Chapter: 11
“…?”
The knights who had been getting thoroughly beaten by Edrion instinctively rubbed their eyes.
There was no way what was happening before them was some kind of optical illusion.
Not just anyone, but Edrion La Akshad—the strongest knight on the continent, the man nicknamed the demon that crawled up from hell—
was looking at his fiancée with eyes curved into a gentle smile, like an innocent young boy.
“You came all the way here just to see me? You could have simply sent someone to call for me. Making someone as delicate as you come all this way… I suppose I fail as a fiancé.”
“N-No, it’s not that. I actually came because I had something to ask Sir Jeffrey.”
“Ah… not me, but Jeffrey…”
The excitement in his voice instantly faded.
Slowly turning his head, Edrion fixed his gaze on Jeffrey, who was trembling in the corner.
Edrion’s lips were smiling.
His eyes weren’t.
I’m dead.
Jeffrey didn’t have the courage to meet that terrifying gleam head-on.
As he quietly averted his eyes and mentally prepared to meet his parents in heaven, Edrion narrowed his eyes in puzzlement.
Lilith’s pink hair and shoulders were slightly damp, as though she had been caught in a light drizzle.
“One moment.”
“Yes?”
“The weather is still rather chilly. I don’t know what happened, but…”
Edrion reached out and gently brushed through Lilith’s pale pink hair before immediately taking off his jacket.
Then he carefully draped it over her shoulders.
“I’m worried you might catch a cold.”
“Ah…”
All the while, like a beast guarding its territory, his dangerously sharp gaze never left Jeffrey.
As if remembering something, Edrion suddenly spoke.
“Jeffrey.”
“Yes, my lord!”
“Didn’t you have an important mission? I’m quite certain you did. Leave immediately.”
“But I just got back after tracking the target all night…”
“So… you’re saying you won’t go?”
His voice was softer than silk.
Which somehow made it even more terrifying.
Jeffrey glanced once at the mahogany desk that had been shattered like a cookie, then once at the thick vein bulging on Edrion’s jaw before lowering his head miserably.
No matter how he looked at it, he had no other choice.
“Haah… Of course I’m going. Such an important mission demands immediate action, doesn’t it? You lot, get up already.”
“Huh? We’re going too? Besides, I’ve never heard of any mission other than tracking the target—”
“…”
“Ah! Right! I just remembered! It only came back to me this instant. Naturally, we should go too! Hahaha!”
The knights, having witnessed the look in Edrion’s eyes, flashed awkward but energetic smiles before quickly flooding out of the office like the outgoing tide.
Only then did Edrion turn back to Lilith with a much more satisfied expression.
“Unfortunately, Jeffrey has an important assignment. Lilith, is it something urgent?”
“No, not really… I just wanted to ask Sir Jeffrey for a favor.”
“May I ask what it is? If it’s not a secret, you can tell me instead. Though even if it is a secret, I’d be very happy if you’d tell me.”
Now every annoying interruption was gone.
Of course, he’d summon that rascal Jeffrey later and properly deal with him.
Like an innocent boy…
Or a beast staring at a tiny, precious rabbit…
Edrion’s eyes curved into a beautiful smile.
Even as Edrion guided her to the sofa, Lilith looked around in confusion.
I was only going to ask Sir Jeffrey to collect some rainwater and then leave…
Edrion said the weather was cold and threw more firewood into the fireplace.
He brewed steaming hot tea so she could warm herself.
Then he worried she’d burn her tongue, so he added ice to cool it.
He closed the curtains because the sunlight was too bright.
Then he opened them again because there wasn’t enough sunlight.
He bustled around endlessly.
He was practically a giant dog wagging its tail furiously because a guest had come over.
Good grief…
It was a little overwhelming.
In the original novel, he had been described as cold and ruthless, someone who rarely revealed his true feelings even to his older sister, Aitana.
Is he really that happy the World Tree came back to life?
Lilith had heard a detailed explanation of what happened the previous night from one of the Empress’s attendants.
The World Tree had emitted a miraculous radiance, illuminating an entire corner of the Imperial Palace.
She had gone to bed early and hadn’t seen it herself, but the knights guarding the holy grounds had witnessed the phenomenon and reported it to their superiors.
In the end, even the Emperor had personally come to witness it.
