Though I couldn’t accept Raphir’s feelings, I was well aware of how sincere he had been towards me.
Raphir had delayed the selection of the princess consort before, waiting for me to accept his proposal. While I had been fine with it back then, considering his sincerity, it was no longer acceptable now that I was married to Clyde.
It wasn’t just about being the crown prince. I wanted Raphir to be happy too. He was someone who could make any woman happy, not just me.
I wished he wouldn’t suffer anymore because of me. I cast a teleportation spell with Raphir as my destination.
As I opened my eyes again, I found myself in the vast bedroom of the Crown Prince. Approaching the bed, I gently placed my hand on Raphir’s shoulder, who was peacefully sleeping.
“…Your Highness.”
After shaking his shoulder a few more times, Raphir slowly opened his eyes.
He stared at me blankly, then suddenly stiffened and sat up.
“Shhh.”
I hastily put a finger to my lips.
“…Eila? Is this… a dream?”
“It’s not a dream. It’s really me.”
“How… how are you here… No, it must be a dream. It can only be a dream!”
Raphir shook his head vigorously, seeming bewildered.
“I came here using teleportation magic. The same magic I used to transport the Crown Prince and my family to Trachen.”
“That was you?”
I nodded. Raphir slowly lowered the hand he had on his forehead.
“…And the Demon King? Does he know you’re here, or did you escape?”
“No. I came to Trachen with my husband’s permission. I wanted to see my family.”
At the mention of a husband, Raphir’s shoulders trembled. His gaze went to the ring on my left ring finger.
“I heard that the Crown Prince still hasn’t married. The reason I came to see you is also because of that.”
“…….”
“It might be an absurd assumption, but I wondered if the Crown Prince hasn’t married yet because of me. If it’s not the case, please say so. You may laugh at me.”
But Raphir didn’t deny it. He didn’t laugh at all. He lowered his eyes, remained silent, and kept his lips sealed.
Seeing him like that made my nose tingle.
“Your Highness, I am deeply grateful to you. I heard that you’ve worked very hard to defend me since I went to the Demon Realm, and that’s why my family was spared punishment. Last time when our envoy came, they were almost sent away, but you stopped them, insisting on hearing their story.”
“…Well, I was just doing what I was supposed to do.”
Raphir spoke in a low voice.
“Yes, but I know you did it all for me. You always thought about me and cared for me. It’s more than I deserve…”
I placed my hand over my heart and respectfully bowed my head to Raphir.
“I’m so grateful, Your Highness, and I apologize. You might see me as ungrateful, but I have never regretted going to the Demon Realm even once. I’m living happily there.”
“Is that true?”
Raphir quietly opened his mouth.
“Are you really happy? There, with him…”
“Yes. I really am.”
I said strongly, my voice full of conviction. Raphir, who had been silently looking at me, suddenly smiled. It was a fragile yet tender smile.
“Then it’s okay.”
I felt like tears might burst out at any moment.
“No, it’s not alright. Not at all.”
“…Eila?”
Raphir gave me a questioning look, noticing my frown.
“As much as His Highness the Crown Prince wishes for my happiness, I wish for yours as well. It’s been over two years since I went to the Demon Realm, and I never imagined you would still be brooding like this. Why do you care so much about a woman who left because she didn’t want to be with you? You should find someone better and live happily!”
“…….”
Raphir stared at me, his mouth slightly agape.
“Besides, His Highness the Crown Prince is the future Emperor of this country. You need to get married and lay the foundation for future generations. His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress must be suffering inside. Am I wrong?”
“…….”
The wrinkles that had gathered in his brow slowly unraveled, and then he let out a laugh.
He lowered his head and muttered in a low voice.
“You’re scolding me again. Really, Eila, you can’t do that.”
“…there’s no need for scolding if His Highness the Crown Prince has taken care of himself.”
I said in a voluble voice. Raphir smiled.
“Yeah, you’re right. I was wrong.”
There was a moment of silence. I awkwardly opened my mouth again.
“…So promise me that you’ll find someone nice and get married.”
“And if I don’t keep my promise, you’ll come back to scold me?”
“…Your Highness!.”
“I’m kidding. Don’t give me that look, Eila.”
“…….”
Raphir’s lips still traced a gentle curve.
“Okay. I promise.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
I looked at him for a moment, then averted my gaze.
After bidding farewell to Raphir, just as I was about to cast teleportation magic, he spoke.
“Eila.”
“Yes?”
“I have one last favor to ask of you; will you do it?”
“…What is it?”
“Call me by my name just once.”
“…….”
“Just once, and don’t worry about being punished; I won’t tell anyone else.”
Raphir winked as he spoke. Though he seemed playful, a tender light lingered in his narrowed eyes.
Feeling a lump in my throat, I swallowed hard.
“…Raphir.”
“…….”
Raphir closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
“Thank you, Eila.”
“…….”
I bowed my head and began to recite a spell.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Returning to the inner chamber, Clyde, who had been lying on the bed, quickly sat up.
“Welcome back. Everything okay?”
I wordlessly pulled him into a hug.
“Thanks, honey, for sending me… I really appreciate it.”
“…….”
Clyde hugged me back, gently stroking my head.
“Anytime you want, whenever you need to go, you can.”
“…Yeah.”
I buried my face in Clyde’s chest. He chuckled as my breath tickled his shoulder, and I giggled.
We looked at each other as if we were making a promise and shared a kiss.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
After that, with Clyde’s understanding, I occasionally visited Trachen.
The first time I was reunited with Aslan, he was stony-faced and barely looked my way. However, knowing Aslan’s uncertain feelings, it didn’t bother me much. There were a few teasing remarks from Nita, but that was it.
Things improved gradually as we met more often.
Later, I even playfully pulled Aslan’s arm, trying to act cute like in the old days. Though his eyebrows remained furrowed, I could see the corners of her mouth twitch.
When Nita teased him about it, Aslan growled with a serious expression. Watching my brothers act like that made me feel like we had truly returned to the past, and I wiped away a few tears that escaped unnoticed.
But summoning the courage to meet Father remained elusive.
Many times I would walk up to his doorstep, only to turn around and cry for a long time at the sight of his lonely, empty appearance.
Honestly, I had faith that Nita would understand and accept me. So would Raphir. Even Aslan, I thought, would eventually give in to me.
But Father was different. Especially in this matter. Father detests demons more deeply than anyone else in the world. In the original story, Julion was always Clyde’s greatest enemy, and vice versa.
The reason I had firmly concluded that I could never be friends with Clyde from the beginning was precisely because of that. As long as his father was around, I knew I couldn’t be with him. Forever. Absolutely.
So, I chose Clyde and abandoned Father.
I wondered if it was hypocritical of me to feel sorry for him now. Maybe it was all just selfish greed.
One day, as I sat blankly in the room, I heard Tina crying. Thinking she might have woken up, I went to the nursery. Inka was trying to comfort Tina with a troubled expression.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but the princess won’t stop crying….”
“It’s okay; I’ll take care of it.”
I took Tina from Inka. As soon as I did, Tina stopped crying, almost as if she had been faking it.
“It seems the princess really prefers her mother…”
Inka murmured with a slightly unjust expression. I chuckled quietly.
“Mama, mama.”
Tina reached out to me, cooing. I took her tiny hand and held it still.
That’s when it happened.
— Can you hear me?
I couldn’t help but be startled by that voice.
‘…Master?’
