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Chapter 25
Denok slowly made his way up the platform.
He had rehearsed this staircase several times before, yet in this moment, it felt unfamiliar and awkward.
As he took in a deep breath and exhaled, even in that brief moment, the tension in him was so strong that the surrounding magic sharpened like a blade.
Just then, as his face stiffened without him realizing it—
“It’s alright. I’m here with you. Nothing dangerous will happen.”
A hand, firmly holding his, gave a comforting squeeze.
The soft whisper of Edith’s voice gently settled over his racing heart like a calming blanket.
“….”
Holding her hand tightly in return, Denok stepped onto the final stair.
And then—light poured into view.
The glowing Luminel flowers painted the square in radiant color, and countless faces turned upward, all eyes on him.
At first, the stares felt familiar.
Wary. Doubtful.
But the moment he fully stepped onto the platform, the atmosphere shifted.
A wave of surprise spread through the crowd like a ripple.
Some people widened their eyes in shock.
Others covered their mouths in awe.
Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, cheers erupted like dominoes falling one after another.
“Waaaaah—!”
—
“Denok. One day, you will rule this land. And when that day comes, the people will cheer your name like this.”
“Cherish the land, be kind to its people. Always greet them with a smile.”
—
His eyebrows trembled slightly.
“See? I told you it would work,” Edith whispered with a soft smile.
Denok remained silent, unsure how to express this unfamiliar emotion.
Today, he was dressed to perfection for the festival.
His black ceremonial suit had a subtle sheen, adorned with bright red Luminel flower accents.
And for once, his hair—usually long enough to fall over his eyes—had been neatly cut.
He had never cared much for such things.
—
“I wanted you to look a little different at this festival,” she had said.
—
When he turned his head at the memory, Edith was smiling, as if asking what was wrong.
Gone was her usual calm demeanor; her face was wide open, refreshingly honest—almost innocent.
And for a fleeting moment, he felt the sudden impulse to keep looking at that face forever.
But as his gaze lingered, her expression began to shift with curiosity.
He snapped out of it, quietly taking her hand and leading her to the center of the stage—toward the ceremonial lantern.
The lantern was shaped like a Luminel flower.
Once its wick was lit, it would rise into the night sky and signal the start of the festival—just like the moment he had once gazed at as a child, eyes filled with wonder.
“……”
He stared at the lantern with a thoughtful look and focused magic at his fingertips.
A small flame sparked to life in the air.
He brought it to the lantern’s wick, and slowly, the lantern began to rise.
As its red glow traced a path across the sky, the crowd made wishes in hushed tones.
Children waved their hands in joy. Elders patted one another’s shoulders in contentment.
“Yaaaay!”
Gerald’s booming voice rang louder than the rest.
And with it, a forgotten memory stirred.
—
“You know, Luminel fairies are real.”
“…That’s not true.”
“No, really. Look over there—your father.”
—
The smiling whisper, sharing a childhood secret—
—
“Actually, the Grand Duke is the fairy who blesses the people’s happiness.”
—
Denok suddenly lowered his gaze and looked around.
There was Gerald, laughing loudly and playfully putting his arms around others. Vernon, eyes gleaming, was gazing at the lantern in the sky.
People all around were smiling, embracing each other, celebrating.
And for the first time, Denok realized something.
While he had been trapped in the past—chained to “that day”—he had never once looked around him.
And the one who made him realize this was—
“….”
A woman, gazing up at the sky with a radiant face.
The red glow of the lantern flickered in her eyes.
As he looked at her, a strange, indescribable feeling swept through his chest.
—
That night, as the festival reached its peak, the two quietly returned to the mansion.
The crowds were too much, and their presence could have disturbed the atmosphere more than helped it.
As soon as they were alone, Edith sank into her chair like a spool of thread unraveling.
“…I thought my back was going to break,” she muttered.
“You did well,” Denok replied.
“Still, it was worth it,” she said with a faint smile.
She had been born a noble lady, surrounded by luxury her whole life.
The imperial palace might have had more grandeur, but this festival was filled with sincere laughter and real joy.
There was a strange sense of freedom in it.
As she savored the afterglow, Denok, after a moment’s hesitation, spoke.
“If there’s anything you want… I’ll grant it.”
“…What?”
Caught off guard by his own words, Denok looked away, feeling awkward.
His father had always given his mother a gift after the festival.
Maybe this wasn’t the right approach.
Edith, about to politely decline, suddenly straightened up as an idea came to her.
“…Actually, there is something. Could I ask for it?”
When Denok nodded without question, she scratched her cheek with a slightly shy smile.
“Then… would you—”
—
A little while later, the two of them quietly headed toward the garden.
The night breeze carried the soft sounds of insects, and the Luminel flowers glowed gently all around.
“Thank you. I was so busy preparing for the festival, I didn’t get to enjoy the flowers.”
Edith smiled, a bit bashful, as she looked around the garden.
The first time she’d seen it, the place had been wild and overgrown, but now it was finally starting to take shape.
She hadn’t come out at night much—partly due to Denok’s unstable magic.
This was her first time seeing the flowers glow.
“Just a garden stroll?” Denok asked, surprised. He had expected something more special.
But Edith shook her head. “This is more than enough.”
“Glowing flowers… it’s like a dream,” she murmured, gently touching a petal.
It shimmered softly in her palm.
She leaned in and breathed in its fresh scent.
“This time of year, I bet Luciano’s territory looks like a glowing night sky,” she whispered.
Behind her, a quiet voice replied.
“If you’d like, I’ll show you.”
“Really?”
She turned, smiling, but her words caught in her throat.
A shadow had silently moved over her—his body, suddenly so close it blocked out the moonlight.
He was right there.
Close enough to hear each other’s breath.
And his face… just as near.
“….”
His gaze, which had been on the flower in her hand, slowly lifted to meet hers.
From beneath his freshly trimmed hair, his violet eyes—dark like violets in full bloom—locked onto her.
In that moment, when his eyes fully held her, Edith didn’t even notice she had stopped breathing.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, Denok moved.
His hand reached out soundlessly, and his body leaned even closer.
The hollow at his collarbone and the sharp line of his throat filled her vision.
She instinctively flinched.
“There,” he said in a low voice, tinged with something playful.
His fingers brushed through her hair—and then, as slowly as he had approached, he stepped back.
“A petal. It must’ve fallen in the breeze.”
In his hand was a glowing Luminel flower.
Only then did Edith realize—he had merely plucked a petal from her hair.
“O-oh. Thank you,” she stammered, forcing her voice to steady.
Her heart had raced wildly for a moment—but that was just from being startled.
Anyone would react that way if someone suddenly got that close.
She repeated this thought to herself, unsure if she was trying to convince him or herself.
Behind her closed eyes, she tried to erase the scene from earlier—
But she couldn’t.
Not the way his lips had curled just slightly.
Not the warmth that had brushed past her like moonlight.
That fleeting moment—refused to fade.
—
Meanwhile, as cheers continued to fill the festival square—
Far from the light, deep in the shadows at the outskirts of the city, a lone figure stood.
From beneath the hood of a dark robe, sharp eyes gleamed.
They stared, unblinking, at the fairy statue rising high in the square.
Like a predator watching prey.
