IITYVA 24

Chapter 24

“…Haa.”

Harneyn finally closed his eyes.

“Makes sense. Now even the Emperor…” he muttered, then suddenly opened his eyes wide and glared at As.

He spoke with a bitter tone, almost spitting out the words.

“I’m going. I said I’ll go.”

“Harneyn, aren’t you on vacation right now? Then why is His Majesty calling you?”

I blinked in surprise and asked Harneyn.

He turned back to me with a dazzlingly bright smile.

“Yeah. I was on vacation. Just until now.”

“Until now…?”

“My dear boss just told me he’ll double my vacation time if I come back right now. What choice do I have?”

He growled the words through gritted teeth, then sighed and looked back at me.

“Einra, remember this. If anything happens—anything—call for Lord Elia right away. Got it?”

His warning carried a sense of grave seriousness that was unlike his usual parting words.

I chuckled softly and nodded.

“Of course. I promise I will.”

“Even if it’s something small or silly—don’t let your guard down. Actually, no, just call Lord Elia whenever you’re even a little surprised.”

“What the heck is that?”

I burst out laughing.

Maybe my laughter made him uneasy, because Harneyn repeated his warning like he was drilling it into me.

Even though I reassured him several times that I understood completely, he still couldn’t hide his worried expression.

“Harneyn, I will be careful. I won’t let my guard down, not even for a second. If anything happens, I’ll use spirit magic without hesitation. Promise.”

In the end, I solemnly declared with all seriousness, my smile gone.

Harneyn, looking down at me with a face full of unspoken concern, let out another heavy sigh and walked over to As.

“I found this on the way. Use it if you want, or don’t.”

He grumbled and tossed something from his hand.

As caught the small glass vial, shaped like a tiny flask, with a puzzled expression.

“This is…?”

“If you get caught using it recklessly, you’re seriously dead.”

Harneyn grumbled with a sharp glare, clearly unwilling to hand it over. And before I could even scold him for his choice of words, he disappeared using magic.

“That was quick…”

I stared at the spot where Harneyn had just stood.

It had been a while since I saw him. It’d be a lie to say I wasn’t disappointed.

Maybe that feeling was written all over my face.

As looked at me quietly, then suddenly asked.

“Einra, shall we take a walk?”

“A walk?”

I blinked, then smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, let’s go. A walk sounds nice.”

The spring garden was in full bloom with various flowers.

As glanced around the flowers, then turned to me and asked,

“Did you plant all these flowers yourself, Einra?”

“Hmm, no.”

“Then?”

I laughed awkwardly and scratched my cheek.

“Uh… I just kind of planted whatever seeds the Sylabis brought me. Haha.”

When I first moved into this house, I had no idea how to decorate the bare garden since I didn’t know much about flowers.

Noticing my struggle, the Wind Spirit King, Asiltes, had the Sylabis collect seeds of flowers from all over the world. Then the Earth Spirit King, Noahsine, cultivated the land and planted those seeds for me.

And this garden is the result.

I looked around the garden with a sheepish laugh.

In other words, this entire garden was basically the handiwork of two Spirit Kings.

“That’s kind of amazing.”

As laughed aloud, a bright, clear laugh that echoed through the garden.

His laughter sounded so pleasant that I couldn’t help but laugh along. Then he spoke again.

“Then… does that mean you don’t know what any of these flowers are?”

“Yeah…”

I answered sheepishly, and As’s red eyes curved sweetly in a smile.

“Want me to tell you?”

“You know a lot about flowers?”

I looked down at As, surprised.

The boy looked a bit shy as he turned his gaze away and nodded.

“Just… more than most people, I guess.”

“Wow… You’re totally going to be adored by your future wife.”

I mean, the young noble boy wasn’t just good at cooking—he even knew flowers?

Admiring him, I said that, and he subtly looked at me, the tips of his ears turning red.

“…Really?”

