“Take it, I don’t need it.”
“...”
“And even if it’s just a coincidence, I would like you to try not to talk to me. It wouldn’t be good if rumors spread that I was alone with another person before my wedding.”
After saying those words, Philia was afraid to check Jeffrey's face, so she hugged his jacket tightly and turned around. As she walked quickly, footsteps followed right behind her.
“Philia.”
The call, which was filled with embarrassment, made her almost shed tears for a funny reason.
'Why are you calling me that now?'
Philia clenched her teeth to hold back her tears and walked faster. Then the footsteps following her also became faster. A louder call was heard than before.
“Philia!”
Philia increased her speed as if she were running away. When she almost reached the entrance to the park, she suddenly heard a crash behind her.
“Jeffrey?”
Philia turned around in surprise, forgetting that she had been running away from him just a moment ago. She saw blood flowing from one of Jeffrey’s knees as he fell to the ground as if he had fallen while chasing her.
“Are you crazy? You’re bleeding!”
Philia ran over in shock. She collapsed in front of Jeffrey and ripped her petticoat with her teeth. Her new dress was ruined because of it, but she didn't care. She didn't have the presence of mind to do so. Philia pressed a clean cloth to Jeffrey's wound and stopped the bleeding. She clenched her teeth, fixing her gaze on the wound. She tried to keep her face cool and said.
“Then why did you follow me?”
“...”
“I told you not to follow me.”
When the bleeding from the wound seemed to have stopped somewhat, Philia removed her hand and bandaged his knee with a freshly torn piece of cloth.
“...This isn’t even temporary, so get proper treatment. Go.”
She blurted out harsh words and realized belatedly that she was too close to Jeffrey. So she quickly got up and tried to take a step, but Jeffrey grabbed her hand. Philia, who was frozen in place, gritted her teeth.
'I have to make sure.'
She straightened her expression and looked straight at Jeffrey. As soon as she saw his face, she held back her heart was about to collapse, and poured out sharp words.
“I don’t know why you’re holding me back, but I’ll say it again. I hope we don’t run into each other again, even by chance.”
“...”
“Don’t worry, I have no intention of pushing myself through any more hopeless situations.”
After saying that, Philia tried to pull Jeffrey’s hand away. But he stubbornly held onto her hand and wouldn’t let go. Eventually, Philia crumpled her face and raised her voice.
“Why on earth won’t you let go...”
But right after that.
“...You really did a bad job, you know that?”
"Sorry..."
Jeffrey kept spitting out apologies for Philia’s reprimands, but he didn’t let go of her hand. Eventually, Philia let out a hollow laugh and lowered her body. She squatted down in front of Jeffrey, hugged him, and patted his back.
“What kind of a tantrum is this grown man throwing... But I let it go because you're cute.”
At the small added remark, Jeffrey finally started to sob out loud. Philia let out a small laugh and patted his back affectionately until he stopped crying.
'Oh, here it comes again.'
Auston stood there blankly, then shook his head nervously at the sight of Rubia’s face suddenly appearing again. He was following David as ordered by Sylvia before she left. However, David was still repeating a very regular life. Meeting nobles, discussing policies, training knights for the upcoming conquest, and that was all. So Austen also had no choice but to wait longer, and it was quite difficult because Rubia’s face came to mind every time.
‘Should I have told you that I was going to be away for a long time, are I crazy? Why did I have to tell her that?’
But not even a minute after he decided to erase his thoughts, his thoughts returned to Rubia. Auston was about to slap David, but then he noticed David and punched the air. Then David got up. Auston flinched at his unusual movements. David checked through the window that the surroundings had darkened, then pulled on his long cloak and left the room. He then quickly walked away after joining someone who was also wearing a long cloak at the side gate of the palace.
‘...Where are you going?’
The first change in David's regular path. Auston, sensing something unusual, frowned and followed him. David and his party walked along the shadows and headed down the dark street.
Realizing that he was trying to remove the mask and the hem of the hood, Auston desperately gathered his concentration and moved his magic.
