Chapter 53 – Late Night Strolls
Levisia was so exhausted after returning to her palace that she could barely move a muscle. Merril had sucked the life out of her, so she felt like a piece of laundry hanging on a clothesline.
If the dress that she wore to the Fairy Festival had been snug, she would’ve flipped it up and laid her head on it. Clinging to the bed like a wet cotton ball and staring blankly out the window, her worries made her blurt out:
“I’m tired of this…”
From the looks of outside it was little moments into the evening. It’s been about an hour since the sun started to set after blanching all through the day.
When Levisia rolled her body over and ogled up at the ceiling, there came a light knock at the door.
“Come in.” She turned her head, and when the door opened she saw who it was. Pel met her gaze, causing her to impulsively wear a frown.
Pel asked, “What… are you doing?”
“I’m tired. Exhausted!” Levisia replied after which she turned her head back up to the ceiling in sheer disappointment.
“You can at least change out of your dress. And…” He stopped in the middle of speaking, took a deep breath and turned his head.
“And?” She asked, glaring back at him.
“Your dress is rolled up,” Pel muttered.
“Oh.”
Pel appeared more unhappy than usual. Levisia lifted her upper body, fixed her dress, and stared at him again. Pel stood still by the door, his head turned away.
“There,” Levisia uttered rather loudly, receiving a light sigh from Pel as if he were relieved. She wondered why he was talking as though he had never fixed her dress before. But it wasn’t something to take for granted, so she had to quit talking.
‘Pel is more than he presents himself.’
No matter how arrogant and sometimes friendly Pel was, this important fact should not be forgotten.
All of a sudden, Pel opened Levisia’s closet and rummaged through the clothes.
“What are you doing?” Lev questioned.
“It is best you change. You’re making me uncomfortable,” Pel husked.
“That is correct, but…” Levisia responded as though filing a query.
With a blank look on his face, Pel took out two pieces of clothing and gave her a beige indoor dress. Dazed, Levisia took them from him and thought, ‘Oh no! It’s not something I take for granted, Pel is just too natural.’
In bemusement, Pel handed her the clothes and turned around to leave.
“Where are you going? Didn’t you come here because you had something to say?” The exhausted lass hurled.
“Nothing too important.”
“You didn’t just come here to get me to change my clothes because you guessed I wouldn’t have done so, right?” She asked after a bird’s eye view of the fairly darkened sky. “If I’m right, you can say that I’m right,” Levisia commented in little moments.
Pel turned swiftly towards Levisia’s direction. “You said you’re tired,” he affirmed.
“So what?” Levisia fired back looking closely at his manly physique. She realized something when she answered. What he had on was different from his normal going-out attire. And before she asked where he was going, she realized something else. It was the day of the fairy fest.
Every year on the night of the fairy fest, they take a night tour together. They leave around early evening to look around the fairy fest and return when it gets dark. Wonderful memories are always up for catch on days like this. Dresses are soft, looks are classy, and time is always spent excitingly.
Levisia wanted to show him that she already knew. As soon as she sat there without speaking, Pel seemed to have realized the situation.
“Apparently, you now remember. So don’t worry about it, it’s all good.”
“No, wait…”
“You’re tired, so just rest. We can go next time,” Pel gloomily suggested. He turned his back.
‘Next time?’
That was a lie. Next year, Levisia would become an adult and for that reason, she would leave the palace. When she leaves, Pel will act in coherence probably.
‘You won’t be with me.’
By then, he’ll be following the original story to destroy this empire, leaving no ‘next time’ for them. In other words, today would be the last time they’d get to enjoy the fairy fest together. Such melancholic thoughts lingered in her mind.
Before Pel could leave, she cheered, “Let’s go.”
Confused, Pel watched the whole turnaround with mindful simplicity.
“I’ll buy you something delicious,” Levisia uttered only to cut his thoughts short.