After everyone had left, Lamia appeared quietly. Instead of food, she held a bucket full of warm water.
“What about food?”
"I brought it because I thought the Princess might freeze to death before the food was ready. Look, your lips are blue. I told her you were about to die, and the innkeeper gave it to me in a hurry."
Lamia laughed out loud like a rascal.
She wet a towel with water and wiped my face, then had me soak my feet in the remaining water.
“If you soak your feet in warm water, your body will quickly become warm.”
The gentle touch felt so awkward that I found myself fidgeting and muttering.
“When will you put me in danger...”
"Are you still talking about that? Back then, I had to survive first, and now we're on the same side, right? It would be a problem if the Princess suddenly died before I could escape."
"Ugh."
It was a mean thing to say, but somehow it didn't feel mean.
She lay down on my bed without permission while I was soaking my feet in the bucket.
The action felt so natural, and it was absurd because it was the first time I had ever had my place to lie down taken away.
She grumbled, leaning on her arm and looking at me, either pretending not to see my gaze or not.
“My stomach is sticking to my back. I haven’t been able to eat properly while I was hiding in the palace.”
"How on earth did you manage to hide without being discovered? The guards must have searched the palace thoroughly."
Lamia shrugged and answered insincerely.
"What? It's a trade secret, so don't ask. I'm so hungry I don't even have the energy to talk."
Despite all that, she seemed more energetic than I.
We continued to whisper in small voices, mindful of the knights guarding the hallway.
“When are you planning on running away? Shouldn’t you be leaving soon?”
"Oh, I need to fill my stomach before that. I saw the innkeeper slicing up some meat earlier. Use it."
She salivated and smacked her lips.
I found her so fascinating.
“Just in case, you know that there’s a wanted poster for you distributed throughout the empire, right...?”
How can she be so peaceful when Kavala has released so many soldiers to search for her?
"I know. So, while you were busy hiding, you dyed your hair, right? You must have had a really hard time stealing the hair dye."
Then she glanced at me.
“And that wanted poster is all because of you, Princess! They’re framing me for the theft!”
“No, that’s not it...!”
“What is not not?”
“I feel wronged.”
“What’s wrong with you? I really am.”
“...”
I kept my mouth shut, unable to explain that even if I hadn't stolen, the wanted poster would have been distributed.
Lamia suddenly clung to me with her eyes sparkling.
“We’re accomplices, and I feel like I’m the one who’s at a bit of a disadvantage. Shouldn’t we share some of the treasure we stole that day?”
I squinted my eyes and glanced at her.
“I hope you think carefully about what you did to me that day.”
“Did you just admit to stealing the treasure?”
“You’re saying you’re shameless.”
“How much did you steal? Can’t you just give me a small one?”
“When are you going to leave?”
“I need money to ride the moving magic circle, so please give me just one jewel, yes?”
“You said you were going to eat.”
“I didn’t say I was going right away. I said I was going to fill my stomach first.”
The roundabout conversation continued.
Even though the water I had soaked my feet in was cooling, I continued the conversation without stopping.
I was amazed at myself having such a light and free conversation with someone.
The conversation with Lamia was different from the conversation with Karl, and also different from the conversation with Callius.
“Don’t you want to go home? Your family will be worried.”
Lamia answered, tapping her foot.
“The people you meet are your family, and the place you rest your head is your home.”
Suddenly, I remembered what the guard had said when I first met Lamia.
“How dare you, a gypsy, speak the name of Her Royal Highness, you filthy bastard!”
It was strange that the guard spoke as if he knew Lamia.
“Are you a gypsy?”
Lamia smiled brightly.
“Please call me a wanderer in pursuit of romance.”
It was called Gypsy.
'Is it true that the Kavala soldier knew Lamia...? Is she really not a thief?'
I asked calmly.
“Why on earth did a romantic wanderer hide in the palace?”
“Hiding? I told you I was kidnapped.”
