47 “Eager To See Ain Again”
After Eleanora came back into her room, She didn’t let anyone enter the room, fearing Ain might be caught by them.
She sighed a relief and closed the door as soon as she entered the room but was shocked to find the room empty.
Ain was not here anymore. She searched a little before she found the little note left by him.
“I have to go now, see you soon.”
Although the letter contained not much words, but somehow Eleanora was looking forward to meet him again.
This was the first time in her life that she got someone to talk, who can be considered as a friend of hers.
Eleanora felt her heart fluttering with a new feeling.
Days passed by, Ain and Ele got closer to each other too.
Eleanora goes out to the center field every weekend in the disguise of Ele, Where Cathain trains her in the name of Ain.
.....
Cathain was surprised by Eleanora’s skills. It took a long time for her to become a knight in her previous life because of her weak body.
But because she had already learnt and remembered every moves from her past life, so this time it wasn’t that hard for her.
“Huff...”
Eleanora breathed heavily as she dropped her sword and sat up to take a rest.
Cathain passed her a towel and Eleanora tooked it with a smile.
“Thanks, tomato... Ain!”
“...”
Cathain just sighed, because Eleanora still calls him ‘tomato stew’, no matter how many times he forbids her.
“Your skills are quite good, You can atleast pass the trainee knights with your skills, Ele. Did the duke trained you before?”
Eleanora hesitated and then she finally replied, “Yes, I started to train at the age of five.”
‘I didn’t lied though... i started to train at five but my skills wasn’t that good because of my weak body.’
Eleanora slightly blushed when she glanced at Ain, who was looking up at the sky.
It’s been a year since they have been training together and fourteen months since her father left for the relief inception.
Ain and Ele have gotten quite closer to each other during this time. Even if they only meet four times a month, Ain visits her almost everyday by climbing her window.
They often talk with each other till midnight. Both of them have many similar topics to discuss about.
They talk about military, border problems and many more things.
Somehow, Ele’s heart started to grow a little space for Ain.
“What are you going to wear for the upcoming national founding day?”
Ain suddenly asked and Eleanora finally remembered about the upcoming national day.
“Y-You... Don’t tell me you forgot about it?” Ain asked again with a disbelief look.
“So... you really did? The holy saintess and the crown princess of this empire, forgot about it’s foundation day?”
Ain burst into laughter and Ele looked at him with amusement.
‘He looks so handsome when he laughs...’
Eleanora looked at his laughing face and smiled too.
‘Only if i could watch him like this everyday...’
Eleanora was a person who never had anybody to share or laugh with. Although her relationship with her father improved but still, a friend at the similiar age is still required.
So, Ain was everything that Ele needed. A cheerful, supportive friend.
Because, inside the twelve year old Eleanora was the soul of a twenty four years old, wounded lonely girl.
“So you are going to attend the banquet with the crown prince right?”
Ain asked and Eleanora’s smile faded from her face. She become gloomy and sighed.
“I don’t want to though...” Eleanora replied and Cathain felt like a heavy burden on his chest.
‘Then would you want to attend the banquet with Ain?’
This is what Cathain wanted to ask but he couldn’t.
Because he knows the answer.
‘As long as it’s not the crown prince, Cathain; She won’t be afraid’.
Before he thought that she was afraid of every man, but then he realised it isn’t.
She isn’t afraid of Dominic, Ain; She only fears ‘Cathain’.
“Umm... May i ask why?”
“The crown prince is the only heir of the throne, you will become the empress in the future and he can provide everything you want... So why?”
Cathain couldn’t help but ask her. His heart was feeling heavy.
“I can tell you if you promise to not tell anyone else.” Eleanora said as she smilled at Ain and spoke.
“I swear with my everything that, if i ever leak anything you said, i will give them to you!”
Ain said with a serious face and Eleanora burst into laughter.
‘Just how much assets a commoner merchant can have? And he even dares to bet on them?’
“Okey, I will really take them all!” Eleanora was still laughing and Cathain kept staring at her face.
‘S-So beautiful...’
“The crown prince can provide me everything but, he doesn’t like me...”
“He is Cold blooded... Arrogant... bad tempered!”
Eleanora’s each word was stabbing Cathain and he couldn’t even refute as what she said is almost true.
“And... He will kill me...” Eleanora said in a low voice and Cathain looked up to her with a shocked expression.
“H-Huh?” Cathain was surprised.
“Nothing... I just want to find a man who will only love me in his whole life.”
Eleanora changed the topic but Cathain was sure about what he heard earlier.
‘I can only love you in my whole life...’
Cathain was stunned on his thinking again but choosed to keep silent as he thought she doesn’t want to share it yet.
It’s true that he didn’t liked her before, he was jealous of her, he was more pissed off when he noticed Eleanora never even paid any attention to him and thought she was looking down on him by this.
But slowly, all his misunderstandings are getting cleared up and he started to like her more as days pass by.
And thus another month passed and finally the national founding day came.