Episode 91

When I told Eunice that we should return to the Empire, she looked conflicted, as though she didn’t want to, but in the end, she said, “Alright.” She seemed to understand that this wasn’t a situation she could simply avoid forever. Her decision was swift, and so was her packing.

After Igon and I spent half a day exploring the capital and returned, Eunice had already finished packing and was waiting for us. Seeing no reason to linger any longer, I conveyed my intent to leave immediately to Igon. For once, he looked disappointed.

I had assumed he wasn’t planning to stay long in Winnium either, given the matters left unresolved in the Empire, but it appeared I was wrong.

From what he said, he’d wanted to spend another day or two exploring, trying to savor the feeling of a proper vacation. It was a shame, but with unfinished business waiting back home, it wasn’t the time for leisure. I comforted him with, “Next time, let’s come back here without any obligations and just enjoy ourselves.”

By the following afternoon, Igon had secured a ship departing for the Empire. In the end, we returned to the Empire without even spending a full week in Winnium. If I excluded the time I was bedridden, it had been even shorter.

When we informed the King of Winnium about our early departure, both he and Tielle looked surprised and somewhat taken aback. However, they didn’t try to stop us. As a result, that evening turned into our farewell banquet.

“…Did you enjoy the sightseeing?”

The King of Winnium asked at the dining table, though “sightseeing” wasn’t exactly the right word for what little we had done. Still, he seemed at a loss for a better term.

I nodded in affirmation, and Igon shared his thoughts on the wonderful sights and experiences we had managed to see during our brief stay.

Igon spoke particularly highly of the security in Winnium’s capital. It didn’t seem like a mere polite remark. The barrier surrounding the capital, enhanced with advanced magical artifacts, appeared sturdy even to my eyes. What intrigued me was that the magic used in these artifacts was relatively modest compared to other magical devices. It was a testament to Rosalind’s assertion that “a well-designed formula ensures effectiveness.”

The King of Winnium smiled warmly, clearly pleased with Igon’s words. His smile carried genuine delight.
“It brings me great joy to hear such praise from Duke Rodore. I have a feeling that if the Duke ever visits with more leisure, we could have even better conversations.”

There was a subtle nuance in his tone. Knowing how perceptive the King of Winnium was, it was unlikely he spoke idly. During our stay, I noticed how much the King seemed to favor Igon.

‘Could he possibly be hoping for Igon’s allegiance?’

The thought crossed my mind. His courteous treatment of me, despite my current status as a commoner, felt particularly significant.
‘But that’s impossible.’
If such a thing were to happen, the Empire would never stand idly by.

Igon tactfully steered the conversation toward another topic at the right moment. As the discussion shifted to matters I couldn’t quite follow, I turned my attention to my plate.

“…Let me know if any problems arise,” a slightly raised voice caught my ear, drawing my gaze toward Tielle and Eunice.

Eunice had joined us for today’s banquet. Tielle had sought permission, and I agreed, assuming they wanted to exchange farewells. Their quiet conversation seemed to grow more emotional as it progressed.

When I stared at them openly, Tielle, noticing my gaze, smiled brightly and lowered her voice.

Normally, I would’ve dismissed it as a private conversation and left it at that, but today, for some reason, curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself listening in.

The dinner wasn’t unpleasant. I continued my meal under Igon’s subtle yet attentive care and quietly listened to the conversations flowing across the table.

It had been quite a while since I found myself in a situation where the attention wasn’t focused on me, nor was I the topic of conversation. Oddly enough, it felt comfortable.

After the meal, the King of Winnium summoned the royal musicians to perform. The exotic melodies I had heard at the port before arriving here echoed through the palace. Perhaps it was the combination of being full and relaxed, but I seemed to have dozed off for a moment. It wasn’t the most appropriate behavior in front of the king of a nation, yet no one pointed it out.

To my surprise, Igon let my head rest comfortably on his shoulder. I only came to my senses after the performance had concluded. Missing the music due to exhaustion left me regretful, and without realizing it, I pouted.

Igon, of course, couldn’t resist making another ridiculous remark, which earned him a light tap on the shoulder and a laugh from me. At that moment, I noticed the King of Winnium and Tielle watching us with a keen, observant gaze.

“…Come to think of it, when did the two of you first meet?”

It was an unexpectedly sharp question. I suddenly realized that it hadn’t been very long since I started living as Lily. Considering the time spent, wasn’t our familiarity a little too obvious? This concern was, of course, mine alone—Igon was unfazed.

“It’s been quite some time,” he replied, his face as impassive as ever.

It hadn’t been long at all, but Igon’s blatant lie was delivered without the slightest falter.

