“Uh… How do I tell Alyosha?”
“I’ll tell him.”
Karnov said as he poured wine into a glass. With everyone gone, the suddenly quiet moonlit night and the table still covered with refreshments looked like a fairy’s prank. The sound of wine being poured echoed in the silence.
“I’ll have to tell Mom and Dad, right? I’ll do that!”
“No, wait. That… I’ll do that, too. No, together. Let’s do it together.”
Karnov spoke a bit hastily.
“Then I’ll tell General Yekaterina…”
Asha looked at Karnov with wide eyes, then quickly blushed and averted her gaze. Seeing this, Karnov frowned.
“What’s this? Who was the one who kissed first, and now you’re avoiding my gaze?”
“You don’t understand, Karnov!”
When she was younger, Asha had always thought that the aura she saw from Karnov was one of deep affection.
Because of Prince Nothea, she had realized at some point that it might not be the case, but she never expected that aura to grow even more significant.
The most affectionate color among them grew like a cloud, and the clouds extending from him constantly caressed Asha’s hair.
“A while ago, you were more flustered than me and couldn’t even think straight, but now you’re acting all brazen, Duke of Sedboyar.”
“Hmm. I wasn’t just losing my mind, Your Highness.”
“What do you mean?”
“I almost cried.”
Asha quickly turned to look at Karnov, but he was already smiling right in front of her.
“Liar. I didn’t see a single tear.”
“They got sucked back in. After being kissed twice.”
Karnov murmured playfully, touching his lips. Asha, with her face still red, glared at him. Then she noticed that his neck was still red, making her blush even more.
“Karnov! Stop being so embarrassed.”
“…Are you talking to me right now?”
“Yes! Every time you look at my face, you turn red.”
“Are you really talking to me?”
Asha pushed Karnov—who didn’t budge, so he ended up being her support—and got up to grab the wine glass he had poured. It was Pasapo wine sent from Pasapo Lefkadiya.
It was said to be rare and not widely available, which could have drawn some attention at today’s banquet, but it was unfortunate that all attention was paid to Yuriev and Irina because they appeared without notice. Asha intended to gulp it down but stopped after one sip, her eyes widening.
“Wow! This is delicious.”
“…”
“Have you tried it, Karnov? It’s slightly bitter but has a fruity sweetness. It has a hint of blueberry and a scent of honey. I heard Pasapo also makes white wine…”
“…”
Asha awkwardly put down the glass and cleared her throat.
“I… I’m a cold-hearted woman whose work comes before love.”
“I knew that… And still loved you. It’s okay…”
After a brief one-act play, they both burst into laughter.
“Lyuda seems to have noticed.”
Asha whispered, sitting side by side with Karnov in the garden. Only a few candles on the table provided faint light.
“Natasha didn’t seem to know at all.”
“If Natalya Bagration had known, it wouldn’t have ended quietly. She would’ve pushed me into the Vichegda River right away.”
“Hey, Natasha isn’t like that.”
Asha denied. Karnov smiled bitterly.
“Maybe not to you…”
“When should we have the engagement ceremony?”
“Keuk.”
Karnov, who had taken another sip of wine, coughed.
“En… engagement ceremony?”
“Yes? What’s this, Karnov? Were you planning to enjoy yourself with me and then keep the benefits separately?”
“Please.”
Karnov pleaded earnestly. Asha laughed joyfully and then slyly glanced at Karnov.
“Karnov, why are you so passive?”
“Passive? Me?”
Karnov looked at Asha in disbelief, then slumped his shoulders and counted on his fingers.
“Let’s see. It’s been ten years since I became a passive oak barrel for aging wine.”
“Be an active oak barrel from now on.”
“As you wish.”
Karnov’s words made Asha burst into laughter again. She couldn’t stop laughing.
“Oh! So, about the engagement ceremony. Karnov, do you need time to prepare your mind? Is that it?”
“You probably need it more. The pastry shop hasn’t even opened yet, Prince Yuriev has arrived, and Alexei will soon be crowned. Do you plan to handle all of that along with the engagement ceremony? You couldn’t even open the pastry shop together with the coming-of-age ceremony and had to postpone it.”
“Oh…”
Asha’s expression turned sullen for a moment, but then she smiled brightly again.
