Chapter 025
No matter what happened yesterday, today was the day to go directly to Delint with Rebecca. Although we had already discussed the plans, I was going to check out the location where the outdoor stage would be set up and meet with the Lord of Delint.
This was all thanks to the great Alejandro.
Since Alejandro was using me as bait, I would also enjoy the benefits of his prestige.
You get what you give. Hmph.
Rebecca greeted me with a slightly awkward expression.
“Please get in the carriage, milady.”
“Okay.”
In truth, Rebecca was not at fault. My disappointment stemmed from my own misplaced expectations. In that sense, I should also try to get in touch with Casper.
“Milady.”
“Hmm?”
“I enjoyed the cake yesterday. It was really delicious.”
“Oh, the cake. I used to eat that a lot at Dear Elizabeth.”
“Shall we stop by there on our way back today?”
“What? Do we have time for that?”
Suddenly, I felt a rush of endorphins. I was thinking about Casper, and now there was a chance to meet him! Has Casper learned enough about me?
I was curious about that too.
“It seems possible. The last train departing from Delint is at 4 PM. Since it’s not the peak season yet, I think we’ll arrive at the station by 5 PM.”
“Then let’s stop by!”
Even though only a day had passed, seeing Casper would likely lift my spirits.
“Oh, and…”
Rebecca cleared her throat. “I know this might be hard to understand and might sound strange, but…”
“Hmm?”
What now?
“The Crown Prince has ordered a guard to be assigned to you, Milady.”
“There are already many knights with us.”
“That’s not what I mean… You won’t see it often, but…”
What is she trying to say?
“The Crown Prince thinks it’s better if you see it in person. Lucifer.”
What, Lucifer?
Before I could react, something popped out of Rebecca’s shadow. It was a demon with black wings and a black face and body. It was only about the size of my face.
Of course, I knew Alejandro kept demons bound within him. That’s why he had those red eyes, as a result of being the guardian of the demons.
However, contrary to what was known, it was not a curse.
It was a destiny passed down to the royal family.
In this world, the first emperor had sealed the chaos and demons inside his body. It was a pact between the demons and the emperor, allowing him to use their powers.
Not every member of the royal family had this ability. Only one or two people in each generation inherited the demons, and most died young.
Alejandro was the third person since the first emperor to successfully handle demons. It was not a curse but proof of royal lineage and a sign of being fit to become an emperor.
“So, this is the person who’s going to protect me from now on?”
“Lucifer! It’s not that; Lucifer, you’re the one who has to protect!” Rebecca said with an exasperated expression.
“What demon would protect a human? That doesn’t make sense! A human should serve a demon.”
Rebecca placed her head in her hands as if she was going crazy.
Haha. This is how my life is.
I laughed helplessly as I watched the demon seep into my shadow.
“…Even if it looks like that, Lucifer is actually very skilled, Milady.”
I know. Lucifer was the demon who had protected the female protagonist. It seemed like Lucifer and the female protagonist had a good relationship, though perhaps that was just my mistake. Or is it just like this with me?
“I should thank the crown prince. Thanks to him, I won’t be in any danger.”
“Y-yes, that’s right,” Rebecca responded awkwardly. Now I have a conceited little devil to deal with. Ugh, I want to quit being possessed.
ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
The melancholy was brief.
Delint was an incredibly beautiful city, truly a favorite resort for nobles. The lakeside, adorned with blooming summer flowers, was perfect for boating.
“The festival in Delint will end before those flowers wither.”
It certainly seemed like a boat ride among those flowers would be beautiful.
“This is my first time visiting here… I never thought it would be so romantic.”
Flower shadows fell across Rebecca’s face. Watching her, I realized that despite her age, Rebecca was still a young lady. Her life must not have been easy either.
Handling a sword as a woman at that age couldn’t have been simple. Looking at Rebecca’s hands, they were not the hands of a typical noble young lady; they were firm, calloused, and scarred.
“…What kind of person is Rebecca?”
“Yes?”
“No, just…”
It’s moments like these that I realize I’ve become a character in a novel rather than a person in the real world.
“I’m just curious. Do you have a boyfriend? Have you been in a relationship? Any thoughts about marriage? Ah, I’m asking all these kinds of questions. What did you want to do when you were younger? How did you meet the Crown Prince?”
Rebecca’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Oh, me…”
“I’m asking because I’m curious. You’re here, so I might as well ask.”
“Hmm…”
Rebecca scratched her cheek.
“This is actually the first time I’ve been asked such questions. Hmm, I don’t have a boyfriend. I’ve been in relationships, but I don’t plan on getting married. When I was young, I wanted to be independent… and I met the Crown Prince under not-so-good circumstances.”
Rebecca answered earnestly.
“Not-so-good circumstances?”
“If you tell me about you, I’ll share mine too.”
Rebecca stopped me. Her gaze was clear.
“What did you do before you came here?”
Ah, so she’s really asking about me, not Evelina. Hmm, it’s my first time being asked such questions too. Anyway, Rebecca must know that I’m from another world. Well, since Alejandro assigned me to Rebecca, he must have shared some basic information.
There’s a reason why it makes sense that I’d say strange things. As for what I used to do…
“I used to work in magazine publishing. It’s similar to what we’re doing now. I had quite a bit of experience, earned a lot of money, and held a high position.”
“You must regret coming here.”
“In some ways.”
“And relationships?”
“Oh. I didn’t have time for that because of work. I preferred working over having a boyfriend. And people say relationships are great, but I couldn’t understand what’s so good about them.”
“Ah.”
“My last relationship ended badly.”
“What happened?”
“We broke up because he cheated. I thought it was something that only happened to others, but it happened to me too.”
“…I’ve had a similar experience. I was in a relationship, but he was someone who was actually too good for me. We even thought about getting married, but our families were against it. He was the eldest son of a count’s family and had a lot of money. In the end, he broke up with me and married another woman, and he died a year later.”
“…….”
It seems that human experiences are similar everywhere. Rebecca and I shared a smile that only those who have kept such secrets could understand. The flowers fluttering around the lakeside in Delint softened our hearts.
“Work is better than relationships.”
“I also have a dream of owning my own home.”
“You said you wanted to be independent, right?”
“Yes, I have many siblings in my family. I’m the fifth of them. I wanted a room for myself.”
“I didn’t have a family.”
Rebecca looked surprised.
“As I worked, I also lost my friends, and I was only left with my colleagues. So, I don’t really have any regrets about coming here.”
“Still, if you could go back, would you?”
If I could go back…
In truth, loneliness is much the same here or there. But…
“If I could, I’d like to.”
Rebecca nodded. At that moment, the wind blew. Amidst the colorful fluttering petals, Rebecca spoke with a firm voice.
“When the time comes, and if I’m in a position to do so, I’ll make sure to send you back.”
At that moment, the knots in my heart seemed to loosen. It felt like someone was thinking of me without any ulterior motives. Even if Rebecca couldn’t be my person, I thought that maybe we could still be friends.
