Iris exhaled after a long time, as if someone had strangled her.
“Ah.”
Patting her sinking heart with her hand, Iris continued.
“I see.”
“I’m sorry.”
Hayer apologized to her darkened face. Then, when Iris looked up at him, he leaned over and continued talking.
“I should have told you at least after today.”
“…It was something I had to know before I decided to go to Siere.”
“Yes.”
“……”
“Iris. I might not be able to come back if I go to Siere.”
Iris no longer looked at him. A sudden headache hit her head.
She murmured, looking at the sunset over Hayer’s small head.
“But if you don’t go to Siere, the King of Siere might use that as an excuse to start a war.”
“Yes. I think it’s a war that’s going to happen someday anyway, but…”
Her body remembered the moment when her whole body was cold when she travelled to find the North Gate. She didn’t know why the cold suddenly came to mind.
Iris collected herself, then raised her hand and ran it through Hayer’s hair. Hayer did not refuse, but lowered his head as if to let her touch it as much as she wanted.
Iris said, fiddling with his hair.
“Go.”
“It must be dangerous.”
“Still.”
“Even though you might not be able to come back either?”
“Maybe.”
Iris smiled faintly.
“I’m going to trust you to send me back somehow.”
“Ah, that’s a lot of pressure.”
Seeing Hayer making a fuss, Iris gave a small smile.
If Carl Lassor started a war, and if the opportunity presented itself to her, she would surely slay the king. She was sure Hayer was aware of that.
She had another question. Six years later, Hayer must have known that he was the son of the King of Siere. Even knowing that, he remained in the land of Luwan.
Iris was curious about the situation at the time. How Hayer got to know his father and why he remained in this land. And there was someone she could ask about that.
She wasn’t sure if he would tell her outright.
When Iris looked at Zeniel for a moment, he also looked at her as he gulped down white wine like water on a hot day.
His smile made her angry. No matter what, Iris thought she should ask the man about the past.
Toward her gaze, Hayer leaned down and asked.
“Why are you staring at another man like that?”
“Another man?”
Iris frowned, as if asking how he could express it that way.
“That person revived the sacred tree. Moreover, that person said that you cut the sacred tree. That’s why I’m looking at him in anger.”
“I see. I asked the wrong question.”
Hayer reiterated, urgently attempting to patch things up.
“You’re very tired because of that scumbag. Is that it?”
Iris nodded after he said that. Then, she closed her eyes for a moment and was lost in thought.
Hayer may have been right. If she loved him, everything would be complicated. But the problem is, he asked for the impossible.
If you’re going to tell me not to love you, you shouldn’t have been sweet.
You shouldn’t have smiled so easily and been so delicate.
You let me fall in love and then let go. That’s not fair.
Iris grabbed Hayer by the arm and said.
“Hayer, I said it, but I don’t care.”
She said it again, forcefully.
“Whose son you are, it doesn’t matter…”
“Iris.”
After she stopped talking, Hayer held her elbow. And spoke in a firm voice.
“If.”
“Yes.”
“If I can only stay in Siere, if we can stop the war.”
“……”
“I will take you back to Luwan.”
Iris paused.
Hayer, who laughed at her small reaction as if to say not to worry, continued with a serious expression.
“I’ll let you go back alone, at any cost.”
“…Why?”
Iris asked back in a subdued voice.
“I can just stay with you.”
“No.”
“I…”
“You know that, don’t you? That there is no one here but you who is worthy of the throne.”
At the sound of his voice, Iris stopped talking altogether.
Hayer continued.
“You have to come back here. No, perhaps.”
“……”
“Even if I hold on to you, you will go back.”
Hayer’s expression, which had been firm the whole time, was relieved only when he said his last words, and he looked slightly sad. After talking like that, Hayer straightened up and smiled.
“Well, then. Shall we eat something? Since we have to return in one hundred days, it’s better to leave within a week at the latest. It’ll be busy in the meantime.”
Iris nodded. And followed him with a stiff smile.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Hayer vowed time and time again. If he couldn’t go back to Luwan, then Iris must be sent back.
He remembered his mother’s eyes and voice. Her bitter eyes as she said that she couldn’t achieve what she wanted.
If it wasn’t for being the queen, she might have been the heir to the Asheri family by now. That would have made her much more intelligent and less unhappy.
He convinced himself that, having seen his mother, he should not put Iris through the same misery.
But could he do it?
He suddenly realized that he had grabbed Iris by the waist and hurriedly removed his hand.
Iris blinked at his hurried action and said.
“It didn’t hurt.”
“Ah.”
“So there’s no need to be surprised.”
He knew. It was not because his grip hurt. He just held on so that she wouldn’t run away.
He looked into Iris’s clear eyes.
She was in love with him.
As Hayer kept looking at her with a blank face, Iris pulled his arm.
“I can’t do this, eat something.”
“Right.”
Heyer followed her along and asked to change the mood.
“So, did you decide what to disguise as to follow?”
