Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Red, yellow, and green leaves were as colorful as paint dissolving in water. The rustling sounds delighted the ears as the carriage’s wheels passed over the soft fallen leaves.
A refreshing autumn breeze flowed through the window. It was a little chilly, but the cozy shawl wrapped around her was enough to keep her warm.
It seemed like a trip. However, despite the beautiful autumn day, the carriage’s atmosphere inside was tragic and dismal.
Damia glanced at the silent Akkard, who had a solemn expression as soon as they got on the carriage. She asked, trying to lift the silence,
“How long before we arrive at the villa?”
“Ah.”
The grave Akkard, coming out of deep thought, blinked and looked out the window. After squinting his eyes for a moment and scrutinizing the scenery outside, he answered:
“About an hour or so.”
After shortly answering, Akkard resumed his heavy countenance with a deep impression of inner agony. It was like he was trapped somewhere in the corner of his heart.
‘Well, he has a significant role to play in the upcoming mission.’
Damia could understand. She departed from the capital with Akkard, as Heinrich had orchestrated. As if they were a very passionate lover, in an affectionate manner.
While escorting her to the carriage, Akkard talked about how much he looked forward to their vacation and what fun she would have. His acting skills were quite good, and his slightly sweet and excited manner was frankly convincing.
The two of them were on a chariot going on a lovers’ trip, and soon, they were going to part at a fork in the road that would appear shortly.
“Another carriage will be waiting there, Damia. I’ll switch wagons there, and go north with Calix. And you… … .”
“I pick up Lessid-nim who is dressed as you and go straight to the villa?”
Damie replied in a calm voice. She knew very well what role she had to play.
“Yes, and if possible, I want you to expose as much of your appearance with Lessid as possible.”
To be precise, though, it was Lessid dressed up as Akkard.
“I think it would be good to show off you two drinking tea in the garden or standing together on the terrace once or twice a day.”
“Yes, I will.”
Even though they already knew everything, Damia quietly listened to his request. It was her consideration to help alleviate Akkard’s anxiety.
Amid this, the carriage continued moving forward and arrived at the crossroads of fate.
“I’ll go now.”
Before getting off the halted carriage, Akkard looked back. And he stared intensely at Damia’s face as if he would never see her again.
“… … Sir Akkard?”
His unusual gaze was incredibly affectionate and full of meaning. Curious at this, Damia looked up at him.
When he met her clear eyes, Akkard quickly lowered his gaze and hid his inner feelings.
“Then make sure you get to the villa carefully. If you get motion sickness, stop the carriage and rest. There is no need to arrive in a hurry.”
The man who would soon walk into grave danger was now worried about her carriage motion sickness. Even though Damia found this absurd, she felt a pang and was somehow full of pain.
She strangely thought she would never see him again.
“Sir Akkard.”
Reaching out, she grabbed Akkard’s arm. It had been a long time since Damia reached out to him first.
Akkard, with his arm in her hand, looked back at her with astonished eyes. Damia met his beautiful purple eyes and said,
“Don’t get hurt. I want you to come back safely, alright?”
Akkard’s lips parted in surprise when he heard that. He didn’t utter a word; instead, his face and neck began to turn red.
After a while, he turned bright red as if he was painted with rogue. Seeing the expression on her face with his trembling eyes, he closed his lips forcefully. He knew he was blushing, too, but seemed at an utter loss as to what to do.
However, Damia did not let go of his arm, even though he was acting like a bashful virgin.
“Promise me. Quickly.”
“Damia,”
he murmured as if mortified and flustered; he couldn’t even meet her gaze properly. But the words that flowed out between his lips were not the words Damia had asked for.
“Your father— I will make sure to send him back to you safely. Don’t worry,”
blurted Akkard abruptly and then smiled like a light mist on a lake. As always, his smile was beautiful enough to uplift, captivate, and thrill women’s hearts, but strangely, Damia’s heart sank, and she was oddly heartbroken when she saw it.
‘What’s this? What is this ominous feeling?’
But before she could say anything more, Akkard gently pulled his arm out of her grasp. And he kissed the back of Damia’s hand that had held his arm.
“May you always be happy.”
