Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 44. The Owl's House (5)
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“You get drunk just from beer, huh? It's true after all?”
The princess reached out toward Veil's face.
When he showed no reaction, she gently waved her palm in front of it.
A faint beer scent mixed with the girl's unique apricot fragrance tickled the tip of his nose.
Soon, she extended a finger and lightly brushed back his bangs.
Then she gazed intently at his face.
At the face of the man who had once been her protector, back in his twenties.
“...”
Afterward, the princess drew even closer to him.
As she slowly looked him up and down.
Her eyes caught the Water Lily Corps medal pinned to his chest.
Irina grasped the emblem with her fingers.
And tucked it into his chest pocket, hiding it away.
The princess's hair brushed against his shoulder.
Then her soft breath tickled the knight's cheek.
The moment her breath came fully close.
The princess placed her slender fingers on Veil's chin.
“Even so, now that we've come this far...”
Her eyes gleamed in the darkness like a silver fox.
Irina carefully pulled his face toward hers.
And just as she was about to mark him with her trembling lips.
“...!”
She startled at his furrowed brow in sleep.
She thought Veil had woken up.
The princess pressed a hand to her chest.
And worked to calm her pounding heart.
With the tension broken, she cautiously rose.
And slipped back under the covers as if nothing had happened.
Soon, Irina pulled the blanket fully over herself.
Then, peeking only her face out.
She gazed intently at the sleeping Veil.
“...”
Her empress-like eyes sparkled even more in the darkness.
Only after confirming that Veil's earlier movement had just been sleep-talking could she finally let out a sigh of relief.
The secluded villa.
An owl's hoot echoed from outside the window.
Yet the princess couldn't fall asleep easily.
Her heart was still thumping away.
Irina pulled the blanket over her head, as if to hide the sound.
Only then did Veil slowly open his eyes.
And stared fixedly at the silhouette of the princess hidden under the blanket.
'What was she trying to do just now?'
As he pondered alone.
He noticed the princess's feet kicking under the covers.
Kicking hard at the thick silk blanket with her feet.
Soon, she sat up abruptly with a groan.
“This won't do.”
At that, the knight hurriedly closed his eyes again.
The princess wore an expression of frustration, as if angry at something.
No matter how gracious and approachable her image was her strength, she was still of the emperor's blood.
A descendant of conquerors who always wanted to claim what she desired.
With resolve in her eyes, she got out of bed and wrapped the blanket around herself.
Then she approached Veil.
The princess looked down at him with her emerald eyes...
And plopped down lightly beside him.
She began wrapping the blanket around him.
Soon, the imperial silk blanket fully covered Veil's shoulders.
Afterward, Irina casually leaned her slender shoulder against him.
Silently, as if it were her right.
But Irina wasn't satisfied with that.
Finding it insufficient, she pulled Veil's face atop her own crown with a prim expression.
And closed her eyes calmly, their faces pressed together.
“...”
Her breathing came in soft, girlish snuffles.
Only when he heard that could Veil finally open his eyes.
His shoulder ached from her leaning on it so long.
He slowly lowered his head to gaze at the top of hers.
Her hair parted into twin tails on either side.
One of those tails trailed down along the knight's body.
“...”
Veil agonized for a long time over whether to get up.
But perhaps because old memories surfaced.
He decided to overlook the princess's stubbornness this once.
* * * *
Warm sunlight poured in through the window.
It fell upon her silver hair, creating a soft halo.
The orphanage next to the villa.
Children's laughter rang out from it.
Perhaps thanks to that refreshing sound.
Her tightly shut silver eyelids began to stir.
“Ugh...”
Something thick was wrapped around the princess's body.
Irina gently pushed it aside and scanned her surroundings.
“Did I... sleep on the floor?”
How much had she drunk last night to end up on the floor instead of the bed?
Veil must have seen—what an embarrassing sight that would have been.
She hurriedly looked around.
But Veil was nowhere to be seen.
Irina's head throbbed with every movement.
Overcoming the pain, she somehow managed to sit up.
“How much did I drink last night...”
She remembered nothing from the night before.
She recalled going out the back door with the witch to look for clues.
That woman then.
She'd clung to Veil so brazenly—it had irritated her.
'So tiny, too...'
Irina slipped her hand between her silk pajamas.
Rubbing her sore stomach, she moved to the center of the bedroom.
“Where's the water...”
She looked at the table.
There was a single water pitcher.
And beside it, various dishes neatly arranged.
There were no maids to manage this villa.
Only a caretaker came to clean and inspect.
Yet steam rose gently from the dishes.
As if they contained food.
The aroma of fragrant, hearty soup.
The fresh scent of salad.
Drawn by the smells, she approached the table.
And came face-to-face with it.
Mushroom soup and salad.
“Who made this...?”
