Chapter 7
The night was heavy with dark, brooding clouds that threatened to burst at any
moment. "Your Highness, I hate thunderstorms," the small girl with her white
hair in twin braids said. Eric looked at the pretty ribbon on Elisha's nightgown
and slowly opened his mouth.
"......What does that have to do with your sudden intrusion into my bedroom?"
"The sky is overcast." It will rain soon. Having said her piece, Elisha began to
walk confidently toward Eric. Eric immediately pulled the blanket to his chest,
his eyes wide.
"Who said you could come in here!" "His Majesty did." "Father is away on a
subjugation campaign right now!" "I got his permission before he left. He said
there aren't many soldiers left in the Imperial Palace, so it would be best if
we stayed together as much as possible," she answered lightly, without stopping
her walk. She was even holding a pillow she brought with her under her arm.
Eric was thrown into great confusion. I’m sure I don't like her, and she doesn't
like me either. "I didn't give you permission—." "I’ll eat all your carrots for
you tomorrow." "......Hurry up and sit down." Come to think of it, you’re better
than carrots. Having quickly performed the mental calculation, Eric moved to the
edge of the bed.
As if she knew he would, Elisha naturally took the spot beside the boy. The
sound of crickets from the garden filled the silent bedroom. It seemed she was
right about the rain coming soon. "This is the first time we’ve been together
like this at night. The atmosphere is different from the daytime. It’s strange."
Eric shifted his eyes to look at Elisha.
The red ribbon tied at the end of her neatly braided hair. A one-piece nightgown
adorned with ruffles that seemed both to suit and not suit Elisha at all. Her
quiet stillness while sitting on the bed, without moving at all, made her look
like a doll...
"You." At that moment, the boy couldn't contain himself and said suddenly.
"Weren't you the one who hated being with me?" She was the girl who would frown
and say, "Why do you keep following me?" whenever he approached her. That alone
was enough to know she didn't welcome his presence. But to come looking for him
like this. This was the first time.
"That......" finally, Elisha opened her mouth slowly. Eric swallowed hard
without realizing it. For some reason, he felt nervous. "I told you. I hate
thunderstorms." "......" "It’s similar to Your Highness choosing to be with me
instead of eating carrots." Elisha's clear, monotonic voice, so characteristic
of her, soon echoed in the bedroom.
Eric blinked in daze for a few times, then let out a long sigh as if saying, "I
knew it." Of course, what was I expecting from her? Wait, what was I expecting
from her?
"No!" the moment the idea struck him, Eric shouted. Elisha immediately covered
her ears and frowned. "You were quiet for a while, why the sudden outburst, Your
Highness? It’s night."
"I, I, you." "......?" "I hate you......" then Eric lowered his head and
muttered weakly. It was a stark contrast to his shouting a moment ago. That
isn't what I meant to say. It’s a good thing the moon is hidden behind the
clouds, so nothing is visible. Otherwise, she would have seen my face turn
red...
Wait a second. Why isn't she answering? "Elisha?" Just as Eric felt something
was wrong, and was about to lift his head.
"Shh." Suddenly, Elisha placed a hand over Eric's mouth and whispered. "Be
quiet."
"You look as if you haven't gotten a wink of sleep. Was it very noisy last
night?" That group of mercenaries or whatever burst in suddenly, so... Jonathan
smiled apologetically and offered an apology to Elisha, who was standing on the
stairs. "They always show up from all over at this time of year. Ah, is the soup
alright? I was cleaning all night, so I couldn't properly prepare it......"
"Jonathan." "Oh, you know my name......" ......do you really know it? Jonathan's
mouth, which had opened with enthusiasm, snapped shut the moment he saw Elisha's
expression. The woman, who was always expressionless regardless of what was
said, had her face contorted. And quite fiercely, nonetheless.
"......Should I... throw them all out?" as Elisha was struggling down the
stairs, Jonathan hurriedly pulled out a chair for her and asked. For someone who
was usually as unresponsive as she could be a doll to show such a face, she must
be truly angry. Even if I collected all the money that mercenary group pays, it
wouldn't match the price of a single artifact. Should I really throw them out?
