Chapter 10 – Chasing Clues (Part 3)

“Do you remember the day I confessed about being a demon? I told you before. I look forward to everything about you.”

Ellerdin’s chest ached inside.

Because of those words, she sometimes struggled more obsessively to achieve something.

Ellerdin spoke with a somber expression.

“Because of that, you’ll be disappointed.”

Seeing her belittle her abilities to avoid getting hurt, Fernan smiled bitterly. Her deeply sunken eyes glanced at him. Fernan smiled warmly and spoke.

“What are you saying? You seem too harsh on yourself. You don’t know yourself well.”

Sunlight slowly began to enter where they stood. Like the highlight of a play, bright sunlight shone down on them.

“I’m even looking forward to your failures.”

At those words, Ellerdin quickly looked up at Fernan. His eyes shone with certainty, not as if he was lying or trying to avoid worsening the situation.

Seeing Ellerdin’s surprise, Fernan continued with a smile.

“I want to see everything about you. Seeing you confidently attempt cooking only to fail due to simple water control, tripping while running and getting covered in dirt and grass, making a mistake in calculations and turning the castle upside down. I want to see all your successes and failures.”

“I won’t make such failures. I’ll do everything perfectly.”

Ellerdin’s body began to tremble slightly. He gently patted her back.

“I also have something else I want to see. It’s my small wish, but I want to make many mistakes and failures with you. Wouldn’t it be fun to spill flour while making dough together and end up covered in it? Laughing at each other’s appearances and getting scolded by Nisroch.”

“It would be a nuisance to Nisroch. It would cost money to buy those items again and to clean up…”

“In that case, we can grab a mop and clean the floor. While practicing the dance we learned, of course.”

Fernan lightly stepped while holding Ellerdin’s hand.

“After that, we take a refreshing shower and go to the market to buy the spilled items. Enjoying a date together, hand in hand, in the pleasant breeze, pretending to buy items while secretly snacking and wandering around until we’re tired.”

“But… then… others will dislike us.”

The memories of the Earl’s house and the Baron’s house were so mixed up that she couldn’t even grasp what she was saying.

Realizing that Ellerdin was recalling other memories, Fernan pulled her closer and asked.

“Do you really think so?”

It was a serious question. Like adding silence in the middle to build up to the climax of a song, a calm silence lingered between them.

Before Ellerdin could answer, Fernan stepped again. By now, the room was filled with warm sunlight.

“They’ll blame me for keeping you outside for so long. But soon, seeing your face flushed with joy, they’ll shrug their shoulders helplessly and bring out warm food.”

Fernan paused for a moment, then looked at Ellerdin with a face full of belief.

“Don’t be afraid of anything, Ellerdin. This is your castle, and you are the most beloved here. Whether mischievous, quiet, gloomy, or happy. You know I’ve already fallen deeply for you. I love everything about you. I’m so glad you’re my wife.”

Eventually, Ellerdin couldn’t hold back her tears and started crying in Fernan’s arms. 

She had always wanted to hear such words at least once. Not just words saying it was okay, but words that could forgive even failure.

Fernan told her to cry as much as she wanted and patted her back.

Her eyes were swollen from crying so much. Still, Ellerdin no longer hid that appearance. Sniffling, she asked him.

“But… the last thing you said… was it true?”

“Do you mean when I said I love you? Of course. Didn’t you notice that I’ve always been looking at you? I thought you knew and were teasing me.”

Fernan spoke playfully and lightly touched Ellerdin’s cheek. At his words, Ellerdin, flustered, grabbed his hand.

“I didn’t know at all…! I really thought you were just a kind person… who treated even someone like me well…”

She couldn’t believe that Fernan felt the same way. A happiness that felt as if she had the whole world filled her heart. She was so happy that she couldn’t even speak properly.

Fernan lifted his hand and wiped away the tears from Ellerdin’s eyes.

“What do you mean by someone like you? What you’ve accomplished and what you’re trying to do are things no one else has even attempted. I’m not just talking about your abilities. You’ll know how amazing you are as time passes. Anyone who sees you will fall for you.”

