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TLSDNWL Episode 85

TLSDNWL | Episode 85

Episode 85

Igon didn’t tell me where Eunice might be, but I already had a feeling.

There was no place within the empire where Eunice could disappear without a trace.

‘If she’s not in the empire, then perhaps…’

Tielle.

It wasn’t difficult to recall the composed young noblewoman who had once been part of the book club.

She had married last year and left the empire. I remembered how the news of a noblewoman from the empire becoming a queen in a neighboring country had spread like wildfire.

She maintained her close ties with the imperial princess, so I had occasionally encountered her in the palace while living as Lily.

Of course, she didn’t recognize me.

Even when we crossed paths directly, she regarded me no differently than she would any other palace maid.

I remembered her speaking to me once. It was just before her departure after her marriage had been finalized, during a visit to the palace to meet the Emperor.

I had been particularly busy that day. Normally, I wouldn’t have been occupied, but the visit coincided with preparations for an academic conference, so I was running back and forth between the library and scholars’ chambers.

As I walked along a long corridor overlooking the garden, I noticed a figure leaning against one of the columns.

The dress she wore was one typically donned by noblewomen, and the sight of her standing alone caught my attention.

She turned her head before I could look away, and our eyes met in midair.

Embarrassed, I quickly lowered my gaze, worried that she might scold me for staring.

At first, I didn’t recognize her.

It wasn’t until she called out to me that I realized it was Tielle.

“Excuse me,” she said.

There was no one else around.

As a guest of the palace, she should have had a guard escorting her, but she was entirely alone.

Sighing internally, I approached with my head bowed.

“Sorry to trouble you while you’re busy,” she said, leaning against the column as she explained her situation. “One of my shoe heels broke, and I’m about to meet His Majesty.”

It was clear she needed a replacement pair of shoes and couldn’t meet the Emperor in her current state.

It didn’t seem like a particularly difficult task.

Setting down the book I was carrying, I nodded and gestured that I would handle it.

She seemed slightly surprised by my silence, but she didn’t let it show. As expected of someone experienced in dealing with people.

“Thank you,” she said as I turned to leave.

Finding an appropriate pair of women’s shoes in the palace wasn’t hard.

When I explained the situation to a maid I knew, she quickly found a suitable pair.

I returned to Tielle with the shoes, only to find that they were slightly too big.

“Oh dear,” she sighed regretfully.

I rolled my handkerchief and wedged it between her heel and the shoe to make it fit better.

Tielle smiled at my quick thinking.

“Thank you so much,” she said, her gratitude evident.

I waved it off as nothing and picked up my book again, bowing slightly before hurrying away.

As I walked off, I heard her voice behind me, promising to repay me someday.

If I went to her now, I would not only find Eunice but also meet Tielle again.

Would she remember me?

Would she recognize me, not as Evelyn but as Lily?

It wasn’t particularly important, but the thought intrigued me.

Lost in these musings, I barely noticed Igon’s arm draping over my shoulders.

He looked toward the waiting carriage and muttered something under his breath.

“This should be enough,” Igon declared.

Looking at the luggage that filled two carriages to the brim, I found myself dumbfounded.

“If we travel light, we can always buy what we need once we get there,” he added.

I nodded vaguely, thinking it might indeed be possible for even more to be added later.

Noticing my expression, Igon pressed a hand to my cheek, amused.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a break, hasn’t it?”

His face was so bright as he asked that I couldn’t bring myself to ruin his mood by pointing out how excessive the luggage was.

I forced a smile and nodded awkwardly.

“Your Grace, you’re not planning an escape abroad, are you? You have to return,” Rosalind teased with a wry smile.

She had been staying at the Duke’s estate, busy cleaning up the mess left behind by Ash, which required her presence in the capital. Igon had offered her a room for the time being.

Rosalind was constantly moving between the imperial palace and the city walls, her schedule hectic.

At her joke, Igon smiled silently. His expression was cryptic enough to make Rosalind’s smile falter.

“Your Grace,” she said, her tone more cautious now.

At that moment, one of Igon’s aides arrived, calling for him.

Rosalind turned to me with a faintly uneasy look.

“He’s not actually planning to run away, is he?”

Of course not.

I reassured her with a smile, lightly tapping her shoulder. Only then did her expression brighten slightly.

I couldn’t forget the complicated look she had given me when I first told her we were traveling abroad.

She must have thought we were leaving only after tying up all the loose ends.

“If the Duke leaves now, with everything still unresolved… No, it doesn’t matter. Just have a good trip,” she said, her tone wavering between reproach and understanding.

The shadow in her eyes deepened.

Ash’s actions had been so far-reaching that Rosalind cursed his name dozens of times a day.

Yet, her gaze often seemed distant, as if she were searching through memories of a past she could no longer reach.

When she came closer, she muttered as if to herself, “Once all this is settled, I’d like to leave too.”

