TRL 63

Chapter 63

“Yeah.”

“You’re not going to disappear when I close my eyes, right?”

“I won’t disappear. You know that.”

“You still have a lot of questions, don’t you?”

“I do. But let’s talk after you sleep. You need to get some rest now.”

“You’ll still be here, right? I have so much to hear from you.”

“Even if there wasn’t, I’m not going anywhere, so don’t worry.”

“I have a lot I want to ask you too.”

“I’ll answer everything when you wake up. What would I hide from you?”

“If you’re not here when I wake up, I’ll seriously lose my mind, Rita. You can’t disappear.”

“I won’t. I told you I’ll be right here.”

“You really won’t go anywhere?”

“I won’t go anywhere, so stop asking and go to sleep already, Gide Pascal.”

When she gritted her teeth and responded, he let out a low chuckle while lying down.

Rita looked down at him. Through her fingers, she could see his golden eyes. He was looking up at her.

Their eyes met, and then slowly closed. His breathing gradually slowed down.

Time passed—whether short or long, it was hard to tell—and soon his breaths became steady and calm. Through her fingers, she could see his closed eyelids.

‘You finally fell asleep.’

Even after confirming he was asleep, Rita didn’t remove her hand covering his eyes. She had learned from experience that the moment she moved her hand thinking he was asleep, he would wake up like a ghost.

‘He’s like a child in moments like this.’

She swallowed words she couldn’t say aloud in front of him, knowing he’d pout, and smiled faintly.

Still keeping her hand on his eyes, she leaned back against the headboard and settled into a comfortable position. She whispered softly,

“I’m glad we met again.”

I missed you.

She still felt fatigued, her stomach was full, and with the sound of his gentle breathing nearby, drowsiness washed over her.

The irrational anxiety and strange sense of suffocation she had been carrying finally seemed to have been lifted, leaving her with an almost eerie sense of peace.

‘They said this world might fall into ruin like a world of ashes… but then why… do I feel so calm?’

Maybe it was because the danger and their goals were now clearly defined. The vague anxiety had finally been named.

Or maybe it was because she had fought such an intense battle that she could have passed out from exhaustion.

‘Maybe I really am more used to chaos than peace.’

The person beside her felt as familiar and comforting as his breathing. His sleeping breath and the warmth of his nearby body were soothing.

She also felt deep relief knowing that her other comrades were in this world too. It was like the dark hole she had been ignoring was finally being filled.

‘We’ll all see each other again.’

There was no need to struggle to find a way back anymore. What she loved wasn’t the world itself—but the people who were in it.

Now, in this beautiful world, she could live on with the family she had regained, the comrades she had reunited with, and the people she loved.

Even if it meant going through war again, it didn’t bother her. Even if she had to roll through the mud and fight until her body was battered and her life was on the line again—it was fine. That’s how it had always been, anyway.

It finally felt like she had returned to her rightful place. She had a feeling she might finally sleep deeply without nightmares or hallucinations.

Rita yawned quietly, leaning against the bed, and closed her eyes.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, it was an unfamiliar ceiling. She instinctively sat up and looked around—but the room wasn’t unfamiliar.

Black and gold. This was the bedroom in the Onyx Palace.

Dusky light, hard to tell if it was dawn or dusk, was streaming through the glass windows to the foot of the bed. What time is it? As Rita dazedly wondered, she heard the sound of books or documents being closed.

“Rita, you’re up?”

Gide came over and sat on the edge of the bed. Naturally, he reached out to play with her hair.

“Your hair used to be such a mess when you woke up, like a bird’s nest.”

“Not anymore. It doesn’t tangle now. Want to see?”

Rita combed her fingers through her hair to show him. Her hair flowed smoothly without a snag, and she habitually tied it up in one.

Golden strands like silk cascaded over her white arm, exposing her slender neck.

As she held her gathered hair with one hand and searched around her waist, she realized she wasn’t in her combat uniform and had no pockets. She turned to him.

“Do you have something like a ribbon?”

“…”

“Give me something to tie this.”

“…”

“Gide?”

