CH 36

As I returned to my bedroom, Becky hurriedly came in with something to eat.

“Oh, miss! I’m sorry. I forgot to bring your meal…”

“Huh? Did you manage to bring it?”

“Of course! I’m so sorry for being late.”

Becky furrowed her eyebrows and looked worried. I reassured her and took the basket she handed me. Inside, there were neatly arranged dishes that were far more than what I had brought.

There was enough food to last until dinner. Just looking at the food made me burst into laughter. Becky quickly spoke up.

“You skipped breakfast, so I brought a lot. I’ll come back for dinner too.”

“Okay, Becky. You’ve worked hard too.”

“Well, then I’ll be going! I’m sorry!”

Becky hurriedly turned around. At that moment, there was a knocking sound, as if a door was being broken. Becky opened the door, and in front of her, there was only one basket left alone. She picked it up and handed it to me.

“This… Someone left it behind.”

“Who left it?”

“I saw Count Therid disappear quickly.”

After causing such a commotion, it seemed he felt sorry. I received the basket with a smirk.

After Becky left, I brought the table to the window and placed the food on it. I planned to enjoy my meal while observing the garden.

As I was finishing my meal, I saw a large group of people running from a distance on the hill. They were led by knights on horseback, and there were twelve golden carriages decorated with extravagance. Above their heads, a large red flag fluttered proudly.

The force of their arrival was so remarkable that the dust they raised didn’t settle for a while after they passed.

I tilted my head slightly to get a better look at them. As they got closer to the mansion, I could see the patterns engraved on the red flags. They were five almond-shaped symbols arranged in a circle, representing Prince Dianel.

It seemed he had finally arrived.

Whether the news of Dianel’s arrival had reached the mansion or not, the calm garden where soft music had been playing suddenly became noisy. It was obvious that people would be talking about Dianel’s arrival everywhere.

It made sense. After all, he had surpassed the emperor’s numerous children and secured his position as the heir.

‘Moreover, he successfully sealed the Demon King.’

Above all, he was tall, dignified, and handsome. Moreover, he was still unmarried. Considering that most nobles held a wedding before their coming-of-age ceremony, it was an unusual occurrence.

That was also why many young unmarried ladies attended this festival. Among them, there were also quite a few from the central nobility.

As I recalled the incident with the two noble ladies, I shivered.

‘I should avoid going outside until the festival is over.’

I didn’t want to encounter the ill-tempered Dianel or the equally difficult central noble ladies. I’d rather stay in my room with Hierian and enjoy some snacks. That would be much better.

I took a bite of the snack I held in my hand. Just then, as the Prince’s party entered the mansion, the sound of trumpets echoed.

At the same time, I closed the curtains as people flooded into the garden. Since I had finished my meal perfectly timed, there was no need to continue observing the garden.

“I’m full.”

At a time like this, there was something I could do. Eat and immediately go to bed. It was something I would never do under normal circumstances.

I jumped onto the bed right away and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Hierian’s room.

Hierian, who had fallen asleep late and kept waking up throughout the night, finally woke up at the sound of a trumpet when the prince arrived. 

Puh― Puhoo!

Startled by the loud sound, he quickly got up from his bed, changed his clothes, and washed his face. Then he hurried to Siara’s room.

Knock, knock.

He tried knocking several times, but there was no response. Hierian was about to turn back to his room with a disappointed expression when he suddenly stopped, struck by a thought.

“We promised to protect each other from Dianel.’

For some reason, it seemed that Siara also despised Dianel. In that case, maybe Hierian should let Siara know that Dianel had arrived in a hurry. After contemplating for a moment, Hierian cautiously opened the door.

Then he saw Siara fast asleep on the bed and stopped in his tracks.

“…Hmm?”

There was no response. Siara seemed truly asleep.

“It’s not polite to enter a room where the owner is asleep.”

So, he needed to leave. However, Siara, wrapped in a blanket, looked like she was enjoying a deep sleep. Maybe that’s why. Hierian let out a yawn himself.

“Hah, I’m sleepy too.”

He blinked his eyes, trying to wake himself up, but he couldn’t easily shake off the overwhelming drowsiness.

His eyelids slowly closed and opened, repeatedly, and he caught a glimpse of sunlight streaming through the window. The dazzling sunlight made Siara’s blond hair shine like waves. The white curtains gently covered Siara’s body.

