Chapter 2.1

Theodora clearly remembered the day she first met Adrian. It was a winter shortly after her eighth birthday.  

The strangely excited atmosphere of the mansion, the freshly laundered white curtains and bed linens, the spotless windows, and even the mood of that day were all vivid as if it were yesterday.  

In truth, Theodora wasn’t in a good mood that morning. The maids had dragged her out of bed at dawn to get ready before the guest arrived, scrubbing her from head to toe, and she didn’t like the way her hair was braided.  

However, the moment she faced the ‘guest’ in question, she was greatly relieved that the dirt under her fingernails wasn’t from the garden.  

‘This is Young Master Adrian of the Bachelet Ducal Family.’  

Even though winter only made the air slightly cooler than other seasons, the boy was wearing a very thick fur coat. It was so peculiar that she stared at him intently. And the next moment, she discovered a pair of eyes meeting hers at a similar height.  

‘Wow…!’  

His perfectly white skin and delicate features were like a porcelain doll, drawing her attention.  

But what impressed her most, even at a young age, were his clear and bright green eyes, as if fresh grass had seeped into spring water. The boy’s lips curled into a pleasant smile. Theodora couldn’t take her eyes off that magical sight.  

‘Hello?’  

And the boy silently cast a spell. The adults’ voices exchanging greetings faded into the distance. It was the moment when a feeling that would be called friendship by some and love by others quietly began to sprout.

* * *

“So? Was that person really a spy for the allied forces?”  

“Yes, and he was a man dressed as a woman. Many underestimated him as a frail lady and suffered for it.”  

“My goodness, dealing with such a person for months… Are you sure you never got hurt?”  

“Of course, Theo. I may not look it, but I’m a trained soldier.”  

Their unplanned walk continued. After crossing the arch bridge and walking for about half an hour, they reached their destination, a charming ornamental structure. The octagonal stone pavilion, with its eight pillars supporting a dome carved with goddess statues, was of a quaint design.  

Just as in the past when they played with their heads together, Theodora and Adrian sat side by side on a small bench, sharing trivial stories. Despite their last meeting being long ago, the conversation flowed smoothly without any hitches. In some ways, she found spending time with him more comfortable and enjoyable than with her own family, allowing her to laugh freely for the first time in a while.  

However, aside from the joy of conversation, the hot spring sunlight was enough to make sweat bead on her forehead.  

“I wish I could dip my feet in the stream like when we were young.”  

It was a passing remark, almost like a sigh. Adrian seemed to take the casually muttered words quite seriously.  

“If you want to, you should, Theo. You used to say that often when we were kids.”  

“Yes, there was a time when I was that free. But now I’m an adult who knows etiquette.”  

When Theodora said this to maintain her dignity, he furrowed his brow as if displeased. After a moment of contemplation, Adrian urged her once more.  

“Why not just dip your toes with me? As a gentleman and a friend, I can overlook that much.”  

“Well, I’m already uneasy without a chaperone, and taking off my shoes and stockings is a bit…”  

“No chaperone? My aide should be nearby.”  

“That makes it even worse, Ian. I may not mind, but I don’t want to show him my bare feet.”  

“He won’t come close until I signal, so don’t worry about that.”  

With that bold assurance and even spreading out his coat, Theodora hesitantly settled by the water’s edge. He wasn’t just making empty promises; he sat on the grass, removed his shoes, and began rolling up his pant legs.  

Theodora briefly glanced at the arm suspenders tightly bound on his upper arms, now clad in just a shirt and vest.  

His back tensed, muscles standing out pleasingly as he leaned forward. Feeling oddly awkward, she lowered her gaze, only to see his sturdy calves and sock garters. Unsure where to look, she eventually had to remove her shoes and roll down her knee-high stockings.  

Carefully tucking her skirt to avoid getting it wet, she dipped her feet into the stream, feeling refreshingly cool despite her earlier refusals. A cool breeze passed under the shade of a large tree, quickly dispelling the heat.  

“I’m glad I listened to you, Ian. It’s really refreshing. It reminds me of old times.”  

“…”  

In truth, according to the empire’s etiquette, an unmarried woman showing her bare feet to someone other than family was unthinkable, but with Adrian, anything seemed okay.  

“Ian?”  

However, when the one who had actively suggested dipping their feet didn’t respond, Theodora felt a moment of curiosity.  

“…I’m listening.”  