“Ah.”

He had been staring blankly at her and responded slowly. He covered his face with his hand and let out a dry laugh.

“This is crazy. Why do you look so different?”

“My face? Yeah, I couldn’t get used to it either. I looked like a different person.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“Then what?”

“Now that I know it’s you, you look so different from when I first saw you.”

“Ah, I get it.”

Rita smirked teasingly.

“When you first saw me, you thought I was a stunning beauty. But now that you know it’s me, it’s kind of annoying, right?”

“…”

Gide looked at her with an expression of disbelief, then suddenly rubbed his mouth and furrowed his brow.

“Rita Pascal.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you, by any chance, think I was annoyingly good-looking?”

“…Did you really just shamelessly call yourself good-looking?”

“I mean, it’s true. There aren’t many men as good-looking as me.”

“Ugh, you’re so obnoxious.”

With a scowl, Rita pushed him in the back with her bare foot.

“Stop being gross in the morning and go get me something to tie my hair.”

“It’s not morning. It’s evening.”

“What? I slept all day?”

“About half a day. Here, use this for now.”

He unfastened the cravat neatly tied around his shirt collar. The silk, edged with lace, fluttered from his hand into hers.

“This is all you have?”

“What else would I have in my room to tie up such long hair? Want me to untie the curtain cords?”

“No thanks.”

With a small sigh, she began tying her hair with the cravat.

Gide couldn’t take his eyes off her slender fingers threading through her golden hair and the white silk he had just been wearing.

Trying to sound casual, he asked,

“You’ve been wearing your hair down all the time. Why tie it now?”

“I wasn’t wearing it down because I liked it. I was just holding back to look like a noble lady.”

“But you don’t hold back in front of me?”

“Should I, Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Not at all. Please be as comfortable as you like, Lady.”

“Then I will. This is uncomfortable. It gets in the way when I move.”

“True. You always did tie your hair.”

“It’s easier to manage when it’s long like this than cutting it awkwardly.”

Rita gave her tied-up hair a little shake to check if it was secure. The silk slid through her hair and fell.

“Ah.”

“Wait.”

Gide caught the falling fabric and gently gathered her hair.

“I’ll do it.”

“Okay.”

She obediently handed her hair over to him.

Gideon carefully took hold of Lillietta’s golden hair and began tying it with his cravat. For some reason, he found it hard to breathe and held his breath.

Lillietta, feeling the gentle tug on her hair and his fingers brushing against her, felt a strange tickle at the nape of her neck. Maybe her skin had gotten more sensitive. She casually rubbed her neck and asked,

“How long did you sleep?”

“…”

“Gide?”

“…Hm?”

“I asked, how long did you sleep?”

“Oh. Slept well. For the first time in a while.”

“How many hours?”

“Three, maybe?”

“That’s not nearly enough. You need more later.”

“You’re going to make me sleep again?”

“Put yourself to bed. I have to go home.”

Gide’s hands paused as he adjusted the lace on her golden hair.

“Go where?”

“My house. In Cream Dome.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

Rita looked at him incredulously and then felt her newly tied hair.

“Oh, you did it well. Thanks.”

“You said you wouldn’t go anywhere, Rita. Was that a lie?”

“Obviously, I meant I wouldn’t leave until you woke up. I can’t stay here forever.”

“…”

Gide fell silent, then slowly lowered his arms. He slipped his now-trembling hands into his pockets and hid the movement smoothly.

“So you’re leaving already?”

He deliberately pulled a sad face as he asked. She sighed and rubbed her temple.

“You said it yourself—it was basically kidnapping. I have to go clear things up before my family hangs you by the neck. I bet they’re going crazy.”

“I gave a reason.”

“What reason?”

“You used some strange power. I said the imperial family had to investigate it.”

“You used that ‘strange power’ too!”

“That’s why I said I’d personally investigate it. That the crown prince’s palace is conducting a secret study on how the lady used a power under research.”

“Investigate? What the hell—ugh… My family must be so worried. What day is it today?”

“April 27th.”

“Three days since we fought the Kraken?!”