Editor Group: Liber Reverie
For some reason, Asher was already there. ‘Can he not sleep, too?’ There were quite a few papers in his hands. Asher came strolling toward Aria in embarrassment. Aria was wearing a simple dress and a single outer garment.
“Do you feel uncomfortable, Lady Aria?”
“Not at all. It’s a lot more comfortable here than the Roscent mansion. I just came out because I couldn’t sleep. I drank some alcohol.”
With the utmost service of the Viscount, she liked the accommodation. It was a small castle in a small land but inside it was clean and pleasant, and the bed was gaudy. What was more, she was with someone who she could be at peace with.
She was annoyed by the fact that she was causing trouble for the busy man, but she decided to accept it because it was not a usual thing that happened every day, and he seemed to be wondering how to help her.
“You’re burning up.”
The hand of Asher touched Aria’s cheeks. The cold hands of the night air felt good, and as she lightly rubbed her cheeks, Asher’s eyes narrowed.
“… Still, I think you’d better be in your room. The night is dangerous.”
She was surprised by his subdued voice and tone, but she answered him as if she didn’t know because she wanted to talk to him a little more even though she knew that the danger he was referring to was himself and not the outside world.
“Why? There’s Mr. Asher here.”
“…”
‘What else can he refute when she answers this naively?’
Finally, with a deep sigh, Asher escorted Aria to the table where he had just been reviewing the documents.
“You have to go back as soon as your fever cools.”
Of course, he didn’t give up completely on sending Aria back to her room.
Aria replied with a smile, “Ok, by the way, what are you doing this late at night? … Is it because of me?”
“Ah… yes. I was going to tell you tomorrow morning, but I’d better tell you now.”
“What happened?”
“Yes, I went to the capital to look into the situation there for a while, and I heard that the family of Count Roscent had filed a complaint with the guards.”
“…”
She expected that, but it was already… There was a grin on the fast-paced situation as if it were ready. If he really hadn’t come, she would have been caught without proof, and she clenched her fist.
Asher wrapped her soft fists and added, “Don’t worry. As you said, the participants at the tea party have become witnesses. Fortunately, they seemed to think you were still in the capital city, so they were only looking for you there. No rumors have spread.”
“… You mean I’ve become a criminal for now.”
“For now, that’s the case. So we need to rush across the border to make sure.”
Although evidence had already been made, it was better to go around and make the evidence more clearly. Also, it was much better outside the country than at home.
‘It won’t be difficult since Asher has the power.’
As she thought so and tried to relax, Aria suddenly remembered that if he used his power, he would pay just as he did.
“…!”
‘How many times have you used your power? Is that okay?’ She had to sleep all day long after using the hourglass. ‘How many times did you use it today?’
Aria became worried and asked Asher, “Are you all right? How many times have you used your power…?”
“This distance is fine. It’s not that far away.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but…”
Unlike Aria, who could only use her power once a day, he could control the distance of his power on his own, so the price for using his power seemed to be different. Still, it was true that she was worried, so she spread her fists and held the hands of Asher.
“It’s not enough for you to worry, so you can relax. You should go to bed as soon as possible. You have to get up early in the morning.”
“… I see.”
Aria did not return to her room but waited for a long time for him to turn the documents and review them before returning with him.
* * *
Aria and Asher left early in the morning, and someone knocked on the door of the office of the Viscount, where he was enjoying his leisure. When he answered, “Come in,” one of his faithful knights came inside, making a fuss.
“Viscount, Viscount! Did you hear that? Lady Aria of the Roscent family, who was called the Imperial Star, killed the Count last night!”
The shocking news from the knight’s mouth surprised him so much that he got up from his seat.
“… What? Last night? What are you talking about? You know that Roscent Aria was here last night!”
“Yes…? But… is the beautiful lady, who came here with His Highness the Crown Prince, Roscent Aria?”
“Yes! I did see it clearly with my own eyes—the name on the credit account! ”
The Viscount raised his voice who had seen the ridiculous book, which had been signed by Roscent Aria. When the Viscount contradicted, the knight expressed his question, cocking his head.
“If so… that’s weird. No one could travel that far after committing a crime in the capital, right?”
“Haven’t you heard anything wrong?”
“No, I received the document directly from the capital. Please look at this!”
The knight handed the document from the capital to the Viscount. The Viscount looked at it over and over again as if it was unbelievable.
“What’s this nonsense…”
It was an official document even stamped with a seal. When the Viscount no longer spoke and murmured to himself, the knight uttered a plausible hypothesis.
“Surely, she was falsely accused.”
“That’s probably what happened.”
“I don’t know who it is, but it’s absolutely stupid to make such a ridiculous claim. A lot of people saw Roscent Aria, who was with His Majesty the Crown Prince.
“Hmm…. there’s a book she signed, so there are certain witnesses and proof.”
There was a moment of silence in the office with the ridiculous official document between them. Soon after, the Viscount crumpled the document and put it in the trash can.
“The guards of the capital have gone as far as they can go. Who will take responsibility for this? Let’s not pay attention to such useless things, and let’s do our job.”
“Yes, sir.”
They then returned to their positions as if nothing had happened.
* * *
When they left the territory with the first trace, she was worried that he would use his ability, but fortunately, he did not. It was because a plausible carriage was waiting in front of the castle of the Viscount.
If the wagon was too fancy, then bandits might target it, so it was a carriage that didn’t seem too uncomfortable. Aria, who had hoped for Asher to not use his power any longer, was about to sweep her chest away, and an unexpected face surprised her.
“Good morning. Your Highness Asterope, Lady Aria of Roscent. Would you like to leave for the next city?”
It was none other than Lane. He somehow looked tired when he greeted Aria and Asher. It was hard to recognize because of Lane’s shaggy hair that seemed to be fake, but when she looked closely, she found that it was clearly Lane. Furthermore, Sorke, the Knight of Asher, was next to him.
They came out early in the morning… maybe they came running all night from the capital. She didn’t know if Asher had the ability to carry a carriage, but from his complexion, it was clear that he had probably been running all night.
“… Mr. Asher.”
It was only the two of them without a driver or a servant, so she called out his name and asked, “What on earth is this?”
As soon as he recognized Aria’s gaze, he answered quietly, “To leave evidence that we are moving.”
She didn’t understand what he meant, but she couldn’t show it, so she got on the wagon as he had prepared. Then she asked Asher again as soon as they left the place where the Viscount and the people of the estate said goodbye to themselves with a big bow.
“What do you mean to leave evidence? And a carriage without a servant…”
“This wagon is literally for evidence. It’s for evidence to pick us up only when we leave and cross the border. That’s why we don’t have a servant. We don’t have to.”
‘Oh my God. So we’re moving somewhere in the middle? And using his power?’ Last night he said he was fine, but Aria kept worrying because she knew he had to pay the price just as she did every time she had used the hourglass. So when Aria’s expression became very dark, he added that he was okay.
Comments