CH 129

Episode 129

Side Story 1: Summer Vacation (2)

The first morning of the vacation was really noisy.

Everyone got up at dawn to pack, and I also got on the carriage while rubbing my eyes.

And it wasn’t until the time that the sun was floating high in the sky gradually disappeared and the twilight settled down, the good news came that we had reached our destination.

“Come on, get down safely.”

Cassius got off the carriage first and held my hand and said.

Even though the carriage’s footstool was not that steep, Cassius would always get off the carriage first and support my hand.

To be honest, I was so used to getting on and off the carriage that he didn’t have to do that.

In some cases, when I had to move urgently according to the schedule, I climbed two footstools at a time and loaded myself into the carriage.

Of course, I heard the servants saying it every time I do that.

“Thank you always.”

Cassius replied with a slight smile, bending the tail of his eyes softly.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“These meticulous things move people’s hearts.”

“Thank you for your words, but this is really nothing.”

Cassius naturally stood next to me and talked.

“Honestly, if you tell me, I can carry you all day.”

“I’m sorry, but I refuse.”

Cassius replied with a slightly sulky look on his face.

“Yeah, I knew it. Just know that’s how I feel.”

He grumbled around my shoulder with one arm.

“Oh, I know that very well.”

“Really?”

His expression, which seemed to have been heartbroken by my positive answer, quickly eased.

No wonder, I burst into laughter because he was too cute.

“Of course. It’s been 5 years for us and you still good to me, how can I not know that?”

I talked while organizing his black hair that was blown away by the wind.

“Well, that’s good. You’re handsome.”

Cassius looked surprised when I tapped on his shoulder and lowered my hand in satisfaction.

With his golden eyes wide open.

“Is today my birthday? I’m so happy.”

“I’m doing a special lip service because we’re on vacation.”

“What, aren’t you serious?”

When I saw his face turning blue, I was deliberately excited.

“Hmm…… I’m not completely lying.”

“Then what percentage of the truth is that I’m handsome?”

“Well, try to guess.”.”

Cassius frowned slightly at the words and spoke out.

He’ll never show that in front of anyone else.

I was overwhelmed by the fact that I was the only one who could appreciate that cute face.

And somehow, I used to tease him more often because it was fun to see him like this time.

“You honestly like my face.”

Cassius narrowed his forehead and said with a serious look.

Laughter flowed between my lips as he seemed to sincerely accept what I said as a joke to guess what percentage it was.

“So what percentage do you think it is?”

“Well, 60 per cent?”

“Oh, you still don’t know me.”

As I shook my head, Cassius looked down at me with a gloomy look.

“You haven’t changed your mind and heart about me, but you still don’t know me that much.”

“Okay, I’ll try again. Fifty per cent.”

“Nope.”

Cassius looked almost as if he had given up on a series of incorrect answers.

“That’s so mean, Yerine. You said you liked my face a few years ago. Are you tired of it already?”

I smiled at his persistent questions but did not answer them.

“Okay, okay. I haven’t been able to manage it because I’m busy these days, but I’ll soon change my image and try to decorate it with strength.”

Cassius touched me with a grim voice and said.

“I’m going to seduce you with all my might. Be prepared.”

I really like the way his hair is a little messy now, but if Cassius made up his mind, my eyes would be dazzled as if I had found a bright future.

Still, I opened my mouth because I wanted to stop Cassius, who had come to heal his fatigue, from being unable to rest all day, paying attention to his appearance.

“No, you don’t have to.”

“Why! Am I that hopeless?”

I shouted, waving his hands violently at Cassius, who was slowly turning into despair.

“No! Listen to me!”

Just like the korean language, people should listen to the words of the Tigris Empire language until the end.

‘And what does he mean by hopeless, his face already working.’

I clenched my fists and looked at Cassius and spoke in an urgent voice.

“Really, you still don’t know this part of me. I’ll tell you what the answer is.”

“It’s not one per cent, is it?”

“No, it’s not.”

I glanced at the drooping Cassius and smiled.

“I didn’t mean it 100 per cent but…….”

Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled broadly.

“Ninety-nine point nine nine per cent?”

Just then, Cassius’s eyes, which had been gloomy, were alive.

“Really?”

“Yes, so you can relax.”

To be honest, I’ll probably never get tired of seeing that face in my life.

Indeed, I never get tired of handsome faces.

However, I didn’t have to talk about this because I thought that this would reduce my chances of making fun of him.

“Can I really trust it? Your words today make me feel like I’m going between heaven and hell.”

“You can count on it.”

As I nodded enthusiastically, Cassius looked down at me with a sad look, inflating his cheeks.

“Anyway. So you were just trying to make fun of me earlier.”

“Well, sort of.”

“You’ve been teasing me a lot lately.”

Cassius squirmed, squinting his eyes and pulling my cheek.

“You mischievous.”

“Ugh, but I can’t stop it because it’s fun.”

“Then it means you won’t stop teasing me. You’re mean.”

