EEA Chapter 22

When Ailea came out to the garden, there were quite a few people outside as well. But there was definitely less murmuring than before. Clint's absurd behavior seemed to have silenced everyone's mouths.

As Ailea was walking, her heart sank and she stopped at the sound of someone calling her name.

"......Ailea?"

"Ah, Your Highness......"

It was Roylin. Ailea stepped back in confusion.

Then she grabbed the hem of her dress and bowed in greeting.

"Good evening."

"......I see."

And then silence flowed for a moment. Until the crown prince told her to go, it was difficult for Ailea to move first. But he wasn't particularly saying anything either. Just like at the dress shop a few days ago, he only stared at her blankly. Ailea smiled slightly and spoke to him.

"When will your marriage to Lady Rita take place?"

"Next month."

"I see."

Roylin's expression grew increasingly stern. It was because Ailea's gaze kept searching for Clint.

Ailea was afraid that Clint would find her burdensome, thinking she was taking away his freedom. Eventually, he might come to hate her like Roylin did...

So she thought she needed to show that she could send him to another woman anytime he wanted. Her head thought that, but her heart did not.

She wanted to dance with him first. She wanted to dance with him under bright lights, not caring about anyone's gaze.

Just then, she saw Clint walking from afar, looking for Ailea. Ailea's eyes widened. It was definitely not time for him to have finished dancing and come out.

On the contrary, Roylin's expression froze coldly. If she was abandoned by him and forced to become another man's wife, he had surely thought she would cry. The Ailea that Roylin had known for the past seven years was that kind of woman. A woman who only knew how to cling to him. A woman who would just wait quietly in place even if forgotten by everyone.

But she was wandering like someone who had just emerged from a long imprisonment, yet gradually discovering and learning what it meant to be free.

"Have you consummated with Clint?"

It was a question that even the rude Clint would not ask. Ailea said in confusion,

"Ah, not yet...... we haven't held the ceremony."

"Really? Clint doesn't seem like that type."

Roylin said as if for her to hear.

"Is that man the type not to touch a woman just because it's before the ceremony?"

"......"

"I suppose you weren't even worthy of being that libertine's one-night companion."

Ailea's expression hardened. Expecting her to cry or something, Roylin waited, but she opened her mouth.

"Whether white or black, is he someone who would be picky about women?"

"......What?"

"He keeps telling me I'm pretty all day long."

She gazed at him with those strikingly beautiful eyes—the kind one could watch endlessly without ever growing weary—and spoke with quiet defiance,

"In any case, I belong to that man for the rest of my life, so he can have me whenever he pleases. What exactly are you so concerned about, Your Highness Roylin?"

She said that and brushed past Roylin. She didn't know how severely Roylin's expression crumpled as he watched her.

Though she had spoken so bravely, Ailea's heart was pounding. Her hands were also trembling. Ailea quickly looked back to see if Roylin was gone, then sat down right there.

"I must look like such a libertine......"

She made an expression like she was about to cry and rubbed her cheeks with both hands. She could see Clint's pace quickening as he spotted her.

It seems you've been corrupted by that man.

Ailea thought as she looked at him.

Clint had spotted Ailea talking with Roylin in one corner of the garden and was hurriedly moving his steps. He regretted that he shouldn't have left her alone even for a moment.

But as he headed toward her and watched, she walked confidently and brushed past Roylin. Then she plopped down and was rubbing her cheeks with both hands.

Clint almost burst into laughter because she looked so adorable at that moment, but worried she might have heard harsh words from Roylin, he didn't laugh and asked,

"What are you doing here?"

"Calming down."

"Calming down?"

Looking closely, Ailea's hands were trembling.

The capital of Teniac, located relatively in the north, was still cool at night. Clint took off his jacket, wrapped it around Ailea's shoulders, and sat in front of her, saying,

"Give me your hands."

At his words, Ailea absent-mindedly extended both hands. Then Clint took off his gloves and wrapped her hands with his warm bare hands.

"Why are you trembling like this?"

His left hand dyed black and his originally white right hand. And Ailea's spotted hands mixed together. Ailea somehow felt at peace. Her heart was at ease from the tenderness of the man who had embraced her wounds together.

Clint helped her up and asked,

"Should we just go home?"

"Yes, let's go home."

Today, Clint once again thought he shouldn't take Ailea to Excalize. When she only got hurt like this, he couldn't take her there to wound her even deeper.

Ailea looked up at the sky where the moon was unusually bright. Beautiful arias could be heard from the direction of the banquet hall. She stopped walking.

"Clint."

"Yeah."

"Someday, would you like to...... dance with me?"

"Dance?"

"Yes. Shall we dance in a bright place sometime, just us?"

Ailea asked with a trembling voice. Then Clint gently asked back,

"When is someday?"

"When you're okay with it."

"Well, I'm the type who doesn't think about others."

At Clint's nonchalant words, Ailea smiled slightly. Just for tonight, she hoped he would be her man.

She had come to dislike black since getting this disease. She also disliked late nights. Yet she was afraid of bright places, so she ended up seeking the night. She hid in darkness.

To not hate the night, she would have to not fear the day, Ailea thought. There was no need for her to always stay only in dark places.

Clint said confidently,

"If we're going to dance, now's the time."

"N-now?"

"Let's get it done when we've made up our minds."

He took Ailea's hand and drew her along with him. When the two stepped into the banquet hall, they found everyone seated in rapt attention, listening to the aria that filled the space. While the nobles sat in leisurely repose, absorbed in the music, Clint turned to Ailea and offered an elegant bow, requesting the honor of a dance.

Then she smiled and slightly lifted her dress hem, curtsying with bent knees.