The leaves of the World Tree had become noticeably greener and filled with life.
As captain of the Guardian Knights, Edrion valued protecting the World Tree more than his own life.
If she hadn’t known the original story, she might have mistaken Edrion’s behavior for affection toward her.
But she knew exactly how devoted he was to protecting the World Tree.
More importantly, the idea that he actually liked Lilith was simply impossible.
Having once fallen to absolute rock bottom, Edrion had developed an obsessive need to protect things.
His family.
His noble honor.
The World Tree.
They were all extensions of the same obsession.
There was no room in a man like that for something as trivial as romance.
So the kindness he’s showing me now is obviously because of the World Tree. That’s the only logical explanation.
Nodding to herself, Lilith dismissed the unnecessary thoughts and got to the point.
“I have one favor to ask.”
“Anything.”
“Could you collect rainwater for me? Preferably quite a lot of it… and on a regular basis.”
Rainwater was rich in nitrogen, oxygen, minerals, contained no salt, and maintained an appropriate pH level.
But someone as busy as Edrion, a great noble, didn’t need to know such specialized horticultural knowledge.
So Lilith decided to simplify the explanation.
“The World Tree wants rainwater.”
“I see.”
“It keeps crying for rainwater, and before I knew it, I couldn’t help giving in. That’s why my clothes and hair got wet.”
Edrion nodded without the slightest hesitation.
Lilith was about to continue her complaints naturally when she suddenly realized something.
…Wait.
No matter what, the World Tree was still a tree.
Even in the original novel, it was just a tree.
It didn’t have a mouth.
Didn’t I just say something that sounded completely insane?
Yet Edrion’s eyes remained perfectly clear and calm as he looked at her.
His expression practically said,
If you say so, then that’s how it is. The World Tree suddenly growing a mouth and crying for water? Sure, why not.
Am… am I not the crazy one here? Is he?
Lilith hurriedly added another explanation.
“I mean… that was just an example to help explain it. Plants sometimes spit water out through their leaves when they don’t like the water they’re given. Kind of like gagging, you know?”
“Of course.”
“And cats cough up hairballs sometimes, right? That’s perfectly natural and not bad for their health. It’s sort of the same idea. Haha…”
“Thanks to your explanation, I understand.”
“You… really understand?”
“Of course.”
…Somehow, she didn’t believe him.
The fact that he accepted everything without questioning it somehow made it even scarier.
With eyes clearer than the purest spring water, he stared at her without the slightest hint of doubt.
It was unnerving enough to make her shiver.
Well, my objective is accomplished. Time to leave before this gets any weirder.
Smiling awkwardly, Lilith stood up.
She briskly headed for the door, planning to leave as lightly as a spring breeze.
But just as she reached for the doorknob, Edrion hurried after her and gently placed his hand over hers.
“Are you leaving already? I haven’t properly entertained you yet.”
“No, no. You’ve treated me more than well enough.”
“I’m relieved to hear that, but…”
After hesitating for a moment, Edrion continued.
“Would you happen to be free this evening?”
“This evening?”
“I hate for us to part like this. If you’re willing… I’d like to have dinner with you. Would that be possible?”
His eyes glistened as he gazed at Lilith.
His body, honed to the absolute limit, was enormous and intimidating.
Yet his face still retained the beautiful features of a youthful boy.
Unfortunately, Lilith was much shorter than he was.
To look him in the face, she’d have to tilt her head up quite a bit.
Which meant that throughout the entire conversation…
She had been staring at his terrifyingly broad chest.
“Thank you for the invitation, but I’m planning to go into town this evening.”
“Outside the Imperial Capital?”
His handsome-face strategy having failed, Edrion secretly clicked his tongue before asking with concern,
“Is something wrong?”
“Ah, no! I just need to buy some tools for taking care of the World Tree!”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to send someone instead?”
“I’d rather choose them myself. Well then, I’ll be going.”
She had come up with the excuse on the spot just to refuse him, but it actually wasn’t bad.
It wasn’t urgent, but there really were things she needed.
Might as well go out while she was at it.
Before he could stop her, Lilith quickly turned and opened the door.
“The door’s opening!”
“Wait, don’t push!”
“…?”
Apparently, for who knew how long, a crowd of knights had been huddled together outside the door.
The moment it opened, they all stumbled backward in a noisy heap.
