TWFLLYM Ch 54

Love is Unpredictable

[Roserikta] "......Ah!"

The sudden jolt threw her off balance, giving Kalart the perfect excuse to pull her tight against his chest.

[Kalart] "Are you all right?"

[Roserikta] "......"

She was far from all right.

Thump-thump, thump-thump.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She already found their proximity overwhelming, but sharing a single cloak felt like hiding under the covers of the same bed. Though they remained fully dressed, the intimacy unsettled her.

He is so strange. This man constantly shocks me.

Kalart made her heart race because he never acted as she expected. One moment, he stunned her by holding the beautiful Countess' hand; the next, he returned to his usual self, catching her off guard once again.

Who was this man? How was she supposed to understand him?

Her grandmother's wisdom was true: the human heart proved the most unstable and dangerous magic of all. Right now, Kalart's heart remained the greatest mystery to Roserikta.

[Kalart] "The dust won't touch you now."

But it will cover your cloak, Your Highness.

[Roserikta] "We are almost there. I would have been fine."

[Kalart] "I wouldn't have been."

Her body temperature spiked at those words. Kalart possessed a talent for making her flush with just a few syllables. He surely noticed how she squirmed and grew warm beneath the heavy fabric.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head, shielded by the cloak. He didn't care that the dust on the garment might soil his lips.

[Kalart] "Shall we go, then? We have a Count's pain to ease."

[Roserikta] "Yes."

She nodded inside the cloak. Every movement made her cheek brush against his silk shirt with a soft rustle. She wondered why the space inside the cloak, atop a moving horse, felt as cozy and safe as sitting before a fireplace.

When she first sang the Song of the Forest and fell asleep beside him, he seemed so lonely and cold.

Not anymore. He is so warm now.

She didn't know when the change happened.

What had thawed his heart?

One thing was certain: it wasn't the beauty of the Countess that had done it.

---

[Knight] "Do you really intend to wait here, Your Highness?"

Only one knight had accompanied them to the pharmacy. Even then, Kalart had tried to refuse, only giving in when the Royal Guard pleaded with him in tears.

Fortunately, this knight was observant. He had already guessed why the Prince made such a sudden trip.

[Kalart] "I do."

Kalart leaned casually against the entrance of the pharmacy. Roserikta said she needed an hour. Sensing her desire for privacy inside, he volunteered to stay outside.

[Knight] "But standing for an hour will make your legs ache......"

The knight trailed off. He wanted to argue that the Crown Prince should never act this way, but his instincts told him to stay quiet.

[Kalart] "I can handle it. I didn't take knight training as a mere hobby."

He gestured toward the ground.

[Kalart] "I won't force the guard's rules on you. If you want to sit, you have my permission."

The knight straightened his back.

[Knight] "What are you saying, Your Highness? I also completed my training faithfully. I will stand with you."

[Kalart] "As you wish."

Kalart nodded and closed his eyes, crossing his arms. He looked as though he had no interest in whatever happened inside the building. However, the knight couldn't help but ask.

[Knight] "Your Highness, forgive me, but may I ask one thing?"

Kalart opened one eye slowly.

[Kalart] "If it isn't about her, you may."

The Prince was terrifyingly sharp when it came to the "cat maid."

[Knight] "Please consider this a matter of your safety. I don't understand why you go this far......"

[Kalart] "You don't understand why I care so much about her feelings?"

The knight bowed low.

[Knight] "Forgive me, Your Highness. But you are far too generous. Even today, staying at the Gibero estate is one thing, but coming all the way to the capital just for a brief stop? The Imperial Palace is right there."

Staying at someone else's house while refusing to visit your own palace just down the road was irrational. It didn't fit the logical Crown Prince they knew.

[Kalart] "Staying at the Count's house is for my safety. I won't hear any arguments on that."

[Knight] "Yes, I will follow your lead. But I still don't understand why you had to visit the capital yourself."

[Kalart] "I couldn't let her ride a horse with another man."

As expected, that was the reason.

[Knight] "She could have taken her own horse......"

[Kalart] "I was going anyway, so she rode with me."

Ah, I see.

[Knight] "Even if it means standing outside for an hour?"

[Kalart] "It's not so bad. It gives me a reason to complain about my legs being numb later."

The man who boasted about his knight training now planned to fake a leg cramp for attention.

The knight finally understood. Love was unstable, impulsive, and full of surprises. Even a logical Prince could turn irrational.

However, the girl was the problem. Not only was there a massive gap in their social status, but the cat maid was suspicious. Rumors had been flying since Kyrien Castle, and the trip to the Gibero estate only made them seem more real.

Even now, she was being rude by making the Prince wait outside for an hour because the interior was "dangerous." It sounded like she was hiding something.

[Knight] "Still, Your Highness, please listen to the words of those around you. It is bold of me to say, but everyone is worried......"

[Kalart] "I don't need to explain myself to any of you."

Kalart cut him off sharply.

[Kalart] "I have ears too. Don't think I am ignorant of what you know. Nothing in those rumors gives me a reason to stop caring for her."

Was the Prince's blind favoritism only fueling the gossip?

