“I think this is enough to send you off, Your Highness. Thank you.”
“...”
David looked down at his empty hands with a strange expression, and then he chuckled and whispered something so only she could hear.
“I’ll go get the answer soon.”
“...”
“I expect you to give me a positive answer.”
At those words, Sylvia froze, recalling David's suggestion. Her heart pounded softly. She certainly loved Randall, and because of him and the people of Belfort, she had come to believe a little in the goodness of humanity. But are 'all humans' really like that? Do 'humans' have value?
If asked, Sylvia could not readily give a 'yes' answer.
“I sincerely hope that your journey back to the North is safe and smooth. Okay.”
Fortunately, David returned to his neat 'Crown Prince' attitude after that whisper. He nodded slightly and led the servants away. Only then did Sylvia, who let out a thin breath, look back at Randall. Randall was still fixated on David's back and had a hardened expression, even though David had moved quite far away. Sylvia, worried that Randall might have been hurt, gently grabbed his hand.
“Randall.”
At that call, Randall quickly turned to her, his expression softening.
“What is it, Ma’am?”
She looked at him with a pitiful expression as he tried to make her smile, then opened her mouth and said, “Ah.”
“Why, that’s what I was going to say the night before the founding of the country.”
“If it’s the night before the founding of the country...”
Randall flinched as he listened to Sylvia's words and tried to recall the memories. It was the night before the founding of the nation.
"You don't have to tell me."
By the way, it’s late at night, and I wonder if it’s because of me that my wife can’t sleep... I’m fine, so you can go and rest now."
Wasn't that the day he pushed Sylvia away, hurt by the news of her chance meeting with the Crown Prince?
'I'm crazy.'
Randall, who remembered that shameful, not-so-shameful act belatedly, became lost in thought. He tried to move his lips to apologize, but Sylvia's words came first.
“I remember that at that time, His Highness the Crown Prince asked me what my ideal type was.”
“Sylvia, that, that time I...”
“I said it was you.”
"...Yes?"
Randall doubted his ears for a moment. While he was absentmindedly asking again, forgetting what he had been trying to say, Sylvia got into the carriage alone and smiled. And then she hammered the nail again.
“My taste is all about you.”
“Yeah?”
“Aren’t you going to ride it?”
Randel still couldn't come to his senses and kept mumbling. However, Sylvia quickly stopped the clock and calmly knocked on the carriage door. Randall, who belatedly accepted Sylvia's words, sank down as if he was going to fall down.
“I sincerely hope that your journey back to the North is safe and smooth. Okay.”
Fortunately, David returned to his neat 'Crown Prince' attitude after that whisper. He nodded slightly and led the servants away. Only then did Sylvia, who let out a thin breath, look back at Randall. Randall was still fixated on David's back and had a hardened expression, even though David had moved quite far away. Sylvia, worried that Randall might have been hurt, gently grabbed his hand.
“Randall.”
At that call, Randall quickly turned to her, his expression softening.
“What is it, Ma’am?”
She looked at him with a pitiful expression as he tried to make her smile, then opened her mouth and said, “Ah.”
“Why, that’s what I was going to say the night before the founding of the country.”
“If it’s the night before the founding of the country...”
Randall flinched as he listened to Sylvia's words and tried to recall the memories. It was the night before the founding of the nation.
"You don't have to tell me."
By the way, it’s late at night, and I wonder if it’s because of me that my wife can’t sleep... I’m fine, so you can go and rest now."
Wasn't that the day he pushed Sylvia away, hurt by the news of her chance meeting with the Crown Prince?
'I'm crazy.'
Randall, who remembered that shameful, not-so-shameful act belatedly, became lost in thought. He tried to move his lips to apologize, but Sylvia's words came first.
“I remember that at that time, His Highness the Crown Prince asked me what my ideal type was.”
“Sylvia, that, that time I...”
“I said it was you.”
"...Yes?"
Randall doubted his ears for a moment. While he was absentmindedly asking again, forgetting what he had been trying to say, Sylvia got into the carriage alone and smiled. And then she hammered the nail again.
“My taste is all about you.”
“Yeah?”
“Aren’t you going to ride it?”
Randel still couldn't come to his senses and kept mumbling. However, Sylvia quickly stopped the clock and calmly knocked on the carriage door. Randall, who belatedly accepted Sylvia's words, sank down as if he was going to fall down.
