Chapter 8 – The Road to the Imperial Family (Part 3)

Fernan landed on a quiet hill away from people’s eyes.  

“Was the trip okay?”  

Fernan asked with a bright smile.  

“It was so enjoyable.”  

Ellerdin replied, smiling back.  

At that moment, the clock tower in the middle of the capital chimed 5 PM.  

“We arrived… a bit early.”  

Ellerdin let out a laugh mixed with embarrassment.  

She had been so nervous about meeting the Emperor for the first time that she suggested leaving a day early, but they arrived too early, leaving them with spare time.  

“We have free time now… Do you have any plans?”  

He meant to go down and play together.  

Ellerdin hesitated, unable to answer immediately.  

“Will it be okay?”  

She was worried that others might recognize Fernan and say bad things.  

Understanding Ellerdin’s concern, Fernan confidently took out a potion from his pocket.  

There were two potions in total, which, when drunk, would change one’s appearance, a product often used by nobles when going out for fun.  

Fernan handed one bottle to Ellerdin.  

He opened his bottle first and drank it in one go.  

His white silver hair turned into a soft brown, and his red eyes changed to a common brown.  

Seeing this, Ellerdin was surprised and fiddled with the potion.  

“Please try it, my lady. It even tastes good.”  

Fernan said playfully.  

Ellerdin looked at the potion for a moment, then closed her eyes tightly and drank it all at once, just like Fernan.  

As he said, the potion didn’t taste bad. Blinking at the unexpected taste, Fernan took a step closer.  

“My lady… you are beautiful no matter what you look like.”  

“What?”  

Ellerdin laughed at his blushing words.  

Watching her say thank you and giggle, Fernan thought.  

‘I mean it…’  

Her blonde hair had turned black, and her blue eyes had turned green, but her beauty remained unchanged.  

In fact, he had already come dressed similarly to the landowners, planning to play with Ellerdin, but he realized it was a big mistake.  

Ellerdin was not someone whose presence could be hidden by mere appearance or clothing.  

She shone brightly in any form she took.  

Feeling the gentle pulse spreading, Fernan gently held Ellerdin’s hand.  

“Hmm? Fernan, do you have something to say?”

Ellerdin asked, smiling brightly and turning to him. Her hair fluttered in the wind.  

“It’s nothing. I just wanted to hold your hand.”  

If he didn’t pull himself together, he felt like he would praise Ellerdin again.  

Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Fernan suppressed his words and intertwined their fingers.  

Determined to make her happy today, Fernan was full of enthusiasm.  

***  

“Ellerdin, look over there.”  

Fernan pointed to the lake with his finger.  

Several people were gathered on the blue lake, riding boats.  

“That’s…”  

It was a common boat ride for lovers or people who wanted to be together.  

“We haven’t done anything like that, have we? If you don’t mind, would you like to try it?”  

There was a rumor among lovers about boat rides.  

It was said that if you went on a boat ride with the person you love, your love would come true.  

‘A boat ride with Fernan…’  

Ellerdin glanced at Fernan.  

She didn’t believe in the rumor, but she wanted to go on a boat ride with him at least once.  

If the rumor were true, it would be even better. Ellerdin nodded shyly.  

“They say the water here is the cleanest in the capital. Try putting your hand in.”  

Ellerdin extended her arm and dipped her hand below the surface.  

As soon as she put her hand in, she felt the transparent water droplets flowing.  

She felt the power contained in the clean water flowing into her veins.  

After realizing her mermaid power, Ellerdin could feel the power contained in the water and could absorb and release it, albeit in small amounts.  

The problem was that since she wasn’t used to it yet, she sometimes unintentionally drew water.  

Ellerdin hurriedly released the absorbed power in a panic. However, the water that had circulated through her mermaid blood was already infused with power.  

The water where they were floating began to sparkle.  

“Oh?”  

Startled, Ellerdin looked at Fernan with a distressed face.  

At her cute appearance, he burst into laughter.  

“Really, why are you so cute?”  

“That’s not the point right now…!”  

Ellerdin looked around in a panic.  

People were starting to murmur, seeing the sparkling water.  

Fernan tried to suppress his laughter and chuckled.  

“Then, shall we quickly escape before we’re caught?”  

