When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 88

“Um… could you please put that sword away now?”

“Ah, sorry.”

Leilly sheathed the sword and glanced at the detached palace.

“Looks like they’re gone, right?”

“Can I let go now?”

Ren abruptly dropped Lirrita onto the floor.

“Ah!”

Lirrita grimaced and groaned as she landed on her backside.

“If it weren’t for that situation earlier, it would have been perfect.”

Ren smacked his lips, recalling the scene with the falling flowers.

How romantic that could have been.

“So, is it over now?”

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow, so stay here for the time being.”

“I…”

She had nowhere else to go.

Besides, the Crown Prince had promised to protect her, so staying with the Imperial Family was the safest option.

“I’ll stay quiet until you come back.”

“Please, take care of yourself.”

Leilly smiled at Lirrita.

‘He smiled.’

Lirrita covered her mouth with her hand, seemingly surprised by Leilly’s smile. She had clearly heard that he had lost his ego, so why was he smiling so brightly at her?

Come to think of it, the offer he made to her earlier was also strange.

‘He’s supposed to be a sword that moves according to orders, but I didn’t think of that at all!’

Was it because she was too focused on her own affairs?

Lirrita finally noticed Leilly’s odd behavior.

Watching Leilly and Ren walk leisurely into the Imperial Palace, Lirrita wrapped her arms around herself.

‘It’s a good thing I was slow to notice this time.’

Her strength almost led her to a quick death.

She steadied her trembling legs with her hands and took a deep breath.

Once everything was over, she would go and live in a quiet countryside. She vowed never to get involved in such things again, letting go of her greed.

* * *

Kavern anxiously checked the time.

She had returned to her office a few hours ago but hadn’t taken any particular action.

Rather, Ren was glaring at her as if he wanted to kill her, giving her a headache.

‘That guy knew too, huh.’

She felt a little disappointed.

Why didn’t she tell me directly, and only told him?

Kavern lay down on the bed, covered her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Would Leilly really come to her?

Or should she go?

All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind.

In the silent room, only Kavern’s anxious heartbeat echoed in her ears.

Could she go at this hour?

Since no time had been set, she had no idea when she could go.

She kept staring at the clock, worried that she might make her uncomfortable if she went too late.

Finally, after two hours, she seemed to make up her mind and got up.

At this hour, the guards would be changing shifts, so she wouldn’t be noticed.

Kavern confidently tried to go out the door but hesitated.

‘But it would be troublesome if I were spotted.’

In the end, she headed towards the window, covered her face tightly with a cloak, and gestured to the Imperial Guards.

‘Escort me well without getting caught.’

The hidden Imperial Guards moved quickly at Kavern’s gesture.

They had no idea that she was going to Leilly’s room, which was only a short distance away.

* * *

Knock, knock.

At the sound of knocking on the window, Leilly approached the door.

As the door slid open, Kavern’s face suddenly appeared.

Leilly, startled, leaned back, and her body tilted.

“You have to be careful.”

Kavern quickly wrapped her arms around Leilly’s waist, grabbed the window frame, and firmly supported her.

“Why leave the perfectly good door and…”

“Is this more thrilling?”

Kavern replied in a playful tone and carefully landed on the floor.

“Bringing the Imperial Guards is too much.”

“Ah, just in case.”

Leilly felt sorry for the Imperial Guards.

She was too embarrassed to lift her head. Besides, Ren, who had returned to being a sword, must be watching this scene.

“Um, I guess it won’t work after all.”

Leilly felt sorry for Ren, but she picked up the sword and put it in the box.

“Are you worried about him?”

“A little.”

At Leilly’s words, Kavern approached her, hugged her tightly, and closed the distance.

“Are you worried about this kind of situation happening?”

“…I can’t say I’m not.”

Leilly hugged Kavern’s neck and buried her face in it.

Had she ever been able to rest comfortably in his arms? No, she hadn’t.

Once she acknowledged her feelings, there was nothing to fear.

She still felt hostility towards the Imperial Family, but strangely, she didn’t hate Kavern.

She couldn’t hate him.

“I’m still not over it.”

Kavern hugged Leilly even tighter and whispered in her ear.

The wind seeping in through the open window was chilly, but she didn’t feel cold, perhaps because of Kavern’s body temperature.

Rather, a pleasant warmth enveloped her.

“So, comfort me.”

