CH 89

Riett, Evan, and Lucas came out to the town together. It was because Evan suggested that they should stick together for a while. 

But… why did Lucas follow along? 

Although he said, ‘Of course, I should also protect Riett,’ it didn’t seem very reliable. 

Moreover, Evan and Lucas often created a chilly atmosphere whenever there was a chance, making the person with them uncomfortable. 

‘Did I act like that with Evan too…?’ 

Riett tilted her head. These two were much harsher. Their expressions and way of speaking. 

Riett quickly thought that she should finish her business and return to the mansion. 

‘The weather doesn’t look good either.’

The sky was already cloudy in the morning, but now it felt even darker. Anyone could tell that it was a day when it would rain or snow heavily. 

After arriving in the town, Riett first visited the employment office and hired someone to take care of the household chores. Then she went to the post office and sent the letter Evan brought by express mail. It was a letter addressed to the Crown Prince of the Haren Empire. 

After handing the letter to the postman and coming out, Riett suddenly had a doubt. 

“But Evan, if we simply send the letter like that, will the Crown Prince read it…?”

“That’s why I sent it in your name, Riett. If it’s addressed from you, he will definitely read it.”

Riett made an incredulous expression. 

‘No, if you’re going to use someone else’s name, you should ask for permission first.’

Lastly, Riett and her companions stopped by the cabin where the town guards stayed. 

“What brings you here? You don’t seem like people from the town.” 

As the captain of the guards looked at them with wary eyes, Riett introduced herself. 

“I am Duchess Marren from the capital.” 

“Ah, you’re the Duchess.” 

The captain’s eyes widened. 

“I heard rumors that there’s a female Duchess in the capital, but I never thought it was true…” 

This was spreading around to this extent. Although they were currently in a precarious situation of being in exile, Riett once again realized her fame. 

“That aside, what are you curious about?” 

“I want to hear about the recent outsiders who came here.” 

“If they were outsiders…” 

“They were wearing cloaks with a sun symbol on them.” 

Riett described the impression of the Haren Empire’s expedition team. The townspeople didn’t know that the recent outsiders were from the Haren Empire. 

The captain immediately reacted. 

“Oh, those people who came to search for something?” 

“Yes, that’s right.” 

Riett nodded. 

“Do you happen to know where they went?” 

“They probably… went to the northern snowy region.” 

Riett’s eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing the answer. The Haren Empire’s information had indeed crossed over to this side. After all, His Majesty specifically mentioned the northern snowy region. 

“How many of them came?” 

“I’m not sure exactly, but around… ten people?” 

Riett continued with various questions. How many days did they stay? What were they looking for? How did their expressions look? 

However, there were no significant findings. 

Riett asked her final question. 

“Was there anything peculiar about them?” 

“Well…”

The captain of the guards pondered for a moment and then exclaimed, “Oh!” as if realizing it wasn’t anything special. He scratched his head with a puzzled expression.

“It’s not a big deal, but…” 

“Even if it’s not a big deal, please tell me.”

Anything would do. Riett wanted to hear even the jokes they shared if someone knew about it.

“There was an extremely good-looking person among the rough-looking individuals.”

“…Was it a woman?”

“No, it was a man. That’s why it stuck in my memory.”

The captain spoke with admiration.

“I’ve never seen such a beautiful man in my life. To some extent, he looked even more handsome than that person.”

The captain pointed to Lucas, who was sitting in front of the fireplace. More handsome than Lucas… she also wants to see him.

But as Riett thought quietly, she remembered what the girl said on their first meeting.

“Recently, I saw someone with hair the color of light green. It was such a beautiful hair color, like the color of water under a tree…! Seeing your hair color made me suddenly think of it. I also want to have a pretty hair color.”

The girl, her cheeks flushed, expressed such admiration with shining eyes.

Riett immediately connected the two pieces of information and thought of one person.

“By any chance… did that beautiful man have emerald green hair?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

How many people could there be who are more beautiful than Lucas and have emerald green hair? Riett was certain.

‘Perante was here.’

Together with the Haren Empire’s expedition team.

In the end, Riett had a remarkable harvest. She expressed her gratitude and handed over dried meat as a gift, then left the guard’s cabin.

Riett looked at Evan with her arms crossed.

“Evan, the person the captain mentioned is undoubtedly Perante.”

“What does that mean…?”

Evan furrowed his brows slightly. Riett nodded slightly.

“He seems like a real spy.”

While it was not possible to exclude the possibility of other collaborators, it was clear that Perante was a traitor to the Truto Empire. 

Otherwise, there would be no reason for Perante to come here with the Haren Empire’s expedition team.

‘What I’m curious about is why he did such a thing…’

“Riett.”

Lucas, who had been doing something in the distance, approached them. 

“Sorry for interrupting the serious situation, but I’ll be gone for a while.”

“Why?”

Riett asked, and Lucas extended a compass. The needle of the compass was pointing north.

“It’s broken.”

“No, it’s not!”

Riett nodded, thinking that Lucas was pitiful.

“Alright, be safe.”

“See you at the mansion! Evan, take care of Riett!”

Lucas disappeared into the forest, holding the broken compass.

Riett watched Lucas disappear and then turned her head towards Evan to continue the conversation they were having earlier.

However, she realized that Evan was standing closer to her than before. Was it just her imagination?

Riett soon realized that it wasn’t just her imagination. Evan’s body and even his face were gradually getting closer.

In an instant, memories of Evan’s confession and the kiss they shared flooded her mind, making her ears feel warm.

