ODEN 13

Chapter 13

Thud.

I closed the lesson journal I had been writing for about a week and looked toward the bed.

Rubellin was sleeping peacefully, breathing softly.

“Sleep well.”

After the afternoon lesson with Mevern, she had apparently been more tired than usual and had fallen asleep early.

I walked over to the bed and gently brushed the hair away from her forehead.

Then I kissed her round forehead with a light smack.

Smiling to myself, I pulled the blanket back over her after she had kicked it away and picked up the yellow letter paper lying on the bedside table.

Among the wishes written in Rubellin’s messy handwriting, one stood out the most.

“Eat rice with Mom.”

She had even misspelled “rice.”

It reminded me of Mevern proudly declaring during history class that Rubellin was a genius born once every million years.

Even a genius had little flaws.

She really was still just a child.

I smiled faintly at the words before the smile slowly faded.

I wasn’t sure that wish could ever come true.

“I was planning to grant that wish once Calix came…”

Perhaps I had been mistaken in thinking he cared about Rubellin.

A full week had passed since we signed the official contract, yet he had never once visited the classroom.

I should’ve added “He must attend every lesson” instead of just “Come whenever he feels like it” and “Act like a happy married couple in front of Rubellin.”

I had seriously thought about how we were supposed to act like a loving family while waiting for him…

Yet every day at noon, after the morning lesson ended, when I visited his office to report the class results, he remained just as indifferent as ever.

“Sigh…”

Letting out a deep breath, I placed the letter back on the bedside table and walked toward the window.

Rain poured steadily outside beneath a gloomy sky.

Listening to the heavy raindrops striking the window, I looked out at the imperial garden through the foggy glass.

“Maybe tomorrow I’ll take Rubellin for a walk.”

As I absentmindedly scanned the garden, I suddenly froze.

“Why is he…”

Under a lone tree stood Calix.

Wearing only a loose robe that exposed much of his chest, he stood there soaking wet, silently watching the rain.

“Won’t he catch a cold like that?”

Should I bring him a blanket?

Then I shook my head.

“Come on. There’s no way a descendant of dragons catches a cold.”

He could take care of himself.

I turned back toward Rubellin’s bed.

She had already kicked the blanket off again.

“Yeah… no way.”

I carefully covered her once more and gently patted her chest.

“Yeah… no way.”

Picking up my pajamas from the sofa, I headed toward the dressing room.

“…Yeah… no way.”

Click.

The dressing room door closed.

“No way.”

Bang!

“Ugh! Why is he standing there looking like an abandoned puppy?! He’s making me worry!”

In the end, I sprang right back out like a coiled spring.

Throwing my pajamas onto the sofa, I grabbed the heart-patterned blanket beside them and left the bedroom.

The moment I opened the door, damp air rushed over my face.

The smell of rain seemed to soak straight into my brain.

Guided by the dim lanterns, I walked down the long hallway.

After leaving the corridor behind, I stopped at the edge where the marble floor met the rain-soaked grass.

Come to think of it… I’m dressed pretty lightly too.

Maybe I should’ve worn something warmer.

“I’ll just hand him the blanket and come right back.”

Not thinking much of it, I dashed through the rain.

In no time, I reached the tree where Calix stood.

I shook the water from my clothes.

Thankfully, the thick branches overhead blocked most of the rain.

Brushing my soaked hair back with one hand, I glanced sideways at Calix.

I’m making this much noise, and he won’t even look at me.

After roughly fixing my hair, I held out the blanket.

“Your Majesty, you’ll catch a cold. At least wear this.”

“…”

Maybe the rain was drowning out my voice.

I stepped a little closer.

“Your Majesty, at least take the—”

The instant Calix turned his head, his dark crimson eyes gleamed eerily beneath his wet hair.

The overwhelming pressure sent a chill down my spine, and I instinctively stepped back.

“I-I thought you might catch a cold…”

His crimson gaze slowly dropped.

It landed on the heart-patterned blanket in my hands.

His brows immediately furrowed.

Does he hate the design?

“This is the only blanket I have.”

After my hesitant explanation, his eyes moved from the blanket to my face.

Without the slightest reaction, he simply stared at me.

Ah! Does he think I’m telling him to let me use it?

I quickly waved both hands.

“I’m fine. I studied medicinal herbs for years, so I always ate healthy things. I’m very healthy, so Your Majesty should— Ah-choo!”

“…”

“I really am fine! I’m very hea— Ah-choo!”

…Maybe I had simply gotten too used to Heington’s climate.

It really was cold.

Goosebumps spread across my body.

“I’m really fi— Ah-choo!”

Just like something straight out of a comic, a stream of mucus ran from my nose.

I hurriedly unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders.

“If you insist that much, I suppose I have no choice.”

“Hah.”

Calix let out a dry laugh and shook his head.

“You certainly know how to take care of yourself.”

His sarcastic tone made me press my lips together.

…So it wasn’t that he disliked the design.

He just hadn’t wanted to use it.

“Sniff.”

I swallowed back my runny nose and carefully watched him.

I had only come to lend him a blanket, but now it felt like I’d only earned his annoyance.

Fortunately, Calix soon looked away again.

Sniff.

I watched his back.

Standing with his hands behind him, he continued gazing into the garden without moving.

Following his gaze, I looked across the imperial garden.

It was surprisingly plain.

A small fountain.

A single tree.

