A day, two days passed, then a week… How much more time had passed in this land?
“Wow, it’s only seven o’clock?”
After watering the flowers, reading books, and even doing unnecessary cleaning, the sunset was just beginning to glow.
“I’m dying of boredom,” I muttered to myself, gazing at the setting sun. The once beautiful scenery of the town was becoming tediously boring.
Maybe I was really suited to be an attention seeker. In other words, my days in Pronaea were very, extremely, excessively peaceful. I missed the days when I woke up wondering who would challenge me next.
“Aeron, you haven’t left work yet, have you?”
{Princess, you should rest a bit.}
As soon as the clock struck 7 PM, I connected to the communication tool.
“How was today?”
{Nothing special happened. The foundation is growing, and Bergman’s new product is getting a good response.}
Aeron cleared his throat as if he was preparing to leave work.
{It’s just a shame that we couldn’t launch the resort place Elnido sooner with this momentum…}
I intended to connect with the duke’s communication tool at least a month later, but my capacity to talk to flowers had already reached its limits.
{It’s regrettable that the schedule was paralyzed due to the heavy rain across the continent for several days.}
He briefly added, looking beyond the window.
{But it seems like the weather is clearing up. How is it where you are?}
“Here is fine.”
So the duke, Aeron, and Obelo knew about my situation. They understood my wish to ‘take a break,’ though I hadn’t told them exactly where I was.
“Right. It would have been better to proceed when the interest was at its peak.”
{His Majesty seems quite troubled too. From the start, the nobles weren’t pleased with the secret plans for the resort destination. And then, just before the launch, a disaster-level rain fell…}
I got the gist from Aeron’s words. “Ah, they’re saying it’s cursed land again, aren’t they?”
Oh, how tiresome. It was predictable how the gossipy elder nobles would play their hand.
“Anyway, it won’t keep raining forever. We should launch before the nonsense starts if the weather clears.”
{It seems His Majesty is planning an event.}
“An event…?”
{Yes. Selecting a honeymoon couple to give them travel vouchers. Becoming the first guest at the resort destination.}
Honeymoon couple…? Well, targeting honeymooners or young couples for a resort destination was cliché but an effective promotional strategy.
“Not bad. But the most important thing when hiring a promotional model is first, looks; second, recognition; third, talkability.”
After spending the day talking to flowers, discussing work came easily.
“There’s no point in hiring the neighbors Lizzy and Tom to promote the paradise.”
You need to evoke a desire in consumers to be just like them!
“Do we have a couple that fits all three criteria?”
Hmm, the actors lack authenticity, and we couldn’t send Luna and Ash.
{That part… It seems His Majesty had someone in mind.}
“Someone in mind? Who?” I tried to recall any couple in high society that met all three criteria recently.
{I don’t know. His Majesty said he’d tell you when you return…}
“Why not just write it down?”
{Umm, well…}
Unlike Aeron’s usual clear responses, his words trailed off.
What’s with this uneasiness? Am I going to watch the business I’ve been invested in from the start turn to dust?
“Let’s talk about that in detail later. Ah, and Aeron, what about Daisy?”
{We’ve been trying our best to find her, but no luck yet.}
In fact, the reason I connected earlier than planned was to check if there was a problem with the communication tool itself. But since there were no issues communicating with Aeron… That means the problem isn’t the communication tool but with Daisy’s.
Did Daisy’s carriage not make it out of the state? Then why hasn’t Aeron found Daisy yet? And what happened in the meantime for Daisy’s communication tool to end up with Redian?
“Alright, please continue to look for Daisy.”
{Yes, understood, Princess.}
As the communication tool connection was about to end,
“Ah, is the crown prince doing well?” I finally voiced the question I’d been swallowing.
Since our last call, there has been no news of Redian. And since then…
“I naively let myself be deceived by a single word and waited for you all this time.”
That gentle voice lingered in my ears. I could feel he was forcibly holding back his emotions from me. I didn’t mean to deceive him, but it wasn’t my intention.
Well, is that the same thing? The thought of possibly being misunderstood was unsettling, but then I felt it was inevitable, changing my mind dozens of times.
I’m not that kind of person.
Anyway, Redian is someone I couldn’t stop thinking about.
{I haven’t heard any news from the crown prince’s palace recently. I did hear that the king of Decilio has entered the empire, and ah, Lady Luna has come looking for you several times.}
“Luna did?”
-Yes. She seemed to know you had left.
