Chapter 77
It was definitely different.
More than those watching her, April herself felt it most keenly.
As her consciousness grew hazy in the mist, April tried to think about what had changed between yesterday and today.
[Needed for the experiment]
She raised her arm to look at the snow-white sleeve of the dress Fejin had given her.
Unlike the dress she had worn from the Right Island, today she wore this white dress brought from the Empire.
Though Fejin hadn’t explained specifically, looking out of the carriage on their way here, she had noticed many wealthy people wearing white, beige, or yellow clothes. Such colors seemed to symbolize wealth in the Empire.
Having grown up on the Right Island where bright, deep primary colors were preferred, April couldn’t help but feel this difference more acutely. The Left Island probably used completely different dyes from the Right Island when coloring fabrics.
Having thought about dyes throughout the carriage ride, these thoughts continued during the experiment.
April eventually recalled that all the dresses she had worn over the past seven years had been dyed using a single type of dye.
The problem was that she couldn’t properly remember what her parents had told her about that dye. Having tried so hard to forget, she couldn’t recall any of the conversations with her parents.
But she definitely remembered hearing about it. Her parents had explained the dye to her in detail.
“I can’t remember…”
An unbearable frustration welled up inside her.
What was that dye? What did her parents say? What expressions did they wear when they looked at me?
April was struggling to recover her memories from before her confinement.
Fortunately, she knew one way that helped her recover memories: conversations with Fejin.
Someone who shared her childhood. Someone who held memories of her parents and could talk about them with her.
“Fejin…”
It was good to have someone to talk with.
That’s why she wished he wouldn’t refer to the Empire as “we.”
Of course, she understood if Fejin defined himself as an Imperial citizen. Especially after seeing his house.
In the Grand Duchy, Fejin had lived in a townhouse used by the Deus family members. In fact, “stayed” was a more appropriate word than “lived.”
But in Lasa, he had his home.
Just as April Lunos’s home sat atop the Lunos territory’s hill, Fejin Deus’s house stood in the heart of the Imperial capital.
A splendid house clearly built for a lifetime of living. She knew from that house that Fejin intended to spend the rest of his life in the Empire.
Yet even after seeing his house, April wished he would still call himself and her “we.” After all, he was currently a good friend to her. It felt a bit sad that they would end up living on different islands.
❖ ❖ ❖
“I really thought Miss April was using magic. She remained so steady even after changing dresses.”
The scholar spoke in front of April’s room in Fejin’s mansion, where she lay after receiving treatment.
Fejin turned to him and asked,
“And?”
“But she wasn’t. Seeing how quickly she lost consciousness in the end.”
“It’s disappointing that you entertained such unrealistic thoughts about magic, even briefly.”
“…Yes, that’s embarrassing, but anyway. I don’t know why you thought she shouldn’t collapse, but Miss April endured that contaminated mist for quite a while. Of course, perhaps the method the Lunos couple had been using affected her body…”
“So. Was that correct?”
At Fejin’s question, the scholar nodded with a slight smile.
“Yes, our prediction was correct. The reason Miss April Lunos could remain more composed than others in the contaminated mist was because of the dye used in her dress.”
“And can we obtain this dye if we know what it is?”
When Fejin asked with an urgent expression, the scholar hesitated.
Those beautiful eyes asking the question made it feel sinful to admit not knowing the answer.
Though his eye color wasn’t particularly unusual even in the Lasa Empire, backed by Fejin’s radiant face, it gave off an almost sacred impression.
The scholar spoke with an expression as if he had committed a crime.
“Well, we took a piece of fabric from Miss April’s dress yesterday and asked a dye merchant… but they didn’t know it.”
Fejin’s gaze was particularly cold today, making the scholar shrink back, feeling inexplicably incompetent as he continued.
“This was a merchant who handles most imported dyes, too. So it’s definitely not an easily obtainable dye. We asked Miss April Lunos about the dye when she was in a dazed state, but she said she didn’t know either. That seemed genuine.”
“Hmm.”
Unable to ask ‘Could you please discuss the dye with Miss April?’, the scholar looked up at Fejin with a desperate expression.
Fejin spoke with a gesture of annoyance.
“Are you asking me to find out?”
“I-I didn’t say that!”
Even if he ignored it here, the scholar would write this in a report, and the Emperor who received it would order someone to investigate the dye’s whereabouts.
Fejin thought it would be better to handle it himself, though troublesome.
After their conversation, he dismissed everyone and entered the sickroom.
April had fortunately regained consciousness during treatment, and when Fejin visited, she appeared relatively normal.
Meeting April’s eyes, Fejin spoke irritably.
“You look fine.”
“Hardly. I was quite shocked, it was different from usual.”
April retorted this and closed the book she had been reading.
Fejin sat on the bed and picked up her book.
“You don’t even like books, do you?”
“I read it because I had nothing else to do. At the Lunos mansion, there’s always too much work even working all day, but here they won’t let me move a finger.”
“You’ve just forgotten, but most nobles lived like that.”
“That’s true.”
April laughed as if she’d heard a joke. However, she soon realized that her perceived mood and Fejin’s feelings were completely different and stopped laughing.
Meeting Fejin’s intense stare and clicking tongue, April said,
“You said I look fine?”
“That was sarcasm. You didn’t get it?”
“No, it didn’t sound like sarcasm. That’s your fault.”
“It’s always my fault, isn’t it? What about you?”
Fejin’s eyes turned coldly unsettling.
April suddenly found this Fejin curious.
From the beginning, he hadn’t been on her side. He had arrested her, watched over her. Yet somehow, he had always been on her side. April had never once doubted this fact.
Why had she felt that way?
Because they were friends? Because they shared a few memories?
Very occasionally, April felt like he was deceiving her. It felt like he was lying about being on her side.
Yet she wasn’t blinded by love, nor did they share that deep of a friendship.
Curious about Fejin who had been staring at her for a while, April leaned closer to him, supporting herself on the floor.
He frowned and backed away.
“I’m not angry. No need to try and make up.”
“Why would I try to make up for your anger?”
“You’re coming closer to make up, aren’t you?”
“Ah, so this makes you feel better?”
At her muttered words, Fejin wore an exasperated expression.
April continued.
“That wasn’t my intention.”
“Then why are you coming closer?”
“I’m curious. I wanted to look closely at whether you’re really on my side.”
“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”
As April supported herself on her thigh with one hand and leaned in closer as if to get a better look, Fejin cursed. Then he grabbed her other hand that was trying to touch his face.
“What are you trying to touch?”
“Your face.”
“Don’t touch it. It’s expensive.”
At Fejin’s words, April tried to pull her hand away, saying,
“What are you talking about?”
But Fejin didn’t let go. Instead, he spread her captured hand and interlaced their fingers, making it impossible for her to pull away.
April chided,
“Didn’t you say not to touch?”
“I’m doing this to prevent you from touching…”
Fejin, who normally never let anyone get the last word, suddenly found himself speechless.
Because April had rested her cheek against his chest.
Fejin couldn’t prevent April’s fever-warm cheek from leaving its heat on his chest.
