Let’s Live Together - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

-15-

“Did you say you went to the slave market to get me a sword?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Roan’s expression darkened, and I responded in a slightly smaller voice.

Not because I was scared.

“Then how did you know there was a dwarf there? You, who lost your memory.”

His face showed a hint of suspicion.

This was a tricky question. What Roan mentioned was a fact from the novel. If I said I knew because I read it in a book, everything I said so far would be dismissed as nonsense.

“I can’t reveal the source.”

His straight eyebrows shot up. The suspicion in his eyes grew stronger.

“Why not?”

“Because I really can’t reveal it.”

“…….”

I could see on his face that he was thinking, ‘What is she trying to do now?’ But there was nothing I could do about it.

Revealing even one of these things would make him think I was crazy. Even if I told him someday, it had to be when he trusted me. Saying it now would just make him think I was mad.

To him, this world had always been reality. It might be hard for him to accept it even if I told him.

“But it’s not dangerous! I’m the only one who knows the source. It’s not that I don’t trust you; it’s just… I can’t tell you.”

Roan’s stern expression softened slightly at my desperate words. He seemed to decide to let it pass for now.

“Alright, I understand that.”

“So, I was heading there with the jewels and got pickpocketed.”

“Pickpocketed?”

Roan looked slightly bewildered.

“Yes. So, I lost all the money, but I didn’t realize it and just went there. When I tried to take out the money, I realized it was gone. They thought I was suspicious and locked me up. Even when I told them my identity, they didn’t believe me.”

His expression was once again mixed with confusion.

“Then, when you came looking for me, they probably found out who I was and got scared, so they tried to… kill me.”

Roan’s face hardened visibly at the mention of them trying to kill me.

“Anyway, that’s why I wasn’t trying to leave. I have no reason to leave.”

I spoke to him with a genuinely aggrieved expression. Roan was now looking at me silently. We had both long since stopped eating our breakfast.

His expression hadn’t changed much, but he seemed to be in turmoil.

I still saw disbelief in his eyes. It was frustrating that he didn’t believe me. Ugh.

…Well. Who could I blame? I resigned myself a little.

After breakfast, I lounged on the bed for a while and then decided to visit the dwarf to thank him and check on his condition.

I left the bedroom, walked down a few hallways, and stood in front of the door to the room where the dwarf was being treated. I spoke from outside.

“Mr. Dwarf, may I come in?”

“…Come in.”

His voice sounded significantly better than yesterday. Feeling a bit happier, I opened the door.

“Huh?”

The dwarf wasn’t alone in the room. Roan was standing beside the bedridden dwarf.

“Roan?”

“…Duchess”

Roan’s demeanor was a bit off. His blue eyes seemed deep and somber.

What is this? I wondered as the dwarf chuckled slightly.

“Talk to your husband first.”

Huh? We just talked, I thought, as Roan grabbed my wrist.

It was rare for him to touch me first, so I was a little surprised. Roan was leading me out of the room.

“Roan?”

Roan led me into the room right next to the dwarf’s. There was a bed there. It seemed to be his bedroom. As soon as we entered, he shut the door firmly.

I didn’t have time to feel emotional about being in his bedroom for the first time because Roan suddenly pushed me against the door.

He still held my wrist.

Why is Roan acting like this?

I looked at him with a mix of confusion and some other feelings.

“Duchess.”

He called me in a hushed voice. His eyes looked like they were devouring me.

I was bewildered by Roan’s behavior. He seemed to be confirming something.

“You didn’t leave.”

“I told you, I didn’t. I said…”

I stopped mid-sentence. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Roan was smiling at me. His eyes turned into crescent moons, partially hiding his sea-like pupils.

I had only ever seen him smile slightly, so I could only stare at him in a daze. When he smiled, he looked like a beautiful young man. Truly.

From today, I think my type might be beautiful young men. Or maybe just Roan. I snapped out of it and cautiously asked,

“Roan…? So, do you believe me now?”

“Yes.”

Oh, finally he believed me! I don’t know why, but it seemed like his misunderstanding had been resolved.

I couldn’t help but smile with joy. The surprising thing was that Roan also raised the corners of his mouth as he looked at me.

***

A few minutes ago.

Roan went to the dwarf’s room next to his bedroom to check on his condition.

Seeing him come in, the dwarf spoke.

“Did you meet your wife?”

“Yes.”

Roan’s expression stiffened at the mention of Delis.

“Perhaps she…”

“She said she came to retrieve your sword.”

Roan’s hardened gaze wavered. Could it really be true? Was she not trying to leave him? Had she really gone to such a place to retrieve something like his gift?

The dwarf watched his confused expression.

“It was indeed reckless. But she seemed to come out of concern for you.”

“I really wasn’t trying to leave.”

Concern? Could it be that her eyes weren’t lying? For some reason, he felt his heart flutter.

“Delis. You mean.”