“I can’t stop. It’s one of the few joys of my life.”

Cassius pulled my cheek so my pronunciation was a little crushed, but I conveyed my meaning quite clearly.

When he saw me like that, he sighed as if he couldn’t help it.

“I’m letting it go because you’re so cute.”

After a while, his lips clung to my forehead with a lovely sound.

Even before the lingering affection of the kiss passed by briefly, the voice of Clayton, the attendant of Cassius, was heard.

“Well, you two are in such a good mood, I’m sorry, but if you don’t go in fast, you’ll catch a cold!”

As his voice cut through the air, I was surprised by the voice stuck in my ears and pulled back, but Cassius replied calmly with a soft voice.

“Okay, we would go in. I was about to go in.”

“Hmm, I didn’t think so.”

“Clayton, are you jealous?”

“No way.”

Clayton shook his head with an immediate answer.

“If you come on vacation and catch a cold, it’s a loss for you two.”

That was definitely true.

“Now, come this way.”

Following Clayton’s guidance, we walked toward a mansion full of lanterns that shone calmly in the dark.

***

The interior of the royal villa, which was secretly hidden in the southern part of the country, was bright and warm, unlike its subtle appearance.

The dark green carpet under the dazzling chandelier was as fluffy as grass.

Looking at the flower patterns drawn on the light emerald wallpaper, the wind seemed to blow gently in my mind.

“Wow, pretty…….”

In the southern part of the country, the landscape and climate were very different from my territory, but above all, the architectural style was the most different.

Of course, it was very different from the capital where I stayed long after the Dukedom.

It may have been generalized to the villa where Cassius and I stayed, but it has a warm and bright atmosphere overall.

“It’s a perfect place to come to relieve your fatigue.”

“Yes, I like a comfortable atmosphere.”

Cassius said, looking at a small chandelier decorated with light green curtains, green wallpaper and green ribbons.

“When I was young, I came to visit only a few times, but it’s the same as then.”

Cassius looked up at the emerald-coloured ceiling with his reminiscent eyes.

“It feels weird to be back.”

For some reason, his voice seemed to be shaking very quietly.

His gold eyes fluttered slowly like stars reflected on the surface of the calm lake.

Like holding water.

‘No way…’

An afterimage of the past passed through my mind.

I recalled Cassius from the time of the Academy, who was staring at the ruined palace filled with the smell of terrible blood.

Now I didn’t even know he was chewing on his childhood memories of his lost family.

Memories with those who can never come back.

“Cassius.”

I reached for his cheek without realizing it.

While looking at the surroundings, Cassius looked a little surprised at my touch and made eye contact with me.

Looking at him, I still touched his cheek without saying anything.

“…….what’s wrong, Yerine?”

Cassius smiled.

The smile that comes out every time he hides something.

I couldn’t have not known that.

However, I also knew that Cassius would not speak his mind first.

Because he didn’t like to worry about me.

I opened my mouth to answer what Cassius said but then closed it again.

I had to organize my words again and again in my head until I could finally speak out.

“……if there’s anything you want to say, don’t put up with it, you have to.”

His black eyebrows, which seemed to be painted with a brush, flinched weakly.

Soon, his tight lips moved.

“Sorry, I was making you worried.”

The golden eyes holding the sun sparkled brilliantly.

It wasn’t a false light.

The smile on the mouth was different from the previous one.

“It’s okay. It’s not like I’m sad nor I miss my family or anything.”

Cassius tapped me on the shoulder and talked.

“I didn’t come here often, so I only have good memories of this place.”

Cassius looked inside the villa and said.

“I’m glad to be here again.”

It was clear that the words were brought up with Iker’s coup five years ago in mind.

After many years, the desperate memories of the day when I almost lost Cassius, and Cassius almost lost me, used to be scarred and hit us like nightmares.

“And I’m so happy to be here with you.”

My sun is laughing.

More dazzling than anyone else.

Clearer than anyone else.

More lovely than anyone else.

I replied with a slightly shaky voice with a smile as if I could not help it.

“So do I.”

I answered the sun’s gentle call.

p–

The mysterious noise from the hallway on the second floor kept the villa busy.

Eventually, the servants gathered in a dark second-floor hallway with candles.

“No matter how you look at it…….”

Clayton muttered as he looked at the bedroom door where Cassius and Yerine were staying.

“Is that the sound from this room?”

Chester, the villa manager, carefully put his ears on the door when he asked.

After a while, he answered in a serious voice.

sure. This is the right place.”

“Hmm.”

Clayton walked forward and put his ear to the door as Chester did.

In fact, he could hear the pounding sound and the squeaking sound of the bed without having to put his ears on the door.

But as soon as he listened to the door, Clayton heard a new sound that was hard to hear outside the door.

“Now, wait a minute, Cassius, let go of this.”

“No, I can’t stand it anymore. I’ll never let it go tonight.”

At the clandestine sound, Clayton removed his ears from the door and covered his mouth with his hands.

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