Flustered, Riett pushed Evan away as he approached.

“Go away!”

Evan, being pushed, obediently stepped back and showed Riett a leaf he held in his hand.

“It got stuck to you.”

Ah… a leaf.

Just say something, anything! Who asked him to detach it…!

Riett felt unjust that she had misunderstood on her own.

“Your face is red, Riett.”

“I-it’s because I’m cold.”

Though she made an excuse, her body had quickly become chilled even though they had only been outside for a short time. The weather today was particularly cloudy and cold.

“Isn’t it because you’re reminded of that night?”

As Riett raised her head, she saw Evan holding back laughter.

‘This rascal, he knows everything…!’

Riett’s fist trembled.

“Sorry, you looked too cute.”

Evan laughed, covering his mouth with his hand. Through the narrow slits of his eyes, his sparkling black pupils could be seen.

‘Alright, let’s not dwell on it.’

As Riett walked briskly, Evan quickly caught up with his long legs.

“It looks like it’s going to rain. We should hurry back.”

Evan nonchalantly added his words, which annoyed Riett. Her suspicions resurfaced in her mind.

‘He said he likes me… but it seems like his feelings aren’t that deep.’

Otherwise, he wouldn’t act like this.

While Riett was doubting Evan like that, raindrops began to fall from the sky as Evan predicted. The snow that had briefly melted made the ground gradually wet, and soon the raindrops became quite thick.

Soon, rain poured down from the sky. Riett urgently covered her head with her hand.

‘It’s not snow, but rain!’

Surprised and looking around, she noticed a dilapidated cabin.

“Let’s take shelter there for now.”

Riett and Evan dashed straight to the cabin.

Fortunately, the door was not locked. Evan checked the inside of the cabin first.

“It seems like an empty house. It should be fine to take shelter from the rain for a while.”

The cabin was indeed abandoned, filled with dust and a musty smell.

‘But at least it’s a place to hide.’

Riett sat alone on a long, abandoned chair and shook off the rainwater. Her shoulders and hair were quite wet, but fortunately, her clothes didn’t get too soaked. If her clothes had gotten completely soaked in this weather, she would be at risk of catching a cold, so she was grateful.

Evan quickly wiped the moisture off his head and looked for firewood inside. However, just like before, there was no firewood or anything in the empty cabin. Evan’s face showed a sense of defeat.

“What should we do if we’re cold…?”

“Are you cold?”

When Riett asked with a worried look, Evan immediately shook his head.

“No, I meant you, Riett.”

Ah… She was the one talking. Riett retorted with a bewildered expression.

“…I’m fine.”

“But if you’re cold, let me know.”

“What if I say I’m cold?”

“Then I should at least take off my clothes.”

Suddenly, memories of when she caught a cold as a child came to mind.

‘Evan tried to take off his clothes to give them to me, and I was disgusted.’

A smile formed on the corners of Riett’s mouth. Seeing her like that, Evan asked.

“Do you like it when someone takes off their clothes?”

“That’s not it!”

Startled, Riett exclaimed loudly, but Evan’s smile deepened.

“Just say it, I’ll take off not only my outerwear but my shirt too.”

At Evan’s playful response, Riett simply pressed her lips tightly. She mustn’t show any openings.

As Evan looked around the cabin a little more, realizing that there really was nothing inside, he decided to take a rest and plopped down on the floor opposite Riett.

‘Huh…?’

She thought he would sit next to her…

The wooden chair was hard, but it would be better than sitting on the floor. The bare floor without a carpet would be extremely cold.

Riett tapped the space beside her.

“Evan, sit here.”

“Can I sit next to you?”

“Of course.”

The chair wasn’t exclusively hers to begin with.

Riett nodded nonchalantly, and Evan got up and came closer to sit down. His mischievous eyes flickered.

“Thanks for allowing me. I appreciate it.”

“…What’s there to be thankful for?”

With Evan being so close, the scent of his body mixed with the smell of rain stimulated her sense of smell. Today, Evan’s unique scent seemed even stronger than usual.

It wasn’t just her sense of smell that was off.

‘What’s…? Why does he look even more handsome today?’

Riett had a fleeting illusion that Evan’s face, as he wiped off the rainwater from his hair, was even more radiant than usual. Moreover, because of his wet hair, he seemed even more sensual.

Once again, her heart fluttered.

To forget this strange feeling, Riett hastily threw out any random words.

“We’ve been having snow every day, and suddenly it’s raining. What’s up with that?”

“I like rain.”

“Oh? Didn’t you used to not like rain much?”

Evan smiled faintly.

“With rain, it’s just you and me, Riett.”

Thump, thump.

Her heart was pounding excessively.

She had spoken to distract herself from the fluttering feeling in her heart, but an even stranger symptom emerged.

‘Why is this happening…?’

Riett had been contemplating the symptoms she had been experiencing lately, and Evan seemed to have a thoughtful expression.

“Riett.”

“Yeah…?”

Riett was tense, wondering if Evan would say something strange again.

“You mentioned you’ve seen Perante.”

When Perante was mentioned, Riett felt relieved.

‘That’s right…!’

At times like this, talking about work was perfect. She straightened her neck and answered.

“Yeah, I’ve seen him.”

Riett wondered what constructive conversation Evan was about to have. Evan’s voice, lower than before, flowed out.

“The person you described as Perante…”

Mm-hmm. Riett nodded her head and actively responded to Evan’s words.

But…

“He was handsome, right?”

He asked a question that was completely unconstructive.