“...!”
David sensed the change and was about to give some orders to the palace wizard when a white light flashed and the hand holding Auston's collar disappeared. He fell to the ground.
“Cougj, whoosh! Keuk!”
Auston lay face down on the grass somewhere and coughed painfully. Every time he coughed, dark red blood flowed out onto the grass.
'Where is this?'
Even as his mind began to blur, Auston tried to look around. In his haste, he moved to coordinates somewhere in the north, not those of Belfort Castle. If something difficult happened...
“Mr. Dosler?”
At that moment, a voice that made him doubt his ears was heard. Auston, still lying down, raised his head with difficulty and looked in the direction where the voice came from. Then, Rubia, who was just about to fall asleep, was looking at him with a pale face, wearing a thin negligee.
‘Ah, now I've even imagined such perverted things...’
As soon as he saw Rubia’s outfit, Auston shut his eyes tightly. He thought that his ugly desires had become illusions. Otherwise, Rubia’s silhouette, which was clearly visible through the thin negligee, would have disappeared as if it were stuck to his eyelids. Auston muttered a prayer to defeat the demons in his mind, but for some reason, her voice did not disappear. Instead, it got closer.
“What the...! Mr. Dosler! Come to your senses! Butler!”
He could faintly hear Rubia, who had rushed over, kneeling down beside him and calling for a servant. Auston opened his eyes, though dimly. Through his hazy vision, he saw Rubia, who was shaking with her hands and not knowing what to do.
“Mr. Dosler.”
Rubia thought that Auston had come to his senses and spoke to him. The tears that had been filling his purple eyes flowed down. Auston finally let out a hollow laugh and twisted his body. An absent-minded muttering escaped through his teeth. He was not even aware that his own lips were moving.
“As expected, fantasy is fantasy...”
"...Yes?"
“You... Wouldn’t cry because of me... If you were telling me to get lost, wouldn’t I know?”
Auston laughed like a crazy person, even though he had said it out loud as if he found it funny. Rubia bit her lip at those words. Her face twisted into a resentful grin.
“Bad kid.”
"Uh?"
“Master, what is this...!”
“Sir, I’ll call the attending physician!”
Auston let out a dumbfounded sound at the unexpected words. But his words were drowned out by the shouts of the butler and servants. Oh, this is really... Is this an illusion?
“...”
“And even if it’s just a coincidence, I would like you to try not to talk to me. It wouldn’t be good if rumors spread that I was alone with another person before my wedding.”
After saying those words, Philia was afraid to check Jeffrey's face, so she hugged his jacket tightly and turned around. As she walked quickly, footsteps followed right behind her.
“Philia.”
The call, which was filled with embarrassment, made her almost shed tears for a funny reason.
'Why are you calling me that now?'
Philia clenched her teeth to hold back her tears and walked faster. Then the footsteps following her also became faster. A louder call was heard than before.
“Philia!”
Philia increased her speed as if she were running away. When she almost reached the entrance to the park, she suddenly heard a crash behind her.
“Jeffrey?”
Philia turned around in surprise, forgetting that she had been running away from him just a moment ago. She saw blood flowing from one of Jeffrey’s knees as he fell to the ground as if he had fallen while chasing her.
“Are you crazy? You’re bleeding!”
Philia ran over in shock. She collapsed in front of Jeffrey and ripped her petticoat with her teeth. Her new dress was ruined because of it, but she didn't care. She didn't have the presence of mind to do so. Philia pressed a clean cloth to Jeffrey's wound and stopped the bleeding. She clenched her teeth, fixing her gaze on the wound. She tried to keep her face cool and said.
“Then why did you follow me?”
“...”
“I told you not to follow me.”
When the bleeding from the wound seemed to have stopped somewhat, Philia removed her hand and bandaged his knee with a freshly torn piece of cloth.
“...This isn’t even temporary, so get proper treatment. Go.”
