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Chapter 30
“…So, please, have a little pity on me.”
Lifting his eyes to look at me, he took my hand and pressed it to his cheek.
The warmth that seeped into my palm from his smooth skin spread faintly.
“Back then, whenever you comforted me, Einra, you always cupped my cheek like this.”
Resting his face against my hand, he slowly closed his eyes.
“I really liked that.”
Sunlight streaming in through the window bathed his beautiful face in pale light.
His lashes, shimmering white in the light, cast a faint shadow over his eyes.
“Uh, A-Arkes…”
It was only today I learned that when someone is unbearably beautiful, your heart can actually struggle to keep up.
When he was a child, I vaguely thought Arkes would grow up to break many hearts—but I never imagined I would be one of them!
When I called out to him in a near-tearful voice, Arkes blinked a few times, then chuckled softly and rose slowly.
“Anyway, Einra, how long are you planning to stay here?”
Sitting right down beside me, he tilted his head as he asked.
Relieved at the sudden change of subject, I tapped my cheek with a thoughtful look.
“Hm… since the reason I came down here is gone now, I guess it’s about time I head back to the capital, isn’t it?”
“I noticed you sold off your house in the capital. Do you have somewhere to stay?”
“Uh, well… I suppose I’ll just stay in a hotel until I find a new place.”
If I told the emperor, he’d pester me endlessly to live in the palace. The quiet option was clearly to stay in a hotel until I secured my own place.
Just as I was settling firmly on that plan, Arkes asked softly:
“Then… Einra, what about staying at the Grand Duke’s residence?”
“The Grand Duke’s residence? Your house?”
I widened my eyes, and he nodded.
“Yes. The house is big, there are plenty of guest rooms, and you won’t be inconvenienced at all.”
“Would that really be okay? I’d feel like I was imposing too much…”
“I’m cursed, remember? Being near you makes me feel safe, so I’m asking you a favor. You don’t have to feel burdened.”
“But still…”
“Einra, please?”
He smiled with his eyes, almost pleading, and it was so endearing that I found myself nodding as if bewitched.
“…Alright. I’ll stay at the Grand Duke’s residence for a while.”
Hearing my reply, Arkes smiled radiantly, as though holding all the light of the world.
“I’m so happy, Einra.”
Elberk Emperor’s office.
The light of the crystal orb faded as the recorded voice finished playing.
It was a report Arkes had sent, concerning Grand Duke Baharman.
“Ah, my foolish uncle. Not only did he kidnap Grand Duke Serenia at a banquet, he even cursed her, and after two assassination attempts, he still failed.”
The emperor’s pink eyes curved with amusement.
“He must be absolutely fuming right about now.”
Chuckling, the emperor crossed his legs and sank deeper into the chair.
“Right this moment, he’s probably throwing things in a fit, unable to control his temper in front of his men. I can picture it perfectly.”
Tilting his head lazily, he rested his chin on the armrest. His dark navy hair, like the night sky, slid down smoothly.
The emperor felt not the slightest shred of pity for Grand Duke Baharman, who must be livid by now.
After all, when you set out to act, preparation is everything.
How could one sympathize when he took on something doomed to fail from the start?
“The world is full of cause and effect, Uncle dear.”
Turning his mocking gaze aside, the emperor looked at Violetti beside him.
“Well then, Count Chevilla. When did your lord say he’d be returning to the capital?”
“I apologize, Your Majesty. We expect it will be soon, but His Highness hasn’t given a definite answer, so I can’t say for certain.”
“As I thought. After all, it’s been five whole years since he last saw Einra, whom he longed for day and night. Who wouldn’t want to spend more time with her? As emperor, I’ll be magnanimous and let it slide.”
With a shrug, the emperor grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling.
“Still, it won’t be long before I finally see our dear Einra again. I suppose she’ll return with Grand Duke Serenia?”
For now, he decided, the sale of mansions in the capital should be frozen.