He wanted to shout at Delis for doing something so dangerous. Yet, strangely, he also wanted to hold her and ask if she really didn’t intend to leave. Even though he thought all her words were lies, did he secretly hope they weren’t just excuses? It was contradictory.

***

Roan and I returned to the dwarf.

“What did you two do?”

The dwarf spoke with a knowing look. What, what did he think we did? We did nothing, but I felt guilty for no reason.

“We just talked! ‘Talked.'”

Just talking. I emphasized the word ‘talked.’ The dwarf seemed to smirk, or maybe it was just my imagination.

“Ahem. Anyway, since you got me out of there, as promised, I’ll give you the sword.”

“Oh, really?”

“Indeed. I am a dwarf who keeps promises.”

Thank goodness. At that moment, Roan spoke.

“For now, it’s best not to move as your body hasn’t fully recovered.”

“Then, will you come with me when I recover, or will you go there yourself?”

I thought for a moment before deciding.

“I’ll go myself.”

Knowing that Roan’s aura was getting stronger, it was best to hurry.

“Then, go to our forest and tell them you came for the sword on ‘Reb’s’ recommendation. The sword is currently with the Fairies. You can get it from them.”

He pulled out a bit of his red hair and handed it to me.

“If they don’t believe you after hearing ‘Reb’s’ name, show them this.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Then he explained where the dwarf’s forest was. Although I knew the location from the novel, I listened to his explanation since it was awkward to say so.

“Duchess.”

When the dwarf finished speaking, Roan called me.

“That place is far and dangerous to go alone.”

“Oh. This time, I’ll go with an escort!”

“Why not go with me?”

“Pardon?”

Did Roan just say he would go with me? Is this for real, truly?

“Let’s go there together.”

“But, aren’t you busy?”

I asked, hoping he wasn’t.

“I can be away for a while.”

He answered nonchalantly, saying something David would immediately oppose.

Going with Roan! Technically, it wasn’t a trip, but it felt like my first trip with him.

“Then when should we go?”

“I need to wrap up work tomorrow. How about the day after tomorrow?”

“Sounds good.”

Humming, I eagerly looked forward to the day after tomorrow.

The next day, Roan left early in the morning, saying he would finish his work.

“Your Grace, what is this? I meant to tell you, but it was in the robe you wore when you came home the day before yesterday.”

It was Roan’s gloves that I bought. Fortunately, they weren’t taken away even though the jewelry was. I tried to push the thought of the lost jewelry out of my mind. By the way, when is Roan’s birthday? It seems like it’s soon…

“Mary, what’s today’s date?”

“It’s May 6th.”

!!!

How could I lose track of time like this? In the Imperial Calendar, it was May 7th, 271. Tomorrow was Roan’s 21st birthday.

In fact, Roan said he had never really celebrated his birthday. He didn’t think his birth was something worth celebrating. But I thought differently. Roan deserved to be celebrated more than anyone else.

Immediately, I began to enlist the help of the people in the duchy.

I went around to the maids and servants, informing them of my plan.

Surprisingly, many of the staff didn’t even know when Roan’s birthday was.

Had he never properly celebrated his birthday? The thought made me want to celebrate this one even more.

When they heard my fantastic plan, at first they hesitated, but eventually, most of them expressed excitement and said it sounded fun.

“Slave market…”

“Completely…”

As I walked around the mansion, I overheard the maids talking. What about the slave market? I approached them.

“What did you say?”

“Oh my goodness!”

“Yo-Your Grace.”

“Can you tell me what you were talking about?”

“Well, we were talking about the slave market.”

Slavery? Why did it feel like this had something to do with me?

“What about slavery?”

“They say the Duke has wiped out all the slave markets in the capital. There used to be an implicit slave trade in the capital, but he uprooted it all…”

Oh. Was it really because of me?

They call it the butterfly effect. A small butterfly’s wings can cause a typhoon.

Trying to get the sword led to all this.

“I see. That’s good.”

Well, in the end, it’s a good thing. The process was a bit messy, though. Haha.

It was getting dark outside. Roan would be here soon. There was a peculiar tension within the mansion. It was 9 PM, three hours until Roan’s birthday. Then,

“The Duke has returned!”

I quickly went down the stairs to greet Roan.

“Roan! You’re back?”

“Yes, I am.”

Roan answered languidly, looking a bit tired from all the work.

He seemed even more handsome today. Despite being tired, he didn’t look worn out but rather had a decadent charm. His face did all the work today as well.

“Rest inside since you’re tired.”

I spoke kindly. Soon, I’d chase away that fatigue.

Thirty minutes before Roan’s birthday.

None of the staff had gone to bed. We still had our mission.

Roan, who usually stayed up late, was still awake. I held the wrapped gloves tightly in my hand.

Ten minutes to go.

Everything was ready. We just had to wait for the moment.

One minute left.

A tense atmosphere filled the mansion. I was watching the clock ticking.

There were only a few seconds left now.

3, 2, 1… 0. It was midnight.

All the lights in the mansion, except for Roan’s room, were turned off.