Dalton didn’t avoid me and met my gaze. It was a cautious yet serene look in his eyes.
‘You don’t have the face that would tell lies.’
If that’s the case, then it worked. I put my doubts aside for now and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll believe what you said.”
“Until now, you haven’t believed me.”
“Honestly, how do you believe in love at first sight?”
I had never fallen in love at first sight before. That’s why I said that, but Dalton responded with a question.
“You’ve never fallen in love at first sight?”
“Not even once.”
“…I guess that’s fortunate.”
Dalton said with a smile that seemed hesitant yet present.
“I heard you like desserts.”
I simply nodded.
Though I started eating sweet foods because of Hierian, now that I couldn’t eat meat, it was the only food that could soothe my tongue.
especially the famous dessert set menu from Huangdo’s renowned bakery looked appetizing even just by looking at it.
‘It must be delicious!’
I wanted to cut a big piece of cake right away and devour it, but it was an important occasion. It would determine whether I would enter the reception hall alone or not.
‘Dalton might have fallen in love with me at first sight, but maybe it was just a polite greeting.’
Eating voraciously in a first meeting would be against etiquette as well. So, I cut a strawberry shortcake into a moderate size and ate it. It was so delicious that my hand kept reaching out for more.
‘It’s really delicious.’
It wasn’t famous for no reason. The combination of cream, bread, and strawberries blended perfectly and tasted sweet and delightful. It was a different taste from what I had at Astita.
Eventually, I finished eating a piece of cake and put the fork down.
Only then did I realize that intense gaze was still following me.
That persistent attention to detail, trying not to miss any of my actions, reminded me of Dianel.
‘By the way, why am I thinking of him? Dianel must be working fine in the palace.’
Meanwhile, Dalton averted his gaze from me.
When I glanced, he was quietly wiping his hands with a napkin. His hands, with an elegant shapes, soon picked up the fork. The gesture of splitting a piece of chocolate cake in half felt refreshing.
Even though it was an insignificant action, it had an air of grace, and it felt different from others.
‘The word ‘elegant’ might be more suitable for a person like this.’
Looking back, Dalton never made a mistake when dancing the waltz. On the contrary, he smoothly covered up the mistakes I made.
‘He has good manners too.’
While calmly evaluating him, Dalton reached out and tapped the corner of my mouth with his finger. Surprised, I moved back, and I saw a pure white napkin in Dalton’s hand. There was whipped cream on it.
“Oh… I didn’t mean to…”
I ate carefully, so when did it get there? I scratched my cheek out of embarrassment, but Dalton calmly sipped his tea without saying anything else.
After sipping his tea composedly, Dalton spoke to me.
“This place is said to be famous, and the taste is quite good. I heard the specialty here is walnut pie.”
Dalton cut a walnut pie, about the size of a palm, into a suitable size for eating and pushed it toward me.
While tasting a total of six desserts, Dalton only matched my pace and didn’t say much. It was hard to believe that this person, who blushed when he said he fell in love at first sight, was the same person.
‘Maybe I needed someone to accompany me on a food tour.’
We continued without saying a word until we finished all the desserts in the set. At first, the silence felt awkward, but now it felt completely normal.
‘It’s quite comfortable.’
I wonder what this strange feeling is. Just as I was unsure of what to do, Dalton spoke to me.
“Shall we take a walk for a moment?”
The teacups were all empty by then. I nodded my head in response.
“Sure.”
Dalton stood up from his seat and extended his hand to me. I reached out my hand and held his.
The clasped hands felt incredibly awkward.
* * *
Hierian had been fully engrossed in his research on the magical pillar at the Mage Tower. However, his young body had its limits in terms of physical stamina. Especially his mental energy was draining rapidly.
It wasn’t just due to the research, but simply being in the presence of Hierian made even Izaya, who only faced him when delivering food, realize the seriousness of the situation.
Izaya offered some advice to the struggling Hierian.
“Go and meet Siara.”
“…But I haven’t finished my research yet.”
“Seeing how you are, it doesn’t seem like the kind of research that will be completed within a year. So from now on, you should focus on regaining your strength for the long haul.”
Hierian obediently nodded. The research on dimensions was a puzzle that he couldn’t be certain of even if he dedicated his entire life to it.