He’d tell Einra she must stay at the palace. Perhaps he’d even grant her the empty Empress’ Palace.
The emperor pondered cheerfully.
Of course, the chance of that actually happening was close to zero.
Before long, night had fallen.
Sitting in the living room with Arkes, reading books together, I began to grow increasingly nervous.
‘…What should I do? Are we sleeping together again tonight?’
Arkes had said he was plagued by nightmares, and that was why I had offered to help him sleep.
‘But now, he looks like a fully grown adult!’
If he still looked like little As, well… it would still feel awkward, but not this agonizing.
But to share a bed with a grown man?
Even if absolutely nothing indecent were to happen!
“…”
I kept sneaking glances at Arkes across from me, reading a scholarly book.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, he raised his head and met my eyes.
“Einra?”
He tilted his head, calling me.
Startled, I shook my head frantically.
“N-no, it’s nothing!”
“Alright.”
With a gentle smile in his voice, he returned his eyes to the book.
I quickly lifted my own book to hide my flushed face.
‘Was I staring too openly…?’
That he noticed so quickly!
Taking deep breaths behind the cover of my book, I eventually lowered it, carefully choosing my words.
“Um, Arkes.”
“Yes, Einra?”
He smiled again, meeting my eyes.
The moment our gazes locked—those red eyes—I felt the heat rise in my cheeks again.
Rolling my eyes this way and that, I forced myself to speak.
“A-about tonight…”
“Tonight?”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise.
He looked as though the thought hadn’t crossed his mind, and somehow that only made me more embarrassed. Still, I pressed on, nodding.
“Up until now, I’ve been helping you sleep. But now that you’re, um, grown up…”
“Is it because I’m an adult now? Does that make you uncomfortable?”
Sounding almost hurt, Arkes lowered his eyes.
Panicking, I shook my head quickly.
“N-no, that’s not it! I just thought… maybe it’d be awkward for both of us…”
“I don’t feel awkward at all. In fact, I’m glad I don’t have to dream nightmares. …But if it makes you uncomfortable, I don’t want that.”
He bit his lip, then lifted his head to meet my eyes again.
Smiling faintly, he said:
“I’ll endure it. The nightmares, the pain. I’m good at enduring—second only to never letting my eyes leave you.”
“Arkes…”
“So don’t worry.”
That smile carried a quiet sorrow, and my chest ached.
‘After all, I’ve slept beside As so many times before. It’s just to keep a poor child from suffering nightmares… there’s nothing wrong with that, is there?’
It’s not as though we’d be cuddling. Just sleeping in the same space.
As I thought it over, my mind slowly tilted toward acceptance.
With a resolute look, I told him:
“No, Arkes. I’m not uncomfortable at all. Let’s sleep together.”
“…Really? Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
I clenched my fists and declared firmly.
Blinking as though receiving an unexpected gift, Arkes soon broke into a radiant smile.
“Thank you, Einra. I’m so glad you don’t find me a burden.”
“H-hey, don’t get so happy over something like that…”
Embarrassed, I scratched my cheek awkwardly, but Arkes only tilted his head curiously.
“But Einra not avoiding me—that’s my greatest joy.”
“…”
The way he said it, as though it were the most natural truth, left my face burning—and my heart aching.
How could that alone be his greatest joy?
Shouldn’t he wish for more?
‘It must be because the misunderstanding dragged on so long…’
After that fateful “black history” incident, the war with the Semel tribe broke out, and so the misunderstanding between us lasted for five whole years.
A misunderstanding that would have cleared up so quickly if we’d just talked!
But the war dragged it out for five years.
The fault lay partly in my own failure to handle his sudden confession back then.
So yes, I owed him.
And if simply being with him at night could keep his nightmares at bay…
How could I possibly refuse?
“…Arkes.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll protect you. I won’t let you dream any nightmares.”
With a solemn face, I clenched my fists.
Watching me, Arkes gave a soft, amused laugh.
“Then I’ll trust only you, Einra.”