“For now, I’m going to try dressing up as a man.”
“Hmm. That’s good. I’m looking forward to it.”
Iris slapped his arm at his words.
Hayer shrugged, smiled, and held out his arm to hold. When Iris folded her arms, Hayer moved again.
Agatha told Iris not to pick up food as much as possible, but she prepared things that were too delicious to do that. Thanks to this, most of the guests who had not touched the food at the other outdoor party took the food.
The two of them also put a few things on their plates that looked appetizing.
What Iris picked up was a dish soaked in melted butter and topped with soft bread. The food that was eaten a lot at Luwan’s wedding was placed in a harmonious way, but when she put it in her mouth, all kinds of flavours alternated and went down her throat wonderfully.
“Wow…”
Hayer, who put it in his mouth following Iris’s reaction, paused. Then he swallowed the food and said.
“Let’s leave our wedding to Miss Agatha no matter what.”
At his words, Iris smiled and nodded. Strangely, she felt a little relieved when he brought up the wedding again.
Both of them were filling their stomachs for a bit, then Iris asked.
“Following as a knight… it’ll stand out the most, right?”
“Yes.”
It was obvious that everyone who saw this party would ask. Are you strong enough to be with this group with that physique? What kind of skills can you use?
Iris said.
“However I go, you’d better practice speaking comfortably to me.”
“Hmm. Let’s take it easy together, then.”
“All right.”
Iris said and turned to Hayer. Then, staring at him, she opened her mouth.
“Hayer.”
“Yeah.”
Hayer replied like that, and then burst into laughter as if it were very awkward.
“I can’t. Let’s practice next time.”
Iris also seemed awkward at his words, so she smiled and nodded. After laughing like that, Hayer looked at Iris again. Then he opened his mouth and asked quietly.
“Do you really like me?”
The question that couldn’t be answered at the midday wedding venue was asked back at night. Then Iris nodded.
“You are my first love.”
Shy to say it, she smiled faintly.
“In fact, you were the one I said I liked before. Someone you know but have never met.”
Hayer, who was frozen by her words, decided that he should answer this time, so he slowly opened his mouth again.
“I couldn’t answer because there was a problem I couldn’t talk about earlier, but I like you too.”
Iris was silent for a moment at his answer, then soon burst into laughter.
Hayer laughed along with her once again, thinking that Iris, strangely, didn’t believe him at all. It was just her laugh that seemed like that.
The laugh reminded Hayer of how much Iris hated the King of Siere, his father.
Iris exhaled after a long time, as if someone had strangled her.
“Ah.”
Patting her sinking heart with her hand, Iris continued.
“I see.”
“I’m sorry.”
Hayer apologized to her darkened face. Then, when Iris looked up at him, he leaned over and continued talking.
“I should have told you at least after today.”
“…It was something I had to know before I decided to go to Siere.”
“Yes.”
“……”
“Iris. I might not be able to come back if I go to Siere.”
Iris no longer looked at him. A sudden headache hit her head.
She murmured, looking at the sunset over Hayer’s small head.
“But if you don’t go to Siere, the King of Siere might use that as an excuse to start a war.”
“Yes. I think it’s a war that’s going to happen someday anyway, but…”
Her body remembered the moment when her whole body was cold when she travelled to find the North Gate. She didn’t know why the cold suddenly came to mind.
Iris collected herself, then raised her hand and ran it through Hayer’s hair. Hayer did not refuse, but lowered his head as if to let her touch it as much as she wanted.
Iris said, fiddling with his hair.
“Go.”
“It must be dangerous.”
“Still.”
“Even though you might not be able to come back either?”
“Maybe.”
Iris smiled faintly.
“I’m going to trust you to send me back somehow.”
“Ah, that’s a lot of pressure.”
Seeing Hayer making a fuss, Iris gave a small smile.
If Carl Lassor started a war, and if the opportunity presented itself to her, she would surely slay the king. She was sure Hayer was aware of that.
She had another question. Six years later, Hayer must have known that he was the son of the King of Siere. Even knowing that, he remained in the land of Luwan.
Iris was curious about the situation at the time. How Hayer got to know his father and why he remained in this land. And there was someone she could ask about that.
She wasn’t sure if he would tell her outright.
When Iris looked at Zeniel for a moment, he also looked at her as he gulped down white wine like water on a hot day.
His smile made her angry. No matter what, Iris thought she should ask the man about the past.
Toward her gaze, Hayer leaned down and asked.
“Why are you staring at another man like that?”
“Another man?”
Iris frowned, as if asking how he could express it that way.
“That person revived the sacred tree. Moreover, that person said that you cut the sacred tree. That’s why I’m looking at him in anger.”
“I see. I asked the wrong question.”
Hayer reiterated, urgently attempting to patch things up.
“You’re very tired because of that scumbag. Is that it?”
Iris nodded after he said that. Then, she closed her eyes for a moment and was lost in thought.