And climbing roses winding around the stone wall.

What had he been staring at all this time?

Was he remembering the past?

After all…

This had been the first place where he had ever played freely…

…and also where he had injured his younger brother.

I quietly glanced at the handsome man lost in thought.

Time passed.

“How long are you planning to stand there?”

His flat voice pierced through the sound of the rain.

It was practically an order telling me to leave.

Yet…

My feet refused to move.

Unlike before, I felt like I finally understood what he had been looking at.

Silence returned.

Watching him stand completely motionless, I couldn’t help wondering if he’d eventually turn into stone.

Slowly, I edged closer.

Standing beside him, I stretched my neck to look up at his face—

“Aah!”

The moment our eyes met, I stumbled backward.

The blanket slipped from my shoulders.

No!

Before it could land in the muddy ground, I hurriedly caught it and threw it back over myself.

Calix’s gaze followed the movement—from me… to the blanket.

Embarrassed by how dramatic I had been while he remained completely expressionless, I awkwardly stood up.

Then I noticed something in his hand.

“A rose…?”

Calix’s fingers twitched.

He was holding nothing more than a withered rose petal, dried until it resembled a fallen leaf.

Looking more closely, I realized something else.

The ring he had always worn since our first meeting…

…and the dark thorn-like markings decorating his fingers…

Both were gone.

Why is he holding a flower…?

Questions filled my mind.

Then…

I remembered something from the original novel.

On Rubellin’s birthday, the story had briefly mentioned another memory from Calix’s childhood.

On his own birthday…

Young Calix had made a wish to his father.

“Please give me a flower.”

His father placed a beautiful fresh flower into his hand.

The little boy smiled happily—

Only for the flower to wither instantly from the stem to the petals the moment Calix touched it.

Only then did his father smile in satisfaction.

“Everything your hands touch will wither… just like this.”

Young Calix had been forced to watch the petals fall silently to his feet.

Using the birthday gift he wanted most just to crush a child’s spirit…

No matter how I thought about it…

The emperor really was the reason the world was destroyed.

Grinding my teeth, I slowly looked back up.

Calix had already turned away again, staring quietly into the garden.

For just a moment…

Behind the broad back of the grown man…

…I could almost see the lonely little boy lowering his head.

It can’t be helped.

I removed the blanket from my shoulders, rolled it up, and held it out toward him.

Sensing my movement, Calix turned.

“I’m going back inside now, so Your Majesty should use it.”

He glanced at the blanket and frowned.

Ah… right. I dropped it earlier.

Holding both ends, I snapped it several times like freshly washed laundry.

Pop! Pop!

After fluffing it up as much as I could, I offered it again.

He merely tilted his head slightly and stared at me.

His expression clearly said:

So?

Fine. Whatever.

Holding one end of the blanket, I reached toward his shoulders.

“Your Majesty—”

Or rather…

I had intended to.

Before I could, Calix flinched and stepped backward.

“What are you doing?”

Rare surprise flashed across his face as he instinctively put his guard up.

A transparent aura of mana shimmered faintly around his body like heat waves.

Startled for a moment, I quickly recovered.

Does he hate people touching him?

Being as careful as possible not to touch him, I gently laid the blanket over his shoulders.

Calix’s crimson eyes widened.

His pupils trembled ever so slightly.

“Your Majesty, even if you don’t like the design, please use the blanket! Then I’ll excuse myself.”

I bowed deeply, placing one hand over the other against my forehead like in historical dramas.

I started taking tiny quick steps backward before stopping.

Ah… that’s not how greetings work here.

I thought I heard Calix give a quiet laugh.

After offering a proper bow this time, I turned away.

A cold gust of wind struck me.

Brr… it’s freezing.

Shivering, I stepped out from beneath the tree.

Then I absentmindedly noticed the climbing roses on the garden wall.

Now that I was leaving…

For some reason…

Young Calix kept appearing in my mind again.

Seeing him completely soaked by the rain only made it harder to ignore.

Ugh!

I squeezed my eyes shut and turned around.

Only to find Calix standing directly in front of me—

Still wearing the heart-patterned blanket over one shoulder.

Gasp.

I inhaled sharply.

He was still watching me?

After licking my dry lips, I hesitated before speaking.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“…”

“Flowers… are living things.”

“…”

“They bloom… and eventually they wither.”

“…”

“So… please don’t think too much about it.”

Calix looked at me with an expression I couldn’t describe after hearing my clumsy attempt at comforting him.

Ugh… this is so embarrassing.

Shivering, I covered the top of my head with both hands.

“Then… goodbye!”

Like the heroine of some youth romance movie, I turned and sprinted through the rain before disappearing into the building.

*** * * **

Tap. Tap.

Seated at his desk, Calix rhythmically tapped the armrest with one finger while staring intently at the items before him.

Two badly crumpled pieces of origami that had failed to become either a frog or a pear.

A dried rose petal.

A heart-patterned blanket.

If someone asked what they were…

They were nothing more than trash.

Even he couldn’t understand it.

Why had he brought them back?

Watching him carefully from the side, Yucar cautiously approached.

“Your Majesty.”

Calix ignored him.

Yucar deliberately cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Your Majesty… if you don’t happen to need those crumpled origami pieces Her Highness made… would it be alright if I—”

“Be quiet.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yucar hurriedly retreated.

Even so…

His greedy eyes remained fixed on the crumpled pieces of origami.