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Chapter 51
It had bothered me a little, but soon, a gentle hand stroked my hair again, and I felt at ease, resting my cheek against the sofa.
Unlike the noisy hall, the quiet lounge, the comfortable silence, and the tender hand on my head…
Sleepiness gradually began to creep over me.
I blinked dully, and suddenly, I heard Harnen’s voice softly.
“…I didn’t mean to.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
He must have been busy, talking to the nobles non-stop all this time.
I answered reflexively and let out a long yawn.
Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes.
Too lazy to wipe them away, I was just about to blink them off when the hand stroking my hair gently moved down and wiped the tears from my eyes.
“…Einra.”
He called me in a low voice.
I answered with a sleepy tone.
“Mm.”
“…”
“Harnen?”
It felt odd that he called me but didn’t speak, so I turned my head to look at him.
When our eyes met, he slowly spoke, his gaze devoid of any trace of humor.
“…Just. Don’t ever meet a guy like that again.”
“What? Why are you hesitating when saying something so obvious?”
A guy like that, even if he were Grand Duke Baharman, I would never, ever become close to him, no matter the price.
At my merciless response, Harnen let out a bitter chuckle.
“You’re right. I did say something obvious.”
“Yeah… it’s the most obvious thing in the world…”
Sleepiness hit me heavily all at once.
I let out a long yawn and, unable to keep my blurry vision open, closed my eyes.
In the fading edges of consciousness, I faintly felt the hand stroking my hair again.
It almost seemed I could hear Harnen’s voice.
“…Even someone like me is too much for you.”
Before I could even fully grasp the meaning behind his words, I drifted completely into sleep.
Einra had fallen asleep.
Even breaths filled the quiet lounge.
The hand that had been stroking her chestnut hair stopped.
Harnen, hesitating for a moment before withdrawing his hand, slowly pulled it away.
The back of his hand brushed gently against Einra’s cheek before moving away.
The warmth he felt in that instant was unbearably adorable, and Harnen clenched his fists tightly.
‘Don’t you want Einra to be with the Grand Duke?’
‘…’
‘Selfish, emperor’s friend.’
I know, I know.
‘…Is Akes doing well?’
‘Because Einra said she wouldn’t hate me.’
…I know.
“I hate it.”
He muttered almost gritting his teeth.
His clenched fists turned white.
“Einra.”
“…”
“I just want you to stay as you are.”
“…”
“If you won’t stay by my side, then just…”
Harnen’s voice, spilling words like a confession, slowly faded.
‘I pushed too hard with my reasons earlier.’
‘That’s not it. Actually, I…’
Einra’s voice, which I had been trying to ignore, echoed again in my ears.
Predicting what she would say next was far too easy.
He surely knew it…
“…I hate it.”
This time, her voice carried no strength.
The tension in his fists slowly melted away.
As the color returned to his hands, a hollow helplessness slowly filled his chest.
It was no different from his previous life.
There was no way to overcome things you hated.
Harnen leaned back weakly on the sofa, closing his eyes with a weary expression.
Still, he had no intention of saying what he already knew.
“…”
Though his heart throbbed painfully, Harnen chose silence.
It was the only thing he could do for his poor heart.
The emperor had a pressing schedule today and left immediately after the banquet.
Harnen, carrying the sleeping Einra, was guided by the emperor’s aide to the Semelit Garden where the carriages awaited.
As usual, two carriages draped in black banners and one with the imperial crest were lined up.
Harnen flung open the door of the rightmost black-bannered carriage and met Akes’ gaze, who was sitting inside.
He bent down and laid Einra on the carriage seat, speaking casually.
“Lloyd de Baharman harassed Einra.”
Akes paused for a moment, brushing back Einra’s disheveled hair.
His red lips twisted slowly.
“…Grand Duke Baharman, huh.”
“Even though Einra showed she didn’t want it, he kept pestering her relentlessly.”
A flicker of sharpness passed through his red eyes.
He muttered coldly, “Seems like he’s lost the will to live, that filthy bastard.”
“If he wanted to die, there were cleaner ways to do it.”
Harnen muttered ominously.
Akes lowered his eyes and ran his hand through Einra’s hair again.
The chestnut strands flowed softly through his fingers with a gentle rustle.
“Still, considering he’s related to the emperor, I didn’t want to ruin his dignity completely…”
Akes tilted his head lazily and continued.
“The worm struggled because he has no dignity of his own; what can you do?”
Since they planned to eliminate Grand Duke Baharman anyway, they hadn’t bothered gathering this worm’s weaknesses, if that could be called a flaw.
But, as expected, the Duke had done plenty of worm-like deeds.
With just a few days of investigation, his weaknesses could be neatly compiled and placed on a desk.
“Those intoxicated with social popularity suffer the most when socially buried.”
Akes’ lips curved gently.
Harnen, observing him for a moment, took a heavy pouch out of a magic-created pocket space and placed it on the opposite seat.
“It’s a nullification magical tool. It contains both advanced and intermediate grades, for reference.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Akes’ face softened after receiving what he had been waiting for.
After a brief glance at the pouch, he returned his gaze to Einra.
Harnen spoke slowly, almost quietly.
“…I hate you.”
Akes chuckled softly, meeting his gaze.
“Better than pity.”
“You annoying bastard…”
“There’s a limit to tolerating rudeness, you know.”
Harnen ground his teeth again, muttering “damned social hierarchy,” and Akes pretended not to hear as usual.
“…Then I shall take my leave, Your Highness.”
Harnen stepped back from the carriage, bowed perfectly to Akes, and walked to his own carriage.
Akes watched his departing figure for a moment and then spoke quietly.
“Let’s go.”
The carriage began to move slowly.
Listening to the gentle clatter of hooves, Akes returned his gaze to Einra.
He brushed her hair back and lightly touched the corner of her eyes.
He moved his hand down to her nose and gently poked the white cheek beside it. Einra, slightly annoyed, hummed and furrowed her brow.
Since he didn’t want to wake her, Akes stopped and removed his hand.
Freed from the touch, Einra murmured softly in her sleep and drifted back into slumber.
“…”
Through the sound of hooves, quiet breathing could be heard.
Feeling joy at all of this, Akes slowly pressed his hand against his chest.
His heart pounded fiercely.
He grabbed a handful of the long chestnut hair and brought it to his lips.
“Being with Einra makes me this happy… so easily…”
“…”
“How could I not love her?”
The strands of hair carried the elegant scent of soap.
It must be the same scent from her own hair.
“I love you.”
“…”
“From the very first moment I saw you, not a single moment passed when I didn’t love you.”
Pressing the hair to his lips, Akes muttered softly.
It was a confession that would never reach her.
