Chapter 39

“Sir Leophris! It’s already getting dark!”

The search for Adelina continued into the evening without conclusion. Leophris’s lieutenant approached him, concerned about the rapidly darkening forest as the sun set. Though the darkness could be illuminated with light stones, wolves inhabited this forest. It was about time for the wolves to start moving.

Jaeyon and Hailyn also joined the search, expanding the search area further away from the lake.

“Continue searching in pairs! We must find her!”

Leophris’s anxiety reached its peak.

‘I must find her! I have to marry Adelina to become the Chief Commander!’

A worthless girl from Ernst! A girl not even worth considering for someone from a prestigious family that even produced an Empress!

Leophris gathered more light stones and headed into the forest.

-“Leophris. Seize the opportunity to showcase your abilities.”-

Emperor Grain promised Leophris entry into the Dragon Knights on the condition of marrying Adelina. The Dragon Knights, the envy of all knights. To become the next Chief Commander, he had to join the Dragon Knights. Adelina was the only way for Leophris, who was not a Sword Master, to enter the Dragon Knights.

‘She’s also Lexion’s woman. If I have Adelina, I’ll defeat Lexion!’

And another reason why Leophris readily accepted Emperor Grain’s proposal. 

Lexion, from Ernst, dared to have skills comparable to Prince Evans and Duke Austin. Those who claimed to be skilled in swordsmanship envied Lexion’s skills. Unable to surpass Lexion in swordsmanship, Leophris harbored jealousy, and then Adelina appeared.

‘I’ll have you, Adelina, clip your wings and imprison you, and make Lexion kneel before me!’

The thought of Lexion kneeling before him thrilled Leophris. As he ventured deeper into the forest, his eyes gleamed. A sinister chuckle escaped his lips.

+++

As the forest quickly darkened, the knights continued their search with light stones. 

Jaeyon quietly moved in a direction without knights, even turning off his light stone. He walked cautiously through the forest path, where even moonlight barely penetrated due to the dense leaves, making no sound as he stepped on the grass.

Looking around, he saw no light stones held by the knights. Jaeyon lifted his head as if to look at the moon in the sky.

“Sir Jaeyon.”

“Shh!”

Jaeyon approached a large tree and reached up with both hands. 

“Trust me.”

He was anxious that Adelina’s silver hair might reflect the moonlight and attract the other knights. He raised his arms higher towards Adelina, who seemed hesitant, signaling her to trust him and jump down.

‘A fairy of the moonlight.’

Adelina leapt into his arms as if flying towards him.

“Thank you for coming to find me.”

Adelina smiled as she stepped out of Jaeyon’s embrace. It was quite an action unfitting for the current situation, but Jaeyon smiled back at her.

“Why didn’t you come down from the tree?”

“Leophris kept lingering around this tree. Laughing with a ‘hehehe’ sound. It was creepy. Initially, I climbed up because of the wolves.”

As the wind blew slightly, Adelina shivered as if just thinking about it made her tremble. ‘If word gets out that he saved me… The Emperor and Empress will seize the opportunity and spread the rumors even more.’

Adelina looked behind Jaeyon, searching for Hailyn, who always followed him like a needle and thread.

Jaeyon helped Adelina out of her jacket. Though quite some time had passed, the jacket was still damp, as were her shirt and pants.

“Not because you were too scared to come down?”

Jaeyon smiled, twitching his lips comfortably in the darkness.

‘Like a kitten.’

He imagined Adelina’s expression, like a kitten that might have climbed a tree startled by a puppy and then couldn’t figure out how to get down.

“Where’s Hailyn?”

“…I came alone.”

Jaeyon subtly changed the subject, watching Adelina as she looked around, and spread his hand behind his back.

Sensing the signal, Hailyn, who was about to approach, concealed her presence again.

“Do you have a light stone, by any chance?”

Adelina looked at Jaeyon with wide eyes, expecting he would have one since they were searching.

“I don’t. It’s too dark now. We’ll move at first light.”

The light stone in his jacket pocket felt heavy, but Jaeyon ignored it, holding Adelina’s hand instead.

“It will be safer over there.”

“Alright.”

Jaeyon led Adelina deeper into the forest, to a place where the knights had already finished searching and wouldn’t return.

“This place gets a lot of moonlight.”

“Yes, it does. I’ll lay down my cloak for you.”

Jaeyon spread his cloak in an area where the trees were sparse enough to discern objects by moonlight. When Adelina sat on the cloak, he sat beside her.

“Here… you have a scratch on your face.”

In the moonlight, he could see small scratches on Adelina’s face. Her lips seemed a bit pale, perhaps because she had become cold from not moving.

“I think I got scratched by a branch earlier.”

Adelina spoke lightly, seeing Jaeyon drape her jacket over her shoulders.

“Just in case, I’ve prepared some ointment. Please wait a moment.”

Jaeyon wrapped an arm around Adelina’s back as if embracing her, searching his jacket pocket, but only felt the light stone.

‘Oops… The ointment is with Hailyn…’

“Shall I look for it?”

As Jaeyon’s body leaned closer to Adelina, she looked up at him.

