Chapter 28

Desian laughed.

She doesn’t understand.

“Del?”

Slowly, Desian opened the hand that was covering her eyes.

“If you want, you can leave.”

“Yes. I will surely succeed and come back to the empire. I hope you remember me in the future.”

Citrina said jokingly, raising her mouth. Her voice mixed with mischievous laughter.

Desian softly answered when she asked, “Will you wait?”

“I will wait.”

However, he had no intention of waiting. If he waited forever then he would not be able to meet her.

“Thank you for talking to me!”

It is enough to make the world she wants to see as his.

It’s enough to make the world she sees, the world she wants, his own.

Citrina smiled at him.

She can’t even imagine what he thinks every time he sees her laugh.

***

The day she leaves the duke’s residence would be at dawn the next day.

Citrina was almost finished preparing to leave the outer residence as Heled and the maids were helping her with her luggage.

“I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Thank you, Heled.”

She was very attached to Heled. Citrina replied with a small smile.

It was then that Aron came.

“Citrina!”

His eyes were swollen. Citrina tried to pretend she wasn’t aware of it.

“Aron? What’s up?”

“Citrina, take this.”

“What is it?”

He handed her a mysterious black box. She looked closely at the box.

‘I can’t think of what this is.’

Citrina looked at Aron.

“Open the box. I made it myself. It’s an enchanted /magical music box!”

‘Desian also gave a mysterious gift, and they are the same.’

She hadn’t seen Aron in a while, so he was making something like this.

Aron smiled and she smiled back.

“Okay. I’ll open it. So you casted a spell on this?”

“Well… Yes. Actually, my brother helped me a little.”

Aron confessed the truth with a confused look.

‘I’m surprised that Desian helped you.’

It was what she felt as brotherly affection.

“You did?”

Citrina affectionately asked.

“Yes.”

At that, Aron laughed and bashfully bowed his head.

‘Where is Desian by the way?’

She hadn’t seen him. Last night, they said their parting words briefly. Their farewell talk was as short as praying.

Will that be the last one?

Citrina quietly recalled their last meeting multiple times.

‘If I had grown closer and more attached, I wouldn’t have been able to leave, and if I don’t leave now, the material of Silmaril, which contains the gem spirit, would turn opaque. You’re doing great, Citrina Foluin.’

She closed her eyes.

“Young lady, it seems that the carriage has arrived.”

Heled, who was looking outside the window, said. Citrina nodded.

Citrina climbed onto the carriage. With a slightly heavier feeling compared to the first time she came here.

‘The slime and magic stone given by Desian, and the music box given by Aron. And taking all of her salary to buy Silmaril.’

Instead of asking Desian to move, she decided to rent one of the carriages. Thinking it would be more comfortable that way.

‘When I come back, I’ll be more mature when I see them.’

Yesterday, Aron cooked for her again. To be honest, his cooking wasn’t very tasty. Still, Citrina smiled.

Desian just looked at her. His eyes were still clear.

‘… Let’s stop thinking. I have to think about something else from now on.’

Citrina bit her lip. The coachman’s voice was heard in the distance.

“Then we will depart for the nearest port.”

As soon as the servant closed the door of the carriage, the coachman left. As when she came, Jim was next to her.

She looked at the scenery outside. The speed of the carriage gradually accelerated. Slowly, the duke’s residence was farther and farther away...

‘Bye, Del. I hope that your future, which I changed a little bit, will be happy.’

She muttered the words she couldn’t tell Desian. Citrina let out that level of appreciation.

That’s how the carriage left.

The carriage soon reached the pier. As soon as Citrina got off, the coachman moved her luggage. She watched for a while as the carriage bearing the duke’s seal leave.

‘Let’s leave all our nostalgia in the sea and leave, Citrina Foluin. It’s time to grow up and come back.’

Citrina was standing on the pier. The air at the port had an unusual smell of the sea.

She smelled the salty scent of the beach, different from the scent of tension in the Duke’s house. She stood there for quite a long time.

‘The ship will depart soon, so I’ll have to pay the ticket I reserved in advance through Heled.’

Intoxicated by the romantic and hearty atmosphere.

Fortunately, Citrina had very little luggage. There were only money, gifts, and a couple of clothes.

As soon as she got on board, a short sailor boy greeted her.

“I will take your luggage! As you may know, this ride is a return trip via the intermediate destination, the Drip Empire. Is it that you’re only going to the Drip Empire?”

“That’s right.”

Hearing Citrina’s cheerful answer. He checked the cruise ticket once more.

“You are in second class, right? It’s a room for 2 people.”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

As she walked through the hallway, Citrina thought that the ship was wider than expected, that’s why it may make you feel like you are going on a longer trip.

The ship was rocking left and right, but even that feels cheerful.

“Here it is.”

The sailor slowly opened the door. It looked like a normal room.

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