Ch. 162
The moment the necklace came off, the person before my eyes was entirely different.
Gone was the man whose only unique trait was his averageness.
His black hair, tinged with blue, belonged more to a serene dawn goddess, and his golden eyes were so solemn, they seemed like they belonged to the sun god himself. The harmony was so stunning, I had to take a moment to fully take it in.
Every tiny feature of his revealed face was drenched in noble beauty and grace, something no commoner could ever possess.
Anyone who laid eyes on him would instinctively realize—this man wasn’t of ordinary birth.
His lips radiated dignity and strength, his nose was elegant and refined.
But his eyes—his eyes held an overwhelming power.
Golden irises more radiant than the moon and nearly akin to the light of the sun—these were the legendary pride of the Elan imperial bloodline.
His deep, pitch-black pupils were dark yet sweet.
This was a face that could never blend in among commoners.
It now made perfect sense why he never took off that necklace.
Even among nobles, such beauty was rare.
His overwhelming features were the very proof that superior genetics couldn’t be hidden.
He stood out—no, ‘blazed’ in visibility.
“…My god.”
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
Ash looked embarrassed, but how could I possibly stay unaffected?
I couldn’t believe I lost—in looks!
I was fairly confident in mine too, but I guess I couldn’t compete with royal beauty genes.
If this guy just grew his hair out, he’d be prettier than me.
I went from shock, to awe, to a bit of jealousy, and finally felt possessive of this beauty as I reached out my hand.
“You turned out well, huh?”
“…Am I supposed to be thankful for that?”
“But it’s not quite how I imagined?”
“You imagined my face?”
“I was curious about your real face. Watching the magic on your necklace… I’d wonder. I used to imagine what that boy would grow up to look like… so this is what it is. Ash, your face.”
I smiled as our eyes met.
I touched Ash’s face freely. Wow, even the skin was flawless.
Maybe he’d gotten used to it, because he didn’t flinch like before, just averted his gaze a little.
I get it now! I’m into faces.
I mean, seeing pretty people makes you feel good—why would handsome men be any different?
If I were a dragon who loved collecting beautiful things, I’d definitely want Ash in my cage.
Hiding this kind of beauty was practically a handicap.
If he walked around with that face exposed, men and women alike would be swarming him tenfold.
“What a waste. If you showed your face more, recruiting allies would be way easier.”
“Not everyone thinks like you.”
“Is that so? So the necklace really can’t ever come off?”
“Originally… yes. Someone might recognize the imperial face.”
“Would someone like that really be wandering around the street? The odds must be low. Still, I get it. Hiding your identity thoroughly and all.”
Looking at Ash’s real face made me feel… really happy.
There was a refreshing clarity to this moment without any deception. Being able to say anything I wanted—it really was a joy.
That was one of the reasons I wanted to see his face.
Because I could be Geenie Crowell, and he could be Epiros.
“I heard about you in Dmitri… Even someone like me, who’s out of touch with high society, caught wind of it. Just how insanely good-looking the second prince of Elan is.”
It had been a long time since I smiled and chatted like this.
I playfully tapped Ash’s nose.
His unenchanted face felt both unfamiliar and familiar, which made it oddly fascinating.
Part of why I was feeling so good was because Ash had gone along with my selfish request—deep down, that pleased me.
It meant he trusted me that much. And I knew just how dangerous that was for him.
“…It’s embarrassing. To that extent…”
“They say the Marquis of Beilan saw you and said your beauty was so divine, even the gods would be jealous. That if you met a tragic end, it would be because the gods couldn’t stand it.”
“…”
“I get it. ‘God’ in that quote refers to the First Prince. It means one day, he’ll kill you.”
Within the whirlwind of strong wind, words just scattered away, making it easy to say things you normally wouldn’t.
Ash listened. He looked at me. And I told him everything I’d long wanted to say when I finally met him.
“I wanted to see you. That’s why I went to the founding party. I had to throw a fit just to tag along.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“As long as you know.”
“…”
“I went to see you and ended up getting kidnapped by a dragon, but that’s not your fault. I’ll forgive you. You’re handsome, so I’ll let it slide.”
I straightened up and shrugged, but the wind nearly knocked me back. Just then, Ash urgently grabbed my waist.
He held me tight, eyes wide as he looked between the sheer drop and me.
I was relaxed, knowing Undaine would catch me if I fell, but I guess Ash wasn’t reassured.
In the end, he gripped my arm tightly and began to speak.