She blurted out harsh words and realized belatedly that she was too close to Jeffrey. So she quickly got up and tried to take a step, but Jeffrey grabbed her hand. Philia, who was frozen in place, gritted her teeth.
'I have to make sure.'
She straightened her expression and looked straight at Jeffrey. As soon as she saw his face, she held back her heart was about to collapse, and poured out sharp words.
“I don’t know why you’re holding me back, but I’ll say it again. I hope we don’t run into each other again, even by chance.”
“...”
“Don’t worry, I have no intention of pushing myself through any more hopeless situations.”
After saying that, Philia tried to pull Jeffrey’s hand away. But he stubbornly held onto her hand and wouldn’t let go. Eventually, Philia crumpled her face and raised her voice.
“Why on earth won’t you let go...”
But right after that.
Thump-
Tears flowed down from his black eyes, leaving a round mark on the floor. Philia's eyes widened at the sight.
“Why, why are you crying?”
Jeffrey's face twisted slightly at the question. He licked his lips, tears streaming down his face.
“You hate me now...?”
That expression and voice left her speechless. Philia, who had been silently smiling like a goldfish for a moment due to embarrassment, belatedly came to her senses.
“I, I said so.”
"Why?"
“Why... Do I really need a reason for my feelings to change?”
As she continued to talk, her senses gradually returned. When Philia answered with a frown, Jeffrey’s face finally distorted into a mess.
“...Can’t you keep liking me?”
"...What?"
For a moment, her heart felt like it was falling to the floor. While Philia was staring blankly, Jeffrey put the hand that wasn’t holding her into his bosom and quickly took out a small ring.
"A ring... I can buy it."
The ring that he had thrown away in tears after finding out the truth when he was young. However, he could not throw it away and had to put it back in his bosom. The ring that he had to carry with him at all times. It was bought to fit the size of young Philia’s hand, so it was at most the size of a thumbnail.
“Why, why are you crying?”
Jeffrey's face twisted slightly at the question. He licked his lips, tears streaming down his face.
“You hate me now...?”
That expression and voice left her speechless. Philia, who had been silently smiling like a goldfish for a moment due to embarrassment, belatedly came to her senses.
“I, I said so.”
"Why?"
“Why... Do I really need a reason for my feelings to change?”
As she continued to talk, her senses gradually returned. When Philia answered with a frown, Jeffrey’s face finally distorted into a mess.
“...Can’t you keep liking me?”
"...What?"
For a moment, her heart felt like it was falling to the floor. While Philia was staring blankly, Jeffrey put the hand that wasn’t holding her into his bosom and quickly took out a small ring.
"A ring... I can buy it."
The ring that he had thrown away in tears after finding out the truth when he was young. However, he could not throw it away and had to put it back in his bosom. The ring that he had to carry with him at all times. It was bought to fit the size of young Philia’s hand, so it was at most the size of a thumbnail.
Jeffrey tried to raise the corners of his mouth as he put it on Philia’s little finger.
“Please continue to love me...”
“...”
He hated Philia for deceiving him, but he also loved her. Even though he kept telling himself that someone like him shouldn’t dare to keep her in his heart, Jeffrey couldn’t let her go when she had taken over his heart. So he finally decided to admit it. All the times he’d tried to push her away were meaningless struggles. He couldn’t let Philia go even if it meant dying.
“Please continue to love me...”
“...”
He hated Philia for deceiving him, but he also loved her. Even though he kept telling himself that someone like him shouldn’t dare to keep her in his heart, Jeffrey couldn’t let her go when she had taken over his heart. So he finally decided to admit it. All the times he’d tried to push her away were meaningless struggles. He couldn’t let Philia go even if it meant dying.
But when Philia tried to let him go, all the countless words she had inside disappeared into fear, and only a pitiful plea came out of her mouth.
“...”
Philia frowned as if she was going to cry at the sight of the ridiculously shaped ring on her little finger. She glared at Jeffrey with eyes full of resentment. She was annoyed at him for not even being able to change her mind.