Almost all the lights in the banquet hall were off, with only the stage where the singer stood brightly illuminated.

It wasn't music or atmosphere for dancing. So they weren't conspicuous, making it the optimal place for Ailea.

Clint embraced Ailea's waist near the door on the completely opposite side of the stage in the banquet hall. Regardless of the music, he led Ailea to the rhythm in his head. Ailea laughed as brightly as a child, seeming to enjoy it.

The arrogant nobles who were half-listening to the aria briefly turned their heads to look at them. The smiling Ailea was curious, but what was more curious to their eyes was Clint, whom they knew well.

Princess Daisy, Roylin's younger sister, who was sitting some distance from Rita, said,

"Did that man ever make such an expression?"

Rita's gaze turned toward Clint.

None of the people who knew him had ever seen such an expression. Daisy rested her chin on her hand, watching the two and continuing,

"Clint Rishers always seemed to have, how should I put it...... one foot poised to step back. Whatever he did never felt genuine, as if he was holding part of himself in reserve. That's what I found off-putting about him, but now......"

"Now what?"

When Rita asked, Daisy answered,

"He seems incredibly focused. Maybe he's doing his best to care for her since she's Ron's daughter."

"......Do you know what happened between Captain Ron and His Highness Excalize?"

"It doesn't seem like something I can speak about, Lady Rita."

Just because they were siblings didn't mean they were always on the same side. Daisy, who had cut off Rita's words with a smile, looked at the dancing couple again and responded with a pleased expression.

The steps of the two heading toward the mansion were light after dancing. Clint asked Ailea, who seemed unexpectedly happy,

"Should we have another drink at home?"

"You know I fall asleep after one sip, right?"

"Then sleep. It's home, after all."

He naturally followed Ailea into her room when they entered the house. Ailea's eyes widened as she asked,

"Why are you coming in?"

"Why am I coming in? Aren't you being too harsh to your husband?"

Clint leaned against the closed door with his arms crossed, speaking cheekily. Ailea first took off the jacket draped over her shoulders and neatly arranged it.

Meanwhile, Clint was thinking about whether he should tell her to stay in the capital. Just as Clint was about to say that, his eyes caught sight of the books Ailea had stacked up.

History of Sutton. Culture of Sutton. Ecology of Sutton.

Sensing his gaze, Ailea said, "I'm studying."

"When we go there, they'll ostracize us. Much more severely than here. You'll have to lead and host such gatherings."

"I know."

"Aren't you scared?"

"I'm scared."

"Should we not go? You like the outer castle. There are hot springs too."

"What are you talking about?"

Ailea glared at him and said, "You're just saying that because you don't want to study, aren't you?"

"That's not it, my dear wife......"

As Clint tried to brush it off with a joke, Ailea said firmly,

"You have to study all of that. It's not even that much."

"......I completely understand whose daughter you are."

Clint, who couldn't even break even, chose to change the subject.

I'll try talking about it again later, he thought as he flopped down on her bed.

Then Ailea tried to get Clint up, saying, "Change your clothes...... Eek!"

Clint grabbed her arm and pulled her down into his embrace. Suddenly, with her cheek touching his chest, Ailea's eyes widened and her startled heart pounded.

"You smell like alcohol."

When Ailea complained for no reason, Clint said, "I'm tired. Do you know how much my heart raced looking for you all day?"

"......Really?"

As Ailea hesitated, Clint said, "Earlier too, I was surprised to see you with His Highness Roylin. But it seems he didn't say anything bad."

"Ah, about that......"

Remembering what happened earlier, Ailea sat up on the bed. When Clint stared at her as if telling her to speak, she averted her gaze and said,

"His Highness the Crown Prince asked if we had consummated."

"......What?"

Clint's expression frowned. What is he asking my wife? As he sat up, Ailea continued,

"When I said not yet, he said I wasn't even woman enough for you to touch......"

"So."

"I said anyway, I'm your woman for life, so you can touch me anytime—what's there to worry about......"

Huh?

Clint, who had been fully prepared to be angry, suddenly became dumbfounded and asked, "You said that?"

"Yes......"

Ailea nodded with a reddened face.

Clint recalled Ailea sitting collapsed earlier. It made sense that she would freeze up after saying such words.

Clint covered his mouth with his hand. However, his large shoulders shook noticeably. Only then did Ailea look at him properly and slightly furrowed her brow.

"......Are you laughing right now?"

When he shook his head with his hand still covering his mouth, Ailea got angry and pulled his hand away. Once the barrier was gone, he finally burst into loud laughter.

Imagining Roylin's face, who must have been stunned by Ailea's unexpected answer when she had always been the one getting hurt, felt refreshing. As he laughed uncontrollably, Ailea said in confusion,

"D-don't laugh! Do you know how much I trembled after saying that!"

"No, it's funny. What was Roylin's expression like?"

"I didn't see it, I ran away."

"Wow, that's so refreshing. When was the last time I felt this exhilarated?"

"What if he thinks I'm promiscuous......"

"So what? I'm promiscuous too, so it's only fair if my wife is promiscuous too."

"I don't want His Highness Roylin to see me as a promiscuous woman."

"Why?"

Clint's smile twisted strangely as he had been listening with amusement.

"What does it matter what the crown prince thinks?"

Unaware that his smile was twisting, Ailea answered,

"I don't want to be found at fault."

"So, why?"

"I don't want to lose to that person."

"......"

She probably wants to show that she's living well without any faults even without that person. Though Clint understood Ailea's feelings, his expression hardened. He tried to smile more, but it wouldn't happen as he wanted.

Clint grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Then he slowly stroked her hair.