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Chapter 57
“Ah, Akes….”
A strangled sound escaped my lips, each breath a struggle thanks to my pounding heart.
Whether he noticed my urge to cry or not, he let out a soft laugh.
“Is there really a son who’s four years younger than me?”
The hand that had been brushing my cheek moved slightly downward, grazing my neck.
“I’m much taller than Einra. My hands too, like this…”
The hand that brushed my neck gently enclosed mine.
“…Einra’s cute little hand fits perfectly in mine.”
Akes lifted my hand and pressed a delicate kiss to it.
The soft touch of his lips on my tender skin made my body tremble uncontrollably.
“A-Akes… I—”
“Harnen is just your friend, isn’t he?”
He gently restrained my struggling body and continued in a soft voice.
“Why did you lie earlier? Einra isn’t married yet.”
“Th-That wasn’t… I didn’t mean to…”
“Every night… you sleep with me.”
“Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you saying…!”
My face, already hot, flamed with embarrassment.
Akes, quietly watching me, slowly lowered his head and pressed his ear against my chest.
“Wow… Einra’s heart is pounding so fast.”
“D-Don’t listen—”
“This heartbeat… it must be all because of me, right?”
He said this with a small smile.
“I hope it stays that way forever.”
“….”
His words suddenly made me feel breathless.
My insides fluttered, heating up uncomfortably.
I almost felt like crying.
‘Why… why do you keep talking like that?’
‘I’ve thought about Einra every single day for the past five years.’
‘I’ll make sure I don’t regret it, I’ll do my best.’
‘If Einra continues to stay here, my wait will be much shorter.’
Why do you keep speaking as if you like me, making me expect things?
So why did I…
“Do… you like me…?”
Why did you make me ask a question like this?
It was an impulsive question.
If I were in my right mind, I would never have asked it.
And then…
“Hmm?”
The moment Akes tilted his head in puzzlement,
‘…Ah.’
Regret instantly sank into me.
Meeting his red eyes, as if being asked a question I had never considered, my heart dropped.
Everything that had been frantically pounding and agitating me just moments ago began to cool.
‘…I shouldn’t have asked.’
Why did I ask?
Why…?
Because I still think Akes might like me?
Because he might still care for the me who ran away after tossing out a thoughtless apology?
‘I’m crazy, Einra.’
I must have completely mistaken his kindness for romantic feelings.
Just like the question I threw out playfully five years ago.
This impulsive question could ruin our relationship, I didn’t even consider that.
‘…No.’
The regret I felt now was still unbearable.
Tears threatened to fall again, but this time for a different reason.
…Don’t hate me. Don’t distance yourself from me. Don’t avoid me—
“—Akes,”
I felt I had to explain immediately.
That was when I grabbed his arm.
“…I never hid it even once. I didn’t think you wouldn’t know.”
As his quiet whisper fell beside my ear, my entire body froze.
Akes looked down at me blinking blankly and smiled as if he’d heard something strange.
“You confessed to me before.”
I could never forget.
I could never forget that shy confession, timidly spoken.
“I haven’t had a single moment since then when I didn’t like you, Einra.”
The shyness from five years ago had turned into calm certainty, now laid bare before me.
“I like you, Einra.”
“….”
“I couldn’t help but like you.”
Hearing those words, the tightness in my chest finally loosened.
Tears slipped from my eyes.
He paused, then slowly brushed my tears away.
“…Einra?”
Akes’ face calling my name blurred before my eyes.
Tears ran down my cheeks again.
I didn’t even think to wipe them away. I reached out and touched Akes’ pale cheek.
I could feel the warmth of his skin.
“…Me too.”
My confession trembled through sobs.
“I… like you too.”
His fingers, which had been wiping my tears, froze midair.
Like a child stepping into a grand palace for the first time, he blinked in astonishment.
Seeing his bewildered expression made me laugh despite my tears.
I laughed and cried at the same time, cupping his cheeks in my hands.
Then, I slowly drew him toward me.
“I like you, Akes.”
“….”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.”
Akes, blinking, asked blankly,
“…You like me? Me?”
“Yes.”
“You… like me…?”
He murmured the question several times, and his face suddenly flushed red.
Covering his mouth with the back of his hand, he backed away as if trying to escape.
“Akes…?”
I called his name in confusion and slowly got up. He spun around in surprise.
“D-Don’t look!”
“Huh?”
“I… I look pathetic right now…”
The man who had just climbed on top of me, caressing my cheeks and laughing, had vanished. In front of me now stood a man trying not to meet my eyes, his face red as a tomato.
I stared at his back, biting my lip to swallow a laugh.
Seeing him tremble like a small, frightened animal reminded me of our first meeting.
‘What are you doing here alone?’
‘…The roses are beautiful.’
‘Even then, Akes was so cute.’
The memory made me feel soft and giddy.
Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed the hem of his clothes.
“Hey, Ake—”
“Rudeness,”
Before my hand even touched him, Akes jumped up.
“I can’t commit a rudeness.”
Muttering as if making a promise to himself, he strode out.
“…Rudeness?”
Confused, I tilted my head, just as a knock sounded at the door.
When I turned, a large partition, wrapped in mana, entered the room.
“A-Akes? What’s this?”
Akes had set the mana partition in the center of the bed and now walked toward me.
He slipped his arms under my waist and knees, lifting me up, smiling brightly as he said:
“I didn’t want to commit any rudeness toward you, Einra.”
‘…What does that have to do with the partition?’
I floated along, suspended in his arms, questions running wild in my mind.
He didn’t answer them, but instead laid me gently on the bed and tucked the blanket neatly up to my neck.
“Sleep well, Einra.”
After patting my head, he turned to the opposite side.
“…?”
The sound of his steps faded, and silence enveloped the room.
“…??”
I stared at the silver-white patterns on the ceiling in the dark, blinking blankly.
Wait… are we really lovers now, having just confessed to each other?
No, are we even officially a couple yet?
We haven’t even decided if today counts as our first day or tomorrow…
The scene then shifts to a different plot thread:
The sorcerer of common birth from Elberk, carrying the soul of the Bellarician Emperor.
This was a card that could bring Belzesti to their side, but also a double-edged sword that could leave a pretext for Belzesti.
‘I must never let them find out that I’ve returned from the future.’
Duke Baharman was easy to deceive with a simple explanation, but Duke Cervante was different.
‘If I tell him exactly what I told the Duke, he’ll surely suspect me.’
So Dante made a decision.
If approaching him from our side was difficult, they would be made to approach us first.
‘In the future, they’re bound to approach us anyway.’
Dante’s task was simple: stir unease among Belzesti’s nobles so they would hasten to approach Duke Baharman.
And today, finally, there was contact from Duke Cervante.
It was also the day an unexpected visitor arrived.
“…Your Grace?”
The Duke, who rarely showed his face outside, had come on his own.
Dante, trying to hide his surprise, was approached by Lloyd.
“Dante, I have orders for you.”
Lloyd’s half-lidded golden eyes were shadowed with seriousness.
