Chapter 37
The carriage wheels rattled as they rolled along.
Having long since left the Academy behind, I could now see broad-leaved trees I hadn’t seen before, their yellowing leaves fluttering past the carriage window.
The journey home to one’s family is always a joyful and stirring thing.
Unable to hide my excitement, I asked the person sitting next to me.
“Does my outfit look okay?”
“O-of course. You look beautiful.”
His face flushed as he nodded.
Honestly, at this point, I was convinced that Limos Terrion suffered from some chronic case of blushing. Still, it was to my advantage, so I wasn’t about to complain.
Even if it was obviously flattery, I appreciated it all the same.
I knew better than anyone how unnatural it felt to wear such a long, layered dress again after so long.
Perhaps it had gotten a bit wrinkled, because Terrion smiled brightly and gently tugged at the hem of my skirt, straightening a folded part.
“Oh, thank you.”
Even though Camilla had helped me put it on properly, it had somehow gotten creased along the way. It was bothering me more than I wanted to admit.
How did I ever manage to wear things like this through an entire ball?
There was a time when I’d rushed through my debutante, thinking social advancement was the key to survival, and spent my nights darting through ballrooms.
It all feels like another lifetime.
No — it was another lifetime.
In this one, there will be no debutante season. I refuse.
Calm down, Edith Crowell. Breathe. You’re too excited.
“Phew… haaa.”
After taking a few deep breaths, I started to feel a little calmer.
Across from me, Ethan Behemoth sat with his chin propped on his hand, gazing absently out the window.
What on earth is he looking at?
I followed his gaze, but all I saw was the autumn scenery rolling by — trees turning gold, fields fading into brown.
Whatever it is, I have no idea.
I gave up trying to guess and simply leaned back into the soft cushion behind me.
We’ve warped twice already — I suppose the weather changes make sense.
Traveling with Ethan Behemoth meant being able to ride in the Behemoth ducal carriage — a tempting offer, to say the least.
I’d actually reconsidered my refusal when he offered to accompany me.
The Behemoth carriage could warp halfway along the route, which meant I’d arrive at Crowell Castle a full week earlier than planned.
Of course, I could easily warp straight home myself, but too many eyes — including those from the Tower — were already on me.
If word got out that a sixteen-year-old girl warped solo across such a distance, there would be an uproar.
I sighed. I really didn’t want more attention, but the world wasn’t making that easy.
Still… I can’t waste a good opportunity.
Even when Ethan and I had been lovers, I’d never taken him to Crowell Castle.
Just as he never spoke of his mother, I never introduced my family. We were the kind of lovers who met only on the battlefield — always together, yet showing each other so little.
Strange, realizing how unordinary we were.
Anyway, taking him home this time could prove useful. That was the main reason I’d accepted his company.
“Lady Edith, w-would you like some of these?”
“Oh, thank you.”
Lost in thought, I accepted the lemon cookies Terrion was offering.
Who did he steal these from? I wondered, before popping one into my mouth.
Delicious…
Cheeks puffed out with sweetness, I glanced sideways at the two men in the carriage — Limos Terrion and Ethan Behemoth.
The atmosphere between them was… odd.
Even the cookies were proof of it.
Terrion had offered them only to me, despite Ethan sitting right there, and Ethan hadn’t seemed to care at all.
Actually, he looked as if Terrion didn’t even exist.
Why do I feel awkward about this…
I started to wonder if Ethan had even believed my earlier explanation. Was he still suspicious?
Terrion had joined us under the pretense of needing a ride to the temple along our route.
And once aboard, all he’d done was—
[Once I’ve checked through the old texts at the temple, I’ll contact you again. Don’t miss me too much, okay?]
[I won’t.]
—chatter away in my mind, using a telepathic spell usually reserved for emergencies.
Who uses communication magic just to gossip?
If I hadn’t recovered my mana during my convalescence at the Academy, I wouldn’t have had the strength to tolerate it.
I was still far from my peak, but I had enough power to do that one thing before meeting my family.
Terrion’s eyes crinkled as he smiled and whispered mentally again.
[You’ll miss me, I bet. Oh, and after I’m done, can I visit your territory?]
[You can, but don’t let Lord Behemoth see you. …Actually, doesn’t he seem to dislike you?]
[No way.]
“L-Lord Behemoth.”
My head snapped up. Terrion was smiling sweetly at Ethan. Has he lost his mind?
Ethan slowly turned his head from the window to look at him.
“Yes.”
“Do I… make you uncomfortable?”
“Hah…”
“…”
Before I could stop myself, a sigh slipped out.
Too late to cover Terrion’s mouth now.
Ethan didn’t reply immediately.
Well, of course not. Who asks that kind of question so bluntly?
Terrion’s ability to play both oblivious and self-aware was the most infuriating thing about him.
“Not particularly.”
When Ethan finally answered curtly, Terrion only shrugged and shot me a triumphant look.
What are you so proud of?
“We’ve arrived at the temple,” called the driver.
As I dragged a hand down my face, the carriage rolled to a stop.
Outside stood a grand temple entrance gleaming in the sunlight.
He’s really going in there?
Watching Terrion act so naturally, I almost forgot he was a demon.
There’s no place more hostile to demons than a temple — what on earth was he planning?
I was curious, but I didn’t ask.
I could already picture his mocking face saying, “Oh, are you worried about me~?” and didn’t have the patience.
“W-well then, I’ll get off here…”
He picked up his small bag and stepped toward the door. Ethan’s quiet voice followed him.
“I hope we’ll have a chance to speak more in detail next time.”
“Yes, I—I look forward to it as well.”
Terrion pushed back his hood, brushing through his tousled white hair as sunlight spilled in, making him look almost angelic.
That’s cheating…
He looked impossibly pure.
I glanced at Ethan, curious about his reaction.
Wow…
Not bad. Ethan Behemoth’s gaze remained calm and unreadable, even faced with Terrion’s radiant smile. That only made Terrion’s expression harden slightly in turn.
Sigh…
Who would win in a battle of wills between them? I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out right now.
Leaning forward, I cut between their line of sight and nodded firmly at Terrion.
“Yes. See you next time.”
“…Yes, but Lady Edith,” Terrion said, turning to me with an almost pitiful expression as if he’d forgotten something. He extended a hand.
“May I borrow yours for a moment?”
“…?”
Puzzled, I held out my hand. Terrion lowered his head as if to place something in my palm —
“…Ah.”
“Until next time,” he murmured.
And then he brushed a light kiss over the back of my hand.
It was nothing like the deep kiss we’d once shared in the cavern — brief, gentle, and deceptively harmless.
So harmless, in fact, that for a moment I almost thought it a simple gesture of farewell.
[Terrion, what was that—]
But then I felt it.
His mana, slithering from my hand into my body, intertwining with the pure energy I had so carefully refined during my rest at the Academy.
I could have purged it in an instant if I wanted, but something told me he’d done it intentionally. So I held back.
Watching me, Terrion smiled softly and whispered through magic:
[Just in case, I’m leaving a spell behind. See you soon.]
