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Chapter 27
Calix looked down at the round back of Regiana’s head as she sat crouched, and remembered the promise he had made to her just moments ago.
“I swear. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”
He wondered if he could really keep that promise. Was he making a mistake by taking her somewhere dangerous?
It would be a lie to say he hadn’t thought about it.
But if he believed he couldn’t protect her, he wouldn’t have made the promise at all. The thought of her being in danger—or separated from him—had never even crossed his mind.
No matter what, he was going to achieve his goal and keep Regiana by his side.
No matter what.
He was willing to endure anything to do that.
After quietly watching her for a while, Calix sat beside her.
As they picked through stones together, he spoke.
“Doing this brings back memories, doesn’t it?”
Regiana giggled.
“You mean the time we watched the sea all night and both caught colds?”
“That too.”
“Or when you fell out of a tree and I had to treat your injury?”
“…Yeah, that happened too.”
Calix had lived in Troxia for a little over a year. Not a short time—at least not too short to leave a person in his memories.
“Do you remember what you said to me when we first met?”
At his question, Regiana looked embarrassed.
“Uh… I think it wasn’t something a little kid should’ve said.”
“When you first saw me, you said…”
‘So you’re Calix Axel Heretrio. Looks like life’s going to be exhausting for both of us.’
“…Yeah, I did say that.”
“Yep… that’s what you said.”
Regiana scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“I don’t think I had a very nice personality back then.”
Calix smiled gently, not saying that she still kind of didn’t. But honestly, he even loved that about her. Maybe because of her difficult personality, he loved her more.
“You also told me that since life was going to be tiring anyway, I should just slack off for now.”
“Did I really say that?”
“Yeah. And you really did slack off and tried to run away.”
“Ah…”
Regiana nodded quietly.
“I was a pretty cynical little kid, huh.”
“Yeah. That’s why I fell for you.”
“Wait—you always said you fell for me first and chased me asking to marry you!”
“That’s true. But maybe I fell for you first.”
As Calix admitted that, Regiana suddenly looked up.
Her small face was full of confusion and annoyance.
“Wait a second. So you did fall for me first, but I was the one who chased you around asking to get married?!”
Calix nodded.
“Yup.”
“Are you seriously saying I asked you to marry me? Even though you fell first?”
When he nodded again, Regiana’s face showed clear irritation.
“Then why didn’t you ask me to marry you first?”
Her pride seemed a little hurt. Calix, noticing her reaction, asked carefully:
“…Do you want me to say it now?”
He wiped his hands and gently took both of hers.
“Regiana Rohelo Troxia…”
Their eyes met.
He swallowed hard.
Even Calix couldn’t say the next part right away. And surprisingly, Regiana didn’t pull her hands away or tell him to stop either.
After a few moments of tense silence, he finally asked:
“Will you marry me?”
There was no reply.
“…”
‘I messed up.’
As soon as he said it, Calix regretted it.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. He didn’t want to propose like this—covered in dirt, with messy hands from picking up rocks.
He had always imagined proposing to her in the most amazing way possible. A perfect setting, a perfect moment—something so beautiful every girl in the world would envy.
And now he had just blurted it out like a child playing pretend.
“Lena, what I just said…”
He rushed to explain.
But what could he even say?
That it was a mistake? That she should forget it? That he’d do it properly one day in a nicer place?
That would sound so stupid.
He wanted to say sorry. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t deserve such a clumsy, joke-like proposal. That he wanted to kneel before her in the most beautiful place, looking his best, offering her the world.
But the moment he saw her face, all those thoughts disappeared.
“Ah…”
Under the moonlight, Regiana’s face was bright red. And Calix didn’t even realize that his own face was just as red.
While he stood frozen, staring at her, Regiana gritted her teeth and said one word:
“You…”
“…You?” he repeated.
Was she going to tell him to get lost?
That he was a fool who didn’t understand romance or love?
That following him this far had been a mistake?
But what she said next caught him completely off guard.
With a shout, she yelled:
“Who proposes without a ring, you idiot!”
And at that exact moment, she splashed water from the lake all over him.
A little while later…
Calix looked down at himself—completely soaked from head to toe and smelling like fishy lake water.
The lake they had just been skipping stones in was not something you wanted dumped on your body.
Meanwhile, Regiana looked totally fine. She had protected herself with magic, so not even a single drop of water had touched her.
Which meant… only Calix looked like a drenched rat.
“When we get back, people are definitely going to ask if you fell in the lake.”
“Just tell the truth. That you proposed like an idiot and got a face full of water.”
Regiana spoke sharply and untied the horse from the tree.
Calix took off his soaked shoes and turned them upside down—water poured out in streams.
He did the same with the other shoe, and now barefoot, he called out pitifully:
“Lena, I’m cold.”
“Good. If you catch a cold, it’ll bring back old memories.”
“I’m barefoot…”
“They say walking barefoot is good for your health.”
“…”
Still, as she watched him squishing toward the horse, she sighed and waved her hand. Calix immediately felt a warm energy surround him.
He was still wet, but he didn’t feel cold anymore.
“Thanks.”
He wasn’t really cold at all—but he still pretended to be pathetic just to hear her voice.
But inside, his mind was spinning with one loud thought:
‘Who proposes without a ring, you idiot!’
Wait… did that mean if he did bring a ring, she’d say yes?
His thoughts were going wild.
If it was about the ring, he could just get one made by the best jeweler on the continent. An engagement ring, a wedding ring, a matching necklace, earrings—everything.
He had it all planned.
He could even get a huge diamond the size of her fist—or maybe something green to match her eyes.
When should the wedding be? Spring would be perfect.
Since they’d be heading to the capital in winter, and he planned to kill the Emperor then, spring would work out just right.
Just imagining Regiana as a spring bride made a soft smile appear on Calix’s face.
“Hurry up.”
“I’m coming! I’m coming!”
She called him with her usual grumpy tone, not knowing what was going through his mind.
And he ran to catch up, dreaming about Regiana in a wedding dress surrounded by flowers.
Why is the Emperor suddenly throwing a party in the greenhouse?
I rolled around on the bed.
Maybe he just wants to show off his precious plants…
I was supposed to be packing for the capital, but I really didn’t want to.
What bothered me most was that the Emperor specifically said to bring me.
Anyone could see that meant he was suspicious of me.
Other nobles might be happy about a fancy winter greenhouse party—but for Calix and me, preparing for the capital felt more like preparing for a war. We were packing everything.
Calix had also become even more obsessed with keeping me safe. One time, I woke up from a nap and found myself literally in his arms. Another time, he tried to pack a rifle. I had to stop him.
And ever since that night at the lake, I’d been weirdly avoiding him.
All because of what he said…
“Will you marry me?”
Why did he even bring that up?!
Every time our eyes met, I remembered everything. His big hands holding mine, the way he swallowed nervously, the look in his eyes under the moonlight.
It was all stuck in my head—and growing more intense every day.
Did he see how red my face got that night? Could he hear my heart pounding?
Maybe I should’ve thrown lake water on myself too…
That night, Calix came home drenched, took a long bath, and only then was able to sleep. The whole way back to the house, he dripped water and smelled like fish.
Now that I think about it, maybe I should’ve been the one soaked in cold water.
Because the heat I felt that night… still hadn’t gone away.
