Then, Felix used magic he hadn’t shown even to his subordinates. Cool water enveloped Sylvia, then disappeared, cleaning not only her clothes and body but also freshening her mouth.
She opened her eyes wide in surprise. Felix dried her with wind magic, despite his armor and sword still being stained with the beast’s blood; he only cared for Sylvia.
She found herself unable to say anything, just looking up at him. Felix’s voice was softer now, his earlier agitation somewhat subsided.
“It wasn’t poison?”
Sylvia nodded vigorously in response to his question.
“No, it wasn’t.”
Felix’s gaze, which seemed to be carefully assessing her complexion, shifted as Erin flew towards him.
[No, I was with her. It’s just that Sylvia was surprised!]
All the fairies hidden within his armor sprang out.
[Sylvia, are you okay?]
[You must have been quite startled.]
[Felix, it’s Sylvia’s first time seeing a demonic beast! That must have scared her!]
Sylvia couldn’t help but smile at the fairies’ remarks, one after another. Her previous regrets and fears had vanished.
Felix finally grasped the situation, yet he remained concerned. The mercenary group returned after collecting the demonic beast’s essence and completing their cleanup. Hubert saw Felix using magic from a distance.
But he was not surprised.
The Capitis royal family is born with unusual powers. The late king possessed special abilities as well. He could use magic of three elements. Therefore, Hubert had anticipated Felix’s capabilities, even though he had not demonstrated them.
Hubert had no doubt that his lord possessed magical talents surpassing those of the previous king.
After finishing their tasks, the group moved on. Sylvia still sat in front of Felix, soothing herself with the sound of galloping horse hooves.
Upon reaching a flat area after an ascent, the Croban mercenaries halted. It seemed to be a resting place along their route. Felix pulled the reins and announced.
“We will stay here for the night.”
“Yes, Captain!”
He dismounted first and extended his hand. Sylvia felt as if she was floating. Felix effortlessly carried her in his arms.
“Felix?”
Sylvia was carried in a princess-like manner. Felix seated her against a large tree, bending one knee to carefully check her complexion again.
His concern made her heart swell. Without saying a word, it was clear he was worried. Felix softly said,
“There will be more fearsome beasts ahead. If you wish to return now, just say so. I’ll take you back.”
Sylvia was taken aback by his words. His statement made her reflect.
She had been living comfortably within the castle walls, forgetting. This place was from a novel she had read, and if things went as in the novel, the protagonist, Felix, would face even more challenges ahead.
The number of demonic beasts would increase, and human casualties would become inevitable.
At the climax of the story, the demonic beasts would eventually invade the castle, leading to the dissolution of the Caudatium regime. And Felix would ultimately kill his stepmother and ascend to the throne, waging war against the empire.
Sylvia bit her lip hard.
It was just a story in a novel, after all.
Or perhaps because she had teleported to this dimension and was still unfamiliar with this place, it felt awkward…
She stopped making excuses.
This place, which she thought existed only in a novel, was now the world she lived in. Felix, whom she thought would be the protagonist revolving around his own story, was indeed standing in front of her, very much alive and speaking.
She began to speak to Felix, who was waiting for an answer.
“It’s okay. I was just startled because it’s my first time. Thank you for worrying about me.”
She was startled because it was disgusting. Of course, she had felt the threat to her life and had been creeped out by the terrifying movement of the tentacles.
She looked into the night sky-like eyes that calmly gazed back at her.
“Really, I’m fine. You’re strong, so I’ll be okay. If anything happens, I can also escape with magic. You don’t have to worry so much.”
Her smile was not forced but genuine, born from sincerity. Sylvia felt as if she was finally standing firm in this place.
Feeling a sense of belonging while looking into Felix’s careful eyes.
A sense of belonging in the same world as him…
However…
Sylvia’s smile turned into a frown as she inwardly exclaimed.
‘But the demonic beasts are really disgusting!’
The disgust was stronger than the fear. Reminding herself that the most detestable and loathsome things in the world were disgusting creatures, Sylvia shivered.
★★38. The Duke of Visconti Now★★
Lucino absentmindedly cut his steak. It was the veal steak that the head chef of the Duke’s household usually served with confidence. It was a dish Lucino would normally welcome, but for the first time in his life, he was experiencing a lack of appetite.
How could he not feel hungry?
Lucino, who had always thought this way, had his absolute truth shattered by Sylvia.
Clatter.
He finally put down his knife and fork and gestured. Aaron, concerned, asked,
“Your Excellency, should I take away your meal?”
