Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Translator: Eonnicorn / Editor: Scarlet

He instinctively hugged Eva and propped her up. He needed an explanation as to why she was here at this time. It was quite far from Eva’s bedroom, she probably didn’t pass through the dark hallway and stairs alone without a nanny, right?

“She came alone crying. She said she’d be going to sleep with Your Highness…”

“Wha… What?”

Surprised by the guard’s answer, Edward stammered for the first time in his life. He hurriedly faced Eva as she curled her lips into a smile.

“I secretly came here without my nanny knowing so I could sleep with you.”

“Alone?”

“Yep.”

Eva nodded a couple of times, looking at him intently. Edward was at a loss for words when Eva hugged him with an iron grip and began to complain. “Are you really going tomorrow, Your Highness? Don’t go, and live with me in Bale Castle.”

Eva grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him tenaciously. She pretended to be an elegant young lady, but she was also still a child. With no nanny to educate and hold her by her side, she revealed her child’s true self. Instead of a fiancee, she felt more like a cute puppy.

“Okay, let’s go back to your room, Eva.”

Edward sighed and walked with Eva in his arms. She must have escaped while her nanny was away for a while, so there would be commotion by now. He had to take her to the room first before the castle was in uproar.

Eva was calm in his arms, as if satisfied that she didn’t get separated from him. No matter if it was Edward’s room or her room, she felt better to have him around.

“Goodness Gracious! My lady!”

Speak of the devil. When he went to her room with Eva in arms, a commotion broke there. A disoriented Cecil shoved aside other maids and emerged. Even the maids, whose faces were ghastly pale, were watching the two with their mouths agape.

“Eva came to my room. She said she’d sleep with me.”

“I sincerely apologize, Your Highness. I’m negligent. Come here, my lady. Don’t bother him.” Cecil apologized to Edward with a worn out face and reached out to embrace Eva.

“No!”

Eva frowned and pushed Cecil’s hand away. Fearing that he would hand her over to Cecil, Eva held Edward tightly and whispered, “Your Highness, let’s go out to the balcony. I’ll show you something pretty.”

“Young lady.”

Anger was adoring Cecil’s face when seeing Eva kept breaking her bedtime and showing unexpected behavior.

“Don’t. Let me take care of it, so step back.” As Edward held Eva, he raised one hand to stop Cecil.

Cecil, who was taken aback, backed off and sent a glance to the maids, signaling them to leave. In delight because Edward took her side, Eva cracked a broad smile and stuck out her tongue to Cecil.

Edward carried Eva and went out to the balcony. He didn’t give much thought about Eva’s words that she would show something a while ago. What can be shown on the balcony during the night time? He thought she said that because she didn’t want to sleep and wanted to play, but…

“This…”

As Eva said, it was really beautiful. An angel’s fountain that poured water in the white light from the moonlight and marble. Various roses were in full bloom around the glass lamp that was turned on for the visitors. The scent of trees and sweet flowers that blew along the wind was refreshing. It wasn’t as gorgeous and wonderful as the Imperial Palace garden, but still, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

A place incomprehensible for a person, as if it was a dream.

“Isn’t it pretty?”

“Yeah. It is.” He smiled softly in response to Eva’s adorable question.

“It’s the prettiest when the moon is brightest. But you can’t go there at night.”

“Why? Because the ghost will appear?” He jokingly said with a smirk.

“No. Because a fairy will pop out with light and make the people that meet fall in love.”

Eva explained seriously, seeming like she really believed it. Edward tried to chide her for believing such a thing, but he stopped himself and smiled. She was six years old, after all. She was at the age where she still believed in fairies, angels, and fairy tales. There was no need to break the child’s naivete with pointless words.

“Your Highness, let’s go there later.”

“Sure. Let’s.” He muttered as he admired the small world down there. He didn’t know when he’d be here again, but when that time came, he would get closer with Eva.

Edward stayed there for quite some time, listening to her chatter, until Eva was in his arms, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

“Your Highness, don’t leave.” Before sleeping completely, Eva mumbled under her breath. “Don’t… go…” Once again, she held his hand while whispering. He shut his eyes tightly, feeling bad.

By the time he cracked open his eyes, “Eva?”, an older version of Eva stood in front of him while crying.

“Please don’t go, Your Highness.” She called out to Edward heartbreakingly. “Don’t… leave…” And called him again. Her fading voice gradually diffused into the air. At one point, her figure became blurred and disappeared into the dark.

“Eva!”

Edward raised up in the bed yelling Eva’s name. No young nor older Eva beside him. Everything was a memory, a dream, and an illusion.

“What in the world is this?!”

Such a vivid yet unpleasant dream. A dream that bothered him a lot.