CH 29

Due to the many regressions, it’s been a long time since Ophelia entered the aide’s office.

Once she entered the unfamiliar place, she felt as if she was suffocating.

That mountain of papers was still there, even after all that time. Couldn’t it just burn away?

Ophelia sighed as she looked at the endless documents with the mind of a student the day before the exams.

“It hasn’t been long.”

It was only Richard and her who did the staggering regressions.

Now that she had returned from the regressions, the actual amount of time that had passed would not be much.

“You’re finally back.”

Cooper’s voice was heard from the depths of the fissure mountains, sounding like he was almost dying.

‘Right, we’re comrades who spent that tiring, boring, and death-like time together.’

Ophelia didn’t even have time to indulge in bitter remorse or sentiment after ending an infinite regression.

“Yes. I’m back.”

As she answered in an equally dying voice, she trudged towards her desk.

“What happened to Iris…”

“Here I am.”

Before Cooper could finish speaking, a familiar voice rang from the door.

“Iris! Finally!”

It was an incomparably happier voice than what he greeted Ophelia with, but she was not at all upset.

As she understood Cooper’s desperation more than anyone else.

Wasn’t that why she said she would find her even though she didn’t know where she was?

She knew of Iris’s overwhelming paper-handling ability, but she didn’t know that she could feel her vacancy with her whole body that was unable to even lie down while she was away.

It was something she really didn’t want to know.

Iris approached Ophelia, who still vividly remembered her struggles with the documents even though it was a long time ago considering the regressions.

“Ophelia.”

Iris had her usual cold expression, but there was also a hint of nervousness.

“Yes.”

“You…”

Ophelia was rather calm despite having never thought Iris would trip over her words. She stared at Iris, who was still hesitating and unable to get her words out.

Come to think of it, she was definitely working on improving her relationship with Iris before she made the infinite regressions to prevent the earthquake.

She had forgotten about it because of the earthquake.

“You asked me a few days ago if there’s anything I’m upset about.”

“A few days ago… yes. I did.”

When the words ‘a few days ago’ came out of Iris’ mouth, Ophelia was about to laugh, but she swallowed it.

‘I don’t remember if I did, but if Iris said so, then I probably did.’

As Ophelia nodded, Iris licked her lips again and again.

But it was hard for her to get her words out, so her mouth just remained parted for a long time.

Ophelia simply waited for Iris, not going back to work.

It took this long to have an opportunity to hear her answer, so she would wait… or would it have been better to lie down and wait?

How many minutes had passed?

When Cooper threw away a spoiled stamp and staggered to his feet, Iris finally spoke.

“…ah.”

Ophelia answered immediately.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear you well.”

It wasn’t that she missed it while thinking about something else, she swore she was listening to Iris, but her voice was so low she couldn’t catch what she said.

Iris hesitated for a moment, but soon repeated.

“You and the Crown Prince were sharing something I didn’t know. Not a personal thing, but a public thing. At the hunting competition as well as this time…”

It was a very direct and clear answer.

Also, it was very childish.

“So… so Iris is jealous after all?”

“If you understand, please don’t say it again.”

Perhaps Iris herself was ashamed, for she covered Ophelia’s mouth.

Ophelia, who had been silent for a while, asked.

“If it’s the hunting competition, the part about ‘behind’?”

“Yes.”

“Um, this time, I’m trying to find you.”

“What?”

“So, on the way to find you, I met His Highness, that’s why it’s a secret between the two of us.”

“You said that His Highness came out to find me?”

Ophelia nodded. Technically, it was her who went to find Iris, and Richard seemed to have joined while he was out to do something else.

In any case, didn’t they look for Iris together?

‘A good thing is a good thing.’

But if Iris asked further, Ophelia would have to squeeze out what she couldn’t even remember, so she quickly changed the topic.

“If it’s a problem during a hunting competition, uh, what I’m saying is…”

“It’s a secret?”

When Ophelia shut her mouth, Iris asked nervously. But instead of answering immediately, Ophelia shook her head.

“I’ll go and ask His Highness if it’s okay to say this!”

Before Iris could say anything else, Ophelia shot out of the room like an arrow that had been pulled tight.

Having been left behind, Iris’ expression became indescribable, and Cooper tapped her on the shoulder.

“I told you. She’s definitely not an ordinary lady. And Iris, even if you’re the chief aide, there may be things you don’t know.

“Shut up, Cooper.”