Instead of answering, Lucino nodded once and then requested something from Aaron.
“I’d like some hot tea. With whiskey in it.”
“Yes, I’ll prepare it right away.”
Aaron signaled a maid with a glance to clear the table, then poured hot tea from a nearby teapot into a cup and added a small amount of whiskey.
Lucino murmured while looking out the window.
“Why did she disappear?”
Aaron, pouring the tea, looked down. It wasn’t a question that demanded an answer.
“What exactly… did she not like?”
He lamented the disappearance of Sylvia, recalling the moment he had gifted her the kitchen made especially for her. She seemed to have liked it.
The satisfaction he felt then was indescribable. He had even blamed himself for not having prepared it sooner, such was the magnitude of his satisfaction.
Sylvia’s blushing cheeks and downcast eyes with a smile…
Were so lovely…
He wanted to keep seeing them.
Lucino put down the teacup he was about to lift and rubbed his eyebrows with his elegant fingers.
Lovely, he thought.
Confusion settled on his face at the thought he had just recalled.
It was a simple fondness that began with his high regard for her skills, hoping she would comfortably cook in his household. Her skills were truly remarkable. She brought new dishes every day, made from ingredients that seemed ordinary at first glance but upon closer inspection, showed meticulous care.
What kind of person was he?
Lucino, who had always had a keen interest in food, knew that if he asked the Duke’s head chef to bring something he had never tasted before, the chef would spend days brainstorming and preparing.
But with her, it was a daily occurrence. She surprised and delighted him every day. And what about the fruits and vegetables she offered? They were fresh and high in sugar content, so he could eat them all day long.
‘But why…’
Why did she disappear as soon as he introduced her to the kitchen?
He had thought maybe she had informed Aaron in advance, but Aaron was also unaware.
Thinking she might have tipped off the coachman, he asked him directly, but the coachman, too, shook with a clueless expression.
It had been a week.
A week since she had not come to the Duke’s house. He ran his hand, previously stroking his eyebrow, through his hair. He sighed deeply and instructed Aaron.
“Prepare the carriage. With a coachman who knows her house.”
Frustrated, he planned to visit Sylvia’s house himself. He knew from sending a servant or coachman earlier that she had left her house, but…
He felt that only by seeing with his own eyes could he alleviate the frustration he was experiencing.
“Yes, seeing for myself will lead to resignation.”
Aware that he was excessively concerned, he wanted to see for himself. Aaron responded with a nod.
Standing in front of Sylvia’s house, Lucino looked around. The neighboring houses were all dilapidated and shabby, but hers was different. Her house had a unique architecture, as if it was nestled within a giant ancient tree.
Sweet fragrances endlessly wafted from her house. Lucino, after pacing in front of the house, stood at the door as if he had made up his mind.
“Really, I didn’t want to resort to this…”
The thought suddenly crossed his mind: what if she had fallen ill? He knew from the documents that she lived alone.
What if she hadn’t disappeared but was in a life-threatening situation, waiting for someone’s help? Although he felt uneasy at first, he gradually rationalized his actions.
Finally, he opened her house door using his abilities. Opening a wooden door was a simple task. With the intention of only ensuring her safety, Lucino stepped into Sylvia’s house.
He felt uneasy for entering without permission, but upon seeing the interior, he was taken aback.
The living room, or so it seemed, was filled with various plants.
Bright red tomatoes, luscious strawberries, fresh green grapes – all the fruits and vegetables he had ever tasted filled the walls of the living room. Sylvia’s house, imbued with her magic, allowed the plants to grow on their own even in her absence.
They had been harvested daily for cooking, but now, with no one to gather them, they grew unchecked.
Lucino wandered around as if enchanted, inspecting every corner. Only after checking the second floor did he realize that she was not at home.
He had to accept it now.
Sylvia had fled to avoid him.
This was her way of rejecting his proposal.
But why?
Lucino couldn’t understand. He couldn’t figure out what was lacking in his offer that led her to refuse it. With a sense of emptiness, he looked around once more and then called Aaron.
“Aaron, gather all the produce from here and bring it to the Duke’s house. And find someone to take care of her house.”
Lucino’s departing figure looked quite forlorn.
Now, if he went a day without eating the food she prepared, he felt anxious. It had already been a week since he hadn’t eaten, so he thought he should at least eat the produce she had grown.
Boarding the white Duke’s carriage, Lucino thought again. He must find her, no matter what. This was a matter of his own survival.
Leave a Reply