Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi
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Chapter 42 – Walpurgis Night (5)
Sienna returned to the original place where the cotton candy was.
The surroundings were quieter than before, probably because everyone had gone to get a good spot for the upcoming fireworks display. She felt as if she had come to an amusement park on a weekday, a water park on a drizzling day, and her heart was slightly lifted.
‘Yes. You don’t have to worry about it.’
What should she start with!
While pondering pleasant thoughts, she walked as if possessed by the sweet smell.
“Gree, greetings, Princess.”
The owner who recognized Sienna nodded his head.
“Is there any left?”
“Of course.”
As soon as he answered, he began to melt the sugar with his big, clunky hands.
“What, what shape is it…”
“That.”
Saying so, she picked the heart shape without hesitation. Dandelion and Arthur, who saw it, followed and pointed to the heart-shaped frame. The three gathered in front of the quickly completed dalgona and put their heads together.
Arthur narrowed his eyes as if in doubt about the first golden sugar cookie he had ever seen.
“So, you mean tearing off these sugar cookies into shape?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“It’s fun.”
In her childhood, it was a snack she used to eat a lot. However, Arthur could not control his strength and smashed the heart at once.
“Why the hell are you doing this?”
He muttered for no reason, perhaps embarrassed, and put a broken piece into his mouth. Sienna heard the crunching sound, and she paid attention, but then she accidentally tapped hard on the corner.
“Ah.”
The corner of the heart shattered with a cracking sound.
Seeing her desperate expression, the owner cautiously asked, “Should I make another one?”
“…No.”
She grinned and turned the rod round and round.
‘I’m almost done.’
She was dismayed, but it wasn’t a big deal, and it was funny that she was disappointed.
Arthur picked up the shards that she had broken and pounded on his stomach indifferently.
“Anyway, once it gets into the stomach, it’s all the same.”
Sienna lightly rolled her eyes.
Well, it wasn’t wrong. She should just eat it, and while she was thinking that, a heart appeared in front of her.
“Would you like to exchange it for mine?”
The heart that was handed over with a somewhat proud face was perfect without any broken or dented places.
Dan had the face of a child waiting for praise.
‘It’s, it’s cute…!’
Sienna clenched her fists, barely holding back from wanting to stroke his hair. What else are you good at, even at doing things like this?
She unintentionally accepted Dandelion’s heart.
“Then, I’ll take this.”
He bit her heart in a slow motion.
Hearing the crackling of sugar crackling on either side of her, she looked blankly at the heart she was holding in her hand.
‘How can I eat this because it’s a waste!’
In her mind, she wanted to put a preservation magic on it so that it would neither melt nor rot forever. Nevertheless, her tears faded at the prompting gaze as if it was telling her to eat quickly.
Fireworks could be seen anywhere in the castle, but the most famous place was by the lake. By now, there should have been a boat ready for Sienna in the dock.
At that moment, someone called her, who was hastening her steps.
“Princess.”
Arthur and Dandelion reflexively blocked the owner of the voice.
Seeing the face over the two of them, Sienna stepped forward.
“…Sir Brown.”
Winter Brown, as always, had an expressionless expression on his face.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
“….”
“His Majesty is waiting.”
It was expected…
She replied lightly with an expressionless face.
“I don’t want to see him now.”
At that, Winter paused for a moment, but then calmly called her back, “Princess. This is His Majesty’s…”
Sienna raised her hand and cut him off naturally.
“Tell His Majesty. I will visit him when the sun comes up.”
“He has ordered me to bring you right away.”
“What if I refuse?”
“You might end up being rude in an unwanted way.”
At his words, Sienna raised the corners of her lips at her expression without hesitation. She then answered in a lower voice than usual.
“Sir, His Majesty wouldn’t want to make a fuss either, would he?”
It must have been that he had come to hide the disappearance of the Princess because he was afraid of it, and came to him secretly without being able to conduct a large-scale search.
“Sir Brown.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“Sir has already missed me once. He failed his mission.”
“That…”
Winter pursed his lips before slowly opening it again.”
“I apologize.”
“I’ll put it off for later.”
“…You don’t trust me.”
Sienna kept eye contact with Winter for quite some time.
After an uncomfortable silence, her lips parted.
“Sadly.”
It was a long day for Sienna. As well as the mental shock, she used too much magic and suffered a lot of fatigue with her body. She could see her condition getting worse and worse.
In the end, Dandelion spoke up first.
“Why don’t you go back to the Princess Palace?”
Arthur also helped.
“That would be great.”
The two of them stared intently at her, hastening her answer. However, she licked her lips for a while, then shook her head.
“I hate the room.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Dandelion soon realized his mistake.
The room was no longer a safe place. After all, it had been less than a day since Sienna was kidnapped from ‘that room.’
“Thanks for your concern, but I’m really fine.”
Her desire to sleep was bubbling, but she had something to check. There was no one here to break her persistence, so the three headed straight for the dock. Nevertheless, contrary to plan, a fairly large ship was waiting for them.
On the changed ship, there was even a cabin made of a tent in a hurry.
‘Why…?’