“…I only found out later that it was you who had been kidnapped.”
His voice was so low, I could tell he wanted the words to disappear into the air.
This conversation—everything we were saying—had to vanish once we got down.
“Maybe it wasn’t the case… but the thought crossed my mind: ‘what if she came to see me’… and that made me cry.”
“Wow, you cry easily, huh? Well, men can cry too.”
“…I was just moved by your selflessness.”
“Aha.”
“Though… now that I’ve seen you, I doubt that was your intention. With your personality… I doubt it…”
“You’re right. I was just trying to survive. That’s all.”
What am I supposed to do with your heartfelt emotions?
I patted Ash’s head once and sat back down. With my knees pulled up and chin resting on them, I looked out at the now fully bright field.
What else did I want to say? Ah, right—there was that.
“I sent you a letter. I guess it never reached you… Did it?”
“I received it. I just couldn’t reply.”
“Why not?”
“His Majesty did not permit it.”
I wondered if all princes referred to their father as ‘His Majesty.’
It wasn’t a particularly important question, and I simply watched as Ash put the necklace back on. He must’ve felt anxious being without it.
“To me… you were… my first real friend. I never had any. Whether in the forest or in the palace, I was always alone. So when I’d get letters from you, His Majesty would show them to me and say if I wanted to read more, I should study harder.”
“What a cheapskate.”
With his brown hair and plain face restored, Ash only smiled once at my complaint—a complaint that, in some places, could be grounds for execution.
“After that, surveillance got stricter so I wouldn’t run away again… and your letters soon stopped… That’s how it was. What could we have done?”
“Kids are like that.”
“I do sometimes regret not sending a reply.”
“I was annoyed that something so small was forbidden.”
Same memory, opposite complaints.
“Later, when I was older, I could have sent one… but I figured you’d forgotten about me. And I, too, started to forget. Though sometimes, when I saw someone with blonde hair, I’d think of you.”
“There are lots of blondes, though.”
Ash averted his eyes like I’d hit a nerve.
Watching him awkwardly change the subject was, honestly, a bit cute.
Come to think of it, this guy ‘is’ a top-tier husband candidate.
Kind, noble family, rich, totally flustered around me… huh. Not bad at all.
“Ahem… There’s something I’d like to ask you. Why are you following us?”
“You really don’t know?”
“I doubt it’s because you want to become a Guardian… You already carry greater honor than that.”
“I was bored.”
If the rampart had been any wider, I would’ve sprawled out.
Even sitting was starting to feel like a hassle. The wind made my ears ring, so I was busy digging in them.
“…I see.”
“If I go back to Dmitri now, they’ll just try to force me into being some holy woman again. So annoying. But I’m not going to hole up in a cave either. Besides, when else am I going to see the Path of Trial and go on an adventure with a prince?”
“You really are… a free spirit.”
Feel free to envy me.
Living as you please is a talent too.
Being born into too great a family can actually be a trap. The textbook example of that was sitting right next to me.
“Time to go. Lox might be looking for us.”
“Indeed.”
“Oh, right!”
Just as I stood up to go, I remembered something I’d completely forgotten.
I had planned to give this to him when we were alone, but Lox had been watching so closely that I never got the chance.
“Ash, here. Take this.”
It had a few scratches from being carried around in my coin pouch, but the contents were what mattered.
Ash looked puzzled as he accepted the medicine tin I offered.
He opened it, eyes doubtful.
“This… is for me?”
“I picked it up on the way.”
It felt oddly embarrassing to give it to him, so I threw in a lame joke—then quickly gave up because it felt stupid.
“I bought it in the last city, but didn’t know when to give it to you. Lox is always at your side. I’ve been waiting for a moment alone. Took this long.”
“…What kind of medicine is it?”
“They say it’s good for old wounds. Look.”
Ash now obediently let me grab his hand whenever I wanted.
It felt like taming a gentle beast, and I found myself quietly pleased.
“That scar on your palm—it’s basically a lasting wound, right? And it still seems to hurt sometimes… This might help. It’s nothing amazing, but I figured it’s better than nothing.”
“Thank you.”
“Wrong.”
“…Thank you, Geenie.”
Maybe it wasn’t such a bad gift.
Seeing Ash’s soft smile made me feel proud. Maybe now I understood just a little of the joy of giving.
“Ash.”
Before going down, I had to say this. I smiled no longer—it felt too late to delay it any further.
“Your hand… was my mistake. My fault.”
I still held Ash’s hand as I traced the scar within it.