Chapter 43. We Are Different from Him

He seemed certain that the ‘holy water’ would be the ‘River of Memories’.

– But, Asarim. How did you know that?

– What?

– That the ‘holy water’ in the temple is similar to the ‘River of Memories’.

Yuelina found it strange.

Asarim had shown no interest in what Delkan said about the Phaenyx Principality and the Bios Empire.

Rather, he had been wary and cold toward Delkan.

So how could he know information that even Yuelina didn’t know?

Asarim hesitated at Yuelina’s question before speaking softly.

– Someone told me.

– What do you mean?

– …After you left, someone else came to Luhae Island. I learned this information from that person.

– Who was it?

Asarim shook his head.

– Just someone from this country, they said. I don’t completely trust them yet either.

– What?

– However, I thought the ‘holy water’ was worth checking out. I confirmed while coming here that the people here consider the ‘holy water’ very precious.

Despite Yuelina’s dubious expression, Asarim continued.

– So it shouldn’t be water that would harm you.

– But…

– Yuna. If you find the power of the ‘Snow Person’, you won’t have to stay here forcefully anymore.

Asarim held Yuelina’s hand with a desperate look.

– They say the ‘Snow Person’ had power great enough to save the world. Wouldn’t that be enough to stop Luhae Island’s winter?

– ……

– You said it yourself. These people think of you as a thief trying to steal magic stones. Why should you endure such treatment?

Asarim knelt on one knee before Yuelina and stared at her.

Yuelina’s heart ached a little as his golden eyes wavered mournfully.

Perhaps the statement about her, a person from Luhae Island, being treated like a thief had touched a nerve with Asarim.

– Alright. Let’s try going to the temple then. I’ll talk to Theo about it.

Asarim’s lips curved into a smile at Yuelina’s positive response.

He hugged her and let out a sigh of relief.

– Thank you. But don’t tell the Grand Duke about the Snow Person or the River of Memories.

– Why?

Asarim gripped Yuelina’s shoulders tightly.

– Wouldn’t he find it strange? He doesn’t know our legends. Others might think it’s nonsense.

– But…

– They probably already think of you as a thief, if we bring up legends, won’t they treat us like barbarians?

Asarim’s eyes flashed.

Yuelina had no choice but to nod in agreement.

As he said, Theo might think strangely of her.

Yuelina twirled her hair with her fingers, lost in thought. She couldn’t help but sigh.

It felt uncomfortable having to hide Asarim’s story from Theo.

Moreover, Asarim hadn’t come to see her just to check if she was doing well.

It was to confirm with her whether the ‘holy water’ was indeed the ‘River of Memories’.

If what Asarim told her was true, Yuelina might gain power.

Then would she really not need the magic stones anymore? Could she stop the approaching cold herself?

If that happened, there would be no more situations where Yuelina would have to ask Theo for magic stones.

Above all, if she became a ‘Snow Person’…

What would happen to her marriage to Theo, which was formed as a condition of their deal?

Yuelina hugged her legs, warmed by the magic stones.

If the deal that made marriage a condition disappeared…

Would only the marriage remain?

Then perhaps she could have a normal, natural married life with Theo like any other couple.

At that thought, Yuelina’s cheeks turned shy shades of pink.

If they could remain just as husband and wife without magic stones or any conditions, all the slight guilt she felt when looking at Theo would disappear too.

Then she could approach him a little more actively than now.

I’m your wife, so I could confidently ask to hold hands or hug…

— Yuna. We are different from him. This place is full of people different from us.

Suddenly Asarim’s voice echoed in her ears.

As Asarim said, this place was very different from the environment Yuelina had lived in.

Theo had married her forcefully under the Bios Empire’s orders.

Wouldn’t Theo have actually preferred to build a family with a normal woman from the principality rather than a stranger from an island? Maybe he had to take her on unwillingly because of the empire.

When that thought suddenly occurred to her, Yuelina decided it was right to keep the reason for going to the temple secret from Theo.

Yuelina wasn’t yet sure of his feelings.

But he didn’t show any dislike when holding hands at the market…

He would come along without complaint when she asked to take walks, and he even gave her earrings as a gift.

But since then, she hadn’t been able to hold his hand even once.

Maybe he was just walking with her out of a sense of duty…

Yuelina made up her mind.

She thought she should try holding his hand one more time.

If he didn’t avoid her touch even when they were alone, it might be a sign that Theo was somewhat accepting her as his wife.

“Ah! The tea leaves!”

Yuelina jumped up from her seat.

With Asarim’s bombshell announcement, she had completely forgotten her promise to brew tea leaves for Theo.

She gathered the tea leaves and teapot placed on the table. But she hesitated at the door.

According to Ulysse, Theo had gone to bed early because he was unwell.

It was obvious that even if she brewed tea leaves for him while he was sleeping, he wouldn’t be able to drink it.

But she still really wanted to give it to him.

What if Theo woke up thirsty and wanted to warm himself with hot tea?

So couldn’t she just very quietly go into the study, brew the tea, and come out?

Yuelina promised herself she would sneak in and out like a cat and flung the door open.

“!”

And met eyes with Theo standing in front of the door.

Both Yuelina and Theo stared at each other with surprised faces.

“Th-Theo? What are you doing here?”

“…Well, I was taking a walk.”

“What? A walk?”

Theo blinked his eyes rapidly and turned his head sharply.

“I wanted to take a walk.”

“Ah…”

“I need to walk more. I really love walking, you know.”

Yuelina thought her assumption must have been off.

Theo wasn’t walking with her out of obligation.

He must absolutely love walking like crazy.

Perhaps she had intruded on his beloved walking that he usually did alone?

“Why did you come out, Yuna?”

“Ah, I was going to brew some Yas leaves. I remembered what you said.”

“I see.”

Of course, Theo wasn’t on the bridge because he wanted to take a walk.

He couldn’t sleep because he was curious about what conversation Yuelina had with Asarim.

So he had just been lingering in front of Yuelina’s door.

“But since you’re walking, I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

“No. I think I could drink it now.”

“Now? But you said you needed to walk more…”

Yuelina looked at Theo with round eyes.

Theo swallowed dryly and barely opened his mouth.

“I don’t discriminate about spaces when I walk. I can walk a bit more in your room.”

“Ah… I see. So you can walk in rooms too.”

“You can walk anywhere.”

“Yes, then would you like to come in for a moment?”

Theo nodded vigorously and followed Yuelina into the attic room.

As expected, the sweet and thick flower scent from Yuelina’s body wafted everywhere in the attic room.

Yuelina sat at the table to brew tea leaves for Theo.

Theo walked around the attic room while watching her reactions.

The attic room was infinitely small for his tall frame to walk around in.

Yuelina glanced at him. After just three or four steps, he would hit either a wall or the bed frame.

Theo looked just like a large bear trapped in a narrow cage.

“Theo. Walking is good, but how about sitting down and warming up?”

“Maybe I will.”

As soon as Yuelina finished speaking, Theo sat down at the table.

Yuelina also waited across from him for the tea to steep sufficiently.

Theo stared at her.

The knot on the thick robe Yuelina was wearing had loosened, revealing the thin nightgown she wore underneath.

It was the same nightgown he had seen before.

The well-ventilated nightgown she said she wore in the village.

Just looking at that nightgown made his mouth water as if it had been coated with honey.