Chapter 80.2

The weather was clear, the sky without a single cloud, the wind wasn’t strong, so the waves were not very high.

Yurina held her hat down with her other hand, which was not holding Reynard’s, and looked out to sea. Every time the waves hit, she was blinded by the sparkling sea water.

“Really beautiful.”

Raynard, who first arrived on the beach, couldn’t keep his mouth shut and admired every now and then. Yurina nodded softly. Raynard let go of Yurina’s hand for a moment and then took off his shoes. He laughed like a child, wiggling his toes in the white sand.

“This is so strange.”

“But it’s nice, isn’t it?”

When Yurina tried to take off her shoes, Reynard quickly grabbed her hand. Thanks to this, Yurina was able to take off her shoes without stumbling.

Yurina wiggled her toes after Reynard, shivering at the feel of the sand moving between them. That feeling was strange, but not bad.

Yurina and Reynard, hand in hand, walked side by side to the sea. Clear sea water wet the feet of two people, then receded. A new wave came, this time reaching to the ankles.

“They say the sea is salty.”

Raynard dipped his finger into the sea and tasted it. Then he shrugged and frowned.

“It’s really salty.”

“Was it really necessary to try it yourself?”

“How else will I know? Do you want to try too?”

“No.”

“Try it once.”

Raynard dipped his hand into the water again and walked over to Yurina. Yurina shook her head vigorously and backed away. Now she turned and ran.

But there was no way Yurina could escape from Reynard. She couldn’t even run a few steps before being caught by him. Raynard put his arm around her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

“It’s good that no one sees us.”

Perhaps Reynard was sorry that the two of them had to hide from the eyes of the last weeks. So Raynard hugged her tightly, as if wanting to catch up. Yurina lazily leaned on him and said:

“Yeah.”

The cries of seagulls fluttering overhead, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, and Reynard’s slow breathing.

All those soothing sounds made Yurina feel like her nerves, which were on edge after the tournament, were suddenly relaxed.

“You wanted to see the sea, and now you just stand like this?”

“I wanted to see you more than some sea.”

“Sounds like a reunion after years apart.”

“Actually, we’ve been apart for six years.”

Raynard bit her ear lightly as if scolding Yurina.

“We have a long way to go to fill this gap.”

Yurina closed her eyes as she heard a whisper in her ear.

“Then let’s see a lot while staying here.”

* * *

Yurina immediately went to bed because she had played in the water right after the long carriage ride, she should be able to fall asleep soon, but Yurina could hardly fall asleep and wriggled on the bed. It was because she had been chronically sleepless since the hunting competition, and it was uncomfortable because her bed had changed.

The bed in the villa was as soft and comfortable as in the capital’s mansion, but the atmosphere in the room was somehow unfamiliar.

‘I think it’s a bit cold.’

Yurina looked out the window. Instead of the usual scenery from the mansion, she saw the beach in darkness. She heard the sound of the cool waves.

Hearing that sound on a bright sunny day, Yurina was calm. Now, in the dark, that sound was unsettling.

‘Well, what’s wrong with me this time?’

Yurina looked out the window and bit her lips, then pulled the covers over her head.

‘I still need to get some sleep at least.’

It was time to close her eyes. But then she heard a knock. Yurina lowered the blanket and looked at the door.

“Who’s there?”

She wondered who dared to appear at such an hour. But there was no answer.

‘Did I hear wrong?’

Thinking so, Yurina was about to cover herself with the blanket again, but the knocking repeated. This time louder than before.

Even if it seemed to her once, it was impossible for her to imagine it twice. Yurina put out the fire and got out of bed. Just as she was about to go to the door and check, the strange sound came again.

And it was from the side of the terrace, not from the side of the door.

‘What…?’

Yurina put on a bathrobe over her pajamas and went out onto the terrace. As soon as she got out, she saw small stones falling onto the terrace from the floor below.

‘What’s this?’

Yurina, who was shivering from the cold wind, straightened her robe and looked around the entire terrace.

“Ray, what are you doing…”

Before Yurina could ask, Raynard quickly put his index finger to his lips.

Yurina covered her mouth with her hand and looked around her, then asked with her mouth, ‘What are you doing here?’

Reynard slightly frowned and tilted his head, as if it was difficult to see the shape of his mouth because he was on the third floor. Then he smiled brightly and waved her hands at Yurina.

Yurina burst out laughing because the gloomy scenery and his cheerful face didn’t go well together. Reynard then gestured that he was waiting for her to come down to him.

Being dumbfounded, Yurina asked silently again this time.

‘This is the third floor. How do I suppose to get down?’

After reading Yurina’s puzzled expression, Raynard put on a serious expression and then punched himself in the chest.

‘Are you telling me to trust you?’

Yurina was now dangling from the terrace railing and staring at him as he thumped his chest. Her thoughts didn’t last long.

‘It’s Ray.’

She had a strange confidence that in his presence she would not hurt. Yurina took a deep breath and stood on the railing. For a moment, she lost concentration and staggered, and then Raynard quickly reached out his hands, about to catch her.

Luckily, Yurina didn’t fall. Raynard smiled at her, arms still outstretched. It was a little scary as her body was shivering in the wind, but Yurina believed in Reynard and relaxed.

From somewhere a stream of air blew and engulfed her entirely. Unlike the cool sea breeze, it was a warm and cozy, like a spring breeze.

Thanks to this wind, Yurina didn’t fall to the ground, but floated in the air and now slowly moved towards Reynard.

‘It’s Ray’s magic.’

Reassured, she opened her eyes to see Reynard approaching her with a smile on his face. When Yurina stretched out her hand, he grabbed her with his one and wrapped the other around her waist.

“Didn’t I just tell you to trust me?”