“Is that so? I recall you worked in the imperial palace for quite a while.”

“Yes, we first met there,” Igon said smoothly.

Tielle tilted her head slightly, wearing an expression that suggested she was trying to piece together a story she hadn’t heard before. Igon’s convincing demeanor seemed to sway her into thinking, Perhaps that’s true. Fortunately, her sharp curiosity ended there.

The sound of a flute drew our attention back to the front. The King of Winnium appeared intent on showing us another performance, this time involving a snake charmer. While the act was fascinating and entertaining, the real issue was that it seemed never-ending. Performers continued to enter, one after another.

In the end, I alternated between resting against Igon’s shoulder and waking up. The King of Winnium didn’t strike me as someone oblivious to the situation, but perhaps he was swept up in the mood, as he appeared far more excited than we, the supposed guests of honor, were.

Finally, Tielle intervened.
“Your Majesty, these guests have a long journey ahead tomorrow. Perhaps it’s time to conclude for tonight.”

At her suggestion, the King finally looked at Igon and me, noticed our weary expressions, and nodded in agreement.

As we exchanged farewells and prepared to return to our rooms, Tielle noticed that Igon and I were heading to the same room.

“Why is the Duke heading into that room?” she asked.

Huh?

Of course, we were assigned the same room…

Feeling something was off, I quickly lifted my head to check Igon’s expression. As expected, he was smiling serenely, as if nothing was amiss.
Really?
It was obvious without asking. The staff must have assigned us separate rooms, and Igon had simply ignored it.

“Rest well; you must be tired,” the King of Winnium said as he appeared behind us, guiding Tielle away down the opposite corridor.

I wanted to confront Igon and demand why he insisted on staying in my room instead of his own, but I was too exhausted to bother. Besides, I could already imagine his response—he’d brush it off with a sly smile and no real explanation.

Back in the room, Igon once again acted as though he were attending to me, just like the night before. He slipped his arm under my head, gently stroking my back until I felt cradled in his embrace. Sleep came easily in his arms.

* * *

Perhaps it was the wine I drank at dinner, but my stomach felt warm, and I woke naturally. The room was bathed in a faint blue light, signaling the approaching dawn.

Watching the steady rise and fall of Igon’s chest, I carefully unwrapped his arm from around my waist. Though his breathing changed, his eyelids remained closed.

I fumbled for the water glass on the bedside table, took a sip, and returned to bed. Lying back down, I gazed at Igon’s face, which was now turned toward me.

His sleeping expression was peaceful. My fingers lightly traced the shadowed eyelids beneath his sharply defined brow bones. I knew what color lay beneath those closed lids.

Perhaps because of his long, tousled hair, his face looked younger, almost boyish. The image of Igon’s childhood self, as I remembered it, overlapped with his sleeping face.

I pressed my lips against his eyelids, then his nose, and finally, his soft lips.

As my lips lingered on his, Igon let out a low chuckle, his arms pulling me closer. He mumbled something, his voice warm and soothing.

Listening to him, I closed my eyes again. It was still too early to rise.

* * *

The return journey to the Empire with Eunice was uneventful. She didn’t suffer from seasickness, nor was she particularly difficult to deal with. However, her uncharacteristic silence was concerning.

Though our relationship remained awkward—she knew I was Evelyn—it was hard to ignore someone who looked perpetually melancholic. Left unchecked, she seemed like she might jump overboard at any moment.

Reluctantly, I invited Eunice to my quarters.

“Why…?” she asked, her face puzzled as she sought a reason.

I handed her a note I had written in advance.
‘If you’re feeling unwell, I wanted to share the medicine I’m taking.’

Whatever she had been expecting, my words seemed to ease her tension. She let out a weak laugh, covering her face with one hand and shaking her head.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine,” Eunice said softly.

Pretending not to notice her reluctance, I wrote another note.
‘Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?’

“No. It’s just… I’ve been thinking a lot.”

That was understandable. Though the Empire was her birthplace and home, it likely no longer held any good memories for her.

Lacking anything to say, I quietly observed her face for a moment before offering her some tea. Then, I wrote down the question that had been bothering me for a while.

‘I heard you were accompanied by a knight from the Duke’s household. Do you remember that?’

Eunice nodded.
“Yes, Liam Coward. He helped me a lot.”

So she remembered Liam. I pressed on, scribbling my next question.
‘I thought he would still be with you, but it seemed like he wasn’t in Winnium. Do you know what happened to him?’

Eunice read the question silently before nodding again.
“Yes. Sir Coward brought me to Winnium and then left.”

Liam had left?

 

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