Her words reminded me of her decision to finally go and meet her disciple.

Having broken free from the constraints of her previous fate, she carried a lightness in her expression that hadn’t been there before.

“Take care,” Rosalind said, bidding farewell to Igon and me.

I waved at her in return.

We also exchanged goodbyes with the Count, who would act as the Duke’s proxy, and Igon’s aides, who escorted us to the carriage.

After organizing a few final details, Igon climbed into the carriage and took his seat next to me.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he wrapped his arms around me.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and saw his face filled with contentment.

A complicated feeling passed through me.

Though I was happy, I couldn’t let myself feel entirely at ease. Too many unresolved issues lingered.

‘Don’t overthink it,’ I told myself.

At least for now.

Resting my head against Igon’s arm, I closed my eyes and tried to push the thoughts aside.

The gentle rocking of the carriage soon lulled me into drowsiness.

Igon’s warmth, pressed against me, only added to my sleepiness.

“Here,” he said softly.

As my head started to droop unconsciously, he offered his lap.

Without protest, I lay down, resting my head against him and closing my eyes.

* * *

I woke to the sound of muffled voices.

The carriage had stopped moving, and Igon was no longer by my side.

Sitting up, I looked out the window.

Torches flickered in the twilight, casting a golden glow against the dusky backdrop.

‘Where are we?’

The place was unfamiliar, but it seemed like a village along the road to the port.

Rubbing my stiff neck, I waited for Igon to return.

Traveling for hours in a carriage was no easy feat, and my body ached from the prolonged journey.

After some time, the door opened carefully.

Igon stepped in, his face lighting up when he saw I was awake.

“Did you sleep well?”

He climbed in and smoothed down my hair, which had gotten messy while I slept.

“We’re not at the port yet,” he added.

I gave him a knowing look, a small grin tugging at my lips.

“The roads were rough after the rain last time, and there were reports of monsters nearby. I thought it’d be better to rest here before continuing,” he explained, adding that it wouldn’t disrupt our plans.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

Taking his hand, I stepped out of the carriage.

Though I hadn’t felt hungry before, the cool night air cleared my head, and I found myself craving food.

In front of us stood a three-story inn built from sturdy brick. Despite not having stepped inside yet, the lively noise from within was noticeable.

“I couldn’t secure the whole place in a rush, but I made sure we’d have no trouble,” Igon said with a shrug.

I chuckled at the absurdity of reserving an entire inn just for one night.

“This place is supposed to have the best food around,” he added.

As soon as we opened the door, the rich aroma of delicious food hit me.

‘So that wasn’t an exaggeration.’

The smell alone was enough to make my stomach growl.

We went up to our room first, which was surprisingly luxurious. The furnishings were finer than I’d expected for a traveler’s inn, likely due to the constant flow of merchants through the area.

“Should I have food brought here?” Igon asked.

I nodded eagerly, and soon, soup and bread were brought to the room.

The soup was creamy with milk, filled with cabbage and carrots. The freshly baked white bread was crisp on the outside and soft inside, releasing a rich buttery aroma when split open.

The quality was impressive, far exceeding my expectations for a simple inn.

“Not bad,” Igon muttered as we ate together.

The next course was chicken stewed in wine, which was just as flavorful.

Noticing how much I enjoyed the bread, Igon tore off a piece and held it to my lips.

Playfully, I nibbled at his finger, prompting him to smirk.

But then his long fingers teased my lips, grazing against the sensitive skin.

Realizing I’d provoked him unnecessarily, I wriggled to escape his hold.

Instead, his arm snaked around my waist, pulling me close as he pressed light kisses along the back of my neck.

When I raised a hand in protest, he caught my wrist, turned me around, and softly kissed my lips.

His touch roamed over me, unhurried but deliberate, tracing the lines of my body.

In his eagerness, a button popped off, and his hand slipped through the gap to stroke my collarbone.

His breaths grew heavier, laced with anticipation.

Fingers lingered over the marks he had left on my skin the night before, trailing over each one. His eyes darkened with desire, his cheeks faintly flushed.

‘Beautiful,’ I thought, my hand brushing against his reddened cheeks and lips.

Igon caught my hand and pressed his lips to my palm before his touch turned more insistent.

The feel of his lips against the sensitive skin inside my arm was vivid, leaving an impression as if etched into my memory.

He gripped my wrist with one hand while his other hand teased, stroking with a featherlight touch that sent shivers through me.

When his tongue followed, a sharp gasp escaped me.

Before I knew it, my arms were wrapped around his bare back. He lifted me effortlessly, and I felt the soft bedding beneath me as I was gently laid down.

The peculiar scent of the inn clung to the sheets, blending with the warmth of Igon’s body.

As I gazed up at the unfamiliar ceiling above his shoulders, the reality of our journey truly sank in.

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