intently, just as her long lashes quivered and slowly lifted.
In the sunlight, her eyes—usually a soft violet—caught streaks of sky blue, making them look almost otherworldly. Still hazy from sleep, she blinked up at him, her gaze soft and unfocused.
Their eyes met and lingered, suspended in that quiet space between them.
“My lady, you know my hand isn’t meant to be a pillow.”
“Ah!”
Startled, the princess shot upright, hastily pulling out her handkerchief and grabbing his hand to wipe it clean.
He looked at her, clearly puzzled, but she just turned even pinker—her face matching her hair.
“I was worried I might have drooled on you…”
Grey couldn’t help but let out a faint, helpless laugh.
“You’re in the clear.”
“Whew…”
She let out a sigh of relief, still clutching his hand.
His hand looked unusually large today—or maybe, he thought, her hands were just that small. Caught up in the thought, Grey’s expression hardened, almost as if scolding himself.
No matter how much he touched her, he felt nothing unusual, and yet—wasn’t he getting far too comfortable with this? The ease unsettled him.
“Do you just go around grabbing any man’s hand like this, my lady?”
“Ah! I’m so sorry!”
She flinched and dropped his hand like it was burning her. Well, she didn’t have to throw it away like that, did she?
One of Grey’s eyebrows twitched upward, betraying a flash of annoyance.
“Do you always nap outside like this? What on earth do you do at night that leaves you so sleepy by day?”
Dahlia’s eyes darted around, obviously searching for an excuse.
“I have insomnia…”
In truth, she slept just fine, but she managed a sheepish smile. Claiming insomnia sounded far better than confessing she was just always sleepy.
“Is that so? And you didn’t bring your notebook today?”
He looked her over, as if confirming.
She spread her empty hands.
“No, I didn’t. Since our third meeting is over, I thought today might be the last time I’d see Your Majesty alone.”
“…Is that so.”
“But why did you call for me, anyway?”
“First, why don’t you ask the thing you wanted to ask in our third meeting?”
“Really? Then… maybe today, can we skip the five-minute limit?”
“Fine.”
Grey settled back in his chair, giving her the floor. Dahlia tried to recall all the questions she’d been saving up.
“The other day, you said your favorite color was ‘dawn.’ Can you describe exactly what kind of color that is?”
Their eyes met and held—a silent staring contest.
“Pass,”
he finally said, after a long beat.
Dahlia pouted, lips jutting out, and he found his gaze lingering on her lips a moment too long.
What? Is something on my face? Did I drool after all?
She quickly dabbed around her mouth with the handkerchief. When in doubt, it was best to change the subject!
“What do you think of women who like to garden?”
“Your lips are—…”
He abruptly cut himself off, covering his own mouth.
She gave him a bemused look.
“What else would I talk with, if not my lips?”
I must be losing it.
He found himself distracted by her lips, recalling how cold they’d felt when he’d breathed life into her by the lakeside. Now, they were a healthy pink.
His gaze felt hot on her, and suddenly embarrassed, he covered his eyes with his hand.
“Your Majesty?”
“Just keep talking. I’ve got a headache.”
A shadow crossed Dahlia’s face.
She knew he disliked women, but was it really so severe that just talking about women’s topics would give him a migraine? Can this man even get married? He has to… for everyone’s sake…
Still, she pressed on, recalling a question she’d kept inside from the very first day. If today was truly their last conversation, she had to ask.
“Your Majesty, what do you think about the end of the world?”
Grey slowly lowered his hand and studied her, as if trying to see right through her.
“Are you asking seriously?”
Dahlia nodded, drawing a deep breath to steady herself.
“Yes.”
“Do you know something about the demon beasts?”
His eyes narrowed, searching her violet gaze for a hint of intent.
“Demon beasts? What are those?”
She tilted her head, utterly guileless.
“You mean you don’t know? Truly?”
“No, I have no idea what that is.”
Truth.
He’d only just heard of these creatures himself, through the recording orb—the demon beasts, “mamool,” that no one had seen or named before.
But her question had been about the end of the world.
Could the two really be unrelated? He checked her again.
The truth-detecting artifact signaled her answer was honest.
“What was your question, again?”
“About the end of the world. Do you know anything?”
She watched him nervously, but Grey himself didn’t know the answer.
Could those new monsters bring about the end?
So far, only a handful even knew of their existence. No one knew what they were, how many there were, or how much the Holy Empire already understood. Why capture one alive?
His thoughts churned.
“I’m not sure.”
He answered vaguely, still watching her reaction.
“I thought so.”
She looked disappointed.
“Now I want to ask you: Why ask about the end of the world all of a sudden?”
“It’s just… if the world ended, everyone I love would die, wouldn’t they? I get scared, sometimes, just imagining it.”
Her violet eyes trembled with genuine worry.
She’s anxious just thinking about it? His suspicion of her only deepened.
“You have a very vivid imagination.”
“Aren’t you afraid, Your Majesty?”
She looked at him as if she genuinely couldn’t understand.
“I’m not afraid of dying.”
Since the cursed mark appeared on his back, he’d prepared himself for death every year, wondering if that year would be the last. He’d long ago made his peace with it.
“But… are you afraid of losing someone you love?”
Someone he loved? No one came to mind immediately. Well, maybe his sister Vivian.
“I suppose I wouldn’t like that.”
“Exactly. Then… if, hypothetically, you could stop the end of the world, would you do it?”
Her eyes sparkled as she leaned forward, voice intense.
“You think I could stop something like that?”
“Just hypothetically!”
She nodded eagerly.
“I’d have to think about it if the time came.”
Dahlia looked a little crestfallen. He’s so hard to pin down…
“Is it my turn now? How did you know the princess had fallen into the lake?”
His eyes sharpened, gaze intent.
Dahlia swallowed, nerves fluttering.
So that’s why he called me here after all…
