What did it mean to share a breath?

Was it a noble decision to embrace someone to their very soul? Or perhaps a strong desire to fully experience even the unseen parts of them? Maybe it was both.

For a while, I let him approach and then pull away, unable to stop him from drawing closer again. I felt a pang of regret each time he moved away. As I faced his tearful expression, I was baffled by my own urge to cry, and I held onto him in my frustration.

Neither of us could bring ourselves to end this moment, fearing it would remain just a fleeting dream. Until the rain began to subside and the sun peeked through the clouds, we continued to immerse ourselves in each other.

“…Hazel.”

Leopold held me as if he would never let go. His yearning voice echoed in my ears. The gentle touch of his hand heightened my senses. After a moment of hesitation, I slowly reached out and caressed his broad back. He flinched slightly, as if surprised, then held me even tighter. His longing for me was irresistibly alluring.

The resolve I had made in Fojetta, swearing never to love again out of sheer exhaustion, and the cries of my wounded heart in the principality felt as futile as sandcastles crumbling under the waves.

There were countless reasons to avoid him. Emotions were invisible, and words could be deceitful. Yet, the earnestness in his eyes and the affection in his touch were vividly real. It seemed strange not to trust his sincerity.

“I need… some time.”

I spoke with difficulty. The time Leopold had been cold to me was not short, and his reasons were equally dubious. Even after returning, he had ample opportunity to confess the truth, yet he deceived me until I uncovered it myself. Still, I couldn’t fully trust him just yet…

“I understand.”

His voice was gentle and warm.

He relaxed his arms and slowly met my gaze.

“I’ll wait as long as you need.”

His affectionate whisper finally brought tears streaming down my face.

***

Thanks to Leopold’s efforts, our relationship, which I had worried might become awkward, remained smooth.

He kept his promise to wait so well that he always maintained a certain distance, as if he was afraid of brushing against me. It almost made me wonder if I had dreamed the whole thing. Though it wasn’t something to be upset about, I found myself laughing at my own disappointment.

Sometimes, when I encountered him after his bath or saw him quietly absorbed in a book late at night on the sofa, I struggled to ignore my racing heart. But otherwise, my days were peaceful. I found myself wanting to postpone any decision about our relationship.

The house, already tidy, became even cleaner under his care. Despite the simple ingredients, the meals he prepared were splendid. He assisted me with my potion-making without a single mistake, even though I was busy all day.

“Do you realize you sometimes don’t seem human?”

I spoke absentmindedly while trimming well-dried herbal roots.

“Is that a compliment?”

He asked with a small smile as he crushed the roots beside me.

“Of course. If Lawrence’s employees saw how you work, they’d be overwhelmed and run away.”

“I guess I should focus only on my duties at the mansion.”

“Definitely. And don’t make promises lightly. What if you end up waiting for years, or even a lifetime?”

Suddenly, he stopped what he was doing and set down the tool in his hand. Realizing my mistake, I glanced up to find Leopold staring at me with a blank expression.

“…Should I take it back?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

It was clearly a slip of the tongue. It was as if I had spoken to a friend.

I tried to avoid Leopold’s gaze and reached for the workbench again, but the sensation of his hand on my shoulder froze me in place. Then, he slowly pulled me into an embrace. His touch was warm through the thin summer clothing. I felt I should say something.

As he quietly held me, he placed a brief kiss on my forehead and sighed dramatically.

“Don’t tempt me. It drives me crazy every moment.”

My face flushed instantly, and I lowered my head, hearing him chuckle softly. Unable to find words to respond, I couldn’t meet his eyes. Leopold mentioned he would step outside for some fresh air and left the annex.

Perhaps because I had glimpsed into his heart, I couldn’t calm myself at all. Fanning myself and taking deep breaths didn’t help. Ultimately, I decided it would be best to take a break and headed to the kitchen. A warm cup of tea was always comforting. Besides, it was nearly time for Rose to visit, so I tidied up the workbench without hesitation.

As I regained some composure, I heard Rose’s voice outside. I stood up to open the door, and Leopold entered the house, holding the child’s hand.

“I found her admiring the flowers alone out front, so I brought her in. We agreed to start lessons today, right?”

