Theo, who had been quietly watching me, asked,
"Perhaps, do you want to wear that woman's clothes again?"
I was trying to act nonchalant, but it was obvious he was worried, so I quickly shook my head.
"No, I'm okay. I can't even buy them anymore anyway."
"What do you mean?"
I realized I'd slipped up at Theo's flustered expression and quickly shut my mouth.
A few days ago, i had been pressing Orca because i didn't want him to have secrets, but that was only because it was related to Theo's safety. But hiding Anne's affair was, strictly speaking, something I didn't need to know. So I was going to pretend I didn't know if possible, but this damn mouth of mine.
"So, Shuian… I wasn't trying to kill that woman. I was going to let her live…"
Theo, with a very flustered face, started stammering an explanation to me, unlike his usual self. He was going to let her live? He chose that store to get rid of her easily in the first place.
I tilted my head, wondering why he was even lying, and he seemed even more embarrassed. It was a reaction that resembled fear, and I was the one who was flustered.
"Why are you lying?"
"What?"
"From the start, that's why you went there, right?"
I wasn't trying to argue. I wanted to know why he, who supposedly never lost his composure even when surrounded by enemies on the battlefield, was so flustered, why he was trying to hide it even by lying.
Theo was startled and covered my hand with his. It was a very cautious action, as if he wanted to hold my hand but was afraid I would shake him off.
"...I was afraid you'd be disappointed in me… I thought you were a divine beast and wouldn't tolerate evil deeds. So…"
Theo killed an innocent person for his own convenience. But I wasn't angry at his actions. I felt guilty about Anne's death, but it was only for a fleeting moment, and I quickly shook it off.
In the end, Anne's death was a remorse that wouldn't even become a nightmare for a single night. Even if something like this happened again, I wouldn't be angry, and I wouldn't suffer for long.
"If I'm not disappointed, and if I won't be disappointed in the future, will Theo be disappointed in me?"
"Of course not. I'd just… be relieved."
I'm sorry, but I decided to stay by your side even knowing that you're the final villain who will burn everything using life as fuel. Swallowing the words I couldn't bring myself to say, I instead brought up another question.
"Why can't I be disappointed?"
"Because I don't want to be hated by you."
At that moment, my heart plummeted. No, I thought it plummeted, but it was probably just beating so fast that I was mistaken. He's making me misunderstand. As if he likes me.
I forced myself to turn my head to the window. I really wanted to pull up my hood. I said more bluntly.
"I wouldn't hate Theo for something like that."
"'Something like that.' Yeah, it's just something like that."
At the laughter in his tone, I inadvertently turned my head back to him. The emotion underlying Theo's face, who had realized what was most important to me, was joy.
As if he hadn't been timidly covering my hand just a moment ago, he grabbed my hand with a happy face and intertwined our fingers. Even amidst the absurdity, my heart was still racing, which was very troubling.
ê•¥
The Midsummer Festival, as Theo explained, was a festival mainly enjoyed by commoners, so it was practically a night market. Still, the sounds of passersby and merchants calling out to customers, and the lights twinkling here and there, made me feel excited for no reason.
"Theo, I'm going to try all the food here today."
"All of it?"
As I was shining my eyes, Theo hesitated for a long time, moving his lips. I feel like I know what he's thinking just by looking at his expression now.
He probably wants to say that it's bad for my health and I shouldn't eat too much, but he's hesitating because I'm too excited. I would normally be considerate and behave, but not today!
"O-okay."
"Let's go quickly! It might all sell out!"
"It won't sell out that quickly…"
I grabbed Theo's hand, who was dragging his feet as if he actually wanted it to sell out quickly. He could have stopped me a long time ago, but he followed me weakly as I led him, handing me all sorts of food.
Most of the street food was spicy with lots of seasoning. It couldn't compare to the imperial palace cuisine, but it had its own charm. There's a reason why they say you eat this kind of thing for the atmosphere.
"Looks like it suits your taste."
"It's delicious!"
"Not even offering me any?"
"Huh? Theo doesn't like this kind of thing, right?"
"I'm okay with anything Shuian gives me."
I remembered what I said to Theo at Anne's store.