He crouched down with his legs weak and buried his face in his hands. His ears, slightly protruding from under his hair, were bright red as if they were going to burst. It was only natural that Sylvia's bright laughter rang through the air right after.
***
Randall, Sylvia, and the northern party arrived near the north on Auston's magic circle. It would have been nice if they could have gone straight to the castle, but one of the knights, who was not used to moving magic, ended up vomiting and lying down.
In the end, the party decided not to move too hard and to stay here until the knight's condition improved.
“Should we go for a walk until the knights finish tidying up?”
"Great."
Sylvia nodded readily to Randall's suggestion. Randall got out of the carriage first and extended his hand to her.
“Ah, this is... that place?”
Sylvia took his hand and got out of the carriage, looking around as she remembered that this was the place where they had been attacked on their wedding day. Randall opened his mouth to reassure her as if he thought she was afraid that something similar would happen.
“It’s okay. After that incident, we installed a barrier stone here, and the knights check every two days to make sure the barrier stone hasn’t been damaged.”
"Okay."
In fact, it was a fact that she knew because she felt the magic of Auston, but Sylvia nodded silently. Randall and Sylvia walked together in the forest. The noisy noise behind them gradually faded away, and the sounds of small animals and birds filled the empty space. Even though it was only a short walk, Randall took care of Sylvia carefully.
“Do your feet hurt?”
“It’s still okay.”
“Muscle pain...”
“Isn’t that what the person who harassed me until just before departure said? Of course, it’s okay now.”
“Ahem.”
Randall coughed unnaturally and avoided eye contact at Sylvia's comment. Then, Sylvia suddenly felt uncomfortable and stopped walking. She tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brow slightly.
“Randall, are you sure you didn’t hurt your leg? You seem to walk unusually slowly.”
“Yes, yes? No. I was just... just lost in thought for a moment.”
Randall, who heard Sylvia's words, shook his head and spoke nonsense for the first time. Cold sweat ran down his back.
'...Did I get caught?'
In fact, Randall was a little happy when he heard that he had to stay here for a while for the knight who was not in good condition. It was obvious that he would be busier if he set foot on Belfort Castle again, and that it would take away time from Sylvia.
“Should we go for a walk until the knights finish tidying up?”
"Great."
Sylvia nodded readily to Randall's suggestion. Randall got out of the carriage first and extended his hand to her.
“Ah, this is... that place?”
Sylvia took his hand and got out of the carriage, looking around as she remembered that this was the place where they had been attacked on their wedding day. Randall opened his mouth to reassure her as if he thought she was afraid that something similar would happen.
“It’s okay. After that incident, we installed a barrier stone here, and the knights check every two days to make sure the barrier stone hasn’t been damaged.”
"Okay."
In fact, it was a fact that she knew because she felt the magic of Auston, but Sylvia nodded silently. Randall and Sylvia walked together in the forest. The noisy noise behind them gradually faded away, and the sounds of small animals and birds filled the empty space. Even though it was only a short walk, Randall took care of Sylvia carefully.
“Do your feet hurt?”
“It’s still okay.”
“Muscle pain...”
“Isn’t that what the person who harassed me until just before departure said? Of course, it’s okay now.”
“Ahem.”
Randall coughed unnaturally and avoided eye contact at Sylvia's comment. Then, Sylvia suddenly felt uncomfortable and stopped walking. She tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brow slightly.
“Randall, are you sure you didn’t hurt your leg? You seem to walk unusually slowly.”
“Yes, yes? No. I was just... just lost in thought for a moment.”
Randall, who heard Sylvia's words, shook his head and spoke nonsense for the first time. Cold sweat ran down his back.
'...Did I get caught?'
In fact, Randall was a little happy when he heard that he had to stay here for a while for the knight who was not in good condition. It was obvious that he would be busier if he set foot on Belfort Castle again, and that it would take away time from Sylvia.
Even when he was at the palace, he had always been handling the documents sent from the North. The weight of responsibility he felt when he was away from the castle and when he was not was bound to be different. Of course, the biggest reason was that he would have less time to spend with Sylvia.
'Still... I guess I have to go back.'
Randall hung his head gloomily, already feeling depressed at the thought of being separated from Sylvia. Sylvia, who had been through many hardships in her many lives, could see it clearly in her eyes.
'You're cute, really.'
She desperately held back her laughter and suddenly held out her hand to him.
