A Moment's Respite
Why did she leave the ruby pendant behind, and what exactly is that object?
Nine times out of ten, it must have come from the Temple of the Main God. Whether she simply hadn't brought it when she came to the monastery, or whether she couldn't bring it…
The Duke kept his mouth shut the entire carriage ride home, sifting through old memories and pulling out every strange detail to examine again.
“Goodness, why are you so late? I heard you left the palace ages ago. Where on earth did you go to arrive at this hour?”
The moment he stepped into the main residence, the Duchess came out to greet him, her hair still loose. The Duke handed his chilled coat to a servant and found himself unable to answer right away.
The Duchess continued to grumble.
“Cassel isn't even coming home, so at least you could return early. Morris comes home almost every day except two days a week, and it's awkward eating dinner without you.”
Cassel.
Looking back, Cassel's sudden return was different from before. The cause was unknown…
Cassel and Lady Morgana are on good terms. Yes… If she had been aiming for any kind of relationship with Cassel, there would have been no reason for her to draw such a clear line with me at the Magic Tower. She could have simply kept things civil, yet she didn't even deny it when I said we should cut ties.
If Pay had been after the position of the future Duchess of Klein, she could have easily made excuses.
So that was her true intention.
The Duke had just raised his assessment of Pay by two full levels when the Duchess's voice cut in.
“Darling! Are you even listening to me?”
“I'm sorry. I'll come home early tomorrow without fail.”
“Tiana seemed to be doing better, but now she's listless again. It's all because of that Saintess! Ever since she was sprinkled with the Saintess's holy water, her complexion has been poor on and off!”
The Saintess's holy water?
That's right… It had been the same before. The Saintess had touched the Duchess's belly and prophesied that the child might fall ill, and it had come true without fail.
That was why they had prepared in advance and sent her to the temple so quickly.
Could she have pulled the same trick again?
His suspicions deepening, the Duke asked without showing it on his face.
“How unfortunate that she's unwell again. So she ate separately from Morris?”
“No. She went for a walk today, and I was with her, so it was fine. Well, we barely spoke beyond greetings. With time, their relationship should improve a little, don't you think?”
Even as she grumbled, the shadow on the Duchess's face lifted as she smiled. It was a pleasant sight.
Suddenly, Pay's sorrowful face from their meeting at the Magic Tower came to mind. The girl who had pushed him away so thoroughly yet still helped him with magic—he hoped she would be happy and healthy.
“Is Tiana asleep?”
“No. You're back, Father?”
The Duke stared blankly at his daughter, who hid so many secrets.
Yes… He had seen it before. How she would wear the sparkling ruby pendant around her neck in front of him and the Duchess, only to tuck it away again when there was no strong reaction.
That sight had felt terribly awkward. As if she were handling something that wasn't truly hers.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes.”
My daughter. Why did you never bring up looking after Morgana or wanting to invite her? If he asked, it would be a lie to say he didn't want to, but the Duke simply nodded, assuming it was jealousy, and moved on.
On the way to the bedroom, Morris greeted him in his usual brisk tone.
“Welcome back, sir.”
“Mm.”
Indeed, he was clearly different. Whether Cassel was here or not, his once listless second son had transformed into someone far more capable. Even that alone was something to be grateful for… yet something still felt missing.
“Tiana, do you think you can manage going out? In two days, our family is hosting a small tea party. If it's too much for you, we can change the venue. I've already reserved spots at the Mizuang Hotel and the Dahlia Hotel.”
“Of course we should host it. I'll come out and at least greet the guests.”
“Understood.”
Behind him, mother and daughter were conversing calmly.
Tiana. Was your claim of being “ill” genuine? Or is there something else behind it?
Even after entering his bedroom alone, the Duke remained troubled for a long time.
* * *
Pay's eyes were fixed on the open book, yet the page hadn't changed in what felt like ages.
She couldn't even remember the sentence she had just read.
To be shaken so badly by something like this… how pathetic.
“Haa…”
“Let's go out.”
A hand suddenly appeared before her eyes and closed the magic book that had been filled with black and white.
It was Lucius.
“No!”
Pay reflexively refused, but he clicked his tongue, already wearing his coat.
“Pay, you look terrible. Nothing you do right now is going to sink in anyway.”
“That's not true!”
She denied it again and again.
She didn't want to admit that she was suffering because of a meeting with someone she had decided to cut ties with.
I am a mage.
Someone capable of solving anything rationally. I've changed completely from before, so I can't be like this!
That pointless obsession drove her forward.
“Since I came in, you've sighed at least thirty times. And it hasn't even been an hour.”
“That's…”
So Lucius hadn't just arrived—he had been watching her the whole time.
She had no words; she hadn't even noticed his stealthy footsteps.
Only then did Lucius speak, carefully and deliberately.
“Didn't I tell you before? If you can't concentrate and you're struggling physically or mentally, you have to rest. Right now, you look completely out of it.”
“……”
Ever since their hearts had connected, Lucius had chosen his words with great care—pretty words, gentle words that warmed the heart just to hear them.