Just as Jonathan finished his calculations. "No," Elisha, who had been silent
all this time, spoke in a low voice. "Not that." The mercenary group, or
whatever it was, she didn't even know about them until he mentioned them. She
didn't have the luxury to care about such matters.
"......It’s raining," she then muttered, collapsing onto the table as she sat.
"The dark clouds are thick." No wonder she felt unwell; dark clouds had been
slowly gathering since yesterday evening. Elisha couldn't help but be annoyed by
it. Because now, there was no one who could stay beside her. No Eric to be with
her.
"If you’re worried about the rain leaking, don't be. It may not look like much,
but I built this place to be sturdy." "Even if lightning strikes?" "As long as
it doesn't take a direct hit......?" Jonathan answered, stroking his beard.
Elisha stared blankly at him, then slowly blinked her eyes. It was a small
relief to have someone with a familiar face who couldn't hurt her. Although they
had known each other for a little over a week only.
"Do you hate rainy days?" as she was just blinking blankly, Jonathan took a seat
across from her and asked again. Elisha slowly shook her head. "The rain alone
is fine." As long as there is no thunder and lightning. Elisha muttered, burying
her face between her arms. She looked rather pitiable.
Jonathan tilted his head slightly. Even if it’s only been a week, this is the
first time I’ve seen this woman act like this. Just like a moment ago. "Don't
tell me you’re afraid of thunder and lightning." "......" "You act like a doll
with no feelings, but it seems the Miss has a childish side after all." "It
isn't a childish side." I didn't have such a thing in the first place.
Having finished her piece, Elisha let out a soft breath. It was just that, at
some point, she grew to hate it with a shiver. She was sure there was a reason.
But just like her memories of when Bernard found her, it had vanished without a
trace. Of course, even without that reason, there were more than enough reasons
to hate this weather.
"Something always happens in weather like this." "Nonsense." "It’s true." "If
something happened every time it thundered, then by now......"
Just as Jonathan was about to continue. Suddenly, a loud bang echoed. "I heard
you sold a lord-level artifact here! Hand over everything else you have!" armed
men suddenly appeared and surrounded Elisha and Jonathan.
Elisha straightened from her hunched position and let out a low sigh. "See? I
was right." "No, what is this, and the artifact you gave me was......" "Of
course it was lord-level." I am the Archmage of the Empire, after all. She then
stepped in front of Jonathan and lightly stretched. Five people in sight.
Besides them, she could sense about ten others through the mana flow, excluding
herself and Jonathan.
At a time like this, Dante Renard would have shouted, "Let’s take them down one
by one." "......I’m not in the mood for that today." As Elisha finished her
speech, a strange light flickered for a moment in her blue eyes. It was the
fierce gaze of a predator, more savage than anything else.
"Shh." Her silvery hair, dampened by the darkness, fluttered as it spread out.
Eric stared as if entranced at Elisha, whose hand was covering his mouth.
Elisha's silvery hair, which had come undone at some point, the dagger buried in
the pillow behind him. And her cold blue eyes, staring intently into the pitch
darkness.
"Be quiet." Eric knew instinctively. That the dagger in the pillow was targeting
him. And that the people outside were all, all...
"Get a grip, Your Highness," at that moment, Elisha removed her hand from Eric's
mouth and whispered quietly. Eric still couldn't regain his senses and just
blinked in daze. Why did this happen so suddenly? Nothing like this had ever
happened before. Besides, if the royal guards had already been defeated, then he
and Elisha were...
"Your Highness said you hate me." At that moment, Elisha cast a glance at Eric
and offered a faint smile. Eric held his breath for a moment, staring at her.
Blue eyes that even the darkness couldn't hide. And gleaming even more than
them, all sorts of magic circles.
"As I said before, I don't hate you that much, Your Highness." In the pitch
darkness, amid a barrage of attacks that were being poured relentlessly as if
she had already pinpointed the enemy's location. "So, I don't want you to die,
Your Highness." The expressionless girl softened her eyes and smiled. "This is
for that."
0 Comments