With midnight approaching, she abruptly climbed into the ship, without time to dispel her doubts. She looked around and saw that the children of high-ranking nobles and their attendants were on board the ship.
It was understandable.
There must have been pressure or requests in the middle.
It was not common to enjoy fireworks on such a wide lake. However, when she found a familiar face protruding from between them, unexplained anxiety took over.
‘Xeon?’
Without even making eye contact, the boat rumbled and moved loudly.
And, soon it cut through the current and made its way towards the middle of the lake.
‘The fact that Xeon is in that cabin…’
Sienna struggled to shake her anxiety away and headed to the ship bow.
Dandelion and Arthur also relaxed a bit and leaned against the bow to get some air.
“It’s refreshing.”
Her hair fluttered in the gentle spring breeze.
She ruffled her flowing hair behind her ear and looked at Dandelion to her right. At that moment, their eyes met, not knowing who started first. At an accidental timing, the two smiled awkwardly and turned their heads to the front.
The more she thought about it, the sadder it got.
It would have been better if, as originally planned, they had laid on a small boat alongside the dock and enjoyed boating together.
On a spring night, just the two of them on a calm lake.
The wind was rustling, fireworks were embroidered in the night sky, the backs of each other’s hands were rubbing…
She tried to move on in a good way, but the more she thought about it, the more embarrassing it became. Sienna decided to shake off the guy who blew up such a good opportunity to even the smallest dust.
The boat stopped while she was quietly furious.
“Princess. It looks like it will start soon.”
“It’s finally starting.”
“It’s polite to pop champagne on firecrackers.”
Arthur smiled triumphantly.
She also responded by raising her eyebrows.
The two people got along very well. When Arthur headed to the central table in search of something to drink, only Sienna and Dandelion were left in the bow.
The two of them looked at the black night sky with their heads slightly tilted like everyone else.
Dandelion gazed at her as if combing her red hair, which obscured her vision, pulled out the little box that he had kept deep in his arms. He had a feeling he wouldn’t have a chance to hand it in if it weren’t now.
“Sienna.”
Her head slowly turned at the name that sounds unusually unfamiliar today.
The recent Dandelion has always treated her with respect.
Mostly, he called her ‘Princess’ rather than her name. It felt like he was keeping a distance, though it was like a tacit line set by the two of them.
“It’s nothing special, but would you accept it?”
“….”
Sienna stared blankly at the small, pure white thing that glittered in her hand.
It was a pure white headdress studded with pearls.
Instead of answering, she placed her hand on Dandelion’s. Then, before he could say anything, she removed her hand and stepped back.
“Thank you.”
Sienna tried to put on the gift right away, pressing the corners of her lips that kept rising. But, there was no mirror for her, and her hands were not moving at will.
As she only smiled awkwardly in embarrassment, his hand suddenly came closer.
“If you don’t mind..”
“….”
“Can I do it for you?”
As she nodded her head in permission, his fingers glided across her earlobe. He carefully styled his hair and pinned it skillfully. All those movements were played very slowly.
Sienna forgot how to breathe for a moment. Her whole world became dizzy.
“Done.”
It seemed that Dandelion was the type of person who couldn’t see his surroundings if he concentrated on it. After completing his mission, he had a calm expression on his face as if he was unaware that Sienna and her breath were close enough to touch.
“Come to think of it, the alcohol is…”
Arthur, who had come with three glasses in his hands, found Sienna, stiffened in an awkward pose and Dandelion leaning toward her, and lost his words.
“Now, what are you two doing…”
The two fell in surprise.
“No, this…!”
There was nothing to make excuses for.
Pop!
Sienna’s voice was drowned out by the sound of fireworks. Large fireworks lighted the night sky one after another.
“Wow…”
Suddenly she took her glass and took a sip.
“Apricot juice?”
“I didn’t forget that the princess shouldn’t drink alcohol?”
Arthur had now said what he had not said before, “You like this, don’t you? How many glasses did you empty last time?”
“You’re surprisingly meticulous, Arthur.”
He narrowed his eyebrows at her vague words, as if it were not a compliment.
“You’re looking at me too sparsely. I’m a very attentive person.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t know that.”
Boom, baaaam—boom, boom!
Seeing the fireworks bursting without stopping, Sienna felt a pain in the back of her neck and turned her head for a moment. It was time for her to take a peek at the ever-changing side face of Dan as he received various lights.
Her eyes widened at the sudden dizziness. She clasped her temples and gripped the railing.
Dandelion was the first to notice Sienna’s condition.
“Are you okay?”
Sienna tried to nod her head, but her hands were weak and she missed her glass. Only a few have heard the sound of glass breaking on a boat covered in firecrackers and cheers.
“…Why?”
Why are you here?
Sienna wanted to ask the question, though she couldn’t keep up.
She moved her feet before herself, and she walked as if possessed towards Eleanor, who smiled mischievously.
“Princess?”
People’s eyes were on the sky, the railings were very low, and the ship was full of malice.
Everything happened in an instant.
Splash.
There was a gentle ripple over the lake at short intervals. The moment she was immersed in the cold lake, everything became clear.
What will happen eventually happens.
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