Chapter – 19
But when he looked at that face—at Psyche, who was about to become Warren’s bride—he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide his feelings.
Being seen as a pitiful, insignificant man was more unbearable than death itself.
Ikali stayed holed up in the training grounds until evening.
If Psyche realized what a pathetic man he had become, she would surely withdraw her affection from him.
“I’d rather go blind than watch the two of them get married.”
He was making a sulky, uncharacteristic face as he gazed at the sunset.
Rustle.
“……?”
A sound came from the bushes surrounding the training grounds.
“A rabbit?”
Occasionally, small animals would get in through gaps in the fence. There was a large forest nearby, so it wasn’t unusual.
Ikali straightened up, sheathing the sword he had been holding, and stood.
“Eek!”
Something white suddenly leapt out, letting out a strange shriek before falling to the ground with a thud. Ikali jumped back in surprise.
“……Psyche?”
The mysterious figure was Psyche, wearing a white veil over her head.
“Ouch… ow… it hurts…”
She let out a groan as she touched the ground, her long, flowing dress having tripped her.
Though the opaque veil covered her face, her voice was unmistakably Psyche’s.
Ikali hastily reached out and helped her up.
“Are you okay?”
“Mm. I’m fine.”
Ikali knelt and brushed the dirt off her dress hem.
Psyche stood awkwardly, hesitating.
“You really didn’t have to do that.”
“…Your dress is white, so the dirt stands out.”
Psyche silently watched as Ikali’s hands got a little dirty from the soil.
Though her dress was stained, it was still better than before.
When Ikali rose to his feet, his eye level suddenly went up. He stared at the opaque veil, or rather, at where Psyche’s face must be beneath it.
Why is she still wearing a veil even at the mansion?
As he wondered, Psyche clasped her hands together and spoke joyfully.
“Ikali, you’re still so kind.”
“….”
“You haven’t changed at all. Just like when we were kids.”
Her voice sounded somewhat relieved.
It was then that Ikali realized he was just wearing a plain shirt and pants from his sword training.
His face flushed.
Compared to Warren, who always wore jackets and jewelry even at the mansion, he must have looked utterly unremarkable.
Embarrassed, he looked away and muttered sulkily:
“…Then why wear that thing? That’s why you tripped. You could take it off at the mansion.”
Psyche waved her hands in surprise.
“I’m about to get married. And this is my first time in the Empire. I have to cover my face.”
“That’s true, but…”
The word marriage made his throat dry.
In this continent, a woman who is soon to be married must wear a veil when interacting in a man’s house before the wedding.
Yet, the opaque veil felt like a wall between them, and he couldn’t help feeling a little hurt.
“Why… did you come all the way to the training grounds? Did you get lost? Why aren’t you at the mansion?”
“Oh… that’s…”
Psyche fidgeted with her small, white hands.
Ikali noticed she was carefully choosing her words. He had known her habits well for a long time.
As Psyche struggled to find the right words, Ikali unconsciously thought of her face beneath the veil.
“I want to see her face.”
She spoke:
“Well… I think this might be the last time I see you before the wedding. And I came all the way to the mansion, so if I don’t see your face… I’d be too disappointed.”
“….”
“So I came secretly to find you.”
A soft laugh passed through the fabric.
To Ikali, that laugh sounded like the rustling of leaves.
Memories of playing together at the Dosen Royal Palace tickled a corner of his heart.
But then, it was as if cold water had been poured over him, chilling his chest.
Next month, Psyche would become Warren’s wife.
And she would live in the mansion where he stayed.
“…Ikali?”
When he still didn’t speak, Psyche hesitated.
Had her words been too heavy? Was he feeling burdened?
She slipped her hands into the veil and pressed her blushing face down.
Then, a gentle voice came from above.
“…Will you show me your face?”
“Huh?”
“I want to see your face one last time.”
Before she could respond, a rough, deliberate hand slowly reached toward her.
Through the veil, a glimpse of his deep blue eyes gave off an oddly seductive aura.
“…Mm?”
This was unfair.
Seeing Ikali again after so long, even though his features resembled her fiancé’s, it struck her with tremendous force.
So when Ikali carefully lifted her veil, Psyche froze stiff, unable to say a word.