Hayer may have been right. If she loved him, everything would be complicated. But the problem is, he asked for the impossible.
If you’re going to tell me not to love you, you shouldn’t have been sweet.
You shouldn’t have smiled so easily and been so delicate.
You let me fall in love and then let go. That’s not fair.
Iris grabbed Hayer by the arm and said.
“Hayer, I said it, but I don’t care.”
She said it again, forcefully.
“Whose son you are, it doesn’t matter…”
“Iris.”
After she stopped talking, Hayer held her elbow. And spoke in a firm voice.
“If.”
“Yes.”
“If I can only stay in Siere, if we can stop the war.”
“……”
“I will take you back to Luwan.”
Iris paused.
Hayer, who laughed at her small reaction as if to say not to worry, continued with a serious expression.
“I’ll let you go back alone, at any cost.”
“…Why?”
Iris asked back in a subdued voice.
“I can just stay with you.”
“No.”
“I…”
“You know that, don’t you? That there is no one here but you who is worthy of the throne.”
At the sound of his voice, Iris stopped talking altogether.
Hayer continued.
“You have to come back here. No, perhaps.”
“……”
“Even if I hold on to you, you will go back.”
Hayer’s expression, which had been firm the whole time, was relieved only when he said his last words, and he looked slightly sad. After talking like that, Hayer straightened up and smiled.
“Well, then. Shall we eat something? Since we have to return in one hundred days, it’s better to leave within a week at the latest. It’ll be busy in the meantime.”
Iris nodded. And followed him with a stiff smile.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Hayer vowed time and time again. If he couldn’t go back to Luwan, then Iris must be sent back.
He remembered his mother’s eyes and voice. Her bitter eyes as she said that she couldn’t achieve what she wanted.
If it wasn’t for being the queen, she might have been the heir to the Asheri family by now. That would have made her much more intelligent and less unhappy.
He convinced himself that, having seen his mother, he should not put Iris through the same misery.
But could he do it?
He suddenly realized that he had grabbed Iris by the waist and hurriedly removed his hand.
Iris blinked at his hurried action and said.
“It didn’t hurt.”
“Ah.”
“So there’s no need to be surprised.”
He knew. It was not because his grip hurt. He just held on so that she wouldn’t run away.
He looked into Iris’s clear eyes.
She was in love with him.
As Hayer kept looking at her with a blank face, Iris pulled his arm.
“I can’t do this, eat something.”
“Right.”
Heyer followed her along and asked to change the mood.
“So, did you decide what to disguise as to follow?”
“For now, I’m going to try dressing up as a man.”
“Hmm. That’s good. I’m looking forward to it.”
Iris slapped his arm at his words.
Hayer shrugged, smiled, and held out his arm to hold. When Iris folded her arms, Hayer moved again.
Agatha told Iris not to pick up food as much as possible, but she prepared things that were too delicious to do that. Thanks to this, most of the guests who had not touched the food at the other outdoor party took the food.
The two of them also put a few things on their plates that looked appetizing.
What Iris picked up was a dish soaked in melted butter and topped with soft bread. The food that was eaten a lot at Luwan’s wedding was placed in a harmonious way, but when she put it in her mouth, all kinds of flavours alternated and went down her throat wonderfully.
“Wow…”
Hayer, who put it in his mouth following Iris’s reaction, paused. Then he swallowed the food and said.
“Let’s leave our wedding to Miss Agatha no matter what.”
At his words, Iris smiled and nodded. Strangely, she felt a little relieved when he brought up the wedding again.
Both of them were filling their stomachs for a bit, then Iris asked.
“Following as a knight… it’ll stand out the most, right?”
“Yes.”
It was obvious that everyone who saw this party would ask. Are you strong enough to be with this group with that physique? What kind of skills can you use?
Iris said.
“However I go, you’d better practice speaking comfortably to me.”
“Hmm. Let’s take it easy together, then.”
“All right.”
Iris said and turned to Hayer. Then, staring at him, she opened her mouth.
“Hayer.”
“Yeah.”
Hayer replied like that, and then burst into laughter as if it were very awkward.
“I can’t. Let’s practice next time.”
Iris also seemed awkward at his words, so she smiled and nodded. After laughing like that, Hayer looked at Iris again. Then he opened his mouth and asked quietly.
“Do you really like me?”
The question that couldn’t be answered at the midday wedding venue was asked back at night. Then Iris nodded.
“You are my first love.”
Shy to say it, she smiled faintly.
“In fact, you were the one I said I liked before. Someone you know but have never met.”
Hayer, who was frozen by her words, decided that he should answer this time, so he slowly opened his mouth again.
“I couldn’t answer because there was a problem I couldn’t talk about earlier, but I like you too.”
Iris was silent for a moment at his answer, then soon burst into laughter.
Hayer laughed along with her once again, thinking that Iris, strangely, didn’t believe him at all. It was just her laugh that seemed like that.
The laugh reminded Hayer of how much Iris hated the King of Siere, his father.