Akkard, who said that, jumped off the carriage and went away. Without looking back.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Red, yellow, and green leaves were as colorful as paint dissolving in water. The rustling sounds delighted the ears as the carriage’s wheels passed over the soft fallen leaves.
A refreshing autumn breeze flowed through the window. It was a little chilly, but the cozy shawl wrapped around her was enough to keep her warm.
It seemed like a trip. However, despite the beautiful autumn day, the carriage’s atmosphere inside was tragic and dismal.
Damia glanced at the silent Akkard, who had a solemn expression as soon as they got on the carriage. She asked, trying to lift the silence,
“How long before we arrive at the villa?”
“Ah.”
The grave Akkard, coming out of deep thought, blinked and looked out the window. After squinting his eyes for a moment and scrutinizing the scenery outside, he answered:
“About an hour or so.”
After shortly answering, Akkard resumed his heavy countenance with a deep impression of inner agony. It was like he was trapped somewhere in the corner of his heart.
‘Well, he has a significant role to play in the upcoming mission.’
Damia could understand. She departed from the capital with Akkard, as Heinrich had orchestrated. As if they were a very passionate lover, in an affectionate manner.
While escorting her to the carriage, Akkard talked about how much he looked forward to their vacation and what fun she would have. His acting skills were quite good, and his slightly sweet and excited manner was frankly convincing.
The two of them were on a chariot going on a lovers’ trip, and soon, they were going to part at a fork in the road that would appear shortly.
“Another carriage will be waiting there, Damia. I’ll switch wagons there, and go north with Calix. And you… … .”
“I pick up Lessid-nim who is dressed as you and go straight to the villa?”
Damie replied in a calm voice. She knew very well what role she had to play.
“Yes, and if possible, I want you to expose as much of your appearance with Lessid as possible.”
To be precise, though, it was Lessid dressed up as Akkard.
“I think it would be good to show off you two drinking tea in the garden or standing together on the terrace once or twice a day.”
“Yes, I will.”
Even though they already knew everything, Damia quietly listened to his request. It was her consideration to help alleviate Akkard’s anxiety.
Amid this, the carriage continued moving forward and arrived at the crossroads of fate.
“I’ll go now.”
Before getting off the halted carriage, Akkard looked back. And he stared intensely at Damia’s face as if he would never see her again.
“… … Sir Akkard?”
His unusual gaze was incredibly affectionate and full of meaning. Curious at this, Damia looked up at him.
When he met her clear eyes, Akkard quickly lowered his gaze and hid his inner feelings.
“Then make sure you get to the villa carefully. If you get motion sickness, stop the carriage and rest. There is no need to arrive in a hurry.”
The man who would soon walk into grave danger was now worried about her carriage motion sickness. Even though Damia found this absurd, she felt a pang and was somehow full of pain.
She strangely thought she would never see him again.
“Sir Akkard.”
Reaching out, she grabbed Akkard’s arm. It had been a long time since Damia reached out to him first.
Akkard, with his arm in her hand, looked back at her with astonished eyes. Damia met his beautiful purple eyes and said,
“Don’t get hurt. I want you to come back safely, alright?”
Akkard’s lips parted in surprise when he heard that. He didn’t utter a word; instead, his face and neck began to turn red.
After a while, he turned bright red as if he was painted with rogue. Seeing the expression on her face with his trembling eyes, he closed his lips forcefully. He knew he was blushing, too, but seemed at an utter loss as to what to do.
However, Damia did not let go of his arm, even though he was acting like a bashful virgin.
“Promise me. Quickly.”
“Damia,”
he murmured as if mortified and flustered; he couldn’t even meet her gaze properly. But the words that flowed out between his lips were not the words Damia had asked for.
“Your father— I will make sure to send him back to you safely. Don’t worry,”
blurted Akkard abruptly and then smiled like a light mist on a lake. As always, his smile was beautiful enough to uplift, captivate, and thrill women’s hearts, but strangely, Damia’s heart sank, and she was oddly heartbroken when she saw it.
‘What’s this? What is this ominous feeling?’
But before she could say anything more, Akkard gently pulled his arm out of her grasp. And he kissed the back of Damia’s hand that had held his arm.
“May you always be happy.”
Akkard, who said that, jumped off the carriage and went away. Without looking back.
