{ Chapter 37 }
“Did you have a good time last night?”
Unlike me, with dark circles under my eyes, Eliot looked like he’d slept very well. The female knight, who introduced herself as Rose, also looked bright and energetic.
“His Grace is usually really sensitive about where he sleeps. Normally, even at dawn, he goes straight back to the mansion. So, it’s been hard on us.”
Eliot pretended to wipe away tears with his finger.
Rose quickly added, looking flustered,
“We only went to bed after finishing our duties. A-after His Grace parted ways with you, my lady.”
Is she trying to show she’s a hard-working knight?
I was confused for a moment but nodded politely.
“You must’ve had a rough time.”
“That’s kindness I’ve never seen from His Grace…”
That’s my line.
But still, it was refreshing. They weren’t acting cold or wary around me like the other knights usually did.
“By the way, where is His Grace?”
Eliot looked around and asked.
“That’s what I want to know.”
When I woke up this morning, Ricardo was already gone.
The blanket on the sofa had been neatly folded, so he must’ve left early.
I thought maybe he had returned to the mansion already…
But since Rose and Eliot were still here waiting for me, that clearly wasn’t the case.
“His Grace said we must take good care of you!”
Eliot laughed loudly as he said it.
“Well, he’ll be back soon! It’s much more peaceful without him, honestly. And your face looks brighter too!”
“Eliot.”
Ricardo’s voice came from behind him.
As Eliot slowly turned around like a creaky door, Ricardo frowned deeply.
“Are you chatting because everything’s ready to go?”
“I-it’s almost done! I’ll just double-check everything now!”
Eliot ran off toward the carriage like he’d seen a ghost. Rose sighed deeply and followed after him.
“You’re up early,” I said.
Wherever he had gone, Ricardo looked like a mess. His hair was tangled, his cheek had dirt on it, and leaves were stuck in his hair.
“…Can you lower your head for a second?”
The leaves bothered me, so I said it without thinking.
Ricardo tilted his head in confusion but did as I asked.
“There was a leaf stuck in your hair.”
I showed him the leaf I pulled out. Ricardo, with a serious face, asked,
“Are there more?”
“Nope.”
“…There must be more.”
“There aren’t.”
“…Shouldn’t you double-check?”
He looked disappointed as he raised his head.
“Anyway… where did you go so early in the morning?”
I lightly tapped his cheek to brush off the dirt. Ricardo tilted his head innocently.
“Did something get on my face?”
“…Forget it.”
He awkwardly dropped the act and then pulled something out of his pocket.
“I was going to give this to you.”
It was a four-leaf clover, still covered in dirt.
“You went out this morning just to find this…”
“I must be lucky. I found it pretty quickly.”
Ricardo smiled and gently placed the clover in my hand.
“Your Grace! Everything’s ready for departure!”
Eliot shouted from a distance, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the clover in my palm.
***
“Bianca!”
As I tried to sneak into the house, I got caught—by Cedric.
He stormed toward me, clearly angry.
“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! What if something had happened to you—”
He ran his hand down his face, trying to calm himself.
“I-I’m sorry! I just went to the festival with Railor, but it got late and…”
“That’s enough, Cedric.”
Grandfather’s voice came from nearby. I rushed to him, thankful for the timing.
“She’s back safely. That’s what matters.”
“If you didn’t spoil her so much, she wouldn’t act like this.”
Cedric let out a deep sigh.
“I-I won’t do it again…”
“Let’s just let this slide, this one time.”
Grandfather patted my shoulder and stopped Cedric from getting angrier.
“Besides, when you look at other noble families, there are people who cause way worse trouble.”
“What’s the point of comparing her to people like that?” Cedric said, clearly fed up, and walked away.
Grandfather just chuckled as he watched him go.
“Bianca, try to understand him.”
“Huh? Oh, okay.”
Grandfather leaned in and whispered so Cedric couldn’t hear.
“He said he even contacted Leon because he was so worried about you. I think he’s embarrassed he had to ask the guy he fought with.”
…That actually made Cedric’s anger a bit more understandable.
Grandfather smiled gently and placed a finger on his lips.
“Anyway, did you enjoy the festival?”
“Yes! So much! I could talk about it all day!”
I started digging through my bag to show him the magic doll I bought at the festival.
Wait.
“Bianca?”
I couldn’t find it. The cactus toy was still there, but the magic doll was gone.
“I bought this magic doll that was supposed to grow on its own… I must’ve lost it on the way back.”
“Oh dear.”
“That’s too bad. It was such a unique doll, I thought you’d really like it…”
Grandfather grinned and joked,
“Well, knowing how wild you are, maybe it ran off to find a better owner.”
“Grandpa!”
“Just kidding, just kidding.”
I was a little sad about losing the doll—but at least I still had the four-leaf clover.
Strangely enough, I felt like every summer from now on would remind me of that night with Ricardo.
***
“Lord Hessen was too much, sending His Grace to Dians like that,” Eliot grumbled while unpacking Ricardo’s things.
“And Your Grace, too! After all that trouble, you still didn’t say anything to Idette. Shouldn’t you at least call her and give her a warning?”
“…”
As Ricardo stayed silent, Eliot continued to chatter—until something came to mind.
“Oh right, about that young lady you were with…”
Ricardo, who had been totally still until now, suddenly reacted. Eliot noticed and barely held back a grin.
“That was Lady Bianca, wasn’t it?”
“You already knew. Why are you even asking?”
“Mm, I don’t know… I guess I was surprised.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
Ricardo frowned and stood up.
“You two seemed really similar. Your personalities, too…”
“We’re nothing alike.”
“Well, your circumstances are similar. You both survived the curse of Ailins.”
Or… maybe not exactly the same.
The young lady had truly lost her parents because of the curse, but His Grace… he didn’t.
Eliot let out a small grunt and fell into thought. Then he looked serious as he asked,
“Let me just ask it plainly. Do you really believe in the curse of Ailins, like Lord Hessen says?”
“…”
“Let me guess what you’re thinking. ‘It doesn’t matter what I believe. Nothing will change either way.’ Sound right?”
“…Shut up.”
“Yessir!”
Ricardo remembered the first time he met Hessen when he was a child.
Back then, Hessen had seemed like a beast—huge and terrifying.
Ricardo feared him deeply.
Hessen’s hand always felt like it could kill him at any moment. A child’s neck was so small, so fragile.
He used to think that no matter how many nights passed, he would never grow big enough to match him.
But time had taken much from Hessen. His once great power had faded, and now, only his old, weak body remained.
Ricardo had grown much taller—taller than Hessen now.
He could now look down at the man he once had to look up to.