“You suddenly went quiet. Are you enjoying it too?”  

“Yes, I am.”  

His feet, submerged in the clear water alongside hers, were absurdly large, making her chuckle lightly.  

“Even if it’s something trivial… I want to fulfill everything you wish for, Theo.”  

Watching Theodora laugh aloud, Adrian suddenly made this pledge, like a vow. She nodded out of habit, but the more she pondered, the more significant the words became.  

‘What on earth did he mean by that?’  

Trying to calm her inexplicably racing heart, Theodora shifted the topic out of embarrassment.  

“So? After catching the spy? I heard the royal family of Yelm officially invited you.”  

Adrian, seemingly lost in thought, resumed his story at her prompting, his thrilling tales of adventure continuing at length.  

“Whew, someone like me would lose my head in a place like that in less than a day. I’m really glad you returned safely.”  

That was Theodora’s impression after hearing the entire story. Recently, she had been gradually learning about the world, but she doubted she could survive even a single day in the perilous world of Adrian’s tales.  

“But I’m a bit envious of seeing such a vast world. Though it must have been tough, I had to stay in Melhem all the while…”  

Thus, Theodora didn’t know how vast the world was beyond this stifling mansion or how infinite the possibilities in that vast world might be.  

However, upon hearing her words, Adrian looked into the distance with a strangely subdued expression. His face seemed cold, almost chilly, leaving her puzzled.  

“Well, the outside world might not be as interesting as you expect.”  

His face looked somehow dark as he murmured. Come to think of it, the atmosphere surrounding Adrian had changed significantly from before. It wasn’t noticeable when he was with others, but up close, he seemed much sharper than in his childhood.  

Of course, he was no longer a boy but an adult man, and naturally, many things would have changed from when he was younger. Yet, aside from such changes, there seemed to be something very deep and dark hidden within him.

As far as Theodora knew, the only thing that could have caused such a mental change in Adrian over the past five years was the war. Thus, she could only speculate.

‘Even though it was the rear, life at the front must have been very tough for him.’  

“To think we’ve grown up enough to have these conversations. We’re quite the adults now.”  

When she spoke in a bright tone to lift the somewhat subdued mood, Adrian finally returned a faint smile.  

“Indeed. Those carefree childhood days were nice, weren’t they?”  

“Yes, they were. Playing here with you was the best of times.”  

It had been over ten years, so her memories were full of holes like worm-eaten leaves. Yet, some scenes remained vivid.  

She couldn’t recall exactly what they did each day. It was probably similar play almost every day. Picking up dead branches to sword fight, collecting acorns when that got boring, and sometimes sitting by the water with makeshift fishing rods like they did now.  

Though they were the same age, Theodora had more experience in the countryside, so she always taught Adrian something. He used to look at her with eyes full of admiration, and young as she was, she felt endlessly proud whenever he did.  

‘Theo, you can do anything. This is really a secret… Actually, I think you are even cooler than my brother.’  

Hearing things like that made Theodora feel as if she owned the world.  

‘I also find playing with you much more fun than with Eloise.’  

When she said that, Adrian would also laugh happily. It was a smile so vivid that it still appeared in her dreams. When he was so unbearably cute, Theodora used to ruffle his thick black hair.  

‘Wouldn’t it be inappropriate to do that now?’  

The height that had been half a span shorter than hers began to grow rapidly in his mid-teens and had long since surpassed her.  

Glancing sideways at Adrian, she saw that even seated, his head was positioned much higher than hers. Though she couldn’t ruffle his hair, spending time alone like this felt like a dream.  

Theodora took a deep breath of the fresh air anew. The greenery growing denser before summer, the cool breeze, and the person she loved most in the world sitting right next to her.  

If she could cut out moments of her life to create her own heaven, Theodora would choose this moment without hesitation.  

“Sometimes, when things were really tough, I thought of you and the south where you are.”  

Perhaps their hearts connected for a moment. Theodora was purely happy with Adrian’s words.  

Yes, it was okay if he didn’t miss her so much that he dreamed of her. Just being the person who came to mind when he was weary, when the world seemed unbearably hateful, was enough to make her mundane life worthwhile.  

So Theodora smiled at him without any ulterior motives. And Adrian gazed at her quietly. His eyes and lips seemed to have made a firm resolution, but Theodora didn’t notice, distracted by a bunch of wildflowers that suddenly caught her eye.