He swiftly moved away. In a place where there were no people, they leisurely looked up at the sky.  

Sunlight shone through the long leaves of the trees.  

Ellerdin momentarily lost herself, watching Fernan.  

Instead of his usual silver hair, his soft brown hair fluttered in the wind.  

Green leaves gently fell over his head.  

He picked up the leaves that had fallen on his clothes and carefully let them flow over the water.  

A gentle smile settled on his face.  

Watching his profile, Ellerdin’s heart began to pound.  

It seemed the rumor was true.  

‘My heart… feels like it’s going to burst.’  

***  

After finishing their boat ride, they wandered around the village for a while and then entered any inn nearby.  

Receiving a key, they went upstairs to find a room with a bathroom.  

“Oh… the bed…”  

Ellerdin looked at the bed in surprise.  

It seemed the innkeeper thought they were newlyweds and intentionally gave them such a room.  

No wonder they kept smiling while looking at them.  

‘…Would it be weird to say I’m glad for the misunderstanding?’

Ellerdin glanced at Fernan.  

He seemed flustered too, as his pupils were shaking.  

In fact, the bed was too small for the two of them to sleep on, so Ellerdin was a bit worried about Fernan.  

‘He must be tired from holding me all day.’  

It was unthinkable for him not to rest properly because the bed was small.

Fortunately, there was an extra thin blanket, so it seemed she could go down and sleep on the floor.  

That way, he could rest comfortably.  

‘If I say I’ll go down, he’ll probably stop me, so I’ll pretend to sleep together and then move down in the middle of the night.’

Ellerdin made a cute plan and clenched her fist.  

***  

‘He must be asleep, right?’  

Ellerdin glanced at Fernan, who had his eyes closed. As expected, the bed was too small for his body, and Fernan was uncomfortably curled up.  

Ellerdin carefully got up from her spot. Just as she was about to leave the bed, a large hand pulled her wrist.  

“Oh.”  

Pulled back, Ellerdin fell onto the bed.  

“Where are you going?”  

Red eyes gazed intently at Ellerdin.  

“Fernan…”  

Ellerdin blinked her large eyes. Her startled heart couldn’t calm down and pounded loudly.  

“You’re not… asleep yet?”  

“…Sleep here with me.”  

“But you’ll be uncomfortable.”  

Ellerdin said, drooping her eyebrows. At her words, Fernan was silent for a moment and then pulled Ellerdin into his arms.  

“It’s comfortable like this.”  

Suddenly embraced by Fernan, Ellerdin reached out in surprise, but Fernan naturally placed her arms around his waist.  

“Uh, uh… Won’t this be more uncomfortable?”  

Ellerdin mumbled with a flushed face. However, Fernan pretended not to hear and slowly stroked her back.  

Her heart, which had been startled, soon matched the rhythm of Fernan’s heartbeat and moved steadily.  

A comfortable wave of sound filled the room.  

***  

“Ellerdin, Ellerdin.”  

A soft voice echoed in her ears.  

“Mm…”  

Not fully awake, she shook her head, grumbling sleepily.  

She felt something poke her cheek.  

Finally, a bit more awake, Ellerdin drowsily opened her eyes.  

Fernan was smiling brightly, looking at her.  

“Did you sleep well?”  

“…Did you sleep well?”  

She had risen without any discomfort, but the bed must have been small for him.

Ellerdin sighed inwardly, realizing they had ended up sleeping together on this small bed.

‘I was definitely awake.’  

She had stayed up until dawn without sleeping.

The problem was that whenever she tried to move even a little away from him, he would pull her back, so Ellerdin couldn’t move even 1cm away from him all night.  

Even though it must have been uncomfortable, Fernan was smiling brightly.  

“I slept well. By the way, it’s time to get up now. The knights are already here.”  

He spoke as if breakfast was prepared.  

Ellerdin didn’t quite understand what he was saying due to his too calm tone.  

But as time passed, she began to understand his words and quickly sat up in surprise.  

“The knights are here?”  

“Take your time getting ready. They have nothing else to do but wait anyway.”  

“We can’t keep them waiting! Fernan, hurry and get dressed too!”  

At Ellerdin’s words, Fernan pouted his lips.  

It seemed like mentioning the knights was unnecessary.