“A written pact?”
Dante immediately furrowed his brow.
The condition for the deal was the termination of the written pact; that was…….
“Isn’t that actually better for you? It means you’ll be free to leave whenever you want.”
Elisha might not know it, but Erich was already aware of her true identity. Therefore, there was no benefit for him to gain. On the other hand, wasn’t Elisha in a position where she could leave whenever she wanted once the written pact was terminated?
“You know it too.”
However, Elisha continued without batting an eye.
“I cannot leave Erich’s side.”
At least, not until the threats surrounding him disappeared.
A complex emotion flickered and vanished in the green eyes of the disguised Elisha. Dante blinked blankly.
Of course, just the fact that she had walked into the imperial palace on her own showed she had no intention of running away.
“That’s a bit of a nonsensical statement.”
“……?”
“It’s not ‘I won’t leave by his side, but ‘I cannot leave.’ That sounds exactly like……”
Like someone is forcing you to stay.
Dante let out a small sigh inwardly and ruffled his hair with his fingertips.
Ah, this is driving me crazy. It’s bothering me again!
“I’m not sure if I’m in a position to say this, but honestly, we’re all adults already. Right?”
“…….”
“And Erich is at an age where he should know how to take care of himself.”
In fact, seeing him at the allied nations’ conference, he seemed to handle things well on his own.
“Honestly, to you, both I and Erich must look like people who could die at any moment. But surprisingly, humans are resilient. I mean, he can already handle a sword as well as most knights. He even creates strange magic.”
Dante Renard circled around his words a few times as if he couldn’t understand himself, then looked at Elisha and said firmly.
“So, listen to me. Since you’ve already escaped.”
“…….”
“Live doing what you want to do.”
Violet eyes resembling violets stared straight at Elisha without wavering.
She, too, just looked at Dante quietly without saying a word.
How much time had passed like that?
It was the moment Elisha, who had been keeping her lips shut, slightly parted them.
“Ah, wait! Of course, I don’t mean to leave right this second. We’d be in big trouble without you right now.”
Dante quickly corrected himself a step ahead.
Elisha slowly fluttered her eyelashes and opened her mouth.
“I understand what you’re saying, Sir Renard.”
“…….”
“But I am already living that way. I do not do things I do not want to do.”
“That’s-.”
That’s true. Given Elisha’s personality, she would overturn anything she didn’t like.
Dante, who had been about to say something, nodded in agreement. Then, Elisha continued.
“What I want to do right now is go check on Erich. That is why I am proposing the termination of the written pact to you.”
“…….”
“If the written pact is terminated, there will be no risk of your life being threatened. Up until now, it hasn’t been a problem since we were both aware of it, but if you were to slip up and reveal my location, your life would be forfeit.”
“That is a bit scary.”
It was true that he didn’t know what his own free-spirited tongue might do.
Dante shuddered once and admitted it.
To be honest, there was no longer any reason to continue this written pact.
Elisha wouldn’t leave this place, and Erich already knew her location.
So, perhaps it was better to break the written pact entirely as Elisha suggested and block any potential risks.
Though Elisha likely didn’t know that Erich already knew her true identity.
“What if I just tell Erich everything?”
“Are you going to?”
“You know I can’t say it, so you’re doing this.”
What a cunning human being.
It was the moment Dante let out a short, hollow laugh.
“It would be more accurate to say that I trust you.”
Elisha said calmly, staring at Dante for a brief moment. Dante stared at her with his mouth agape.
How can she say such things so casually…….
“To be precise, I trust your temperament of wanting to live comfortably.”
That makes sense.
“……Well, fine.”
I feel like I’ve been played, but honestly, I couldn’t ask for much just for taking her to the bedroom.
So, I had no choice but to be satisfied with this.
“Let’s break the written pact as soon as we return to the estate. How about that?”
“That’s fine.”
At Dante’s words, Elisha nodded slightly.
It really didn’t matter, as long as she could stay by Erich’s side.
* * *
‘Your Highness, are you sick again?’
A girl who looked about ten years old opened the bedroom door. At the same time, her hair, braided into two pigtails, dangled through the gap in the door.
Behind her, a boy slightly taller than the girl was peeking in, looking hesitant.
‘Your Highness?’
At the lack of an answer, Elisha called his name once more. Of course, there was no reply this time either.
As if she had expected it, Elisha blinked quickly and stepped into Erich’s bedroom. Dante also followed, clinging closely behind the girl’s back, stepping inside hesitantly.
