CH 45

It’s something that couldn’t be seen. No, rather, it’s something he didn’t care to look at.

He wasn’t interested in the things that people valued, what they enjoyed, what moved them.

But right now, with Reina. He could see the world around him for what it was.

“Now! You understand, right?”

Right then, she clapped her hands once and drew his attention back to her.

“So please don’t brush it off when I say that I might die if I can’t see you, Ethan.”

Their eyes met for a moment, but Ethan soon dropped his gaze to the ground as he was lost in thought.

‘The effect of feelings…’

His bangs went down over his face.

“…I see, Reina. Then I will not dismiss your words as mere nonsense.”

“Oh! So—”

“But of course, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to pose for a portrait.”

“Tch. You’re as brutal as a knife.”

Grumbling, she pouted her lips.

“You just said that you won’t dismiss my words.”

She sulked and complained, but Ethan just reached into his pocket and took something out. Then, he handed it to Reina.

“Twenty days.”

“Twenty days?”

“Time limit.”

“Ah…”

She accepted the small piece of metal.

“A pendant?”

It was a pendant with the prestigious House Liam’s coat of arms. And when she opened it, she saw a portrait of Ethan inside.

“Each member of House Liam carries an item containing a self-portrait because it’s believed to contain a type of power that could protect the carrier from misfortune.”

“Ah… really?”

Slightly baffled by the unexpected information, Reina looked down at the pendant.

‘Are you sure you can give this to me, just like that?’

He could almost read her mind with the way she reacted. He added an off-hand explanation.

“I wouldn’t be in any danger without it anyway. So I’ll lend it to you.”

“Oh…”

Indeed. Ethan was as strong as the emperor and grand duke, who had dragon blood flowing through their veins. Considering that this was something he owned, this was practically an artifact that contained mana in it.

“Hmm… But this is too much. Let’s just have you pose for a portrait for me.”

“Requesting for my time is more of an imposition.”

“……”

‘Look at that iron wall. And I thought that we got a little closer while we were at Thurn, but I guess it wasn’t enough to break down that wall.’

Reina clicked her tongue to express her disappointment.

“Tch. Fine.”

In the end, she had to back down.

It’s a shame that she wouldn’t be able to give him a portrait of her own, but she was still glad that she was able to receive such an important item nonetheless.

“If you’re giving me this, then that means I’m someone who means something to you, right?”

You won’t forget such a person if you don’t see them for two weeks, right?

“Thank you, my love.”

“Then, it would be best to return now.”

Today’s goal was fulfilled, and so Reina didn’t hesitate to wave one hand in goodbye towards Ethan.

He had already turned away from her, but then he turned back once more and asked.

“Do you have any other things to do here?”

“Huh?”

Blinking dazedly, Reina looked around.

“You’re asking me?”

“You’re the only one here who I’m talking to, so of course it’s you.”

“That’s true, but…”

What’s with his tone? It’s almost like he’s asking her to go back with him?

“Uh… Do you mean you’d like to go together?”

Ethan stared at Reina for a moment as she only just realized that now.

“We came here together while using only one carriage, so if one person isn’t going back, then the other wouldn’t either.”

“Ah… You’re right.”

Reina had been zoned out up until now, but she soon erased her blank expression.

“Then shall we go, my love?”

* * *

Today, the sun’s rays were streaming beautifully into the windows.

This place was a drawing room on the second floor, and what could be seen outside the windows was the picturesque scenery of the pink forest, which Cressen was known for.

With that as the background, Reina was light on her feet as she walked and called someone’s name in a singsong voice.

“Where are you, my dear Fran?”

Rustle!

Although this was a place that no one had inhabited for a long time, not a single speck of dust fluttered out from the furniture covers.

After searching through the well-maintained drawing room, Reina clicked her tongue disappointedly.

“Not here either, dear Fran?”

Reina laid down the furniture cover once more and clicked her tongue yet again.

“Where in the world are you, my darling?”

Clack— clack— clack—

The sound of her heels clacking throughout the room slowly went closer and closer to where he was. He stopped breathing.

‘What the hell is wrong with her all of a sudden…!’

“Where oh where are you hiding, my darling?”

‘Isn’t her ‘darling’ His Excellency Ethan?!’

“I’m getting quite angry, you know. I’d really appreciate it if you come out before I melt all the furniture through poison, yes? My darling.”

“……”

“Oh my, you’re still not gonna come out? I don’t make it a habit to make empty promises, do I?”

With her eyes glimmering dangerously, the woman continued to speak.

“If you don’t come out here on the count of three, I’m really going to melt everything in this room.”

With an expression full of incredulity, Fran used a hand mirror so that he could see Reina from where he was. However, as expected, she really was warming up her hands with the intent to release poison.

“Alrighty, on the count of three.”

‘Crazy…!’

He didn’t know about the other members of the nine households, but he knew that Reina was absolutely a crazy woman.

Well, in the past, at the very least she restrained herself in public and showed only minimal instances of going crazy.

But now… She’s just one hundred percent insane.

“One,”

‘Hell… Are you seriously going through with it?’

“Two,”

Fran looked around frantically.

No way. Seriously? You’re really going to release poison? This villa is owned by the Imperial Family though? No way.

“I’m about to reach three, my darling. I might, you know, accidentally poison you because I don’t know where you are. You’ll come out now, right?”

Watching in horror through the hand mirror, Fran watched as poison gas started flowing out from her pale, slender fingers.

‘She… she’s seriously going through with it…!’

Perhaps he was in quite a lot of shock, and so Fran accidentally dropped the mirror he was holding at that moment.

Clang—!

The poison-wielding hand stopped.

“…Oh, so you’re over there, hm?”