“Randall, hand.”
“My hand?”
Randall looked puzzled, but as soon as Sylvia reached out her hand, he put his hand in hers. Sylvia smiled slightly because it looked so cute, and then turned around and shouted.
“Run!”
'Still... I guess I have to go back.'
Randall hung his head gloomily, already feeling depressed at the thought of being separated from Sylvia. Sylvia, who had been through many hardships in her many lives, could see it clearly in her eyes.
'You're cute, really.'
She desperately held back her laughter and suddenly held out her hand to him.
“Randall, hand.”
“My hand?”
Randall looked puzzled, but as soon as Sylvia reached out her hand, he put his hand in hers. Sylvia smiled slightly because it looked so cute, and then turned around and shouted.
“Run!”
***
About 10 minutes later.
"Ha..."
“What if the person who suggested we run is weaker than me?”
“It’s noisy, it’s loud... Don’t make me laugh because I’m out of breath...”
Sylvia sat down at the entrance of a quiet village, panting wildly. Randall crouched down beside her with a smiling face, patting her back at a steady rhythm. Thanks to his concern, Sylvia regained her composure after some time. After letting out a deep breath, she finally told him why she had led him.
“I think Sir Osmond will need time to recover anyway. A little deviation wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
Although she said that, she clearly noticed that Randall was gloomy, so he looked at Sylvia with a mixture of embarrassment and love. Sylvia let out a short breath and got up from her seat. Then, Randall grabbed Sylvia's hand, which was moving away without him realizing it. Sylvia looked back at him with a puzzled look.
“Randall?”
“Ah... that’s it.”
Randall was taken aback by his actions before he could even think, and soon hesitated and asked quietly.
“If I keep holding on... won’t it work?”
As he asked that question, it seemed as if he could see the illusion of a tail wagging behind Randall's back. Sylvia was secretly amazed.
‘For a dog, it’s quite human-like...'
Randall's appearance was so lovely that she could even think that way. Sylvia let out a small laugh and grabbed his hand tightly to raise him up. To be exact, it would be correct to say that he stood up according to Sylvia's intention, but anyway.
“Why are you asking such a thing? When you’ve done worse things?”
Sylvia threw out her words with a mischievous smile. Then Randall, whose playfulness was aroused, smiled just like her and lowered his head suddenly.
"Ha..."
“What if the person who suggested we run is weaker than me?”
“It’s noisy, it’s loud... Don’t make me laugh because I’m out of breath...”
Sylvia sat down at the entrance of a quiet village, panting wildly. Randall crouched down beside her with a smiling face, patting her back at a steady rhythm. Thanks to his concern, Sylvia regained her composure after some time. After letting out a deep breath, she finally told him why she had led him.
“I think Sir Osmond will need time to recover anyway. A little deviation wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
Although she said that, she clearly noticed that Randall was gloomy, so he looked at Sylvia with a mixture of embarrassment and love. Sylvia let out a short breath and got up from her seat. Then, Randall grabbed Sylvia's hand, which was moving away without him realizing it. Sylvia looked back at him with a puzzled look.
“Randall?”
“Ah... that’s it.”
Randall was taken aback by his actions before he could even think, and soon hesitated and asked quietly.
“If I keep holding on... won’t it work?”
As he asked that question, it seemed as if he could see the illusion of a tail wagging behind Randall's back. Sylvia was secretly amazed.
‘For a dog, it’s quite human-like...'
Randall's appearance was so lovely that she could even think that way. Sylvia let out a small laugh and grabbed his hand tightly to raise him up. To be exact, it would be correct to say that he stood up according to Sylvia's intention, but anyway.
“Why are you asking such a thing? When you’ve done worse things?”
Sylvia threw out her words with a mischievous smile. Then Randall, whose playfulness was aroused, smiled just like her and lowered his head suddenly.
Pfft.
Before Sylvia could even realize it, a soft sensation touched her lips and disappeared. Randall laughed heartily as he watched her, who was rarely flustered, blinking.
“Then is this okay?”
Sylvia, who came to her senses late, read the playfulness in Randall's eyes and curled the corners of her mouth as if she found it funny.
“It’s not okay, it’s good.”
“...”
Randall, who had suddenly given and received in return, froze. For a moment, he froze like a statue, then squatted down silently, hiding his face in one hand. The other hand was still holding Sylvia’s hand.
“Randall?”