Just like I did.

Fernan looked at Ellerdin with a gentle smile. After gazing at his face for a moment, Ellerdin quickly kissed his lips. The soft flesh touched his lips, and a surprised Fernan opened his eyes wide.

His mind went blank.

‘What is this…?’

Fernan looked at Ellerdin with his mouth agape. Ellerdin, pulling away, mumbled, hiding her reddened face.

“I’m sorry… but knowing that you feel the same way as I do… I was so happy… I couldn’t hold back…”

At her words, Fernan grabbed Ellerdin’s arms.

“Ellerdin, am I dreaming right now? Did you just say you feel the same way as I do?”

Fernan asked in a voice filled with joy. His heart was pounding as if it would burst. With her face flushed red, Ellerdin slowly nodded. At her answer, Fernan hugged her tightly as if she might break.

“It feels like a dream. That you feel the same way as I do too.”

Fernan spoke with a face flushed with excitement. At his expression, Ellerdin burst into laughter and hugged him back.

“I still can’t believe it.”

Is it okay to be this happy? Could I be happier than this? 

Ellerdin hugged Fernan tightly.

***

“You only just realized?”

“Ellerdin, you’re really oblivious.”

Phil and Pearl squeaked with laughter, circling around Ellerdin. Flustered by their reaction, she asked Parin.

“Did you know too, Parin?”

“…I didn’t know.”

Ellerdin looked at the sky with a shocked expression at Parin’s evasive answer. 

Could it be that everyone knew except me?

‘No, that can’t be.’

Ellerdin staggered as she returned to the castle.

Climbing the stairs, she saw Celine and Mollek talking in the hallway. Ellerdin asked if they knew about Fernan’s feelings. Hoping they didn’t know, Ellerdin looked at them with teary eyes.

“…It’s okay. It’s possible not to know!”

Celine comforted Ellerdin. Meanwhile, Mollek, standing next to her, burst into laughter.

“Oh my! Hahaha! The master must have had a hard time!”

In the end, it meant they knew too.

‘Really… was I the only one who didn’t know?’

Ellerdin, who had come outside the castle, stared blankly at the sky. She never thought of herself as oblivious.

The shock still hadn’t worn off. When she tilted her head back, something gently touched the back of her head. Opening her eyes, she saw curious eyes looking at her.

“Fernan!”

Ellerdin exclaimed in surprise and stood up.

“Did you finish your work well?”

Ellerdin asked awkwardly. Now that they knew each other’s feelings, she somehow felt shy and couldn’t meet his eyes. The kiss from last night kept replaying in her mind.

It was the same for Fernan, as he too couldn’t meet her eyes, his face reddening as he pretended to look elsewhere.

“I finished to some extent… You were looking at the sky.”

“Yes, yes. The weather is so nice today.”

Haha, an awkward laugh flowed between them. After a moment of silence, Ellerdin and Fernan turned their heads at the same time. Their eyes met in mid-air, and they both burst into laughter.

“What is this?”

Ellerdin laughed as she approached Fernan. He also laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“I’m so happy I don’t know what to do. As you said, the weather is nice. Shall we take a walk?”

Fernan raised his arm. Ellerdin chuckled and placed her hand on his arm.

“Sounds good.”

***

‘…I should go to the temple.’

It was a conclusion reached after much thought. She had heard that the power of healing could also influence holy power. If so, perhaps she could enhance that holy power.

Yurishien could provide the answer to that. She couldn’t forgive Yurishien for trying to kill Fernan, and she didn’t expect her to give the right answer, but now wasn’t the time to be picky.

‘And there’s something else that bothers me.’

After the days of using her power to resolve Kaiden’s curse, she gained the ability to see evil things.

She recalled the black dust that had clung to Yurishien’s back before. At that time, her power was too weak to identify it, but thinking about it now, it was clear that Yurishien was also cursed.

That was truly absurd. A Saintess could never associate with evil. That’s why Fernan and Mollek could be harmed by Yurishien’s power.

‘It’s impossible for someone like that to be cursed.’

Holy power and curses are opposites. Surely something else was happening.