Chapter 108. Sweet Confession

“…You want me to let you stay?”

I stammered in confusion.

How did he know this was my house and come asking to stay over?

It seemed like it would be a big deal if I didn’t let him stay, but I quickly gathered my wits and spoke up.

“You really have no shame asking that in a house where a woman lives alone!”

“There are plenty of rooms.”

“There may be rooms, but…!”

I needed to find something to say, but my words got stuck.

In the meantime, Johann began to speak his piece. Straightening his back and clasping his hands behind him, he slowly circled around me.

“What sneaky thoughts are you having? I’m not asking to sleep in the same bed, just for a room.”

“Still, being under the same roof is a bit much.”

“Marseus also offered you a room.”

“How can you compare that to the Imperial Palace?”

“So, are you saying you’ll turn away an emperor with nowhere to go?”

“……”

Claude and Mihail are sleeping on the streets, too.

I wanted to retort confidently, but instinctively, I kept my mouth shut. Somehow, it felt like mentioning those two in front of Johann right now was a bad idea.

How should I put it?

He seemed a bit dangerous…

At that moment, Johann abruptly stopped in front of me.

In an instant, his demeanor changed completely. It had been chilly from the start, but now the weight of it was extraordinary.

It felt like a sadness or pain you shouldn’t touch lightly… I could sense that.

My mood sank with his, and I swallowed dryly.

Johann’s blue eyes were filled with countless emotions. Like a ship caught in a whirlpool, I felt myself being sucked into those deep ocean-like eyes.

The whole world faded away, and Johann filled my entire vision.

His emotions were conveyed to me in intricate detail. Among them, the one that pierced my heart the deepest was…

“Why did you run away?”

Johann asked, his voice like that of a wounded animal.

“How could you disappear so irresponsibly, ignoring your vow as a purifier?”

Even if I had ten… no, a thousand mouths, I had nothing to say.

“Did you vanish without a word just because your resignation was rejected? Because you were afraid of dying? Even when Marseus said he’d protect you?”

A flood of questions poured from his lips.

“Did you not think about the people who would worry? Thinking something might have happened to you…”

Johann couldn’t continue speaking. Seeing his face twisted in pain, my eyes grew misty.

I’m sorry.

I should have said that, but my throat tightened, and I couldn’t make a sound.

“Was I really that insignificant to you?”

“…It wasn’t just Your Majesty I kept it a secret from.”

I know.

It’s such a petty excuse that it’s embarrassing.

I don’t know why I said that.

Ashamed of myself, I hung my head low. Then Johann’s hand suddenly lifted my chin.

“Ah…”

As soon as our eyes met, I was overwhelmed by the urge to look away. It was hard to face his straight and intense blue eyes.

However, at Johann’s next words, instead of averting my gaze, I bit my lower lip.

“You were with Claude.”

“……”

He was referring to the incident at the beach.

Just as Claude had good eyesight, Johann must have had it too.

How much did he see from the ship? Did he think I showed Claude a place to hide? Did he misunderstand that we were staying together here?

“It’s not like that.”

I couldn’t help but defend myself out of frustration.

“What Your Majesty saw was right when His Grace Denhague had just found me. I really didn’t tell anyone…”

“I’m not accusing you of lying.”

Johann interrupted my words.

His blue eyes seemed to flicker with a blue flame.

“Where have you been and what have you been doing?”

“What?”

“Where were you and what were you doing from midday until sunset?”

The correct answer would be that I was holding hands with Mihail and Claude… but instead of saying that, I kept silent. And I closely observed Johann’s expression.

He seemed very angry right now. He seemed irritated, and also…

“…Are you jealous right now?”

Thinking I was with Claude alone all day? If he knew Mihail was there too, it would really be a disaster… I thought.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“……!”

“I’m very jealous.”

His serious, calm voice flowed into my ears.

Ah.

Maybe there’s something wrong with my hearing. My ears felt stuffed.

But Johann kindly clarified that I hadn’t misheard, that it wasn’t a misunderstanding, with his unwavering voice once more.

“This Marseus likes you.”

