Chapter 52

“Though of course, how would someone like me know.”

On top of that, her obsession over keeping her life was stronger than anyone else’s.

When she did so, he found her so incredulous and amusing that he ended up addressing her needlessly.

‘…amusing?’

No. Why would I.

Rashid narrowed his eyes, as if he had thought of something he shouldn’t have.

If he thought about it, the truly amusing thing would be himself, how he had followed her all the way here and was currently standing behind a tree alongside the woman.

He frowned, seemingly displeased, and Catherine, who’d been about to say something, hurriedly turned her eyes elsewhere.

“….”

And then she was back to clasping her hands together, facing the lake. There was nothing more than tiny baby birds swimming around, but tears were glistening from her eyes in no time.

“Sniff.”

“……”

What in the world was up with this woman.

Rashid put a hand on the nape of his stiff neck.

At this point, his frustration would only be quenched if he took out his sword and cut her down as she was now, but strangely enough, he didn’t really want to do that.

“…..”

Instead, he narrowed his eyes at her.

When he stared at her face to face, she would flinch and freeze and shrink like those birds over there, but when the woman didn’t know he was looking at her, her eyes would be shining.

The black feather, which had distracted his sight until a little while ago, fluttered in the wind along with her hair.

Like looking at a precious treasure that can’t be found anywhere else in the world, just like that…

“Isn’t it just so very pretty?”

“….No!”

“……”

When he abruptly lost his temper, her face became somber once more.

At her sinking gaze, Rashid swallowed harshly.

It was indeed irritating that she was preoccupied with something else even though he, the Emperor himself, was in front of her, but that didn’t mean he wanted her to be glum like this.

No, this was not the level of ‘not wanting’ that. There was something more than the light irritation that rested on the surface of his chest, something that was boiling up from somewhere deeper within himself…

“…..”

Ha, fine. That’s what you’re going to do?

He glared at her sly feet that, unable to wait, were trying their best to put another step’s distance between them.

She who was anxious to get closer to the lake swarmed with flocks of birds, as if it was some kind of precious treasure of hers, spared no effort in trying to get away in any way she could when it came to him.

“…..”

But her side figure, as she peeked behind the tree, was too serene for him to point that out to her again. Smiling by herself, then biting her lips trying to keep in a cry….

Her gaze as she looked out, as if she was watching someone she knew very well, was serene as well for the first time.

“Is that your bird?”

“….I’m sorry?”

His question flew at her out of nowhere and finally got her to turn her head. When her purple eyes, tinged with a bluish light, were wholly turned to him, Rashid felt a touch of satisfaction.

It wasn’t like that meant anything in particular, but it was enough to ask again in a peaceful tone, at the very least without anger brimming off of it.

“I asked whether a bird you keep is among them there.”

“Oh….. Yes.”

I’ve asked nothing; why do you tremble so.

As Catherine’s eyes trembled almost imperceptibly, Rashid huffed out a laugh. But since seeing how this appearance wasn’t all that bad, he decided to leave it be for a little while longer.

“…. because it’s a bit cute.”

“The duck?”

“…..”

Her eyes had been only trembling, but now it was closer to shaking.

And not only that, she had put a hand on the back of her neck like he had done just a while ago, and she closed her eyes slowly.

What was she up to now?

Rashid was about to say something but decided against it, and he instead lowered his gaze towards her white nape that he could see through her fingers.

“…..she is a swan.”

“That thing?”

“…..”