Sylvia tilted her head and shook his hand gently. Randall sat down, covering his face, looking like he didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
'It's good... It's really good.'
If this continues, I don't think I'll have any heart left... If I say I want to die because I love my wife too much, I'll definitely get beaten up...
“Randall, show me your face.”
Randall, who desperately covered his face, and Sylvia, who tried to see his face, fought for a moment. Sylvia finally saw Randall’s face and burst into laughter, and the sound of her laughing resonated far away. It was the beginning of a full-fledged deviation.
“Then is this okay?”
Sylvia, who came to her senses late, read the playfulness in Randall's eyes and curled the corners of her mouth as if she found it funny.
“It’s not okay, it’s good.”
“...”
Randall, who had suddenly given and received in return, froze. For a moment, he froze like a statue, then squatted down silently, hiding his face in one hand. The other hand was still holding Sylvia’s hand.
“Randall?”
Sylvia tilted her head and shook his hand gently. Randall sat down, covering his face, looking like he didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
'It's good... It's really good.'
If this continues, I don't think I'll have any heart left... If I say I want to die because I love my wife too much, I'll definitely get beaten up...
“Randall, show me your face.”
Randall, who desperately covered his face, and Sylvia, who tried to see his face, fought for a moment. Sylvia finally saw Randall’s face and burst into laughter, and the sound of her laughing resonated far away. It was the beginning of a full-fledged deviation.
***
After that, Randall and Sylvia enjoyed a brief deviation while sightseeing around the town. Since it was a quiet town on the outskirts of the north, there weren’t many people on the streets, so they felt at ease. The two walked around the town holding hands, and when they heard that there was a lake worth seeing at the entrance to the town, they turned their steps in that direction. The lake was beautiful, just as the townspeople had boasted.
Sylvia was captivated by the sparkle of the water, took off her shoes, and stepped onto the water’s edge. Goosebumps ran down her ankles as the cold water touched her bare feet, but she felt refreshed.
“You come in too.”
Sylvia lifted her skirt to reveal her pure white calves and waved her hands. A person would not dare to refuse even if they saw that sight with their own eyes.
Randall, who was shaking his head, followed her, took off his shoes, and walked into the water. Eventually, the two of them enjoyed playing in the water and sat down in a sunny spot to dry their wet feet and calves.
'It's peaceful.'
Sylvia thought about that and quietly leaned her head on her knees. Everything was peaceful and languid. In front of her was a sparkling blue lake, behind her was a forest filled with the sound of the wind. Above her head was the gentle sunlight, and beside her was Randall.
'I'm happy.'
Sylvia, who had been thinking that unconsciously and closing her eyes, flinched and shook her shoulders.
‘...How long has it been since I’ve had thoughts like this?’
Happy?
“You come in too.”
Sylvia lifted her skirt to reveal her pure white calves and waved her hands. A person would not dare to refuse even if they saw that sight with their own eyes.
Randall, who was shaking his head, followed her, took off his shoes, and walked into the water. Eventually, the two of them enjoyed playing in the water and sat down in a sunny spot to dry their wet feet and calves.
'It's peaceful.'
Sylvia thought about that and quietly leaned her head on her knees. Everything was peaceful and languid. In front of her was a sparkling blue lake, behind her was a forest filled with the sound of the wind. Above her head was the gentle sunlight, and beside her was Randall.
'I'm happy.'
Sylvia, who had been thinking that unconsciously and closing her eyes, flinched and shook her shoulders.
‘...How long has it been since I’ve had thoughts like this?’
Happy?
Sylvia froze in shock at her own thought. As soon as she realized the state of being 'happy', anxiety, almost instinctive, came over her.
Can I enjoy this kind of happiness? Can I be this... happy?
Even though the punishment from God was over, the memories of continuing to suffer misfortune and being reincarnated did not easily disappear. Sylvia's anxious gaze naturally turned to Randall. As soon as his eyes met hers, he, who had been squeezing the moisture out of the hem of his pants, closed his eyes and smiled as if it were natural. Someone who would smile without any expectations when their eyes met. Someone who gave her a sense of relief with that smile.
'Ah.'
Sylvia smiled faintly at the new realization that had come to her.
'I...'
I love this person. I love him.
'Ah.'
Sylvia smiled faintly at the new realization that had come to her.
'I...'
I love this person. I love him.
She feel like crying at the thought of that.
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