Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Having the chance to study his features in detail made me realize all over again just how beautiful he really was.

Because of that, the more time passed, the less I focused on drawing and the more I simply stared blankly at Adam’s face.

When he first asked me to draw him, I had been flustered, but being able to admire his face openly under the guise of sketching wasn’t bad at all.

Before I knew it, my hand had stopped moving.

All that remained on the canvas was a faint sketch.

Oh, right. I’m supposed to be drawing!

Snapping back to myself, I worked diligently to refine the sketch of Adam’s face.

I felt his eyes on me as I drew.

But I had no room to spare for his gaze. Whatever he thought while watching me, I concentrated only on the drawing.

At last, after much struggle, I finished.

I wiped at nonexistent sweat.

Adam came closer, looking at the drawing as he asked,

“Is this supposed to be me?”

“…Yes.”

I hadn’t planned on showing him so soon.

He leaned in beside me.

His sudden nearness made me hold my breath.

Adam studied the picture seriously.

I followed his gaze to the page.

Two eyes. One nose. One mouth.

Perfect.

“I can’t tell if this is me or the drawing is me. Hero! Why are you inside the paper?”

“…”

It was a creation I couldn’t possibly judge objectively.

Afraid Adam might critique it, I hastily tried to tuck it away.

But his long arm easily reached out and snatched the drawing from me.

“Ah, give it back!”

“Why? I prefer there to be only one hero of Eve.”

“Eek…!”

He teased me by quoting the words I’d blurted earlier when I didn’t want his honest opinion.

I jumped up and down, trying to grab it, but Adam, calm-faced, simply lifted his arm higher, out of reach.

“Give it up, Eve. There can’t be two.”

And that evening—

I sent Kyrillos away in tears after he brought a diamond the size of a child’s fist.

“You’re saying this isn’t as good as the hero’s gift? What on earth could it be that’s better?!”

But Kyrillos accepted defeat without complaint.

I alone was left unable to let go of regret.

“…Eve. If it makes you that sad, just keep it.”

“N-no… I’m not… not sad at all…”

Ah, farewell.

With teary eyes, I sent the diamond back.

* * *

The boy woke up in the middle of the night.

Just as he wandered the Demon King’s castle with anxious eyes, freshly roused from sleep, Potato naturally clamped his teeth onto the back of the boy’s collar and brought him to me.

I had come out to drink some water, and the sight nearly made me spit it out.

“P-Potato! You can’t bite people!”

Potato cast me a disgruntled look as if to say, I only bit his clothes, not him, but I ignored it and checked the boy’s condition.

“A-are you alright?”

He seemed fine, aside from being stiff with fear.

“S-sis…”

When I waved Potato away, the boy clutched my hand as though it were a lifeline.

“Did you bring me here?”

“Ah, well… you tried too hard to run away when I chased you, and you fell. I didn’t have a choice. Do you know where your parents are?”

Adam had said most pickpocketing children were orphans, but I asked anyway, holding onto a sliver of hope.

The boy only moved his lips soundlessly, refusing to answer.

“What’s your name?”

“Erwin.”

He answered this readily enough, so it seemed he simply didn’t want to speak of his parents.

Since there are many kinds of parents in the world, I nodded and didn’t press him further.

With some of his tension eased, Erwin asked a question.

“Where is this?”

“…The Demon King’s castle.”

Better to be honest. Who knew how much he had wandered before Potato found him.

“The Demon King’s castle…”

Erwin echoed my words under his breath.

“Then the people from the palace won’t come take me here, right? They can’t come in here, can they?”

His gaze darted around nervously, as though convinced someone was still chasing him.

“Why would the palace? Did someone try to take you?”

“Well…”

Just as Erwin hesitated to speak, Adam appeared.

“Eve.”

I waved in relief at the sight of him.

But the moment Erwin saw Adam, he grabbed my clothes and hid behind me, clamping his mouth shut.

“What’s wrong?”

“My mother told me not to trust anyone…”

Erwin’s eyes fixed on Adam. It was clear he wouldn’t speak with Adam there.

I blinked and pointed at myself.

“Hm? Then what about me?”

“…You helped me.”

Erwin fidgeted with his fingers as he spoke.

I bent down, meeting his gaze, and reassured him.

“That man’s a hero, so you can trust him! He’s the great hero who defeated the Demon King. He’s someone you can rely on.”

At that, the boy suddenly lifted his head.

“Hero…”

His eyes shifted to Adam, staring intently as if memorizing his face.

He lingered especially long on Adam’s golden eyes.

Erwin squeezed my skirt tighter, wriggling as though to hide behind me, and whispered to Adam,

“Then will you also turn into a monster? Like that man?”

What?

More shocking was how visibly startled Adam looked.

I crouched lower, meeting Erwin’s eyes again.

“You saw someone at the palace?”

“Yes. People called him ‘hero’… I’m sure of it.”

As Erwin recalled the memory, his face went pale.

What on earth had he seen to frighten him so badly?

“It’s alright. You don’t have to remember.”

I pulled the trembling boy into my arms, patting his back until his shoulders began to calm.

Over Erwin’s shoulder, I met Adam’s eyes. His face was clouded, as though something weighed heavily on him.

After putting Erwin back to bed, I went to look for Adam.

He wasn’t in the bedchamber, nor the office, nor the library.

The single candle I carried wasn’t enough to light the vast castle, so I decided to check just one last place.

Surely he hadn’t gone outside in this weather?

Drawing my shawl tighter, I headed for the front gate.

“Ah.”

A sudden gust snuffed out my flame.

In an instant, thick darkness swallowed me whole.

I closed my eyes, counting silently, waiting for them to adjust.

Just ten seconds, then I’ll open them.

Alone in the dark, my imagination began to run wild.

The rustle of dry leaves clattering in the wind sounded ominous.

That was when someone grabbed my arm.

“Eek! Aah—don’t eat me, please don’t eat me!”

I shook with fear, eyes squeezed shut. There had been no sound, no sign, and then suddenly a hand—who else could it be but a ghost?

…Or rather, Adam.

He lifted his lantern, showing his face to reassure me.

“Eve. I’m sorry. Did I frighten you?”

“Where did you even come from?!”

He brushed away the tear that had slipped from my eye with his fingertip.

“Just a small storage room. I went there to gather my thoughts. Then I sensed movement, so…”

That was how he had found me, about to step outside through the front gate.

“But what are you doing here? Hungry?”

“No! I was just looking for you…”

And then my stomach growled loudly.

Wait—no, that’s not right! I wasn’t hungry!

Face flaming red, I sprang to my feet.

Adam chuckled softly.

Thankfully, the darkness hid my humiliation.

“I came because I was worried, and all you do is tease me!”

“Then since you’re here, would you like a simple sandwich?”

I nodded quickly, again and again.