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~Chapter 22~
Close Encounters and Confessions
“Oh, my goodness.”
I instinctively covered my mouth in surprise. But then I realized how shocked Calix must have been, and my heart softened.
Pretending to be fine, I had been riding the horse only to suddenly collapse. How must it have felt for anyone watching?
Calix had actually witnessed my near-death experience before, so I knew his concern was even greater.
I slowly lowered myself from Calix’s embrace, burying my face in his chest and wrapping my arms around him.
“I’ll let it slide this time.”
With my face pressed against his chest, I mumbled something, but I decided to say it anyway.
“Were you really that scared? I’m sorry.”
“I thought you were dying.”
“I’m sorry. I must have overdone it.”
“The doctor said you shouldn’t use magic for a few days. It’s like overloading your system.”
“I see.”
It seemed that the heavy magic I absorbed in the cellar had been too much for me to handle.
“I thought you were trying to leave me.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go. I’m a beggar.”
Even as I said that, I tightened my arms around him.
He must have been really shaken, so I thought I should comfort him for now.
“I wasn’t planning on taking you with me.”
“Or what? Were you planning to keep it a secret until the end?”
If that were the case, I wouldn’t have been able to stand it and would have run away. Calix, reading my thoughts, simply shook his head.
No, it was my fault.
I apologized for something I didn’t even need to apologize for.
But the brief, peaceful moment was soon interrupted by a loud growl from my stomach.
“…”
I pretended not to hear it, but Calix, who had been too close, heard everything.
“Damn.”
“…Do you want to eat?”
“Huh? No? I’m fine, really.”
“You’ve been starving all day. My bad.”
“No? I don’t need food.”
“I’ll have something ready for you quickly.”
“No, really?”
I tried to pull him closer, hoping he’d stay in bed, but…
He easily escaped from my grasp.
“Wait for me a second.”
With that, he stepped away with a teasing smile, planting a kiss on my forehead.
“You were acting like you were about to die.”
Before I knew it, I was alone in the room, muttering to myself, but there was no response.
I just felt embarrassed being left alone.
“No, he’d clap for me even if I pooped on the street.”
Such thoughts crossed my mind. Is this really how this romance novel is supposed to be?
My doubts about Calix’s role in this story, the dragon’s existence, my own soul tied to it, and even the Emperor…
There was so much to think about…
“Let’s think about it later, and just eat for now.”
A short time later, I greeted Calix, who returned with food on a tray, while I was still lying on the bed.
The Grand Return to Heir Tristia
Thanks to Calix’s overprotectiveness after I collapsed, the journey back to the Heir Tristia estate was luxurious and comfortable.
Calix had even gone so far as to purchase the most expensive and comfortable carriage in the city.
As a result, we set off in a gleaming carriage as if we were going on a grand picnic.
“What if someone comes up to us and causes trouble because the carriage is too noticeable?”
Calix scoffed at my concern and replied:
“I’ll win all of it.”
“Right, sure you will.”
That wasn’t all. Upon arriving at the estate, every knight stationed there came out to greet us.
“This is excessive.”
I glared at Calix with a hint of annoyance, but he smiled as if nothing was wrong and reached out to me.
“Watch your step, Rena.”
“There’s a red carpet under my feet, you know?”
Indeed.
Calix had laid down a red carpet for me to step onto as I disembarked from the carriage! A literal red carpet!
“Am I seeing things?”
Staring at the crimson fabric in disbelief, Calix casually gave instructions to the knights to ensure the carpet was perfectly flat.
“We can’t have Rena tripping over any part of it.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Yeah, I’m crazy. Crazy about you.”
“Right. You’re crazy about me, or maybe you’re just overprotective. Either way, it’s clear you’re insane.”
Even after arriving at the mansion, it looked like Calix was planning to carry me to my room.
“Enough already!”
I shouted with genuine frustration, and he reluctantly took a step back, his face still a little sullen.
“Yeah. Acting.”
I assessed him coldly as I turned away.
The moment I arrived in my room, I laid out a large piece of paper and started jotting down everything I had learned so far.
“If this is how it’s going to be, my goal is to live forever!”
Thus, my longevity project began.
A Week After Returning to Heir Tristia
It had been a week since we returned to Heir Tristia. Regina had holed up in the mansion’s library, which was more like a vast collection of books about the entire history of Heir Tristia.
In one corner of the massive library, Regina always sat by the magic-related section, reading.
Every time Calix saw her sitting there, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
The reason he had obsessively collected magic books, despite there being no magicians in Heir Tristia, was simple.
It was all for Rena, who would return one day.
So, an entire section of the library was dedicated to books about magic.
Regina didn’t know that. Instead, she marveled at the number of books, thinking:
“The Duke’s mansion is definitely something else. There are so many books here.”
Today, too, Calix walked over to the sofa where she always sat, passing through the bookshelves.
“Rena?”
Turning the corner, he found Regina asleep, holding a half-opened book and leaning on the sofa.
Apparently, she had woken up early today.
“…”
Next to her, there was a half-drunk cup of coffee. A smile naturally spread across Calix’s face.
Instead of waking her up immediately, he decided to watch her for a while. Until recently, this had been a scene he could only imagine.
The cold mansion felt warmer with her presence.
After a while, Calix stretched and relaxed his arms before deciding it was time to wake her.
“Rena, wake up.”
“…”
“Rena, you need to eat dinner before bed.”
“Ugh…”
As he gently pushed her hair behind her ear, Regina’s eyes snapped open with a strange moan.
“…”
Even after waking up, she seemed disoriented, blinking repeatedly. Calix let out a soft chuckle.
“Did you sleep well? What kind of dream were you having that you slept so soundly?”
“…You said you bought a flying carriage for me.”
She mumbled, still half asleep, and Calix took her hand with a fond smile.
“If you want a flying carriage, I’ll get one for you. But let’s go to your room now.”
“…Is there really a flying carriage?”
“No. But for you, I could make anything.”
Her smile grew wider at his response. He grinned in return and helped her up.
Regina, still a little groggy, carefully placed a bookmark in her book as if she were the owner of the library.
As they walked out, Calix glanced at the title of the book she had been reading.
Introduction to Magic for Beginners.