Although they were now on a first-name basis with Erich, this was the first time they had entered the prince’s bedroom without permission, so they couldn’t help but be cautious.
Besides, it was a fever. What if they caught it?
‘Your Highness, I’m here.’
I even brought him today.
Elisha, who had stopped in front of the bed, spoke to Erich. Only then did Erich open his eyes slightly and look at the two people standing before him.
‘Why, did you come…….’
‘Because they said Your Highness was throwing a tantrum and chasing everyone away again.’
Müllen Cassus said that even His Majesty sighed during the meeting.
After finishing her sentence, Elisha plopped down on the floor at the head of Erich’s bed. Dante also sat down awkwardly beside her, glancing at Erich repeatedly.
He looks like he’s covered in annoyance from head to toe.
‘Um, E, Elisha……. Are you sure it’s really okay for us to be here?’
‘What could possibly be wrong with it?’
‘Erich’s expression doesn’t look okay…….’
Dante said, looking back and forth between Erich and Elisha with a face that looked like he was about to cry. Whether or not he cared, Elisha just rolled her eyes indifferently.
I always think this, but because of that timid personality of his, there will surely come a moment when Dante Renard misses his chance at a critical time.
She looked at Dante, who kept checking the mood, and spoke bluntly.
‘The Prince is uncomfortable because you’re acting like that. Look at him.’
‘I’m… just uncomfortable…….’
‘Are you listening to what I’m saying?’
‘I’m…. not listening…….’
Even though he was.
Erich continued his sentence and then let out a soft, steady breath again.
Dante was fidgeting with his fingers, truly as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
No matter how I look at it, we shouldn’t be here. Or, I’ll be scolded and kicked out by Erich soon. Should I just slip out alone now?
‘If you don’t want to be with me, don’t chase away the ladies-in-waiting or the guards.’
At that moment, Elisha spoke in a rather firm voice. Her gaze was still fixed on the air.
‘I don’t want to make a sick Prince uncomfortable either.’
‘…….’
‘But you get sicker when you’re alone.’
It was a definitive tone, as if she had experienced it herself.
At Elisha’s words, Dante turned his head slightly to look at Erich.
Usually, in times like this, Erich would retort, saying, ‘That’s not it.’
‘……You, you know.’
However, contrary to Dante’s expectations, Erich did not get angry.
‘You said…… you had never been sick before.’
Erich spoke with difficulty, his voice cracked from the rising heat. Only then did Elisha turn her gaze from the air and meet Erich’s eyes.
‘Yes, not in my memory.’
‘Then, why…….’
‘I just, get that feeling.’
So I can tell.
Soon, Elisha turned her upper body and brushed away Erich’s sweat-drenched hair. At that cold touch, Erich flinched, but he did not stop her.
It is uncomfortable to have someone else around when you are sick and resting. It was because it was annoying to have someone constantly checking your condition and talking to you.
But Elisha did not persistently talk to him, nor did she try to check his condition to the point of being annoying. She would just quietly stay by his side and disappear once the fever went down.
That was why Erich did not bother to block Elisha’s visits. He didn’t want to.
Perhaps, as she said, it was because he felt sicker when he was alone.
Though he hadn’t expected her to bring Dante Renard along, too.
They probably met in front of the palace. Erich lifted his eyelids with difficulty once more to look at the boy sitting next to Elisha.
Dante blinked his eyes, twitching his shoulders as if to show off. It was quite a funny sight to behold.
‘Your Highness, close your eyes.’
At that moment, Elisha’s cold palm pressed gently against Erich’s eyelids.
‘I’ll stay quietly, so go back to sleep.’
‘If you were going to do that……. You should h-have come in q-quietly from the start.’
‘I had to check if you were dead or alive, didn’t I?’
‘E-Elisha. You shouldn’t say such things carelessly…….’
The girl’s indifferent voice, the timid boy’s voice, and the other boy’s raspy breathing were all tangled together and echoed through the bedroom.
It was a noise that was a little loud and a little annoying.
But for some reason, Erich did not want to chase them away.
Because Elisha’s innocent blasphemy against the imperial family was funny, and because it was funny that Dante Renard was so scared as if his head were about to be cut off.
Perhaps because this whole situation was funny…….
‘Sleep well, Your Highness.’
Soon, Elisha’s small, clear voice seeped into Erich’s buzzing ears. It was a very soft and distinct voice.
Using the cold sensation touching the tips of his eyelids as a pillow, and that calm voice as a lullaby.
Erich drifted once more into the depths of his unconscious.
It was a peace that was not entirely silent.
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