My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 134
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 134
Viscount Artisina rises to his feet. "Then I can… no, I will go now, Princess."
"What do you mean you'll be going?"
"There are two people in love with one another, I can't come between them unnoticed, can I?" He winks. "Then, have a good day, Princess."
With that, he slams the carriage door open. There's no time to stop him; he leaps out of the travelling carriage in one swift motion.
"Viscount!" I grab the door and throw my gaze outside. He lands on his feet and waves at me.
The smile tugging at the corners of his mouth contains an indescribable emotion.
* * *
"Princess, we have arrived at the Soli Duchy. Um, where is the Viscount?"
"He got off the carriage in the middle of the road."
"Pardon? Really? Haha, he must have had some urgent business to attend to."
I step into the residence, barely processing Ticef’s words. Recognising me, one of the servants approaches me. "Lord Lancer is in his private study right now."
As soon as I hear that, my steps quicken. No one offers to escort me to Lancer's study. They must be thinking that I'll find my way to him on my own.
It suddenly dawns on me.
My relationship with Lancer was close, intimate, and natural.
"Lancer!" The door to the study inside bursts open.
"Skyla?" Lancer is sprawled on the carpet, reading a book. Books of all kinds were strewn across the carpet of the study. Stacks of books, half-open books, books covered in bookmarks, and more. The books were arranged in a circle around Lancer.
"When did you get here? I missed you!" Lancer's face lights up when he sees me. His lips curl into his usual gentle smile, and I feel an ache in my heart. "By the way, didn't you say you were going somewhere with Phoebe today… eh, eh?"
I reach out towards him, I don't want him to rise to greet me. But maybe I'm in too much of a hurry. I didn't intend to hug Lancer, and is about to put my arms around his shoulders when my body jerks as I realise what I'm doing.
"Ah!" I scramble to my feet and grab onto whatever I can.
It happened to be the hem of Lancer's shirt.
…Huh?
"S-Skyla..?" Lancer looks at me in confusion. "Did I do something wrong? Why did you grab my shirt as soon as you got here?"
"No, wait a minute. I can explain this, Lancer, just wait. Here's what happened." Seeing him panic, I start to do the same. I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, but after that, nothing comes out.
Where do I start? I'm sorry I thought the confession you made to me when we were fifteen was a lie? That I've been cursed with the ability to read other people's thoughts ever since I made a wish on a witch? That Viscount Artisina is actually Prince Cade of the Hebnia Kingdom, and he helped me break the curse?
I don't even know where to begin to untangle the threads of everything, and then I notice that I'm still holding Lancer.
Haa…. I give up trying to explain the situation in words. After all, language is a cheap tool that can't convey a person's thoughts and feelings as they are. So instead, I'll try another way of communicating.
"Lancer." Still clutching the hem of his shirt, I pull him closer to me. "I love you." And with that, I kiss him.
Dazed and confused, he stands still. But after returning my inexperienced kiss, he quickly wraps his arms around my shoulders. "I love you too, Skyla."
My eyes moisten at his sweet whisper. I want to cry right now. I hate myself for having so selfishly doubted his sincerity. I hate myself for being hurt, for closing off, for distancing myself, for interpreting his heart freely.
I hate myself for not having the courage to tell him everything, to apologise and say I'm sorry.
I feel like I'm still the same fifteen-year-old girl who was overwhelmed by immature emotions and didn't know what to do.
But now, there's something that's different.
"Lancer."
"Yes, Skyla."
I can see his face looking down at me, calling my name in a soft voice. His golden hair, shimmering like a field of flowers in spring, brushes against my eyes. Sometimes I look at him and think he's grown up without me realising it.
I must have been a little taller than him in my youth, but that's only a distant memory now. His tiny, frail body has grown into that of a strong, tall young man. There's enough of a difference in size that he could pick me up with a single arm.
Still, some things haven't changed. His eyes, sparkling like jewels, still have a way of mesmerising. When I was younger, I used to walk by and think, ‘oh, Lancer's eyes are pretty.’
But now I know. The reason his eyes are able to shine so brightly was because the person in them is me. Now I've realise it, and there's no longer any excuse I can make to distance myself from him.
I like Lancer more than anyone else, and nothing can change that.
My grip on Lancer's shirt loosens.
"Why aren't you talking?" Lancer tilts his head, staring at me.
"I… don't know what to say."
"It's okay to say nothing at times like this." A smile tugs at the corners of his lips. "I think I know what you want to say, Skyla."
My heart sinks.
"What, are you some kind of archmage that can read other people's thoughts?" I swallow hard at the possibility.
But his answer is nothing like I'd expect. "No. For some reason, I think you're feeling the same way I am right now." He leans in to kiss me once more. A gentle peck lands on the bridge of my nose. It's like a small bird has flown over and leaves a trail on me.
"What are you doing, really?" I can't help but chuckle at the playful peck.
"Nothing. Skyla, you're so adorable." Playing with my hair, Lancer lowers his head again. He kisses me deeper than the last ones.
And I love the warmth of it.
* * *
It's after dark when I return to the Kaerun Duchy.
"My lady." Phoebe waits for me. She had returned from her visit with the tailor and had changed into a road maid's outfit. "Did you come from seeing Lord Lancer?" She asks as she accepts my coat. I nod without a word.
"You must be tired. Have you dined at the Soli Duchy's?"
"Not yet."
"Then shall I order people to prepare a meal?"
"I'd like to wash up before that. Can you prepare a bath for me?"
Phoebe squints at me, her gaze falling on the shawl around my neck.
"I've never seen that shawl before."
I flinch. I haven't worn this shawl before heading out to the hunting grounds this morning.
"Where did you get this shawl?"
"Lancer gave it to me."
"I see." Her gaze never leaves my shawl. Something's not quite right with her. She holds out her hand to me. "I'll take your shawl."
"Why?"
"It's warm in the mansion, isn't it? Besides, you'll be bathing soon, so you'd better get comfortable."
She has a point, but unfortunately, I don't want to take it off. I can't.
"I'll take care of it, go and prepare the bath."
"...Yes." She says nothing more and goes ahead to prepare the bath water.
"Phew...."
Returning to my room, I lock the door with the latch still in place. Only after I'm sure I can't hear any footsteps coming or going in the corridor do I manage to pull the shawl down.
"What the hell...."
I sigh to myself as I stand in front of the mirror, my reflection somewhat unfamiliar. The nape of my neck is covered in ragged marks. It's as if my throat is a garden, full of roses. My cheeks flush red as I remember my time with Lancer.
It was a disaster.
Lancer, you bastard….
What the hell.
What the hell!
Why did he leave these marks, knowing full well that we'll be travelling with the Crown Prince to the north in just a few days!
Flopping down on my bed, I hug my pillow. What if Phoebe finds out? She'll surely realise that me and Lancer have been up to something!
Tears well up in my eyes. I don't want her to find out, if she does, then my parents will too!
She's closer to me than anyone else. I covered my neck with a shawl, but she would be suspicious if I was desperately refusing to take it off.
She hasn't already noticed, has she? I sigh and think soberly, still lying on my bed. No, she doesn't know yet. I'm sure she does, I'd have already heard the thoughts about it from her….
Wait a minute.
The more I think about it…
From the time I parted ways with Viscount Artisina, to the time I was at the Soli Duchy, to the time I returned here to find Phoebe.
Not once did I ever hear another person's true feelings.
Not even the Viscount, who always looked at me with trepidation. The servants of the Soli Duchy, who greeted me and thought to themselves. And Phoebe, who always praised me when she saw me.
I didn't hear any of their thoughts.
No way.
Has the curse… been lifted?