“...To whom?”
“To the Empress!”
"Why?"
“How would I know? I was wandering around with a group of guys, and I think some son of a bitch sold me out.”
“Sell you?”
"Yes. He said he'd gotten some good liquor from somewhere, so I drank it, and then I started to feel dizzy. When I woke up, I was locked in a chest. My arms and legs were shackled, and I was so shocked!"
Lamia said such a great thing with such a nonchalant expression.
Her expression was so calm that it was hard to tell whether she was lying or telling the truth.
‘A chest...? Why would you lock someone in a chest and bring them into the palace?’
I wanted to ask her more questions, but someone knocked outside.
Knock knock.
"Who are you?"
As Lamia walked to the door and asked, a reply came.
“I’ll bring you a meal.”
Lamia's face, which had been gloomy the whole time, brightened in an instant.
She opened the door abruptly.
A servant stood at the door, carrying food. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be a servant working at an inn.
“Give it to me.”
Lamia smiled brightly and accepted the tray from the servant.
The servant handed her the tray, then looked up and glanced at me.
The servant's eyes met mine.
At that moment, I froze.
'That guy...!'
His unusual eyebrow shape was familiar.
I recognized him, but he didn't seem to think I recognized him.
It was obvious. I'd never met anyone like that in this life.
He was Viscount Pelsus's errand boy, handling any dirty work he asked of him, such as murder, kidnapping, and torture.
'Why is that person here?'
What's going on? Is it Kavala? Was it Andrea's choice? Is she trying to kill me? Or Callius?
The man acted like a servant in an inn, handed Lamia some food, and disappeared.
My heart was pounding.
'I don't know what happened, but I think it would be best to tell Callius about this without the maids knowing.'
“Princess? Are you alright?”
Lamia shook my shoulder.
I grabbed Lamia's wrist. My hands were shaking violently and turning white.
“Don’t eat that.”
“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?”
“Don’t eat that food, Lamia.”
Lamia looked confused, looking back and forth between the food and me.
My heart was pounding harder and harder. Something inside my chest felt like it was going to tear apart.
“Ugh...”
In an instant, many memories flashed through my mind like firecrackers.
The hand that had been dragging me away, the darkness of the cellar, the kicking, the fear of death, all came to mind in a dizzying manner.
“Huk...! Ugh...!”
My breathing became rapid.
“Shall I call the knights, the men? Now, just wait a moment!”
Lamia tried to run out of the room.
I caught that Lamia.
“No...! No, no... Stay still, please...”
Lamia stamped her feet as she watched me gasp for breath and hold on.
I held onto her as tightly as I could.
With the other hand, I clutched my hair and tried to shake off the scary and unpleasant thoughts.
At that moment, Lamia, who had been fidgeting, hugged me tightly.
"It's okay."
“...!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
A hand patting my back. Warm body heat. A feeling of pressure envelops my body.
As I focused on those unfamiliar sensations, strangely enough, my breathing gradually calmed down.
“It’s okay now.”
I burst into tears when I heard that it was okay now.
“Sob...!”
I buried my face in Lamia's shoulder and sobbed quietly.
But the sobbing lasted only a moment, and I struggled to stop crying.
There was no time to cry now.
“Lamia, can you use that magic again, like you did with my face last time?”
“Huh? Uh...”
Lamia's embarrassed face wavered as tears obscured her vision.
He wiped away the tears with the back of his hand and held her shoulders.
"Hiding it won't help. I saw it all. Please, use that magic to pretend to be me here for a moment."
"Yes?"
“It’ll only take a moment. Just lie down on the bed as if you’re asleep, in case the maids come.”
“What are you going to do?”
She looked at me suspiciously when I suddenly made this request, as I was shivering and pale, barely able to breathe properly.
"Are you okay? Are you awake? Do you know where you are?"
“Are you in your right mind? Please.”
I changed into Lamia's outer garment and put on a hood to cover my head and face.