It was hardly the time to eat.
Her memories of last night were hazy, and Veil was missing.
But...
The creamy soup seemed to smile at the princess, beckoning her to soothe her growling stomach.
“It won't taste good cold anyway.”
Irina cautiously glanced around.
“Veil must have gone home...?”
Confirming even he wasn't there, she sat lightly on the chair.
And, out of habit, swept her side hair back as she reached for a spoonful.
But oddly, the side of her head felt empty.
The strange sensation nagged her, but she tasted the soup first.
“Guhhh...”
Her brows furrowed involuntarily.
The creamy soup caressed her sensitive throat.
The flavor drew a groan from her.
“This is seriously good...? A new servant?”
No maid or chef had ever produced such taste.
If she found out which servant made it, she'd reward them handsomely.
Thinking that, the princess ate the soup.
She picked up a salad leaf with her fingers and crunched it lightly.
Before long, the bowls were empty.
Irina left them be and exhaled refreshingly.
“Haa...”
With her hunger sated.
Her gaze finally turned to the window.
“My stomach feels better now.”
Knowing no one was around, she spoke in a lower voice than usual.
When conducting herself as a princess, she had to force a refined tone.
But...
Her relaxed voice soon turned to panic.
At the window she'd glanced at leisurely.
Beyond it stood Veil.
He had his arm propped on the windowsill, silently watching her eat.
“Does your stomach feel---better now?”
The sentinel knight stared at her with narrowed eyes.
At his sight, Irina's eyes twitched beneath.
“Wh-when did you get there?”
“Since you got up from the floor?”
Her hand slipping into her pajamas to rub her stomach.
The way she'd slurped the soup and let out an 'ahh' like some old man.
Her face, already pale, drained white at the thought he'd seen it all.
“I thought you weren't at the villa, so you'd gone home and servants had come...”
“How could I leave my charge unguarded?”
Veil glanced around and replied flatly.
“Then this food? Bought from outside?”
“No, I made it myself.”
“A-all of it?”
Irina kept questioning, whether from the food's deliciousness or disbelief at the situation.
Veil answered indifferently.
“Lately, cooking's become more of a hobby than swordplay...”
I said, fiddling with my sword sheath.
Moments ago, the sword at my waist had sliced mushrooms and potatoes.
“Ah...”
Realizing the situation, Irina dropped her spoon.
Struggling to accept it, she slowly shook her head.
Her twin tails swayed with each shake.
At the sensation, Irina furrowed her brow.
She touched her trembling twin tails with shaky hands.
“Why is my hair...”
The princess looked at Veil uncomprehendingly.
The sentinel knight shrugged.
“You washed it last night and tied it yourself like that, remember?”
Irina stood up.
She grabbed the hand mirror by the bed and stared at her reflection.
Cute twin tails tied on either side.
Plus a few strands stuck to her lips.
It was hardly the dignified look of imperial royalty.
Maybe fitting for a sassy underclassman at the academy.
Only then did fragments of last night's antics start coming back.
Jealous of the witch claiming to be Veil's childhood friend, she'd gotten plastered.
Stumbled and bashed her head on a lamppost.
Been piggybacked by the knight she liked.
And late at night, tried to steal a kiss on his cheek...
Soon, her pink lips parted.
She clutched her twin tails.
And gathered them to cover her face.
“Um, Veil...”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I didn't do anything weird last night, did I?”
The princess mumbled softly, face hidden.
“...”
Veil, who always answered her promptly.
His hesitation filled her with dread.
She poked out her twin tails and looked at the knight with a face redder than when drunk.
Veil feigned nonchalance.
“Well... I'm not really sure.”
Dodging the question.
Her face began to distort bit by bit.
Soon, she undid her hair.
And muttered with her head bowed.
“I want to be alone... Could you step out for a bit?”
“Understood.”
Veil leisurely withdrew from the window and out of sight.
Irina promptly closed the window and drew the curtains.
The bedroom darkened.
Like when drunk, she staggered to the bed.
And flopped her ragged body onto it limply.
Irina's slender arms pulled a pillow close.
She buried her face in it and screamed at the top of her lungs.
―――――.
Meanwhile, Veil waited at the villa's entrance.
Until the princess's carriage arrived to fetch her.
He had no intention of returning to the Verdant Knights together.
There was another knight order he needed to visit first.
He yawned with a bored expression until the carriage came.
Then, Irina's twin tails suddenly came to mind.
Her utterly defenseless, disheveled face.
The image made him chuckle unwittingly.
Back when he'd guarded her.
It was just like the time she'd rushed in late to an imperial council.
Past life or now, Irina was the same.
He hoped she'd keep that side of her.
And to ensure that...
First, he had to catch our would-be next captain who'd started the fire.
Veil leaned against the wall, thinking that.