“That’s right. Hello, Rose.”

“Hello!”

The child replied brightly, clearly in high spirits.

“Come here.”

I moved to the center of the living room. The child eagerly followed, standing quietly in front of me.

I had no idea when the letter to my teacher would arrive or when I would receive a reply. As time passed, Rose would undoubtedly become curious about her own power. Despite her young age, I was concerned about how others who recognized Rose’s abilities might treat her.

After much consideration, I asked Larian for permission to teach Rose what I could for now. It was best for her not to use her powers recklessly, even for her own sake.

“Rose, as you probably heard from your grandmother, we’ll be training together like this every day from now on.”

I bent down to meet the child’s eyes. Her face quickly turned serious, which was endearing.

“What kind of training?”

“Training to control your power.”

Rose tilted her head, curious about the meaning of my words. Although I couldn’t remember everything clearly, I recalled my academy days and explained it to her step by step.

“It’s a power called magic. It can heal sick people. It’s like your life force. Now, let’s place our hands like this.”

I placed both hands on my chest and looked at Rose. She mimicked my gesture and asked,

“But what is life force?”

“Well, it’s, um…”

I was at a loss for words due to the unexpected question. She was at an age where she might not know the exact meaning of certain words. As I pondered how to explain it, Leopold, who had been watching us with his back against the wall, interjected.

“It’s the force that keeps you breathing. It lets you eat, sleep, laugh, talk, and live happily. It’s very precious.”

His explanation was flawless for helping a seven-year-old understand. Rose, her eyes bright, turned back to me and asked,

“So, does everyone have life force?”

“Yes, but we call it magic because it’s a bit more special.”

“Because it can heal sick people?”

“Yes. You’re very smart, Rose.”

The child seemed pleased with the compliment, shrugging her shoulders proudly.

She was so adorable that I wanted to hug her tightly while showering her with words of affection. Although it wasn’t the right moment to act on it, I couldn’t help but let some laughter slip into my voice.

“Anyway, let’s try to feel the power now. Have you ever played by a stream? Close your eyes and imagine you’re in the water. The water is flowing past you. What does it feel like?”

Rose scrunched her eyes shut, concentrating. After a while, she tilted her head and spoke.

“It… pushes me. And then, it moves away… It comes and goes… It’s strong, then weak.”

“Exactly! That feeling exists inside your body too. Focus on your fingertips.”

Finally, the child, who had been wearing a serious expression, opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“I felt the power of the water! A lot of it!”

“That’s magic. From now on, we’ll practice using magic only when necessary and in front of people you trust. It’s not good to use it all the time.”

“Why not?”

I hesitated again, pondering how to answer. Should I tell her that bad people might try to exploit that power, or that, though rare, someone could exhaust their strength completely, as I once did, and die before truly living?

Although I hadn’t intended to ask for help, my gaze naturally shifted to Leopold. He casually offered a simple explanation.

“If you use it whenever you want, you’ll get so sleepy you won’t be able to play with your friends.”

It wasn’t entirely wrong. I was both surprised and impressed that he knew such a detail. However, unlike me, Rose pouted and muttered.

“That won’t do…! Theo and Ben already tease me for sleeping a lot…”

Her voice quickly turned tearful. I wanted to comfort her, but I also found her so unbearably cute that I wanted to savor the moment. Leopold, perhaps feeling the same, covered his mouth with one hand and cleared his throat. He seemed to be trying to hide his upturned lips. Fortunately, he regained his composure faster than I did and gave her some serious advice.

“That’s why you should train properly and use it only when you need to.”

With her face brightening once more, the child nodded enthusiastically. Leopold stayed until the lesson ended, a faint smile never leaving his lips.

“Rose, let’s stop here for today. It’s best to head back before it gets too late.”

Outside, the sunset was already painting the sky. As I took the child’s hand to walk her home, Leopold approached.

“I’ll take her. You should rest.”

“…Alright. See you tomorrow, Rose.”

“Okay!”

After giving the child a warm hug, I entrusted her small hand to him. With the same gentle expression he had when looking at me, he led Rose out.

He claimed he didn’t like children.

It seemed like it was time to revisit the conversation I hadn’t been able to have.