Huh? How did Luna know something not even the people at the duchy knew?
“Make sure my whereabouts don’t spread, Aeron.”
{Yes, Princess. Rest well and return whenever you’re ready.”}
It was after the call ended.
“Hmm… No news from the crown prince’s palace.”
I closed my eyes to organize the increasingly complex thoughts in my head. Why can’t I feel at ease in such a peaceful place? Because the crown prince’s palace is quiet? Because Daisy is missing? Because the launch of Elnido is delayed?
None of the above.
No matter how many excuses I made, the answer was already clear.
I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now.
Am I afraid of Redian? No, that wasn’t it. Whether Redian came to fetch me or if we really met again, there was nothing to fear. I was confident he would never harm me.
So, am I curious about Redian? Worried about him? Or perhaps… Do I miss him?
“Ah, damn it.” I shook my head vigorously.
Why? Why should I? Why would I miss Redian?
Maybe it’s just loneliness because there’s no one clinging to me!
As I was about to punch the air,
“Hmm, today seems to end unusually early. Why don’t you get some rest?” Raphiel, who had appeared at some point, smiled awkwardly at me.
“Ah, Madam. What’s that?”
“It’s a scented candle.”
“Scented candle?”
“Yes. It’s a special candle used only in Pronaea, but you’ll find it familiar. I thought we’d need a lamp tonight, so I lit it.” She placed the small lamp she brought on the window sill.
…Huh? I frowned momentarily at the spreading fragrance.
“This is a candle used only in Pronaea?”
“Yes. It’s meant to mimic the scent of lilies that only bloom in heaven.”
This smelled exactly like the gardenia scent I mixed myself.
With the candy and now this… Is this really just a coincidence? As I pondered whether it was more than mere coincidence,
“Why do you ask?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. I just like the scent. Thank you, Madam.”
“Of course. Then, sleep well. You haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
I forced a smile at Madam Raphiel as she turned away. When I think of it, she has always used formal speech with me. That thought was fleeting and didn’t linger long.
“Sigh, what a day full of strange events.”
As I watched the flame quickly dwindle,
‘Master.’
“…What?”
A vague ringing in my ears followed by the wind’s sound.
“Now I’m hearing things.”
Am I going mad? Have I started to care, I mean, like Redian?
“Get a grip.”
It wasn’t the time for this, not when I had finally found freedom and peace. As I stood up to wash my face with cold water,
‘My Nia, you’ll never be able to erase me.’
Again, a voice seeped in like smoke, making my feet feel heavy.
“…”
‘Every bone, every piece of flesh, every breath of yours is engraved with me.’
The village fell into a deep silence as if time had stopped, and then…
‘Peidi, ugh!’
‘Speak to me directly. What have you done in this peaceful land?’
Someone’s whispers became clearer in the profound silence.
‘It’s all my doing. I’m the one who gathered those pieces over thousands of lives.’
‘…Keugh!’
‘It means your master was mine from the beginning, is mine now, and will be mine forever.’
Rumble!
“…Ha!”
A flash of thunder and lightning snapped me back to reality.
What is this?
Then, the sound of pouring rain followed, causing the candle by the window to flicker dangerously.
“… It’s raining.”
Rain was indeed falling. In a land where it supposedly never rains, there was thunder and lightning.
I rushed to the window. “It can’t be.”
Only thick fog and heavy rain filled my view. Michelle’s house across the way and even Shannon’s house, which usually had lights on last, were all dark…
“What’s going on?”
But then, knock, knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door.
“…”
I held my breath, staring at the doorknob.
The door’s already open. Due to the peaceful nature of the village, locks or keys were unnecessary. Anyone could have simply opened the door without knocking. But,
“…Who is it?”
Whoever was on the other side seemed to be waiting endlessly. Waiting for me to open the door.
“Who’s there?” I approached the doorknob, repeating the pointless question.
“Master, it’s raining too much here.”
“…!”
A voice soaked with moisture came through.
“You know I hate rain.”
As those words faded into the sound of the rain,
“Redian.” I flung the door open. “You…!”
“I knew you’d open it.”
A dark figure, as if it had swallowed the eerie darkness, stood before me.
“Rere, how did you even get here?”
“Because I missed you and was curious.”
In that moment,
“The place you went after deceiving me…”
His robe, dripping with rainwater, slowly revealed.
“Was it just here?”
His eyes that met mine had turned dark red.
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