****
***
If it was really sent from the temple…
The temple has not yet given up on me. Even though a year had passed and I had fled the country. It also meant that they were still imprisoning Cordelia and draining her powers. I didn’t know whether they were going to just kill me, or kill me and retrieve my body, and dissect my corpse. Just because I had left the empire didn’t mean I was safe. I just prolonged the time remaining until my death by a year.
I couldn’t avoid either the temple, nor Kylian.
I was also just exhausted. I was sick and tired of running away. One year of fleeing was enough. If they really didn’t give up on me…
Knock knock
The sound woke me up from my thoughts.
“Come in.”
As expected, it was Hilda who opened the door and walked in.
“Lady, the bath is ready.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Hilda looked at me with a smile that was so bright it was suffocating. Was she really this happy to see me again?
“His Highness has asked that you have dinner with him after your bath.”
“Hmm…”
“He mentioned that it wouldn’t be a normal meal, but rather a banquet.” Hilda seemed more enthusiastic than usual.
“Banquet? What do you mean?”
“The marriage, my Lady!” Her gaze went for the papers still on my bed. Even though I had yet to agree, the rumors seem to have spread through the estate, just like a year prior. It was nothing new, so I just shrugged instead of affirming or denying it.
“That’s why I prepared this dress for this evening!” Hilda dragged me in front of the mirror to show the piece with enthusiasm. “As expected, it looks fantastic on you!”
The dress was blue, with a design meant to accentuate the shoulders and collarbones. The wavy skirt spread out with a hue that darkened as it reached the floor like the night sky.
“Did the butler change his taste in clothing?”
“No, my Lady!” Hilda exclaimed. “His Highness chose this dress and sent it along!”
“What??”
The dress was chosen by Devan?
As if my astounded expression wasn’t on my face Hilda continued to beam and circled around me.
“The Grand Duke mentioned that you would have a brooch to match this dress.”
“Oh…”
Pulling out my luggage bag in the corner of the room, HIlda quickly found the brooch and took it out.
“Oh my, this is quite the piece! Did His Highness give this to you too?”
“I guess that’s true.”
“So the marriage rumors were true! I didn’t know that you two were this deeply in love. The atmosphere was a bit tense at the beginning after all.”
She seemed to have no regard for my status by saying such things. Rolling up her sleeves she seemed to pump herself up.
“I will try my best, my Lady!”
She seemed to have a determined expression. I braced myself for my fate. With all her might Hilda prepared me for dinner.
She seemed to pour an astounding amount of effort into my hair, which hadn’t been properly cared for in a year. Throughout all this Hilda chatted nonstop.
“So His Highness was furious with Sir Karen. You saw him wearing that heavy armor earlier right? Sir Karen has been wearing that ever since.
He almost poured half of his enjoyment to see if he would somehow restore his hair, which he had not brushed properly for a year.
Combing her hair, she chatted nonstop.
“That’s why his Highness was so angry with Lord Karen. You saw me wearing heavy armor earlier, right? He’s been going around like that every day since that day. And His Highness employed so many different doctors and magicians! It was honestly too much for the butler and I to handle.”
“Hilda”
“Yes, my Lady?”
At the deluge of words I tried to change the subject.
“More than that, did you happen to see my brother?”
“Of course! He was very good looking. If I had to compare with His Highness, it would be tough… But much like you I’m probably leaning more towards the Grand Duke…”
“Hilda, Hilda!!”
I tried to stop this conversation from veering into yet another direction.
Was she really like this before??
She seemed so timid and quiet at first…
“Oh, what were you saying my Lady?”
“Did you hear what they were talking about?”
“Hmm hmm hmm… And what if I do? Would you try to force it out of me?” Hilda said playfully, her eyes clearly laughing as she spoke. If she was weird before, I did not recognize this new person at all.
My brow wrinkled.
“Do you know something?”
“…maybe?”
“Hilda!!”
She trembled when I started shouting, though she was doing it just for show as opposed to being truly scared. I squinted and looked at her, an uncomfortable feeling starting to gnaw away at me.
“I just overheard some loud noises, my Lady!”
“Noise?”
Counting with her hands, Hilda started recalling the incident.
“Evelyn, oh my Evelyn… I’m begging you, hahaha! I heard a loud laugh, a thump, and a running sound down the hallway.”
With every word she made an exaggerated gesture as if acting in a play. Gathering her hands as if she were praying, laughing with her mouth wide open, rolling her feet…
Something was off. I have a strange and creepy sensation build up in me.
“…What are you doing?””
“Oh, my Lady. Did you notice again? Well, I didn’t mean to hide it this time.”
“…What are you talking about?””
“Don’t worry. After today, I’ll return all the memories.”
“What?”
Hilda smiled. The corners of her mouth went up unnaturally.
“You… You’re not Hilda.”
“No, that’s not right, my Lady! Hilda is Hilda. Hilda was Hilda from the beginning.”
“What the heck does that mean?”
“Hmm… But you’d better enjoy the banquet right now. I think it’ll be quite fun.”
Hilda looked like she was staring somewhere far away. Her gaze was clearly staring right through the empty wall.
What was she looking at?
“I see what you can’t see.”
I turned to look at her. Did I just say that outloud?
“I just told you so!”
Putting her face right up against me, I could feel her forehead against mine.
Tap —
Hilda lifted a single finger in front of my eyes.
****
The atmosphere of the Great Hall was strange. Looking around, it was easy for me to find the cause.
The chandelier was clearly lit, and a colorful tapestry was hung on the wall. On the table, there was a vase with candles and beautiful flowers.
What’s all this?
It didn’t seem to match Devan and I at all. Wasn’t it completely bare a year ago, no, even yesterday? I was shocked that it could change this much in just half a day.
“You’re here, miss.” The old butler bowed.
“Oh… What’s all this?”
“They were brought in from the islands. In particular, that tapestry is to pray for the happiness of the newlyweds. We paid a bit more than usual to get this in a hurry.”
“Not that, but why did you do this?”
“I ordered it.”
Turning towards the speaker, I saw Devan walking into the room. I was shocked.
Like the Great Hall, Devan’s appearance was different from usual.
He was wearing a white shirt, not a dark uniform or robe that he always wore. With it he wore a roughly worn uniform jacket with a golden shoulder strap, under it sporting a jacket with colorful epaulettes. I was at a loss for words and stood there with my mouth open.
I could feel the heat in my face rising.
“That dress looks good on you.”
Devan spoke up first, saying what I was going to say to him. His eyes went towards the dress with the brooch I was wearing.
The dress and brooch matched almost as if they were made to go together.
I stood there staring blankly. Devan’s eyebrows rose.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“That’s…”
Even when I opened my lips, I couldn’t find anything to say. It wasn’t the sudden change, or that things looked out of place.
Usually, Devan had a bit of a stoic presence to him, particularly when he had his eye patch. But now he felt completely different.
In fact he looked so perfect in his current outfit that it was hard to look at him. Before, I thought black suited him perfectly but I was clearly wrong.
His face clearly suited any color.
“… What prompted the outfit?”
“You don’t like it?”
“You didn’t wear it for my pleasure.”
“That’s true.”
“Yes?”
When I looked at him with an absurd look, Devan, with a wonderful smile, put his hand on my shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
“Hush.”
He turned me around. A big shadow cast over me.
Tap — I heard something fall and felt a familiar gaze.
Devan, whose hands were still on my shoulders, asked with a wry smile.
“It’s been a week since. Have you prepared yourself, Sir Knight?”
I could hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears.
Standing there, with gorgeous silver hair and shining golden eyes, was Kylian Diego staring at me.