IITYVA 51

Chapter 51

It bothered me a little, but I soon relaxed when that gentle hand began stroking my hair again. I leaned my cheek against the sofa, reassured.

Unlike the noisy hall, the lounge was quiet. The peaceful silence, the warm hand stroking my hair—it all felt so comforting.

Sleep began to creep up on me.

I blinked slowly, dazed, when I suddenly heard Harnein’s low voice.

“…I didn’t mean for it to go like that.”

“Mm, I’m sure you didn’t.”

He must’ve been very busy, having to constantly engage with all those nobles.

I answered instinctively and let out a long yawn.

Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes from the yawn.

Too lazy to wipe them away, I just blinked. But then, the hand stroking my hair moved down and gently wiped my tears.

“…Einra.”

He called my name in a low voice.

I answered in a drowsy tone.

“Mm.”

“……”

“Harnein?”

It felt odd that he called me but didn’t say anything, so I turned my head and looked at him.

Our eyes met. His gaze, devoid of any smile, slowly opened his mouth.

“…Just… don’t meet with guys like that again.”

“What the heck. Why are you hesitating to say something so obvious?”

Of course I’d never befriend someone like that—especially not someone like the Grand Duke’s son, Baharman—even if I were paid millions.

At my blunt response, Harnein let out a faint chuckle.

“You’re right. I was stating the obvious.”

“Yeah, it’s a painfully obvious thing to say…”

Suddenly, drowsiness hit me hard like a wave.

I yawned again, eyes heavy. My vision blurred and I couldn’t resist anymore—I closed my eyes.

In the fading edges of consciousness, I vaguely felt the soft touch of fingers stroking my hair again.

And I think I heard Harnein’s voice.

“…Someone like me is too much for you.”

Before I could even register the meaning of those words, I slipped into sleep.

Einra had fallen asleep.

Her soft breathing filled the quiet lounge.

The hand that had been gently stroking her dark auburn hair came to a halt.

Harnein hesitated, then slowly lowered his hand.

His knuckles brushed against her cheek—such a fleeting warmth, yet it was so damn lovable that he clenched his jaw and balled his fist tightly.

‘Don’t you know? I don’t want Einra to end up with the Grand Duke?’

‘…’

‘Selfish, aren’t you? Friend of the Emperor.’

I know. I know that.

‘…Is Arkes doing well?’

‘Einra said she wouldn’t hate me.’

…I know all of it.

“I hate this.”

He muttered the words through clenched teeth.

His knuckles turned white with tension.

“Einra.”

“…”

“I want you to stay just like this.”

“…”

“If you’re not going to stay by my side, then just…”

His voice, once full of confession, slowly faded.

‘I made up too many excuses earlier.’

‘That’s not it. The truth is, I…’

Einra’s voice echoed in his ears again, one he had tried so hard to ignore.

It was all too easy to guess what she hadn’t said.

He knew. All too well…

“…I hate this.”

This time, the words came out without strength.

His clenched fists loosened.

As color returned to his once-pale knuckles, a hollow sense of helplessness began to fill his chest.

Nothing had changed from the previous life.

There was no way to get rid of what he hated.

Harnein slumped back against the sofa, eyes closed, his face weary.

Still, he had no intention of saying what he knew.

“….”

His heart throbbed painfully, but Harnein chose silence.

Because that was the only thing he could do—for this pitiful heart of his.

The Emperor had an urgent schedule today and left as soon as the banquet ended.

Harnein, carrying the sleeping Einra in his arms, followed the emperor’s aide to the Semelit Garden where the carriages waited.

As usual, two black-curtained carriages and one carriage bearing the imperial crest stood in line.

When Harnein opened the door of the black-curtained carriage on the far right, his eyes met those of Arkes, who was already inside.

Harnein lowered Einra onto the carriage seat and spoke indifferently.

“Lloyd de Baharman harassed Einra.”

Arkes, who had been smoothing Einra’s tousled hair, froze for a moment.

His red lips twisted slowly.

“…The Grand Duke’s son, Baharman.”

“Even though Einra clearly showed she was uncomfortable, he wouldn’t back off. He was desperate to cling to her.”

A deadly glint lit up Arkes’s red eyes.

His gaze turned cold as he murmured,

“Seems like that filthy bastard wants to die.”

“If he wanted to die, he could’ve chosen a cleaner method.”

Harnein muttered darkly.

Lowering his eyes, Arkes once again reached out and brushed aside Einra’s hair.

Her soft, auburn strands slipped between his small fingers with a rustling sound.

“I was going to spare his dignity, considering he’s the Emperor’s uncle…”

Arkes tilted his head and continued lazily,

“But what can I do if the maggot himself says he doesn’t care about dignity?”

He had always planned to take down the Grand Duke through guilt-by-association anyway, so not having specific dirt on this maggot of a son was a minor flaw.

But, true to his nature, the Grand Duke’s heir had left behind plenty of disgraceful deeds.

Just a few days of digging, and his weaknesses would be laid out neatly on Arkes’s desk.

“Someone drunk on social status suffers the most when they’re socially ruined.”

Arkes’s lips curved up gently.

After looking at him for a while, Harnein pulled out a heavy pouch from a magical subspace and placed it on the opposite seat.

“They’re nullification magic tools. A mix of high- and mid-tier. Use them wisely.”

“Ah, thanks for the effort.”

Arkes, having finally received what he had been waiting for, relaxed visibly.

He glanced briefly at the pouch, then turned his gaze back to Einra. Harnein stared at him, then slowly spoke.

“…I don’t like you.”

Arkes chuckled and looked straight at him.

“Better than pity.”

“Damn bastard…”

“There’s a limit to how much rudeness I can tolerate.”

Harnein ground his teeth and muttered “Damn class system…” again, and Arkes, once more, generously pretended not to hear.

“…Then, I’ll be taking my leave now, Your Grace.”

Harnein slowly stepped out of the carriage, gave Arkes a perfectly proper bow, and walked to his own carriage.

Arkes silently watched Harnein’s retreating figure, then quietly ordered,

“Let’s go.”

Recognizing the activation word, the carriage began to move.

As the soft sound of hooves echoed, Arkes turned his eyes back to Einra.

He brushed her hair back again, his fingers grazing the corner of her eye.

His hand slid lower, gently touching her nose, then poked her pale cheek. Slightly frowning in her sleep, Einra murmured softly in protest.

He hadn’t intended to wake her, so Arkes withdrew his hand.

As the sensation faded, Einra murmured something unintelligible and drifted back into sleep.

“……”

Between the rhythmic hoofbeats, her quiet breathing could be heard.

It was all so peaceful—so incredibly precious—that Arkes slowly pressed his hand against his chest.

His heart was pounding like it might burst.

With a small hand, he lifted a handful of her long auburn hair and brought it to his lips.

“When I’m with Einra, being happy feels so easy…”

“……”

“How could I not love her?”

The hair he kissed held a faint, elegant scent of soap.

It was probably the same scent as his own hair.

“I love you.”

“……”

“From the first moment I saw you, not once have I ever stopped.”

Holding her hair to his lips, Arkes whispered softly.

A confession that would never reach her.