Chapter 109
Hand in hand, the two made their way toward the villa. As they walked through the picturesque garden, the horizon became more visible, stretching out behind the building.
“This place is truly beautiful,” Elena remarked with a bright smile.
“Isn’t it? I wish we could have visited it when we were younger,” Lexion replied, a touch of wistfulness in his voice.
Elena playfully rolled her eyes at him. “At least we’re here now.”
Lexion’s expression softened at her words. As they talked, they reached the entrance of the villa. Lexion stepped forward to open the door, and Elena moved aside to let him do so.
She briefly glanced at him before stepping inside. The villa’s interior was just as spacious as the Halos’ mansion. The only difference was that it had a slightly older, more antique charm.
‘Spending time alone in this grand villa…’ Elena thought, her excitement growing. The area around the villa was private property of the Halos family, ensuring that no one else would intrude on their time together. It was the perfect setting for a secluded vacation for two.
Elena looked back at Lexion with a gleam of excitement in her eyes. He must have felt the same way because he smiled back at her, clearly just as happy.
*****
Elena glanced at herself in the mirror and gave a small twirl.
‘Is this okay?’ she wondered, adjusting the light sky blue dress she had put on. Satisfied with her appearance, she left the room.
Although they were the only two people staying in the large mansion, they each had their own rooms. Lexion had arranged this to ensure Elena wouldn’t feel pressured.
‘Of course, we end up sleeping together,’ Elena thought with a smile as she walked down the hallway. According to Lexion, this villa had been in the Halos family for generations. The hallway bore traces of its history, with its old-fashioned ornaments and decor.
Elena made her way downstairs. It was late, and they had decided to change clothes and have dinner.
‘Did Lexion already head to the dining room?’ she wondered as she followed the directions Lexion had given her. When she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of a large dining room, and the delicious aroma of food instantly filled her senses.
The table was enormous, and it was completely covered with food.
“Oh my…” Elena gasped, unable to hide her surprise.
“Elena, you’re here,” Lexion said, approaching her.
“Lexion, what is all this?” she asked, astonished. She had assumed they would cook together, but it seemed everything was already prepared.
“The servants took care of it before we arrived. They knew we were coming,” Lexion explained.
“I see! That’s wonderful. Thank you so much,” Elena replied, feeling grateful.
“Go ahead and sit down,” Lexion said, pulling out a chair for her.
“Yes.”
Elena sat down, eyeing the table full of all kinds of seafood. Being near the coast, there was an abundance of fresh seafood on the menu. Lexion handed her a beautifully arranged plate, already prepared for her.
“Thank you,” Elena said, accepting the plate. It was a delightful mix of seafood, meat, and salad.
“Make sure you eat plenty,” Lexion urged.
“You too, Lexion.”
After a long day of travel, they were both famished, so the meal passed mostly in silence.
“Hah, that was delicious.”
With their hunger satisfied, they left the dining room.
“Did you enjoy the meal?” Lexion asked.
“Yes, it was delicious!” Elena beamed, and Lexion smiled warmly in return. They walked hand in hand up the stairs, planning to go to bed early that night.
Elena headed to her room to wash up first.
“El-Elena,” Lexion called out and grabbed her just as she said goodbye and was about to enter her room.
“Yes?” she responded, turning to face him. Lexion’s cheeks were flushed, and he seemed shy as he avoided her gaze.
“…Would it be okay if we washed together?” he asked hesitantly.
Elena’s heart began to race at his request.
Thump! Thump!
Her cheeks flushed as well, but she found herself unable to refuse him.
“…Okay,” she agreed, taking his hand. Together, they entered the room, and the beginning of a secret, blissful night awaited them.
*****
It was an incredibly enjoyable vacation for both of them. Each day was so filled with happiness that the time seemed to fly by. The two weeks they spent at the beach were the happiest moments of Elena’s life.
Even though it was spring and the weather was still a bit chilly, they couldn’t resist playing in the sea. Thanks to the magical items Elena had brought along, they were able to swim while maintaining a comfortable body temperature. They swam together, explored the sea to see the fish, and made the most of their time by the water.