“You are really bad.”
"...Sorry."
“...”
Philia frowned as if she was going to cry at the sight of the ridiculously shaped ring on her little finger. She glared at Jeffrey with eyes full of resentment. She was annoyed at him for not even being able to change her mind.
“You are really bad.”
"...Sorry."
“...You really did a bad job, you know that?”
"Sorry..."
Jeffrey kept spitting out apologies for Philia’s reprimands, but he didn’t let go of her hand. Eventually, Philia let out a hollow laugh and lowered her body. She squatted down in front of Jeffrey, hugged him, and patted his back.
“What kind of a tantrum is this grown man throwing... But I let it go because you're cute.”
At the small added remark, Jeffrey finally started to sob out loud. Philia let out a small laugh and patted his back affectionately until he stopped crying.
Of course, she didn't forget to tease him, saying that he was still a crybaby.
***
'Oh, here it comes again.'
Auston stood there blankly, then shook his head nervously at the sight of Rubia’s face suddenly appearing again. He was following David as ordered by Sylvia before she left. However, David was still repeating a very regular life. Meeting nobles, discussing policies, training knights for the upcoming conquest, and that was all. So Austen also had no choice but to wait longer, and it was quite difficult because Rubia’s face came to mind every time.
Just a moment ago, he was wondering how on earth Randall had figured out that Sylvia was a sorcerer. Auston habitually tried to ruffle his hair but stopped.
His hazel eyes glanced at David’s back. Auston couldn’t use multiple magics at the same time like Sylvia, so all he could do was hide himself with a spell of invisibility. In the end, he just sighed and washed his face dry, afraid that he might make a sound. Auston closed his eyes and focused on his breathing to clear his mind of useless thoughts.
‘Should I have told you that I was going to be away for a long time, are I crazy? Why did I have to tell her that?’
But not even a minute after he decided to erase his thoughts, his thoughts returned to Rubia. Auston was about to slap David, but then he noticed David and punched the air. Then David got up. Auston flinched at his unusual movements. David checked through the window that the surroundings had darkened, then pulled on his long cloak and left the room. He then quickly walked away after joining someone who was also wearing a long cloak at the side gate of the palace.
‘...Where are you going?’
The first change in David's regular path. Auston, sensing something unusual, frowned and followed him. David and his party walked along the shadows and headed down the dark street.
Auston watched them enter a building and glanced through the window.
'Is it a secret passage?'
The first floor of the building was strangely filled with nothing but bookshelves. David moved a few of the books on the bookshelf, and the bookshelf slid aside to reveal a hidden door. The two headed inside. Auston waited outside for a moment to put some distance between them, then cautiously entered the building.
'Sixteenth from the second line, third from the fourth line...'
Austen moved the book as he had seen through the window. Then, a door that looked like a pitch-black square just like before was revealed. The moment he stepped inside, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed Auston by the collar, and lightning struck his head.
“Kwaaak!”
Auston screamed in pain and grabbed the hand that was holding his collar. He could faintly hear the sound of the protective magic stones he had kept in his arms shattering one after another. The person who had grabbed Auston didn’t even move his fingertips, even though his own hands were being struck by lightning.
“I had a strange feeling, I thought there really was a rat there.”
At that moment, a familiar voice pierced his ear. Auston opened his bloodshot eyes wide and looked around. David, who had been hiding in the darkness next to the door, slowly walked out. Behind him, he saw the royal wizard holding a staff. The wizard was known for being loyal to David.
'I'm not some beast or anything.'
Auston chewed on the curse in his mind. He knew that David often accompanied the royal magician, so he had kept his distance in advance and followed them. Therefore, the possibility that the other party had noticed Auston’s magic and had done something like this was extremely low. David had only sensed that someone was following him with his own ‘intuition.’
'Is it a secret passage?'
The first floor of the building was strangely filled with nothing but bookshelves. David moved a few of the books on the bookshelf, and the bookshelf slid aside to reveal a hidden door. The two headed inside. Auston waited outside for a moment to put some distance between them, then cautiously entered the building.