'I must warn Callius.'
“What about food?”
"I brought it because I thought the Princess might freeze to death before the food was ready. Look, your lips are blue. I told her you were about to die, and the innkeeper gave it to me in a hurry."
Lamia laughed out loud like a rascal.
She wet a towel with water and wiped my face, then had me soak my feet in the remaining water.
“If you soak your feet in warm water, your body will quickly become warm.”
The gentle touch felt so awkward that I found myself fidgeting and muttering.
“When will you put me in danger...”
"Are you still talking about that? Back then, I had to survive first, and now we're on the same side, right? It would be a problem if the Princess suddenly died before I could escape."
"Ugh."
It was a mean thing to say, but somehow it didn't feel mean.
She lay down on my bed without permission while I was soaking my feet in the bucket.
The action felt so natural, and it was absurd because it was the first time I had ever had my place to lie down taken away.
She grumbled, leaning on her arm and looking at me, either pretending not to see my gaze or not.
“My stomach is sticking to my back. I haven’t been able to eat properly while I was hiding in the palace.”
"How on earth did you manage to hide without being discovered? The guards must have searched the palace thoroughly."
Lamia shrugged and answered insincerely.
"What? It's a trade secret, so don't ask. I'm so hungry I don't even have the energy to talk."
Despite all that, she seemed more energetic than I.
We continued to whisper in small voices, mindful of the knights guarding the hallway.
“When are you planning on running away? Shouldn’t you be leaving soon?”
"Oh, I need to fill my stomach before that. I saw the innkeeper slicing up some meat earlier. Use it."
She salivated and smacked her lips.
I found her so fascinating.
“Just in case, you know that there’s a wanted poster for you distributed throughout the empire, right...?”
How can she be so peaceful when Kavala has released so many soldiers to search for her?
"I know. So, while you were busy hiding, you dyed your hair, right? You must have had a really hard time stealing the hair dye."
Then she glanced at me.
“And that wanted poster is all because of you, Princess! They’re framing me for the theft!”
“No, that’s not it...!”
“What is not not?”
“I feel wronged.”
“What’s wrong with you? I really am.”
“...”
I kept my mouth shut, unable to explain that even if I hadn't stolen, the wanted poster would have been distributed.
Lamia suddenly clung to me with her eyes sparkling.
“We’re accomplices, and I feel like I’m the one who’s at a bit of a disadvantage. Shouldn’t we share some of the treasure we stole that day?”
I squinted my eyes and glanced at her.
“I hope you think carefully about what you did to me that day.”
“Did you just admit to stealing the treasure?”
“You’re saying you’re shameless.”
“How much did you steal? Can’t you just give me a small one?”
“When are you going to leave?”
“I need money to ride the moving magic circle, so please give me just one jewel, yes?”
“You said you were going to eat.”
“I didn’t say I was going right away. I said I was going to fill my stomach first.”
The roundabout conversation continued.
Even though the water I had soaked my feet in was cooling, I continued the conversation without stopping.
I was amazed at myself having such a light and free conversation with someone.
The conversation with Lamia was different from the conversation with Karl, and also different from the conversation with Callius.
“Don’t you want to go home? Your family will be worried.”
Lamia answered, tapping her foot.
“The people you meet are your family, and the place you rest your head is your home.”
Suddenly, I remembered what the guard had said when I first met Lamia.
“How dare you, a gypsy, speak the name of Her Royal Highness, you filthy bastard!”
It was strange that the guard spoke as if he knew Lamia.
“Are you a gypsy?”
Lamia smiled brightly.
“Please call me a wanderer in pursuit of romance.”
It was called Gypsy.
'Is it true that the Kavala soldier knew Lamia...? Is she really not a thief?'
I asked calmly.
“Why on earth did a romantic wanderer hide in the palace?”
“Hiding? I told you I was kidnapped.”
“...To whom?”
“To the Empress!”
"Why?"