After two weeks at the beach, they set off for their next destination—a villa in the mountains owned by the Halos family. The journey to the mountain villa was quite long, so they had to depart early in the morning and arrive by evening.
Exhausted from the trip, Lexion suggested they visit a nearby hot spring, and Elena eagerly agreed.
‘I never knew there were hot springs in this world,’ she thought, later learning that the trend had started on a distant western continent. The idea that it might be similar to the country she had lived in during her previous life intrigued Elena, and she and Lexion made plans to visit one day.
In the mountains, they continued to enjoy their time together, just the two of them, with no servants around.
A few days later, after having lunch with Lexion, Elena took a shower and wore a light yellow dress. As she was about to leave the room, she noticed a note attached to the door.
Come to the backyard.
It was in Lexion’s handwriting.
‘The backyard? I wonder why?’ Elena thought as she quickly made her way outside.
At the back of the villa, roses were in full bloom, their vibrant petals even more stunning under the warm sunlight. The rich fragrance of the roses filled the air, making her smile as she walked through the garden.
In the center of the backyard, surrounded by roses, she spotted Lexion. The sight of him amidst the blooming flowers was breathtakingly beautiful.
‘His outfit is different from usual,’ Elena noticed.
Unlike the casual clothes he had worn throughout their vacation, Lexion was dressed in a sharp blue suit today.
‘He still looks stunning,’ Elena thought as she approached him, almost as if she were under a spell.
As she neared, Lexion stepped forward and presented her with a magnificent bouquet of roses.
“Lexion…” Elena softly murmured as she took the bouquet into her arms and looked up at him.
Lexion gently closed his eyes and spoke, his voice tender.
“Elena, the more time I spend with you, the stronger my feelings have become.”
“What kind of feelings?” Elena asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
In response, Lexion lowered himself to one knee, and his knee touched the ground as he pulled out a small accessory case from his jacket. Inside was a ring adorned with a clear gemstone. His cheeks flushed slightly as he held it out to her.
“The feeling that I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he confessed.
Elena was so taken aback by his words that she couldn’t speak for a moment. Sensing her surprise, Lexion quickly continued.
“I’m not asking you to get married right away. I just want you to know that I want you to be my life partner, even if it takes time.”
He wanted to reassure her, making it clear that he wasn’t rushing her, but simply expressing his desire for her to be his fiancée. Elena understood his intention immediately and nodded.
“I understand,” she said as she accepted the ring.
Lexion’s eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly stood up, a smile spreading across his face as he fought back tears of joy. He took Elena’s hand and carefully slipped the ring onto her finger.
“When we return to the capital, we’ll have an engagement ceremony,” he said.
“Yes, but I’d prefer it to be a small one,” Elena replied.
“Of course. Whatever you want, Elena,” Lexion agreed.
They smiled at each other, both filled with happiness.
*****
After Lexion’s confession, their feelings for each other only deepened. Their expressions of affection became bolder, and their physical closeness intensified. Even as their vacation neared its end, the two couldn’t bear the thought of being apart.
Finally, the vacation ended, and it was time to return to their usual responsibilities. Inside Lexion’s office, Elena clung to Lexion’s arm, gazing at him intently.
Kiss. Kiss.
Lexion couldn’t resist covering Elena’s face with kisses.
“Elena, when will we have our engagement?” Lexion asked, lightly pecking her lips.
“Well, I’m not sure. Let’s talk about it seriously soon,” Elena replied.
“Okay,” Lexion agreed.
“Then I should go now,” Elena said, glancing at the piles of paperwork stacked on one side of his office. Despite handling a lot of work in advance, there was still much to do.
Lexion sighed with disappointment. “It’s lonely, spending a whole month together and then being apart.”
He gently pressed Elena’s hand against his cheek, his voice filled with sadness.
“Me too. I won’t be too busy for a while, so I’ll visit often, okay?” Elena reassured him.
“Okay, but you have to visit really often,” Lexion insisted.
“Yes, yes. Don’t worry,” Elena said with a smile, kissing Lexion’s lips before stepping back.
With a final glance, she crossed through the portal, ready to return to her everyday life.