“Ah…”

His hand, which had been holding my chin, moved smoothly to cup my cheek. I unknowingly closed my eyes.

A warm breath brushed my lips, followed by a soft sensation.

My heart pounded as if it would burst.

This can’t be happening.

Something truly unbelievable was happening.

Johann’s lips were pressed against mine.

Though I thought it was surreal, on the other hand, I understood the reality of this kiss.

Among the many emotions in Johann’s blue eyes, the one that pierced my heart the deepest was… his feelings for me.

The gentle kiss made me dizzy.

* * *

Whooosh…

The cool sound of waves echoed over the night sea.

Claude and Mihail sat side by side on the sandy beach, maintaining an awkward distance that could accommodate two grown men lying down.

When Seraphina was around, the two had been so competitive, trying not to lose in their verbal sparring, but now they were silent.

Lost in their own thoughts, they remained quiet.

Claude, with one knee raised and his arm casually draped over it, quietly gazed at the night sea, occasionally checking the position of the moon.

Whiiiz.

He pulled out a small flute-like magical device from his backpack and blew into it. The mana-infused sound waves traveled far, resembling a whistle.

Flap, flap.

Soon, a large bird flew in from somewhere. It was a messenger bird that traveled between Hilton Castle and Claude. It had been trained from birth to respond to specific sound waves.

The bird quickly found Claude and perched on his vambrace. Claude fed it the prepared food, as part of its training.

During his travels, he let it roam freely in the sky, and by calling it at regular intervals to feed it, the messenger bird never strayed far from Claude’s route.

“It’s time for you to serve your purpose.”

Until now, he had called it to make it remember his location. But today was different. He needed to send the good news to Hilton Castle that Seraphina had been found.

Claude scribbled a brief message and tied it to the bird’s leg.

“To Hilton Castle.”

The intelligent bird flapped its large wings and followed its master’s command, quickly flying off into the distance.

Mihail, who had been lying on the sand with his hands supporting the back of his head, quietly observed the process and slowly spoke.

“You’re giving yourself false hope.”

“What nonsense is that?”

Claude frowned and turned his head. Despite the fierce glare, Mihail continued to gaze at the night sky like a carefree wanderer.

“I can see you’re harboring unnecessary hope, thinking that Miss Sera would go to Hilton, but she won’t.”

“On what grounds are you spouting such nonsense?”

He growled in genuine irritation. However, Mihail’s following words sounded quite plausible even to Claude.

“Isn’t there another purifier to replace Miss Sera?”

“……!”

“Wouldn’t the Imperial Palace send her to the Grodes Mountains?”

“A woman we don’t even know…”

“I believe her name is Aveline. They say she has stronger purification abilities than Miss Sera, so it’s only right for her to go to the Grodes Mountains.”

“You…!”

Claude gritted his teeth, having lost the argument.

He spent months of grueling effort to get here, and now he couldn’t take Seraphina with him?

He couldn’t accept it.

“Miss Sera will naturally come to Sahar.”

Like a predator leisurely cornering its prey, Mihail curled his lips into a smile. That sight greatly annoyed Claude.

What would change by arguing here?

“The sea breeze is fishy.”

Claude blamed the wind for no reason and stood up.

Mihail, who had been indifferently gazing at the sky, turned his head.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find an inn because it’s cold.”

Claude replied nonchalantly.

But Mihail wasn’t oblivious. Normally, he would have said it was none of his business, but he answered kindly, indicating he was hiding something.

“Come to think of it, if we sleep here, we’ll wake up with twisted mouths.”

Saying that, Mihail also got up.

Claude frowned.

A guy used to camping was making a fuss about spending a night on the beach.

Annoyance surged, but since he was also used to camping, Claude couldn’t say anything.

So, the two men, uttering incompatible words, left the beach.

As if they couldn’t stand each other, the distance between them gradually closed as they walked.

“Didn’t you say you were looking for an inn?”

“Look who’s talking.”

Pretending otherwise, but as they got closer to their destination, they couldn’t hide it any longer.

The footsteps of the two men were headed toward Seraphina’s house.