Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Cahill glanced into the air with a puzzled look, not knowing what to say, as he rested his chin on Holly’s crown and opened his mouth.

“No matter where you were born, to me, you are just Holly. You’re strong, you’re good at everything, I feel it well.”

Because of their close contact, her head rumbled every time he spoke. Holly, who was listening blankly, lowered her eyes at his last words.

“Then, we can leave now, right?”

Cahill spoke with a twinkle in his eyes. Although he wanted to leave right now, it seemed he was holding out for her. It was true that he followed her on her journey, but still, was it something he had to adapt to…?

Holly looked up at him with complicated eyes, delighted.

“When should we go? We can leave right now.”

Strength entered his hand that was holding her as if he was about to dash off his with her right away if he gave the permission. At the same time, she seemed to see a tail waving passionately on his hip.

“Not now.”

The corners of his lips drooped down at the firm words. Although she had no lingering feelings about the country now, she also had to pack the belongings in her room and greet the people who took care of her during her stay.

Looking back, Cahill’s outfit hasn’t changed much since he first set foot in this country.

“By the way, where are your belongings? Where do you keep getting new clothes?”

While the style of the clothes was the same, the colors seemed to have slightly. He changed clothes once a day, even while traveling. However, unlike her, he was not carrying a single bag. A smile broke out from Cahill’s mouth as Holly began to search through his eyes as if looking for a hidden bag.

“Here.”

As he pulled her into his arms and patted her on the back, Holly, who felt the force on her lower abdomen, peered around in bewilderment.

“Not that.”

After reading her mind, Cahill smiled low and pulled her hand up before placing it on his waist. A pocket the size of his fist dangles from the corner of his belt.

“It’s a magic pouch.”

He whispered into her ear as if worried about who might hear. In fact, he smiled as if it didn’t matter. Holly looked at him with open eyes, wondering if Cahill was making fun of her.

Seeing the smile, her eyes widened.

“For real?”

“For real. I’ll show you when you get out of here.”

Holly nodded blankly, then stepped on Cahill’s foot.

“Oh, sorry.”

The corners of his eyes went down in regret. Then, Cahill led her with a smiling face.

“You’re good at dancing.”

At that surprised tone, he looked sullen.

“Of course. I have to be Her Majesty’s partner at every national founding event.”

At those words, she thought of Cahill, who would take the stage of the banquet hall, dressed like Ahmed. A beautiful Prince who catches people’s attention under the dazzling lighting.

“You don’t really believe that I am a prince, do you?”

Holly, who had always thought of Cahill like a domestic animal, was terrified. The appearance he showed was so raw that when Cahill said he was a prince, she only perceived it as a ‘son of the King.’

“When I see you dancing, you feel like a real prince.”

She deliberately raised the tone of her voice and shivered.

These words were meant to ease Cahill’s mood, but suddenly, they struck her chest. Even his frizzy silver hair was a symbol of preciousness. They had already rolled around and talked several times, and even now, when they were holding hands so intimately, he was starting to feel unfamiliar.

“But, that doesn’t change that I’m your friend.”

Cahill spoke urgently as if he felt the distance in Holly’s eyes as he grabbed her waist hard as if afraid she was about to run away.

“It hurts. Take it easy.”

At the grim tone, he smiled slightly.

…Cahill was still Cahill. At least until the end of this trip.

At that moment, seeing him suddenly whined with a restless face, Holly asked.

“What’s the matter?”

“Because your words are so naughty… it’s standing.”

What had been lying quietly earlier was aggressively pressing on her stomach. Holly couldn’t help but be conscious of it. Heat radiated from her depths. Her face flushed with excitement, and she wanted to disappear from this place immediately.

However, instead of running away as imagined, she clung to Cahill.

“Ugh. If you rub it more, I think I’ll c*m.”

That heat-filled voice surprised her, so she took off her body. Even though Holly looked away from Cahill with a dissatisfied look, she didn’t pull her body back to hug him. She thought he was a beast that knew no time and place, but he seemed to be someone who knows shame.

Holly sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, the buzzing around them grew. Wondering if someone had noticed Cahill’s condition, she looked around with a vigilant gaze.

“Holly.”

However, they were not the main cause of the uproar.

Ahmed, who was approaching her, reached out his hand toward her. With a confident smile hanging from his lips, his attitude was naturally asking her to hold his hand. If she and Cahill were the main characters of the banquet, he was the organizer of the party for them.

To thank him, Holly had to hold his hand.

As Ahmed took her hand, he pulled her away very naturally. Holly calmed Cahill with her eyes as he stood and stared at her.

‘…As expected, we didn’t talk about when we were going to leave.’

When he wrapped his arms around her waist, Ahmed then spun around in place. As a result, Holly completely turned her back on Cahill.

The next day, there was the occasional confrontation in front of the bathroom.

“Not today.”

Mona and the maids came out to help out in the bath for today.

Holly, who had been holding the collar with both hands, slowly relaxed. The banquet ended at dawn, so there was no time to roll around in bed with Cahill yesterday. Now, the faint kiss marks that remained were not very visible.

“Because today is the last day.”

If she thought that washing others was a tradition in this country, she would feel more at ease. As Holly’s momentum shifted, Mona and the maids quickly rushed at her.

“Your skin is really soft.”

“Where, where?”

The maid, who was wiping her body with the sponge, swept Holly’s shoulder in admiration. Her body twitched at the unfamiliar sensation.

“Really. Have you been getting extra care?”

She didn’t know how many times she had said that she was working class like them. While Holly shook her head instead of answering, they moved their attention with their hands as if they didn’t really want an answer.

“It’s a pity that your fingertips are rough. You can still wear gloves.”

She had been doing dirty work since childhood, so her hands were a mess. The young maid caresses her fingertips with a more pitiful look than Holly’s.

“Today, I will dress you up more beautifully than anyone else!”

Then, the maid gazed into her eyes and clenched her fists. Holly didn’t know why they had to be so excited, so she could only smile awkwardly and avoid their gazes.

“Hey, don’t you think the makeup is too thick?”

After washing her face several times harder than usual, Holly, who didn’t know anything about makeup other than applying powder, was sitting quietly and surrendering herself to the maids. She got used to this as she had received it several times.

“Like this? This is not enough to allow people to see your beauty from afar.”

When the makeup was done, Mona put a small tiara on Holly’s head. The red cotton thread on the tiara covered the back of her head.

Holly, who had been watching silently through the mirror, opened her mouth.

“But, what does the color red mean?”

Not only the decoration of the room where she stayed was also red, but the dress she was now wearing was also red.

“In Sharif, red is the color that symbolizes good luck. Only the high-ranked people can use it.”

“It’s such a precious color… Can I use it?”

Through the mirror, Holly could see Mona bending her eyes and her spine trembled at the strange gaze. It was a strange thing to wear a smooth outer skirt over an inner skirt made of red cotton yarn and even a cloak over it.

“Of course. It’s because His Majesty said so.”

Mona answered in a gentle voice, clutching Holly’s trembling shoulder.

…Because she was Ahmed’s guest and because it was his order — those were the words she had heard most when she came here. People in this country seem to have to obey their superiors unconditionally.

—

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