[Knight] "Well...... yes, of course, rumors aren't always true. But if by some chance the cat maid is a wi—"

If she was a witch, wouldn't that be a disaster? The knight tried to voice a common fear.

[Kalart] "I told you. There was nothing worth listening to."

[Knight] "The mere possibility that she is a witch is the problem. Your Highness, witches are wicked by nature. If one entered the palace, she surely had a dark purpose."

[Kalart] "She has no such thing."

Kalart was so firm that the knight lost his words.

[Knight] "Your Highness?"

Kalart frowned, pausing for a moment.

[Kalart] "...Actually, I wish she did want something from me. The fact that she wants nothing is what irritates me."

Then came a truly shocking statement.

[Kalart] "Am I really that unimpressive?"

The knight nearly jumped.

[Knight] "How can you say that! Your Highness, why...... wait, that isn't the point......"

The knight blinked. They were talking about witches a second ago. Why was the Prince suddenly insulting himself?

[Kalart] "The point is that none of you need to talk. I will handle her myself. Don't let me hear another word about it."

The conversation had strayed far from the point. The knight decided to stick to his guns.

[Knight] "Your Highness. A witch is not something to take lightly."

[Kalart] "I know. So don't speak of it so lightly."

Kalart stared at the knight. His eyes were cold and rational—not the eyes of a man under a spell.

[Kalart] "This is both an order and a warning. Remember it."

[Knight] "Yes, Your Highness."

The knight bowed, forced to obey regardless of his private thoughts.

Just then, a sharp, distinct noise cut through the air.

Crash! Boom!

The sound definitely came from inside the pharmacy.

[Roserikta] "......Ugh!"

A groan followed. Without a second thought, Kalart threw the pharmacy door open.

Bang!

The old wood shook as if it would shatter, and he sprinted inside.

---

Was it here?

Luckily, Kalart had agreed to wait outside. Roserikta knew it was absurd to make the Crown Prince stand in the street, but she felt grateful for his quick understanding.

I wish Clobell had come along. But she hates horses even more than she likes me.

She muttered to herself as she scanned the cabinets. The entire basement was filled with her grandmother's things. Medicines, books, and magic tools were all organized, so an hour was plenty of time.

Her fingers flew across the old parchment books. These volumes, created before paper became common, were older than the history of the Empire.

I don't have much time. I need to find the ones that mention black magic and get out.

She had to avoid anything that smelled too much like a spellbook. She didn't want Kalart or the knight to get suspicious.

Not this one, not that one...... Ah!

After flipping through a dozen books, she finally found one.

This is it! This will work.

The records were more detailed than she expected.

She set the book aside and gathered Axaca powder and other medicines.

Is there a bag big enough for all this? I used my largest trunk when I went to the palace.

She headed toward the next room, which served as a storage area.

[Roserikta] "......!"

Her eyes widened in horror.

[Roserikta] "No...... it can't be......"

Eaton stood before her.

[Roserikta] "How...... Sir Eaton, you should be asleep!"

His eyes were blank as he whispered.

[Eaton] "My lady wishes for it."

[Roserikta] "What...... what does she want?"

She frantically scanned the room while trying to keep him talking. The reason for his arrival was obvious. The Black Witch had forced him awake to kill her.

[Eaton] "That voice."

[Roserikta] "My voice......?"

He pulled a leather strap tight between his hands.

[Eaton] "I am sorry. But my lady wants it."

It was just like when he invaded her dream. This time, his goal wasn't just to kill her, but to destroy her vocal cords. Her throat already ached with phantom pain.

[Roserikta] "Don't do this, Sir Eaton. This isn't who you are. Think about the Prince. What will he do if you do this?"

What do I do? The Axaca powder is in the other room. I have to fight a Royal Knight with my bare hands. Is that even possible?

Roserikta hesitated. If she screamed, Kalart might hear her. But she couldn't drag him into this. Kalart didn't know about the Black Witch. To him, it would only look like Eaton was attacking her for no reason.

[Roserikta] "Do you know the Prince is right outside? Stop before he finds out."

[Eaton] "The Prince....... Yes, the Prince...... Ugh!"

Eaton reacted to the name. He grimaced in pain and clutched his head. This was her chance. Roserikta used his hesitation to shove him with all her might.

Crash! Boom!

Eaton tumbled backward.

Normally, she wouldn't have stood a chance. But Eaton was weak; the black magic was constantly draining his life.

[Eaton] "No...... I can't refuse my lady's will. I must do what she desires."

He stumbled to his feet. He lunged forward and grabbed her ankle as she tried to run. The sheer force of his grip tripped her, and she fell face-first.

Thud!

She slammed her nose against the floor.

[Roserikta] "......Ugh!"

Blood gushed from her nose, and she let out a pained groan. Eaton gripped the leather strap again as he looked at her.

[Eaton] "My lady said she put a lot of power into this. She said failure would harm her. So I must finish this. For her."

He looped the strap around her neck. The leather bit into her skin instantly.

[Roserikta] "......Urgh."

She twisted her body and reached out.

What is here? Anything. Give me anything.

The room was full of her grandmother's legacy. Her fingertips touched the cabinet. Bottles of colored medicine sat in neat rows. She strained her fingers and gripped the edge of the shelf.