'Sixteenth from the second line, third from the fourth line...'
Austen moved the book as he had seen through the window. Then, a door that looked like a pitch-black square just like before was revealed. The moment he stepped inside, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed Auston by the collar, and lightning struck his head.
“Kwaaak!”
Auston screamed in pain and grabbed the hand that was holding his collar. He could faintly hear the sound of the protective magic stones he had kept in his arms shattering one after another. The person who had grabbed Auston didn’t even move his fingertips, even though his own hands were being struck by lightning.
“I had a strange feeling, I thought there really was a rat there.”
At that moment, a familiar voice pierced his ear. Auston opened his bloodshot eyes wide and looked around. David, who had been hiding in the darkness next to the door, slowly walked out. Behind him, he saw the royal wizard holding a staff. The wizard was known for being loyal to David.
'I'm not some beast or anything.'
Auston chewed on the curse in his mind. He knew that David often accompanied the royal magician, so he had kept his distance in advance and followed them. Therefore, the possibility that the other party had noticed Auston’s magic and had done something like this was extremely low. David had only sensed that someone was following him with his own ‘intuition.’
David twisted his mouth like a mischievous child as he watched Auston writhing in his grasp.
“Then where should I see your face?”
David moved the hand that wasn't holding Auston.
'Shit...!'
“Then where should I see your face?”
David moved the hand that wasn't holding Auston.
'Shit...!'
Realizing that he was trying to remove the mask and the hem of the hood, Auston desperately gathered his concentration and moved his magic.
“...!”
David sensed the change and was about to give some orders to the palace wizard when a white light flashed and the hand holding Auston's collar disappeared. He fell to the ground.
“Cougj, whoosh! Keuk!”
Auston lay face down on the grass somewhere and coughed painfully. Every time he coughed, dark red blood flowed out onto the grass.
'Where is this?'
Even as his mind began to blur, Auston tried to look around. In his haste, he moved to coordinates somewhere in the north, not those of Belfort Castle. If something difficult happened...
“Mr. Dosler?”
At that moment, a voice that made him doubt his ears was heard. Auston, still lying down, raised his head with difficulty and looked in the direction where the voice came from. Then, Rubia, who was just about to fall asleep, was looking at him with a pale face, wearing a thin negligee.
‘Ah, now I've even imagined such perverted things...’
As soon as he saw Rubia’s outfit, Auston shut his eyes tightly. He thought that his ugly desires had become illusions. Otherwise, Rubia’s silhouette, which was clearly visible through the thin negligee, would have disappeared as if it were stuck to his eyelids. Auston muttered a prayer to defeat the demons in his mind, but for some reason, her voice did not disappear. Instead, it got closer.
“What the...! Mr. Dosler! Come to your senses! Butler!”
He could faintly hear Rubia, who had rushed over, kneeling down beside him and calling for a servant. Auston opened his eyes, though dimly. Through his hazy vision, he saw Rubia, who was shaking with her hands and not knowing what to do.
“Mr. Dosler.”
Rubia thought that Auston had come to his senses and spoke to him. The tears that had been filling his purple eyes flowed down. Auston finally let out a hollow laugh and twisted his body. An absent-minded muttering escaped through his teeth. He was not even aware that his own lips were moving.
“As expected, fantasy is fantasy...”
"...Yes?"
“You... Wouldn’t cry because of me... If you were telling me to get lost, wouldn’t I know?”
Auston laughed like a crazy person, even though he had said it out loud as if he found it funny. Rubia bit her lip at those words. Her face twisted into a resentful grin.
“Bad kid.”
"Uh?"
“Master, what is this...!”
“Sir, I’ll call the attending physician!”
Auston let out a dumbfounded sound at the unexpected words. But his words were drowned out by the shouts of the butler and servants. Oh, this is really... Is this an illusion?
Auston lost consciousness after thinking that last thought.
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