“I have a good idea.”
“Hmm.”
“The pastry shop is opening soon, right? On the first day of opening, after we close the shop! Shall we have a simple party? Let’s celebrate our engagement then. What do you think?”
“Do you think you’ll be able to have a party after the first day of opening?”
“I don’t think there will be that many people coming. My friends who will come to the store said they will help me prepare for the opening of the store that day, so… If you look at it that way, maybe no customers will come at all.”
Karnov shook his head firmly.
“Princess Anastasia, things don’t always go as you wish.”
“Of course, if a lot of customers come, that would be great! But people have to know about the shop for many to come.”
Karnov shook his head again. Asha didn’t quite understand but appreciated his desire for his lover’s shop to do well and shrugged her shoulders.
“Then… how about when everyone visits the shop before the opening?”
“Who is included in ‘everyone’?”
Asha counted on her fingers for a moment, swallowed dryly, and shook her head.
“It’s going to be a bit complicated…”
“There’s no need to rush the engagement ceremony, Your Highness.”
“…”
Karnov hesitated for a moment, then reached out and caressed Asha’s hair. Talking about the engagement ceremony as soon as they started dating wasn’t just her joke. Knowing how long he had waited and cherished her, she wanted to give him something in return and assurance.
“Still.”
“First of all, I want you to do what I said.”
“What Karnov said?”
“That I’m your first dance partner.”
“Of course, that’s a given!”
Asha clenched her fist and shouted, showing her determination to fend off anyone who might interfere. Karnov, watching her quietly, spoke softly.
“Is there anything you want me to do?”
“Something I want Karnov to do?”
Asha rolled her eyes. In fact, Karnov was already doing so much that she couldn’t think of anything more to ask for. Then a sudden idea flashed through her mind.
“Here.”
Asha pointed to her cheek and tapped it with her finger, smiling bashfully. Karnov, watching her quietly, tilted his head and leaned in.
“Eek!”
Karnov’s lips, which she thought would touch her cheek, pressed firmly against her lips and then pulled away. Asha, surprised, quickly covered her mouth.
“Karnov!”
“You told me to be an active oak barrel. Was this not… ouch! Asha! My ribs!”
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Karnov stood in the garden, quietly watching the girl leaning against the terrace. Even though the tea time in the garden had ended and the girl was now in her nightgown, parting was still bittersweet.
“Go inside and sleep. The night wind is still chilly, so make sure to close the windows properly.”
“You be careful on your way back too, Karnov.”
The girl said, looking around quickly to check if anyone was nearby. Karnov thought it unlikely that anyone unauthorized would enter the royal garden but let her be.
Once she was sure no one was around, the girl tapped her lips. Karnov leaned against the terrace and kissed Asha’s left cheek, then her right cheek, and finally her lips.
“Karnov~!”
Blushing with embarrassment, the girl turned around when she heard a maid calling her from behind and quickly waved her hand.
Karnov watched as the girl returned to her room and the curtains fluttered. He then took out the wish ticket from his pocket. The wish ticket, with Asha’s lip mark like a petal, was slightly crumpled from today’s events but otherwise looked new.
“…I had no choice but to turn back time. I was too…”
He had to use the power of time. Even after reversing the water damage, he would often handle it while sitting idly, causing it to wear out quickly.
Karnov looked at the closed terrace door before slowly turning around. The sound of leaves brushing against his feet, the scent of the wine he had drunk earlier, and the girl’s lips that had touched his several times alternated in his mind.
What would the girl think of him using the wish to ask her to speak honestly? Had she noticed his selfishness? Or was she pretending not to?
That wish was entirely for himself.
He wanted to know where the girl’s pure heart, free from the interference of royal and noble relations, future power dynamics, and what they had or lacked, was directed.
It didn’t matter which way it was. If her heart wasn’t directed at him, he could work on it. It meant it wasn’t because of things he couldn’t change but because of himself.
And if her heart was directed at him, it meant she was confirming that her feelings were solely for him.
Karnov had no choice but to make that wish.
He clenched and unclenched his hands. The sensation was like sugar water flowing between his finger joints, wrist joints, elbows, knees, and shoulders, making him feel ticklish and achy. No matter how tightly he clenched his fists, the sensation didn’t disappear and lingered around him.
It was love.
