Chapter 45
“…So, she asked me to relay her apologies.”
As Kina spoke, Lexion’s gaze drifted to the empty chair across the table. It was Seriniel’s seat.
“But by tomorrow, she should be feeling better… She’s always like this.”
“Is there nothing I can do?”
“Well… Probably not.”
At times like this, Seriniel would always seem sad or melancholic. It was deeply upsetting for Kina, who had made various efforts herself.
She had tried cooking Seriniel’s favorite foods and even dragged her reluctant self outside for a change of scenery. But it was all in vain.
It was perhaps inevitable. Some emotions couldn’t be resolved so easily.
There was no solution. All Kina could do was stand by and watch, hoping Seriniel could overcome her sadness on her own.
“And in the afternoon… she expressed a desire to go out.”
“…”
“Of course, given the circumstances, if his lordship objects, there’s nothing we can do…”
Lexion remained silent, lost in his own thoughts.
Kina glanced at him and sighed heavily, then absentmindedly fidgeted with her hands.
After a while, Lexion finally pursed his lips.
“What did I do?”
“Pardon?”
“It’s been years, hasn’t it? What have I done all this time?”
“You’ve just… stayed by yourself. You went out alone, and even when you came back, you stayed alone.”
“…And?”
“Well, that’s it. You’ve just… stayed alone. You didn’t properly comfort her even though you knew she was sad. When she was young, when her parents passed away, you at least pretended to care, but after the funeral, you didn’t even do that…”
“…”
“So she seemed to be even more distressed.”
Lexion didn’t respond. He just stared blankly ahead, lost in thought.
…Beyond what I thought, he’s quite the odd one, isn’t he? Kina thought.
“Anyway… It seems best to just leave things be for now. There’s nothing else we can do at the moment…”
The empty chair loomed over Lexion’s dark pupils. Kina continued speaking, but it seemed none of it registered with him.
It just looked mournfully empty today.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
It was already late afternoon.
“…”
Seriniel, who had spent the whole day holed up in her room, was now getting ready to go out.
Dressed in her outing attire, Seriniel picked up the handkerchief Kina had prepared for her. Now all she had to do was step outside.
As Seriniel approached the door, she hesitated, then reached out her hand. However, the door opened on its own, revealing Lexion’s sudden appearance.
“…Milord?”
Seriniel looked at Lexion with a puzzled expression. It didn’t take her long to realize. He, too, was dressed in attire not typically worn around the mansion.
“Are you ready?”
“Ready?”
“You said you wanted to go out.”
“…Ah, yes. Kina told me. She said you would lend us a carriage.”
“….”
“But it seems milord also has business outside.”
“Indeed.”
Lexion nodded.
“Because you have business outside.”
“….”
“Come along.”
“H-however…”
Lexion was determined. He gestured for Seriniel to follow him and began walking alone.
Left alone in front of the door, Seriniel felt a little flustered.
…But he didn’t even say where we’re going.
“Hurry up. The sun will set soon.”
Whether he knew what was on her mind or not, Lexion simply continued, leaving Seriniel with no choice but to follow him.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
It seemed that his promise to provide a carriage was a complete lie.
“Um, M-Milord…”
“….”
“I-I’m sorry, but could we perhaps go a bit slower…?”
She didn’t even know where they were going, but the speed was insane. Seriniel felt like she was going to die.
And to make matters worse, she had never ridden a horse before. It was even more wild than she imagined.
The horse finally slowed down its mad dash. Lexion, holding the reins, glanced back at Seriniel as if to check on her.
“I thought I was going slowly enough.”
“…”
“It seems that was just my perspective. I was too hasty.”
“You don’t need to apologize so much.”
Now that they were finally riding slowly, Seriniel nodded as if to reassure him.
Soon they started moving slowly again.
But as the carriage was so unwieldy, the horse’s size was equally unmanageable. It felt like it could collapse if it stumbled even a little. And if that happened, at least one thing would break, if they were lucky.
Terrified, Seriniel tightened her grip on Lexion’s clothes.
“It might be better to hold onto my waist.”
“No, it’s fine like this.”
It was obviously a blatant lie, but she felt uncomfortable holding onto his waist. So she endured.
“…But why suddenly take a horse? You said you would lend us a carriage.”
“Then you’d have to be all crumpled up again.”
Lexion answered as if it were obvious.
“So it was purely for my comfort?”
“…On a day like today?”
Seriniel flinched slightly.
“Even without that, it would be noisy inside, so it’s not worth the trouble.”
…He knew.
What day it was.
That’s why he didn’t even ask where they were going. He already knew.
Seriniel’s expression turned slightly bitter.
“Hold on a little longer. We’re almost there.”
“…Okay.”
The pace was noticeably slower than before, and Seriniel firmly held onto Lexion’s clothes once again.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
By the time they arrived at their destination, the sky was filled with crimson hues.
“… ”
Lexion, who had stopped the horse, gracefully dismounted with movements that didn’t match his size at all, and Seriniel watched him silently.
…Do I have to jump down like that too?
But it was too high.
As if to prove that the thought was foolish, Lexion reached out both arms towards Seriniel. Then he looked at her, waiting for her to come down.
“Come down. I’ll catch you.”
But it wasn’t a height where she could easily jump down like that. Lexion could do it because he was tall and used to riding horses. Seriniel wasn’t.
Seriniel’s hand, gripping the horse’s mane, trembled. Lexion looked at it for a moment, then chuckled softly.
“You’re more hands-on than I thought.”
“… ”
“Well, it’s not a bad thing.”
Then, suddenly reaching out his hand, he gently embraced Seriniel. She flinched briefly, but before she knew it, she was already on the ground.
“Thank you.”
After thanking him, Seriniel finally turned her head. Then, silently, she stared at the endless expanse of sea beyond the red cliffs. For a long time.
The reason Seriniel came here was simple.
…Today was her parents’ memorial day.
Poor little brave lady!❤️🔥