But not in this moment.
It was a sharp, worried scolding, and every word sank deep into her ears.
Just because it wasn't sweet didn't mean she disliked it.
He knew exactly why she was lost and wandering.
“Anyway, put the book down.”
“Ah!”
Even so, when he snatched the book away, her hands felt strangely empty, like a true mage deprived of her tools.
Lucius calmly returned the magic book to the shelf and held out his hand.
“Let's go.”
“Where to this time?”
“Anywhere.”
Who else in this world would speak to her like that?
Someone who ignored practical limits, someone who could accomplish anything… No, a dragon.
The only reason he ever hesitated before acting was because he worried someone might get hurt because of his decisions.
She liked that about him so much.
Lucius…
Ah.
Pay suddenly fell into thought.
He had once told her in a reluctant tone, hadn't he?
About a world where Pay lost her name and died as the slave Jena, and he returned too late.
A world that, after destruction, fell into endless silence with only him left behind…
If that moment had come, you must have been terribly lonely, Lucius. I'm glad my existence changed the fate of the world…!
Whoosh!
“Pay… Pay?”
Shaking off the painful thoughts, she threw her arms around him while still seated in the chair.
The shawl that Priest Cheryl from the monastery had personally knitted and sent slipped from the armrest and fell to the floor.
She murmured unconsciously.
“Thank you for living. And thank you for coming to me.”
Why had she said that?
Before she could tilt her head in confusion, Lucius spoke in a slightly strained voice.
“That's supposed to be my line.”
“I just… wanted to say it now.”
“Then I won't hold back what I want to say either. Let's go out.”
After hearing the invitation three times in a row, Pay laughed softly against his chest.
“All right.”
“Good.”
Looking triumphant, Lucius brought over a rolled-up map and spread it wide.
Then he picked up the soundly sleeping Momo and plopped the little Drakan down in the center of the inland region.
“Kuuu!”
Woken so rudely, Momo shook his beak in protest.
“Be quiet. You should be grateful I didn't just toss you.”
“Why Momo?”
Lucius answered Pay's question casually.
“I thought if the distance wasn't too far, a scenic Drakan flight might be nice, so I brought him along. We can use spatial magic to jump to the middle of the destination and fly the rest of the way if we want.”
Even though they could have reached the place in one spatial jump, Momo's eyes trembled at the suggestion of going farther.
They were going on a trip together—why drag him into it just to torment him?
Did riding on a Drakan's back really make travel that much better?
“Kuu…”
“If we're just going to the outskirts, isn't anywhere fine this season?”
Pay asked quite seriously.
“What are you talking about? Of course we should pick the best place for this season. Hmm… How about here?”
The spot Lucius pointed to was near the Logia estate where Cassel had once been stationed.
The problem was that his finger had landed on the Hinon Kingdom, just beyond the empire's border.
“Ah, this place is…”
Pay tried to pull his finger back inside the empire's borders, but Lucius stubbornly refused to move it.
Only when his well-trimmed nail looked ready to tear the map did she finally give up.
“Let's go there. I like that place.”
“It's another country!”
“That doesn't mean anything to me. Besides, the roses are in full bloom there right now. Plenty to see.”
“There are plenty of roses in the imperial palace too…! Oh.”
Pay finally understood why he had chosen the Hinon Kingdom.
Going to the palace would inevitably bring back gloomy memories and increase the chances of running into the Duke of Klein.
If they were unlucky, they might even encounter the arrogant Duchess and Dot…
Since none of them would travel all the way to the distant Hinon Kingdom, Lucius was kindly making allowances for her.
“When we have more time later, let's plan a proper trip for a few days. The Hinon Kingdom trains magic swordsmen differently from the empire—it should be interesting. For now, let's just go enjoy the roses.”
“That's fine for you, but I'm a foreigner. Is it really all right to just go? What if they ask me to prove my identity?”
Lucius gave her a mischievous look.
“If anything happens, the two of us can just run off and settle down in some countryside village or mountain.”
“What?”
How… how could he tease her even at a time like this!
Pay's face flushed bright red as she lightly smacked his shoulder.
“Hahaha, feeling better now?”
Grinning widely, he opened his arms toward her.
This time, I'm definitely not hugging him!
“Don't play these kinds of pranks anymore!”
“I don't want to.”
“Lucius…! Ah!”
As she tried to stand up quickly from the chair, her foot slipped and she tumbled sideways onto the map spread across the table. Whether by luck or misfortune, her head landed on Momo's soft back instead of the hard surface, so it didn't hurt.
“Kuek!”
And then…
“Are you all right?”
“……”
Lucius gazed down at her with gentle concern as she lay sprawled awkwardly across the table.
They were far too close.
Pay's heart was pounding so violently she felt certain it would burst through her clothes, and she could barely breathe.
While her light-green eyes blinked in flustered confusion, his lips slowly pressed together.
Peep… peep?
Trapped beneath her, the oversized Momo struggled in vain—his true body might be large, but his transformed form was small.