“How would I know? I was wandering around with a group of guys, and I think some son of a bitch sold me out.”
“Sell you?”
"Yes. He said he'd gotten some good liquor from somewhere, so I drank it, and then I started to feel dizzy. When I woke up, I was locked in a chest. My arms and legs were shackled, and I was so shocked!"
Lamia said such a great thing with such a nonchalant expression.
Her expression was so calm that it was hard to tell whether she was lying or telling the truth.
‘A chest...? Why would you lock someone in a chest and bring them into the palace?’
I wanted to ask her more questions, but someone knocked outside.
Knock knock.
"Who are you?"
As Lamia walked to the door and asked, a reply came.
“I’ll bring you a meal.”
Lamia's face, which had been gloomy the whole time, brightened in an instant.
She opened the door abruptly.
A servant stood at the door, carrying food. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be a servant working at an inn.
“Give it to me.”
Lamia smiled brightly and accepted the tray from the servant.
The servant handed her the tray, then looked up and glanced at me.
The servant's eyes met mine.
At that moment, I froze.
'That guy...!'
His unusual eyebrow shape was familiar.
I recognized him, but he didn't seem to think I recognized him.
It was obvious. I'd never met anyone like that in this life.
He was Viscount Pelsus's errand boy, handling any dirty work he asked of him, such as murder, kidnapping, and torture.
'Why is that person here?'
What's going on? Is it Kavala? Was it Andrea's choice? Is she trying to kill me? Or Callius?
The man acted like a servant in an inn, handed Lamia some food, and disappeared.
My heart was pounding.
'I don't know what happened, but I think it would be best to tell Callius about this without the maids knowing.'
“Princess? Are you alright?”
Lamia shook my shoulder.
I grabbed Lamia's wrist. My hands were shaking violently and turning white.
“Don’t eat that.”
“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?”
“Don’t eat that food, Lamia.”
Lamia looked confused, looking back and forth between the food and me.
My heart was pounding harder and harder. Something inside my chest felt like it was going to tear apart.
“Ugh...”
In an instant, many memories flashed through my mind like firecrackers.
The hand that had been dragging me away, the darkness of the cellar, the kicking, the fear of death, all came to mind in a dizzying manner.
“Huk...! Ugh...!”
My breathing became rapid.
“Shall I call the knights, the men? Now, just wait a moment!”
Lamia tried to run out of the room.
I caught that Lamia.
“No...! No, no... Stay still, please...”
Lamia stamped her feet as she watched me gasp for breath and hold on.
I held onto her as tightly as I could.
With the other hand, I clutched my hair and tried to shake off the scary and unpleasant thoughts.
At that moment, Lamia, who had been fidgeting, hugged me tightly.
"It's okay."
“...!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
A hand patting my back. Warm body heat. A feeling of pressure envelops my body.
As I focused on those unfamiliar sensations, strangely enough, my breathing gradually calmed down.
“It’s okay now.”
I burst into tears when I heard that it was okay now.
“Sob...!”
I buried my face in Lamia's shoulder and sobbed quietly.
But the sobbing lasted only a moment, and I struggled to stop crying.
There was no time to cry now.
“Lamia, can you use that magic again, like you did with my face last time?”
“Huh? Uh...”
Lamia's embarrassed face wavered as tears obscured her vision.
He wiped away the tears with the back of his hand and held her shoulders.
"Hiding it won't help. I saw it all. Please, use that magic to pretend to be me here for a moment."
"Yes?"
“It’ll only take a moment. Just lie down on the bed as if you’re asleep, in case the maids come.”
“What are you going to do?”
She looked at me suspiciously when I suddenly made this request, as I was shivering and pale, barely able to breathe properly.
"Are you okay? Are you awake? Do you know where you are?"
“Are you in your right mind? Please.”
I changed into Lamia's outer garment and put on a hood to cover my head and face.
'I must warn Callius.'
Comments
Post a Comment