'Now Theo doesn't have to worry and doubt about what he eats. Just eat comfortably and deliciously. I'll worry and doubt instead.'
I said it because I wanted him to regain the daily life he deserved to fully enjoy, but I wasn't trying to force him to eat something he didn't want to. I didn't want him to overdo it for me, and I didn't expect a big change to happen with just one word from me in the first place.
"You don't have to force yourself to eat it! I'm just…"
"I know."
I quickly added, afraid that he might misunderstand my words, but he took the chicken skewer in my hand, bit off a piece of chicken, and arched his eyes as if to show off.
"I just want to eat what Shuian gives me."
This sly fox…. I reviewed the original story again. He's definitely the final villain, but why is he acting like a fox every time? I thought he was a black panther, but maybe he's a nine-tailed fox.
After that, Theo and I shared snacks amicably. I was afraid he would take what was in my hand and eat it again, so I made sure to buy two and hand one to him. It was even more annoying that he was laughing as if he knew what I was thinking.
"Theo doesn't like this kind of thing, right? I thought you'd like the imperial palace chef's food more…"
"It hasn't been long since I started eating like a prince."
I grabbed his hand as he answered nonchalantly. I suddenly lost my appetite.
As time passed, the number of people on the street increased. Theo held my hand even tighter, lest he lose me. He probably didn't expect so many people, as it was also his first time at the festival.
"There are too many people."
"Yeah…"
After thinking for a moment, Theo changed direction and started walking elsewhere. It was in the opposite direction of where people were moving.
"Where are we going?"
"I thought of a good place."
I followed him, who said confidently, and arrived at a secluded hill. There wasn't even a single light, so I had to rely entirely on the moonlight to gauge things, but that made the glittering festival even more vivid.
"Where is this?"
"It's where I used to practice swordsmanship when I was young."
At Theo's words, I looked around. It felt like it had been artificially organized, and that must have been why.
"Before I was recognized as a prince, the empress kept me in check and prevented me from receiving proper training or education. So I had to avoid the empress's eyes no matter what I did. The easiest way was to pretend to wander outside, leave the palace, and just swing my sword and practice magic."
He scanned the flat ground with his eyes and continued.
"During the Midsummer Festival, they have an event where they release sky lanterns every midnight. They believe that if you fly a sky lantern high and make a wish, the gods will grant the wish that reaches the sky with the sky lantern. The sky lanterns were very visible from here, and it looked like the sky and the earth were connected, so it was quite a sight even for me."
"...Did Theo also make a wish?"
"Well, I don't really believe in such superstitions…. But I sometimes thought, would there ever be a day when I could make a wish on those sky lanterns with someone?"
Theo, who had been gazing into the air for a moment, reminiscing about the past, chuckled and added.
"Maybe I wanted that to happen."
As I was quietly looking up at his face, which was shaded by the moonlight, sky lanterns began to rise into the sky one by one from the ground. It seems like it's already midnight since we've been wandering around here and there.
"The sky lanterns must have granted my wish. You ended up coming to see them with me. Don't tell me you don't like coming to see them with me?"
At the playful words, Theo also raised the corners of his lips. It was a smile full of affection, only shown to me.
"Of course not. I'm very happy. So much so that I wish today would never end."
"You can't make that as a wish."
"Why?"
"Tomorrow will be full of even better things than today, so it's a waste."
Instead of answering, he scrutinized my face one by one. I don't know what kind of face I have reflected in the sky lanterns, or what he's trying to see in me, but that tenacity, trying not to miss even the smallest thing, was lovely.
"Let's make a wish too."
Even though they're other people's sky lanterns, can't we get a ride on them for our wishes? At the added words, Theo finally burst into laughter.
"Of course, two wishes for us should be fine."
He hugged me tightly from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. Hey, we're supposed to be making a wish!
"Are we making a wish like this?"
"I'm worried you'll catch a cold because it's cold."
It was weather where you wouldn't feel cold even if you wore thin clothes now. In the first place, isn't the Ipha Festival a festival that's held when summer starts? At that brazen lie, I willingly relaxed my body and laughed.
"Yeah, I get cold easily."
Of course, that was also a lie.
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