“No.” As if to say it couldn’t be true, her head slowly turned. “Yes. It can’t be.”
Whether it was a mediator between the Emperor and Catherine or the time when an unexpected baby swan appeared in this isolated lake, even if she considered each case, it wasn’t an unlikely assumption. But for that to happen, a tremendous amount of magical power was needed.
“Ronin, you haven’t cast any other curses without my knowledge, have you?”
“What are you talking about? It’s something I had stake my life on.”
“Yes, I guess not.”
It was a well-known fact that if one cast a curse, one had to pay a price equal to it. She had never forgotten the fact that she had a chilling magician by her side, ready to compensate for it. “Then if someone else is under a spell, can you recognize it?”
“Well, who knows? Maybe I can tell if I touch that person with my own hands.”
“…”
“Speaking of which…” Without realizing it, Ronin, who had approached the window, turned to look at the absent-minded Lania. A small turquoise feather plucked from the window frame fluttered anxiously along with the wind outside. “I guess I know why the ring is back here.”
◇ ◆ ◇
[Mom, why did you come so late?]
“Oh.”
‘My child!’
Upon seeing Haniel waiting for her by the lakeside, Catherine ran to her and hugged her immediately. As expected, her heart warmed as if she had returned to her hometown while burying her cheek in her baby’s feathers. Even if Selene had yawned and complained that she was tired, Catherine couldn’t take her gaze off Haniel. “I’m sorry, Haniel. I’m sorry.”
[Huh? Why are you apologizing, Mom? Why are you apologizing?]
“Well, that’s——-”
[Why isn’t Mom coming to Haniel, huh?]
‘Here I am! Look. I’m out, Haniel!’
Whether she knew the state of Catherine’s mind or not, as she couldn’t meet her gaze, Haniel tilted her head here and there. From her perspective, it would be disappointing to avoid eye contact, but at that moment, Catherine’s tears were about to burst out. “I’m sorry, Haniel!” She just kissed her daughter’s older brother. It was even more than that. “Mom is definitely at fault! Huhuhuhu.”
[Huh? Why is Mom apologizing?]
“Princess, seriously, why do you keep asking her questions? Just by looking at the two of you… Aaah!”
“No. It’s nothing, Haniel.”
Suddenly, she kicked away Selene’s menacing beak and cuddled Haniel again. At this point, Catherine wanted to tie Selene’s beak to prevent her from saying any nonsense, but she had to consider Haniel’s sight as well.
“Why are you so sorry again?”
“Your Majesty.”
When Catherine saw Rashid, who had reluctantly followed her all the way here, her heart sank. He had walked with her from the Duchy to this place, but they still hadn’t properly faced each other once. Was it only a roundabout way back? Even when facing the nobles waiting at the Duchy, even when apologizing to them on behalf of Lania, Rashid was always by her side. It might seem like a strange combination, but because the other person was who they were, no one dared to speak out of turn. “.Why?”
“Oh, no. Nothing.”
And Catherine was the same. Since leaving the Duchy’s gate, her mind had been empty and white, and from then on, all she could do was smile to avoid making mistakes. Just looking at this man’s face felt like her heart was going to burst, yet he dared to ask her to let him go. If she thought about it, even though her mind was in disarray, the fact that she didn’t make any major mistakes in front of the nobles was all thanks to this man’s virtue.
“Are you worried because you left your daughter alone for so long?”
“Oh. Yes, a little.”
As soon as Rashid’s eyes turned toward Haniel, she immediately stepped back and covered her head. Considering that Haniel had buried her head without moving as soon as Rashid appeared, she seemed to have lost even the ability to be surprised.
“What’s the point? It’s just one day.”
“But I’m everything to this child.”
“…”
“I’m everything to her too.”
‘Can you hear me, my child? Didn’t Mom give instructions?’
Desperately trying to get some kind of pardon, she tickled around the baby swan’s ear with her finger, but the sound of her pounding heart only grew louder.
“Oh. Is that so?”
Why was her voice trembling like this? Already, her heartbeats had reached their limit. She walked faster towards the house without thinking. She did her best to walk, but Rashid’s steps were only a few steps ahead of hers. He had stuck to her without giving her a chance to escape, just like when he caught up with her in the Duchy’s corridors a little while ago.
“You don’t have to bring us.”
“After coming all this way?”
“Oh.”
With Rashid’s hollow laughter, her head lifted and she finally faced him head-on. She never thought she would be this happy seeing the house she left just a few hours ago. And she wasn’t the only one who felt joy at the sight of home.
Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 7 chapters in advance!
