IITYVA 12

Chapter 12

“Einra?”

Asher’s voice pierced through my thoughts.

Snapping back to reality, I saw Asher’s worried face enter my line of sight.

“Yes, Asher.”

I answered with a soft smile, but Asher still looked concerned as he asked again,

“Are you okay? You seemed spaced out just now.”

A small hand touched my forehead.

It was a small hand, but one with rough calluses scattered across it.

I gently pulled his hand down and replied,

“I’m fine, Asher.”

“…Are you sure?”

His red eyes, filled with concern, carefully scanned my face.

Straightening my bent back, I flexed my arm with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“I told you, I’m totally fine. See?”

“Okay then.”

Maybe it was funny how I tried to show off a barely-there muscle like it was massive, but Asher let out a small laugh.

Even as I felt a warm flutter in my chest from that laugh, I couldn’t shake the image of Aches that had overlapped with Asher just moments ago.

Just as my thoughts began to deepen again—

“Einra.”

A voice called my name from behind. I turned toward the sound.

It was someone I’d never seen before.

“Who are you?”

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Millen. You’ve heard about me from Aunt Cecil, right?”

“Oh…”

I gave an awkward, reflexive smile.

Even though this was clearly our first meeting, Millen approached me with gleaming dark eyes, as if he was genuinely happy to see me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Einra. You’re even more beautiful than I’d heard.”

“Ah, haha… right…”

What was I supposed to say to that?

Did he want me to compliment his appearance too?

‘Sorry, but… objectively, you’re not even close to my type.’

Really, I meant it.

For the past five years, I’d been surrounded by faces like Harne and the four spirit kings—this story’s main characters—so average looks just didn’t impress me anymore.

Still, I didn’t offer a fake compliment. It felt like my tongue would grow thorns if I tried to say something I didn’t mean.

Millen didn’t seem to mind my lukewarm response at all, and kept speaking with a bright smile.

“Are you here to see the festival?”

“Yes, I came with Asher.”

That was my way of saying I already had company and hoped he’d back off.

To drive the point home, I added, “Enjoy the festival,” and took Asher’s hand to leave—but just then, Millen subtly stepped in front of me and bent down to meet Asher’s eyes.

“You must be the boy who lives with Einra, right?”

“…”

Asher’s face instantly hardened.

Either Millen didn’t notice or didn’t care about Asher’s sour expression. Still smiling, he pulled out his wallet.

He took out a gold coin and held it out to Asher.

“Here, this is pocket money from your big brother. Why don’t you go buy something tasty over there?”

It felt like he was trying to toss an obstacle out of his way.

Asher’s lips twisted coldly in displeasure, and he gripped my hand even tighter.

“No, thanks.”

“W-What?”

“I said no. I don’t need that kind of thing.”

Millen stiffened in shock.

A child refusing a shiny gold coin must have been quite the surprise.

Suppressing a sigh, I stepped slightly in front of Asher and said,

“Millen, I asked Asher to come to this festival with me. He’s my companion and I came to enjoy it with him. What you just did feels pretty inappropriate.”

Startled by my cold tone, Millen scrambled to straighten up.

“Einra, I didn’t mean—”

“To be honest, it’s uncomfortable for someone I just met to try to give pocket money to my companion. It makes me feel like I’m in your debt.”

“Einra…”

“And honestly, it felt like you were trying to buy my time with money. You weren’t planning to leave after giving Asher that coin, were you?”

“…!”

Bullseye. Millen’s face flushed with embarrassment.

I looked him straight in the eye and said,

“No matter what the village elders say, I’m not looking to meet or marry anyone right now. I thought it was only polite to make that clear.”

“…”

“Well then, enjoy the festival.”

Giving him a slight nod, I turned and walked away with Asher.

We had only taken a few steps when Asher suddenly spoke.

“…So unimpressive.”

“Hm? What is?”

“That guy earlier. He’s so unimpressive compared to you, Einra.”

Asher muttered in a low voice.

I chuckled.

“Really?”

“Einra… you’re too good even for someone who’s actually a good person.”

Was it just my imagination, or did Asher’s last words sound a little lonely?

I opened my mouth, ready to joke and ask what that was supposed to mean—when something caught my eye in the sky.

Tiny lights, like fireflies, were rising gently into the air.

My gaze naturally followed the glowing dots now floating all over the sky.

‘…Are they releasing sky lanterns nearby?’

Tilting my head curiously, I was still thinking when—

“Everyone has a wish tucked away in their heart, right?”

Both Asher and I turned our heads at the same time.

It seemed to be a festival event. An employee at a nearby booth was advertising to the passersby.

“Don’t keep your precious wish locked up in your heart—share it with a paper bird! Who knows? Maybe your paper bird will fly all the way to the edge of the sky and make your wish come true!”

A paper bird that carried your wish and flew off to grant it?

What a cute and charming idea.

I turned to Asher, intending to suggest we visit the booth.

“Asher—”

“Einra—”

We both spoke at once, then stopped in sync.

I blinked a few times before gently asking,

“Asher, do you want to write a wish on a paper bird?”

Asher nodded.

I smiled.

Just imagining what kind of wish this little one might make made me smile.

“Okay, then let’s go over there.”

A crowd had already gathered at the booth.

Not wanting to lose Asher in the crowd, I held his hand tightly and approached the staff member.

“Hi, we’d like to write a wish.”

“Welcome! Please choose one paper from white, sky blue, or yellow. The quill and ink are over there. Once you’ve written your wish, fold the paper in half and bring it back to me.”

The staff explained everything cheerfully, then accepted three copper coins before moving on to help others.

Out of the three colors, I picked a sky-blue paper and turned to Asher.

“What color do you want?”

“…Sky blue for me, too.”

After glancing at my paper, Asher reached out and picked the same color.

I nodded and fetched a quill and ink for him, since he wouldn’t be able to reach them on the table.

“Thank you.”

Asher whispered, then dipped the quill in ink like he’d done it many times before, and began to write his wish.

What was he writing?

Curious, I tried sneaking a peek out of the corner of my eye.

But Asher quickly noticed and shifted his body to block my view.

‘Tch.’

I shut my mouth, disappointed, but I didn’t press further.

It wouldn’t be polite to insist when he clearly didn’t want to share.

Scratch, scratch. All around us, the sound of quills brushing paper filled the air.

Looking down at my blank sheet, I hesitated for a moment before writing carefully:

[Please let Aches not hate me.]

‘If that’s too much, then… at least let him not avoid me entirely.’

I mumbled to myself, then folded the paper in half and put the quill back.

“Asher, are you done?”

“Yes.”

Asher nodded, folding his paper just like I had.

We walked back to the staff member together, who greeted us with a warm smile.

“All finished with your wishes?”

“Yes, here.”

I handed over both papers.

With skillful fingers, the staff folded them into ‘birds’ and attached a small lit lantern to each one.

“Okay, please take one each.”

Asher and I received our paper birds.

The staff member explained softly,

“Just raise them gently toward the sky like you’re letting them fly.”

Following the instructions, we lifted our birds toward the sky.

Once the lanterns heated up enough, the birds floated upward gently, riding the light.

“Thank you for launching your wishes with us! I hope they all come true!”

We bowed in return, then began walking again.

As we walked, Asher kept looking up at the many glowing birds rising into the night sky.

His face looked strangely serious, so I quietly asked,

“Asher, what did you wish for?”

“I wished f—”

Asher instinctively began to answer, then clammed up.

He looked up at me quietly.