The thought of being so engrossed in his research that he might not be able to see Siara again made him feel a little bitter.
Hierian asked quietly,
“Is it really okay?”
“Of course. I’m sure Siara is also waiting for you, Hierian.”
Izaya was a highly rational person, but she knew how to act appropriately when needed.
Reflecting on Izaya’s sugar-coated words, Hierian hesitated and asked,
“Is Siara really waiting for me?”
“Not just waiting, but eager to see you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Shall I prepare the teleportation array for you?”
“Yes!”
Hierian nodded vigorously. His body, which had been slumping like a withered plant, leaped energetically into the air.
Izaya watched him with a satisfied expression and nodded her head.
“Very well. I’ll prepare it.”
“Okay, what should I prepare then—”
“First, go and freshen up.”
Finally, Hierian realized his appearance. After spending all his time eating and sleeping within the restricted area, his condition was a mess.
‘I have an excellent secretary.’
If Izaya hadn’t mentioned it, he would have gone to meet Siara with a body reeking of odor.
Hierian let out a relieved sigh and quickly went to his bedroom.
In the meantime, Izaya located Siara’s position and infused magic into the teleportation array closest to her.
Woong—
Violet magic burst out in all directions, and the activated magic array made a rumbling sound. Izaya gazed at the teleportation array for a moment and unknowingly lost herself in thought.
During that time, a freshly washed Hierian stepped onto the teleportation array.
“I’ll be back, Izaya!”
Even in her dazed state, Izaya nodded her head. Flash! As the magic surged, Izaya uttered a few words to Hierian.
“Hierian, perhaps it would be better for you to enjoy fleeting pleasures.”
However, she didn’t even know what she had said, and Hierian’s complexion turned deathly pale upon hearing those words.
* * *
Hierian arrived safely in Huangdo. Thanks to one person, going back and forth in Huangdo, which he had previously disliked, now seemed effortless.
That fact alone was remarkable, but now there was another problem. It was because of what Izaya had just said.
‘Hierian, perhaps it would be better for you to enjoy fleeting pleasures.’
Hierian muttered to himself, feeling uneasy.
“That’s definitely…”
It sounded like the Dragon’s tone of voice. Come to think of it, when was the last time he heard an oracle?
He used to communicate with the oracle freely, sometimes even multiple times a day before his body weakened. But now, it’s not the same.
When the oracle remained silent, he didn’t pay much attention since there were times when it wouldn’t speak for a while. However, just now, the Dragon’s consciousness spoke to Hierian through Izaya’s body.
The reason the Dragon’s consciousness resorted to such a cumbersome method was simply that Hierian himself wasn’t strong enough to directly receive the oracle anymore.
‘No wonder my physical condition has been odd.’
Young bodies may be weak, but their regenerative powers were good enough. With just a little rest, their stamina would recover, and joyful events would recharge their energy.
Especially because Siara was by Hierian’s side all this time, he could recover without exerting any effort.
However, when researching dimensions alone, Siara wasn’t there. Consequently, his stamina rapidly depleted, and it seemed like he was groaning involuntarily.
‘What if I die before completing the research?’
Unlike before, the current Hierian wasn’t under the curse of the Demon King, so if his lifespan ended, he would simply die.
That’s why it must have been the Dragon’s consciousness that spoke those words. It suggested that enjoying fleeting pleasures might be better. Otherwise, he might end up dying without accomplishing anything.
‘No, that’s not right.’
Hierian clenched his fists tightly. If he died, he would surely forget everything and be reborn again. Then he would rely on the Savior once more and naturally accept the favors he received from her. At that time, he would not hear the words telling him to set the Savior free.
However, there was a more serious issue.
A part of Hierian’s consciousness was already in the clutches of the Demon King. If he died like this, he would never regain that power.
Even forgetting about that fact and being reborn as the next Great Administrator, he was aware that he wouldn’t be able to do anything. He would simply become a weak child who relies solely on the Savior.
‘No, it’s absolutely not right.’
Hierian calmly took a deep breath. Instinctively following his desires, his magic sensed the presence of two individuals nearby.
His intensified ashen eyes swiftly scanned the massive garden on the outskirts of Huangdo.
Soon, his gaze captured the transformed Dianel and the ever-dazzling Siara.