Kavern whined like a child.

Kavern’s expression softened at Leilly’s touch as she gently stroked her hair.

“Why are you acting like a child?”

Her words were brusque, but Leilly’s face was filled with a smile.

“What are you going to do about Princess Adel?”

“First of all, I’ve made all the preparations. Everything will be revealed when we go to the kingdom.”

If it weren’t for her, what would Leilly and she be like now?

Kavern felt a surge of anger.

“…Annoying.”

Thinking about how everything had gone wrong because of her, she wanted to cut off her head right now.

She could have finally flown freely.

She was angry because it felt like all the efforts she had made so far had been in vain.

“You mustn’t act rashly.”

“I know, it took me a while to find a way for everyone.”

Leilly stroked Kavern’s hair once more as if praising her.

“Thanks to you, I realized it too.”

“I’d rather put in more effort than have you go through such a hard time.”

Kavern quietly entrusted herself to Leilly’s touch.

With her gentle voice and the breath felt so close, the hairs on her body stood on end.

“Thanks to the necklace, my body is better than before.”

She felt much better than when she was wearing the necklace.

She had to wear it in front of Princess Adel, but now she didn’t have to be bound by it.

She felt like the throbbing headache and the hazy mind had cleared up.

“Thank you.”

Kavern’s heart ached at Leilly’s words.

She was the one who wanted to say that.

Thank you for overcoming it, thank you for not forgetting me and finding me.

Thank you for seeing me, who had always been watching from behind.

“I should be the one saying that.”

Kavern slowly opened her closed eyes.

In the quiet, unlit room, Leilly found Kavern’s eyes shining in the darkness.

“Why do you keep provoking me when I’m holding back?”

Leilly’s breath, which was already tickling her ears, was stirring up other desires within her.

Her dangerously glistening eyes stared intently at Leilly’s lips.

“I told you to meet me in my room so that other people wouldn’t notice.”

“…So, there’s no one around?”

Kavern’s breath quickened at the feeling of whispering secrets in the room.

She lightly licked her lips with her red tongue, feeling a strange thirst.

“I’m so dangerous, why would you call me to a room where you’re alone?”

“There’s no one safer to me than you, is there?”

Leilly shrugged her shoulders, smiled brightly, and raised the corners of her mouth.

As if that had flipped a switch inside Kavern, her eyes changed drastically.

Kavern ran her finger across Leilly’s lips and then lifted her up.

Startled, she continued to speak to Kavern as if making excuses.

“Because it’s not certain yet… that’s why.”

She wasn’t sure if her ego had completely returned, or how long it would last.

Besides, she couldn’t guess what the Emperor would do if someone else saw them.

That’s why she had chosen her safest room.

However, Leilly couldn’t finish her sentence.

Because Kavern’s lips were overlapping hers.

The room was filled with their excited breaths, and she felt like heat rash was blooming all over her body.

She hugged his neck tightly, wishing time would stop like this.

She didn’t hate it.

Kavern’s warmth that she felt, his heart that desired her.

When their lips, which had been overlapping for a long time, parted, the two of them let out rough breaths.

Leilly’s cheeks turned reddish as if the heat in the room had risen even more.

She stared intently at Kavern, who was on top of her.

“Haa… I can’t.”

Kavern quickly pulled away from Leilly.

“I feel like I’ve become a beast.”

He ran a hand over his face and hung his head.

“No, I’m already a beast.”

She almost did something to her. Her lips were so sweet that she wanted to swallow them, devour them.

More than anyone else, she was a dangerous presence to Leilly right now.

In a different sense.

Kavern’s desire to hold her in her arms and be with her all night long was rising.

If she stayed any longer.

Yes, her ego might be swallowed by something else.

Knowing or not knowing this, Leilly hugged Kavern from behind and said.

“It would be too cruel to ask you to stay a little longer, right?”

Leilly grabbed Kavern’s collar and buried her face in his back.

“Yeah, it’s cruel.”

Kavern lowered her head and looked at Leilly’s hand wrapped around her waist.

She was barely enduring with the hand that was holding her tightly.

“But I like seeing you like this.”

She really didn’t seem to be thinking of letting go.

“…You’ll regret it.”

Kavern’s Adam’s apple bobbed as she spoke in a low voice.

“I won’t regret it.”

In the end, he turned around at Leilly’s words, cupped her face, and kissed her.