With a pounding heart, he lifted the veil over her head, like a groom unveiling his bride.
And when Psyche’s long-missed, pure white face was revealed, Ikali stopped in his tracks.
“Ah… th-this is…”
“Psyche, what’s this?”
Psyche hurriedly covered her face.
Though her makeup was done neatly, the skin around her eyes was red and swollen from crying for days.
It felt as if Ikali’s heart had dropped to the floor.
Then, he noticed the forceful hand marks beneath her dress sleeve.
Anger surged within him.
Who could have treated her so harshly?
But he already knew the answer.
Her beloved family at the Dosen Royal Palace would never harm her.
It was one person alone.
The person who treated marriage with her as lightly as a child’s game.
Seeing Ikali’s face, now ice-cold, Psyche waved her hands. She forced a calm voice.
“It’s nothing, Ikali. Warren said that if I behave properly, he won’t bother you anymore… I’m really okay. It didn’t hurt at all. Really.”
Though she tried to act unbothered, Ikali felt as if his heart had been torn to pieces.
He could no longer hold back.
The salon ended in complete chaos.
A sudden assault had caused the nobles to leave in confusion.
“I’m sorry for causing a disturbance, ma’am.”
Before getting into the carriage back to the mansion, Psyche apologized softly to Mia.
Having worked for months to prepare the event, she felt too embarrassed to lift her face, feeling as guilty as the person who had ruined it.
Mia gave her a troubled look and let out a faint sigh.
“No, Madame, you seemed surprised as well. Go home and rest. We’ll talk about it later.”
Mia Fulyum shrugged, noticing the deep sadness in Psyche’s eyes. Something must have happened between the three of them that Psyche didn’t know about.
“Send me a letter later. And invite me to your tea party—it would be better. Understood?”
Psyche blinked, surprised, then gave a faint smile.
“…Yes, I will. Thank you so much for understanding.”
After greeting Mia and boarding the carriage, Psyche saw Ikali sitting across from her, legs crossed. His neatly combed hair was slightly tousled, but otherwise he looked perfect.
The same man who had blazed with fury against Warren just moments ago had returned to his usual calm demeanor in an instant. Psyche felt as if the fight had never happened.
She stared at him for a moment and then, without thinking, spoke.
“I didn’t think you’d come.”
Ikali quietly opened his eyes. His blue eyes, tinged with the color of the sunset, were like jewels.
“I only said I’d be late. I never said I wouldn’t come.”
“But I thought you wouldn’t, since you’re so busy.”
“So I looked like a liar to you, huh?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
A brief silence fell.
If he had come to see her, at least a bigger disaster was avoided.
At the same time, Psyche felt embarrassed and awkward about having shown him that side of herself.
She waited impatiently for the carriage to move, when Ikali finally spoke.
“I told you not to go to the salon because something like this might happen.”
His voice wasn’t angry.
Was he… worried?
His voice, lower than usual, made her curious.
“As soon as we get back to the mansion, I’ll reprimand Loyal Whiens. I told him to stay by your side because something like this might happen.”
“Don’t overdo it. The marquis only stepped away because his jacket got stained. He avoided the place to prevent Lady Tilly from approaching and just happened to meet the viscount then.”
“Now’s not the time to defend Loyal.”
Ikali’s gaze sharpened again. Psyche didn’t understand why he was displeased.
“He’s a retainer of the duke.”
“You keep calling him ‘the duke.’”
“Well…”
Psyche gave him a dumbfounded look. She hadn’t cared what he was called in the four years since they were married.
“Then what should I call him?”
“Don’t you know my name?”
“….”
Ikali sighed deeply, rummaged through the case, put a cigar in his mouth, cut it, and then, when their eyes met, put the match back in his pocket.
“You can light it if you want.”
“I won’t.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I do mind. Even if you don’t, I won’t light it.”
Every time Psyche saw this Ikali, she felt confused.
In childhood, he had been gentle and her one and only prince.
In her past life, when she married him, he was a cold-blooded monster who didn’t care about his wife.
But now… he kept showing his emotions to her and looked her in the eyes.
Whether those feelings were positive or negative.
This Ikali was so different from the one she had known.
