Chapter 15 Part 3
Despite this, his answer was so natural that I almost accepted it with an “I see!”
Xenoph’s words were completely wrapped in pretense and lies, making them no longer worth listening to, so I left the Grand Temple immediately.
There wasn’t much of a harvest, but I could confirm one thing for certain: Xenoph was dealing with me in falsehood from beginning to end.
“Ugh… it hurts.”
As soon as I left the Grand Temple, I felt a throbbing pain in my heart.
It was an oppressive and unpleasant sensation, as if something solid was strongly constricting my chest.
“That’s strange, I didn’t even use magic today…”
My mind was confused by the sudden pain that had swept in.
I thought I only experienced pain from magical backlash, but that didn’t seem to be the case anymore.
Whether it was the black power in my half-purified heart making a desperate struggle, the excruciating pain continued to the point where it was difficult to move for a while.
“I always feel this, but… I might really die at this rate.”
It was a particularly eerie situation since I couldn’t be certain there would be another life.
After barely warping home, I collapsed weakly onto the bed.
Peep!
While I was groaning and making small moans on the bed, Entrie gently flew onto my shoulder.
When I turned my head, his bright green eyes immediately filled my vision.
Two round emeralds embedded in his small head were sparkling brightly.
“…I wonder what Hyle is doing right now?”
He told me to call him whenever I was in pain, so if I called now, would he come?
I’d like it if he did…
But thinking of Hyle flying into the Laté estate, teeming with demonic beasts, without protection is a bit… terrifying.
“Entrie, looking at you makes me feel like I’m seeing Hyle. It makes me kind of miss him…”
No sooner had I finished speaking than Entrie’s wings suddenly flapped vigorously.
Along with this, his once innocent round eyes gleamed with a determined look.
“Huh? Entrie, what are you trying to…”
After flapping his wings a couple of times as if preparing for something, Entrie immediately lifted himself into the air.
And then…
“W-wait, Entrie!”
Before I could reach out, Entrie’s tiny body slipped through the slightly open window with a whoosh!
Where are you suddenly going? Why are you doing this?!
Remembering his unnecessarily solemn look, I felt a sense of unease nagging at me.
“Did he go to Hyle?”
Because I mentioned Hyle? But even so, there was no particular business, and without a letter tied to Entrie’s ankle, there was no chance of him coming to find me.
Moreover, this was the Laté estate.
It was absurd for anyone to come here alone at this late hour, not even during the day.
I liked demonic beasts too, but I wouldn’t try to take a stroll in Laté’s garden at this hour.
The small demonic beasts that would sometimes follow me during walks gave me the creeps.
“…Should I send Raphla to catch Entrie now?”
With Raphla’s speed, she could easily catch up to Entrie, who was nothing more than a small finch-like bird.
But there’s no guarantee Hyle would really come… it might be pointless.
As I was pondering, the previously bright room suddenly darkened.
Since I was relying on the moonlight filtering through the window without lighting any candles, when the window was covered, the room was plunged into darkness.
Turning my head in confusion, I noticed something black flickering outside the window.
And next to it was… Entrie, flapping his wings vigorously with the most satisfied eyes.
Leaning on the bed, I carefully approached and opened the window.
With a small creaking sound, the gap in the closed window opened.
“…Hyle.”
He seemed to have come in a hurry; his disheveled clothes looked absurdly messy.
Moreover, his face was barely visible due to the black robe he had thrown over himself.
Nevertheless, I knew the figure in the robe was Hyle.
In the middle of the night, in this savage place crawling with demonic beasts, the only reckless person who would come looking for me was Hyle Feros, and him alone.
“You really came. I couldn’t believe it.”
“Rosiel, are you okay?”
A sudden touch gently brushed my cheek.
Then I could clearly feel somewhat eager eyes examining my condition.
“I think I should be the one asking that… why did you suddenly come here?”
“Entrie came without a letter and pecked at me with urgent eyes, so I thought something had happened to you…”
“I just said I was wondering what you were doing. It seems Entrie misunderstood my words.”
It was a meaningless issue caused by Entrie’s small misunderstanding.
Upon hearing my casual response, Hyle froze in place.
Then slowly, he removed the deeply pulled-down robe.
His cheeks, reddened from the wind due to his hasty flight, finally came into view.
His strangely rippling green pupils fully captured me.
“Rosiel, there’s… something I haven’t told you.”
Hyle, who had been moving his lips, took a brief breath and then opened his mouth again, looking straight at me.
“Entrie understands the words ‘I miss you’ as a command. And he brings that person.”
Just like now.
As his low voice softly followed, a small sigh escaped between my lips.
A heartbeat, not knowing whose, pounded against my eardrums.
“…Yes, I said I missed you.”
In the end, I had to confess the truth willingly.
There was no point in maintaining my meager pride with someone who had come all this way out of concern for me.
Hyle, who had been looking down at me with surprised eyes for a moment, finally descended from the precariously perched railing to the floor.
Soon, standing before me with a light gesture, he smiled, drawing a curve at the corner of his mouth.
His narrowing eyes and impossibly gentle voice captured my attention.
That he looks more handsome than usual today must be just a feeling.
“Are you confessing?”
“Think what you want. Thanks to Entrie, you made a wasted trip.”
At his question, I replied simply, and heard a chuckling laugh in response.
“I’ll take that as a thank you.”
In the dim room, only Hyle was gleaming white.
That incongruous appearance felt harmonious in a most contradictory way.
“On the day of the National Foundation Festival, I’ll come pick you up.”
“Hmm… since it’s not a party, there’s no real need to pick me up.”
Since the National Foundation Festival was an official event of the Empire, accompanying a partner wasn’t mandatory.
Until now, he might have picked me up due to party regulations, but this time, it wouldn’t be a problem if we departed separately.
“So, you don’t want me to?”
His head tilting gently to the side was mischievous.
That question was similar to one I had asked him when we were pretending to be newlyweds and he was showing reluctance.
“…I didn’t say I didn’t want you to.”
Reciting the exact answer Hyle had given back then, I couldn’t hide the sigh that naturally escaped.
I’ve felt this before, but… this man has quite the grudge.
He’s returning all the words I’ve said to him one by one…!
“Good night, Rosiel.”
After hearing my answer with a satisfied face, Hyle, as if about to leave, stroked Entrie a couple of times before turning his back.
“You too.”
With my soft answer, the breath that had seemed unlikely to fade away vanished in an instant.
Somehow, it was a cozier night than usual.
* * *
“My lady, how about this one?”
“Doesn’t it look similar to the one from before…?”
“No, they’re completely different. This is blood ruby, and that one is pomegranate ruby.”
So what’s the difference…
The day of the National Foundation Festival, which had seemed like it would never come, finally approached.
Thanks to that, I was being dressed up by excited maids who were thrilled about the rare outing since morning.
I wasn’t quite sure what the difference was, but judging by the crimson items the maids kept presenting to me…