“No, I found it.”

Jaeyon slowly withdrew his hand from his jacket pocket while maintaining eye contact with Adelina.

Thud. Hailyn threw the solid ointment container at Jaeyon’s back with force.

***

“If you’re cold… shall we light a fire?”

Jaeyon had now even taken off his shirt to wrap it around Adelina’s back. If they lit a fire, Leophris would surely find them immediately, but he disliked the idea of Adelina catching a cold even more.

“No, thank you. Instead, could I see the map once more?”

“Of course.”

Jaeyon felt Hailyn’s incredulous gaze behind him but ignored it and pulled out the highly confidential map from his bosom. He had previously tried to use this map to entice Adelina, which earned him an hour-long lecture from Hailyn.

Adelina examined the map closely in the darkness. Even the smallest rocky islands were marked on it. Jaeyon placed Adelina’s hand on his palm, laid the chart over it, and traced it with his finger as he explained.

“This area has many rocky islands not shown on regular navigation maps. Most passenger ships would sink if they entered.”

“You’re quite knowledgeable about maps.”

Adelina looked at Jaeyon with amazement as he explained even the currents and sea winds using the small map.

“Of course. I once dreamed of being a man of the sea. I can draw it with my eyes closed.”

“Really? It doesn’t suit you.”

“Hahaha. Give me your hand. I’ll also teach you how to read the stars at sea.”

Jaeyon put the map back into his bosom and pulled Adelina’s hand to point at the stars.

“Then why didn’t you become a man of the sea?”

“Because I’m part of the Imperial Family.”

Adelina looked at Jaeyon intently. There was no regret or resentment in his voice.

“Members of the Imperial Family have many obligations proportional to the privileges they enjoy. I will gladly fulfill those duties.”

Jaeyon held Adelina’s hand and met her gaze.

‘Even if one of my obligations is a political marriage with you, I will gladly accept it.’

The international situation is unstable. 

Emperor Grain and Evans, brimming with confidence, would want to send dragons to the Tiola Empire at any moment. If Lexion opposes Petrus, Ernst could serve as a decent shield.

“I envy you.”

Adelina’s eyes, filled with an emotion hard to decipher, spoke to Jaeyon.

“Pardon?”

“You have things you want to do and things you must do.”

 “Don’t you, Lady Adelina?”

“…No. Nothing.”

Is this… emptiness? 

As if it could vanish into the night air, or dissolve into the light emitted by a star that has reached the end of its life.

Adelina’s eyes seemed hollow.

+++

As soon as the dawn light brightened the surroundings the next day, Jaeyon and Adelina headed to the lake. Leophris scowled fiercely at the sight of them. He was already in a state of red-eyed exhaustion from searching for Adelina all night.

“Thank you for protecting the young Lady Marquis Adelina, Sir Jaeyon.”

When Leophris tried to place his hand on Adelina’s shoulder as if he were her guardian, Jaeyon sharply slapped it away.

“I don’t see why I should receive thanks from you.”

As Jaeyon led Adelina past, giving a light tap on Leophris’s shoulder, Leophris grabbed his arm tightly.

“I trust you didn’t do anything improper.”

He muttered in a way only Jaeyon could hear.

“I don’t think that’s something someone who intended to do improper things should say.”

Jaeyon replied quietly, only for Leophris to hear.

“Sir Jaeyon!”

“Are you curious? Whether I coveted the Lady’s body or heart?”

They glared at each other intensely.

“What are you two talking about?”

At Adelina’s voice, filled with irritation, they both turned their gaze to her. Jaeyon changed his expression to a bright one, giving Adelina a gentle smile, even shaping his eyes like a crescent moon.

“We were talking about you, Miss. How you are even more beautiful at night, like the stars in the night sky.”

‘Ah… so cheesy. Even my tongue feels gross.’

Adelina made a face as if she had bitten into a sour persimmon at Jaeyon’s words.

+++

In conclusion, after the horse incident, Adelina became much more comfortable.

“Horses are too scary. Sir Leophris. I think it will be difficult to ride for a while.”

With a slight shiver and her gaze lowered, everyone nodded in agreement.

“Your Majesty the Empress, have you seen an agitated horse? Let me explain it to you in detail.”

At Adelina’s words, the Empress turned pale and rubbed her forehead with her hand.

“Your Majesty the Empress. First, regarding the physical changes—”

“It seems the young Lady might need some recuperation. Let’s skip etiquette lessons for a week.”

“I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty.”

It seemed more like the Empress needed the recuperation, but Adelina gladly bowed and received a week’s vacation.

“Is there anyone around?”

Adelina sat in front of the dressing table when even Hailyn had stepped out for a moment, leaving the room empty. She spread out all the jewelry she owned on top of it.

Though not as extravagant as the ornate mirror encrusted with jewels at the Marquis’s residence, this mirror was still quite luxurious.

“Here. This is my entire fortune.”

She tried to bribe the mirror. Who knows? Perhaps it housed a materialistic soul like hers.

‘Oh!’

Whether due to the bribe or not, the mirror rippled like wind blowing across the surface of a lake, forming large concentric circles.