“Yeah. People who care about animals and plants are usually good people. And people like good people. You’ll definitely be loved by your wife.”

“…I never even dared to hope for something like love.”

As covered his face with both hands and mumbled something.

I couldn’t hear him clearly, so I tilted my head and asked, “Hmm?”

But after a moment of silence, As shook his head and changed the topic.

“I’ll tell you about the flowers.”

He pointed to a round flower blooming nearby with his small hand.

“This is a hyacinth. Since it’s blue, the flower’s meaning is ‘unchanging love.’”

“Oh, so this is a hyacinth! I’ve heard the name and seen the flower tons of times, but I didn’t know this was it.”

“Those next to it—the white, pink, and red ones—are daisies. Their meanings are…”

As explained each flower softly but with interest, never once sounding dull.

The soft spring sunlight bathed the garden, and the gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of flowers. Everything felt peaceful and warm.

The rustling of leaves in the garden sounded like waves stirred by the wind.

It was such a calm, beautiful moment that I smiled without realizing it.

Cornflowers, muscari, jasmine, lisianthus…

As we strolled through the garden, I slowly started to learn the names and meanings of flowers I’d only known by sight.

Aside from what As told me, I asked him about every flower that caught my eye.

Then, a blue flower blooming nearby caught my attention.

“What’s this one?”

“That’s a delphinium.”

“Such a pretty name.”

I knelt down in front of the flower and gently touched its soft petals.

“What’s the meaning of a delphinium?”

I asked casually, as I had with all the other flowers.

But unlike before, As didn’t answer right away.

After a brief silence, he quietly said,

“…‘Why don’t you love me?’”

In that instant, something inside me wavered.

I suddenly remembered how As had often asked if I hated him.

I also thought of Aches, who used to avoid me and even wore a mask to keep his distance.

I slowly withdrew my hand from the flower.

My chest felt heavy.

When I looked back at As, he was staring at me—as if he was waiting for an answer.

Why…

Why are you looking at me like that?

The thought floated through my mind without me realizing.

I suddenly wanted to cry.

“…That’s just the flower’s meaning.”

As looked into my eyes for a moment before turning away and quietly added that.

Snapping out of my daze, I quickly averted my eyes too.

An awkward silence hung between us.

I felt like I wouldn’t be able to focus on the walk anymore, so I hurried to find an excuse.

“Ah, oh right! I baked some cookies, but I totally forgot because of the walk! As, I need to head in real quick. What about you?”

“…I’ll stay out a little longer.”

“Okay, I’ll go in first!”

I said quickly and rushed back inside the house.

Click. The door shut behind me.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest.

I leaned against the door for a moment, then slowly walked to the sofa and sank down.

…Something’s off.

I pressed both hands to my chest, trying to calm the racing heartbeat.

Why does that unfamiliar boy’s face… keep overlapping with Aches?

“Aches would never smile at me the way As does…”

And logically speaking, there’s no way a war hero who’s being celebrated in the capital would suddenly show up at my house in a child’s form.

Right?

That should be impossible.

But still… there were just too many things I couldn’t ignore.

A face so similar he could be Aches’s child.

His calmness, even while enduring agonizing burn wounds.

His impeccable cooking that perfectly suited my taste.

The strange, meaningful things he sometimes said.

Even Harneyn saying there’s no way he wouldn’t know As.

“…What if…”

I murmured but couldn’t finish the sentence.

What if As really is Aches?

Until now, I’ve been avoiding him—too afraid to face him.

Even when I sensed something odd about As, I pretended not to notice for the same reason.

But do I even have the courage to speak with Aches face to face?

That mocking question came from somewhere deep inside me.

I had no answer.

Of course I didn’t.

Then let the question die quietly.

Don’t break the fragile peace right in front of me.

Coward.

I cursed myself and slowly closed my eyes.

Just like I’ve always done…

This time, too, I chose the comfort of now—

Even if it’s a lie.

…Unaware that tonight, that false peace would shatter completely.