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Chapter 56
The sneer on Harnen’s lips deepened.
“Look, look. How embarrassed must you be to try to cover my mouth?”
“…….”
“Ah… Yes, understood, Your Highness. A subordinate must obey when the superior says so.”
Harnen, who had been leaning, slowly straightened back to his original posture.
I blinked absentmindedly, and suddenly my sleeve was gently tugged.
“……Don’t mind what Harnen said.”
In a slower, softer voice, As whispered.
A small finger pressed tightly, as if afraid I might leave.
“That was when I thought Einra disliked me… I just needed something to focus on.”
“…….”
“Something that could keep me from thinking about Einra…”
So I wouldn’t force you.
The trailing words were too quiet to be heard, but it was clear that As was rambling.
I couldn’t just watch him struggle like that.
I reached out a hand and wrapped it around the small hand clutching my sleeve.
“You don’t have to explain.”
“…….”
“I’m just glad you came back safely.”
As paused and raised his eyes to look at me.
Meeting his gaze, I interlaced my fingers with his.
‘…I’m really selfish too.’
Hearing Harnen’s words about how he had swept through the battlefield, my first thought was simple.
I was glad Akes hadn’t had it as hard.
What that actually meant didn’t matter at all.
How much blood was on Akes’ hands—really, it didn’t matter.
The puppet show ended, staying true to its over-the-top, unstoppable charm.
After the show, I stared at the Akes puppet waving at the audience, lost in thought.
‘How much would that puppet cost…?’
Of course, the troupe wouldn’t sell it—they needed it for performances.
But how could I just ignore that adorable Akes puppet!
‘Maybe I should find out where it was made…’
I was deep in thought when Harnen’s voice reached me.
“Einra, we should probably get going soon.”
I snapped out of my thoughts and nodded.
“Yeah, right. We should go.”
As I fumbled to get ready, Harnen spoke again.
“The person sitting next to you just told me there’s boat rides on the Enib River today. Want to go?”
“Sounds good. But why would that person tell us that out of the blue?”
Curious, I tilted my head.
Harnen chuckled softly.
“They said it looked nice seeing a happy little family, so they suggested it.”
“…….”
“They must have thought we looked like a family.”
“Ah, haha…”
The embarrassment of my perfect favorite person being caught in such a moment was overwhelming.
I quickly turned my gaze to As.
“What about you, As? Want to go on the boat ride?”
His cold, distant eyes softened immediately as they met mine.
“If Einra wants to.”
“Great! Then let’s go!”
I raised my hand and shouted with excitement.
A star-filled night sky, radiant lanterns along the riverbank, a small boat floating on shimmering water—
This was a perfect date spot!
…Or so I thought.
It might have been better not to go at all.
“Oh my, did the family come out to have fun?”
The staff at the dock smiled at us as they handed out tickets.
I awkwardly smiled and tried to deny it.
“Ah, haha, no, it’s not like that…”
“Yes, it is.”
Harnen, sitting next to me, spoke lazily as he draped his arm over my shoulder.
“We came out to have fun, as a family.”
‘H-Harnen?!’
I widened my eyes in surprise. He winked at me, as if to tell me to ignore it.
You can’t make your favorite person a liar.
I mechanically smiled and nodded.
“Y-Yeah. Family. Ha. Ha. Ha…”
“Your son takes after both of you. So cute.”
The staff’s affectionate gaze fell on As.
As’ lips twisted in displeasure.
Just as his lips moved, Harnen laughed first and spoke.
“Our son is really cute, isn’t he? Right, honey?”
His sky-blue eyes softened as they looked at me.
I smiled through tears and nodded.
“Mm! So cute!”
“Ha…”
A cold breath came from beside me.
Though tears threatened to spill from As’ eyes, I held on, hoping that once we got on the boat, we could finally escape this “family” frame.
And that was purely wishful thinking.
“Oh my, the child takes after the parents, so cute!”
“You came out as a family?”
“We came out as a family too, would you like to join us…?”
Although there seemed to be one boat per group, people crowded from all directions, making it impossible.
And so, the excruciating boat ride ended, and my date with As came to a close.
“…….”
“…….”
On the way home riding Hisha, I glanced down at As, sitting in front.
Freed from Harnen’s spell, As had returned to his normal self.
‘As… is he really that upset…?’
Judging by the fact he hadn’t spoken a word since we parted from Harnen, it seemed so.
Arriving at the mansion without a single word exchanged, he immediately went to the steward for assistance, took a bath, and came out.
‘Well, being treated like a commoner despite being a duke, I’d be upset too…’
How could I make As feel better?
As I towel-dried my hair, pondering, I stepped out of the bathroom to find As already in the bedroom.
‘…Huh?’
No, it wasn’t As.
Sitting on the bed reading a book was…
“……Akes?”
Calling his name absentmindedly, the red eyes looking at the book turned toward me.
His gaze, containing no warmth, fell on me.
“Einra.”
He closed the book and placed it on the nightstand.
“Uh… hmm?”
A strange sense of intimidation made my body tremble.
I stepped back without thinking, and Akes’ lips curved slowly.
He rose to his feet.
He didn’t seem to have taken more than a few steps, yet a tall man now stood over me, looking down.
“Where were you planning to go?”
His long fingers ran through my hair, still slightly damp.
The sensation of someone else’s hand invading such intimacy sent shivers down my spine.
“Uh… uh…?”
The scent of someone I liked filled my nose, his hand slowly brushing my hair—a sensation that was both overwhelming and intoxicating.
Even before realizing my feelings, I had been struggling, and now it was impossible to stay composed.
My chest tightened unnaturally. My heart pounded so wildly it was hard to breathe.
‘At this rate, I might unintentionally offend Akes without realizing it.’
I stepped back once more, and the distance closed again by exactly that much.
“See? You just stepped back.”
“…….”
“Where were you planning to go by stepping back? Hm?”
His eyes again hardened, devoid of warmth.
He slowly reached out with the other hand.
A surge of unknown anxiety rose in me the moment I saw it.
Reflexively, I stepped back again.
“Ah……?!”
I tripped over the sofa leg and fell backward, sinking into the soft cushions. Over me, Akes slowly leaned down, almost enveloping me.
“Einra.”
His wavy black hair spilled down, brushing my cheek.
My heart felt like it would stop entirely.
“You introduced me as Einra’s son several times today.”
“…….”
“Perhaps it was because I’ve seemed too young lately, so I returned to my true form for a change.”
His firm fingers brushed my cheek lightly.
“How does it feel?”
A small smile tugged at his lips.
“Do I still seem like your son?”