Unconsciously, Hierian thought that the sight was familiar. As soon as he had that thought, Hierian fell into a drowsy sleep. And he had a dream.

Hierian quickly realized that the dream’s location was off-limits to all but administrators. In his dream, he grew taller, just like before the outbreak of the magic pillar.

As he awkwardly examined his enlarged body, he saw a woman standing on a hill wearing a pure white dress. Although she was someone he had never seen before, in his dream, he instinctively embraced her as if to protect her. The woman’s name naturally flowed from his lips.

“Piasse, where were you? We were searching for you.”

However, the woman called Piasse didn’t respond. She just kept her gaze fixed on the magic pillar, her hands resting on Hierian’s hands that embraced her waist. Hierian felt thirsty and spoke to her once again.

“Everyone is looking for you. …Did you make your choice?”

Only then did Piasse turn her head. Her facial features were not visible, but somehow she looked tired.

Hierian held Piasse even tighter. His tightly sealed lips gradually opened, and she whispered with a sigh.

“Hierian, please help me.”

“What?”

The woman held his hand gently and whispered.

“I want to take a break for a while.”

“Are you leaving me behind? Do you think I’ll agree to that request?”

“Silly, why are you saying that so grumpily? Eventually, you will agree.”

“….”

“You said you could do anything for me, Hierian.”

The woman smiled faintly. Hierian couldn’t take his eyes off the face of the woman, whose features were indistinct. Then Piasse murmured with a trembling voice.

“Hierian, open a dimensional portal for me. That way, no one will be able to find me.”

And at that moment―

“Hierian, what’s wrong?”

Siara’s voice was heard.

Hierian blinked his eyes. The face of the mysterious woman from his dream and Siara overlapped, and a warm feeling swept over him. Hierian instinctively reached out his hand toward Siara. Siara passed his hand and placed it on Hierian’s forehead.

“Are you feeling hot?”

“…I have a headache.”

“Did you sleep with the window open yesterday?”

Hierian nodded. Until just before he had the dream, he was perfectly fine, but now his body felt hot as if it were on fire.

Siara, who had been placing her hand on Hierian’s forehead all along, muttered, “I’m hungry after waking up…,” and infused him with strength. As a yellow light flashed, Hierian’s feverish body immediately cooled down.

Hierian blinked, wondering what had happened to him. Siara kindly explained, 

“You suddenly screamed in your sleep and woke up. Did you have a nightmare?”

Hierian shook his head. It wasn’t a nightmare; instead, it felt like a fragment of a fairy tale, sweet enough that he wanted to dream it again.

But for now, it was better that Siara was concerned about him. Hierian nonchalantly buried his face in Siara’s chest.

“Maybe I got startled because Dianel came.”

“Oh, Dianel came?”

Siara seemed completely uninterested and yawned before scratching her head.

“…Well, if he came because of me, he’ll find his way here.”

“Huh? Sister, did you make plans with Dianel?”

At that, Siara’s face hardened.

“As if. Anyway, I just want to sleep more.”

Hierian nodded. After using their energy to heal others, healers often felt exhausted once the treatment was done.

To replenish their depleted energy, they either wore a ring called the “Blessing of Eora” or rested well. Siara had such a ring, but it seemed like she had no intention of using it when she could rest.

Siara immediately lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over herself.

The sunlit bedroom looked very cozy.

‘I don’t want to be away from Siara.…’

Moreover, Hierian was still sleepy from having slept late. After a moment of hesitation, he cautiously joined Siara on the bed.

“Can I sleep with you?”

Siara turned around and replied, 

“Do as you please.”

Hierian quickly lay down on the bed before Siara could change her mind. The bedding emitted a warm, sun-kissed scent. As a wizard, Hierian didn’t particularly like sunlight, but somehow the air in this room felt different.

When he was with Siara, all complicated thoughts seemed to disappear, and he felt only comfort. Perhaps that was why. Secretly, Hierian reached out his hand to touch Siara’s disheveled hair.

The soft, golden strands felt like feathers against his small fingers. With courage, Hierian used his other hand to touch Siara’s hair as well.

Luckily, Siara had fallen asleep quickly, so she didn’t pay any attention to what Hierian was doing. Soft breathing sounds filled the room, and the curtains fluttered as the wind blew.

Hierian inhaled the scent of flowers carried in by the wind and thought to himself, for the first time since he was born, that he felt happy.