After uttering those harsh words, Iris hurriedly left the room as well, following Ophelia.

Naturally, it was Richard’s office where Ophelia had sprinted to and arrived in only a matter of minutes.

Ophelia, holding the doorknob and about to vigorously open it, stopped.

Come to think of it, Richard said that he was going to the front of the palace, not the office, to check the aftermath of the earthquake.

So, should she go there?

These troubles did not last long.

“Ophelia? What are you doing there?”

At the sound of Richard’s low voice from the inside, Ophelia’s face brightened.

—Bang!

“Your Highness!”

The door swung open as if it was about to be ripped apart, and Ophelia stormed even more violently.

Richard was sitting obliquely by the window, looking like a painting, but it was impossible for Ophelia’s eyes to notice such a thing.

“Do you remember the part about ‘behind’ in the hunting competition?”

Richard sighed softly toward Ophelia, who went straight to the main point without even saying hello.

“Oh, the door hasn’t broken, you’ll have to hit it harder.”

“I’m sorry about the door, but remember? Behind, behind.”

“Yes. It’s Lady Neir.”

“Can I say it since it’s all over now?”

“Nothing is over.”

“The assassination is over for that… oh.”

As Ophelia spoke, her voice became smaller at the end as she knew she was forcing it.

Her eyes lowered, and her shoulders drooped.

“I shouldn’t say it. In the end, it will remain a secret between you and me.”

“It sounds like you’re saying you hate having secrets that’s shared only by the two of us, in front of me, the other party. Am I mistaken?”

“It’s not an illusion, it’s the truth.”

At Ophelia’s resolute answer, one of Richard’s eyebrows was momentarily twitched.

“Am I really not allowed to say this?”

“The reason?”

“Jealousy.”

This time, Richard’s eyebrows moved in a slightly different way.

“Jealousy?”

“Yes.”

Looking at Ophelia, Richard rose.

“You?”

Ophelia shook her head.

“Not me. What am I supposed to be jealous of myself for? Not me, but Iris. Iris Fillite.”

It’s said that even a tiger would come when called, and as soon as Ophelia brought out Iris’ name, the person in question arrived.

“Ophe…! Oh, Your Highness. I’m sorry.”

Iris gasped for breath, but without stopping to catch her breath, she grabbed Ophelia’s arm.

At that desperate touch, Ophelia knew what Iris wanted to say at once.

And she became very troubled.

Because Ophelia had already said it, what Iris was trying so desperately to stop as she ran, huffing and puffing.

This, this… Ophelia’s eyes blinked rapidly, thinking she had a chance to clear up the misunderstanding but unable to make up her mind.

The reason why Iris was angry, or jealous, with Ophelia was very understandable, emotionally.

It was so childish that she never wanted to let anyone else know, especially Richard.

Ophelia was incredibly embarrassed.

The water was already spilled and she couldn’t see any way to clean it up.

And at Ophelia’s hesitation, Iris also noticed.

“It’s already too late.”

Ophelia apologized without delay.

“Sorry.”

Iris, feeling dizzy upon learning that, closed her eyes tightly for a few seconds before reopening them.

She bowed deeply toward Richard with an incredibly grim face.

“I apologize, Your Highness. I have nothing to say. My personal feelings affected my work. I’ll accept any punishment.”

Ophelia was restless at Iris’ resolute voice.

‘Punishment? If it’s a punishment, shouldn’t I get it?’

No, but really, what punishment? Personal feelings might have affected her work, but it shouldn’t have been serious enough to be punished?

“Iris.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Are all the sore spots healed?”

Richard’s expression could not be seen due to the backlight, but there was a slight smile mixed in his voice.

It was such a small smile that even Ophelia took notice of it belatedly.

Iris’ eyes widened while Ophelia let out a silent cheer.

‘This is it!’

‘Oh my God, what a solution, a master… No, it’s as expected from Richard!’

He dismissed the cause of the punishment that Iris had asked for.

Everything related to the jealousy issue that was just brought up, but as well as the days when she was away for personal matters related to Hermia.

It had all been replaced by the words that Iris couldn’t work because she was sick.

Since Crown Prince Richard said so, no one could hold on this against Iris.

Even Iris herself.

Iris bowed even deeper towards Richard.

“I’m all better.”

The end of her voice trembled, but Richard didn’t pat her on the shoulder or add anything else.

He just glanced at Ophelia.