When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 92

Turning Away (91)

“It doesn’t look like there’s any hidden space like in the Imperial Palace, does it?”

Leilly examined every corner of the palace with Ren, consulting a map.

“There’s nothing marked, and Berham’s memories might be distorted.”

“It’s just that the structure is a bit strange.”

Ren slowly touched the wall and tilted his head.

“Why was it built like this?”

“That’s rude to the architect.”

Leilly scolded Ren and looked around again.

“Maybe it’s inside the king’s room.”

Leilly’s eyes sparkled at Ren’s words.

“Maybe so.”

“But going to the bedroom is impossible.”

He was right. There would be too many risks to take to get there.

“Then we’ll have to give up on that.”

“It can’t be helped. Still, that guy will get something done.”

Leilly frowned at Ren’s words.

“Who’s ‘that guy’?”

“What about it? That guy calls me that too.”

Ren seemed to know very well what Kaver was calling him.

“The two of you seem very similar.”

“Leilly, as much as I like you, that’s not true.”

“Getting angry at things like this too.”

“That’s not something I particularly want to hear.”

He walked past Leilly, taking the lead. He had his hands clasped behind his head, swaggering like a loafer.

Leilly turned towards the window, looking somewhat regretful.

“Where are we going now? I’ve become curious about the kingdom.”

“This wasn’t in the plan.”

“Ren, everyone would laugh if you said you were moving according to plan, you know?”

Ren nodded at her words.

“That’s right. Then where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere is fine.”

She was just curious about the atmosphere of the kingdom.

Whether it was similar to the Empire, and what different cultures there were.

“Then let’s go.”

Ren quickly changed his and Leilly’s appearances.

“So we don’t get caught.”

“It’ll be fine as long as we don’t run into the princess.”

Because she had the necklace.

Leilly tried to hide the mana [magical energy] sparkling on her neck and smiled at Ren.

‘It’s unstable, definitely since coming here.’

Could Adel’s power have grown stronger? Or is the time really up?

Leilly didn’t show it, but she was feeling a slight dizziness.

Just in case, she had put a note in her pocket describing the current situation, but it was uncertain whether she, as a sword, would act accordingly.

“Then let’s go.”

Leilly and Ren naturally blended into the crowd.

The city looked no different from the Empire. It was lively even at night, and people were singing and dancing with excitement.

‘It feels a bit more natural.’

Seeing people entrusting themselves to their feelings rather than adhering to formalities made her feel good.

“How is it?”

“It’s so good that I forget why we came.”

Leilly smiled bitterly, capturing the image of the people in her eyes.

Probably by now, Adel and Kaver would have toured the city together and returned to the Imperial Palace.

“Don’t think about anything now, just enjoy it.”

Ren grabbed Leilly’s face and glared at her.

“Even though I look like this, I’ve used a lot of mana today.”

“I know, I can feel it too.”

“So, just focus on me for now.”

Leilly nodded at Ren’s words.

“Okay, then I’ll do as I please now.”

“Where does that come from?”

“Can’t you grant me this much of a request?”

Ren put on a pitiful expression, pretending to be struggling. Eventually, Leilly nodded slightly.

“Okay, just this once.”

“You never know.”

Ren grabbed Leilly’s hand and grinned.

“It’s nice that there are no interrupters.”

Before Leilly could say anything, he put a chicken skewer in her mouth.

“Delicious.”

Leilly mumbled, eating the skewer, and couldn’t help but smile at Ren.

“Okay, I won’t say anything.”

Only then did Ren hand the food he was holding to Leilly’s hand instead of feeding it to her mouth.

“I almost kept feeding you.”

“I can’t stop you.”

Leilly spent time with Ren, strolling through the city. Perhaps because there was someone by her side making her laugh, she was too busy looking around to notice the time passing.

* * *

Kaver looked at the necklace in his hand, calming his trembling heart.

‘I have to do it in one go.’

It would be a success as long as she took off the necklace and came.

Since they would have started making the same necklace, they would be able to hold out for about a day.

His throat kept burning because he was nervous.

Kaver, who was waiting at the place he had promised her, turned around at the rustling sound.

“I didn’t expect you to be here first.”

Adel, dressed to the nines, slowly approached Kaver.

He immediately checked for the presence of the necklace around her neck.

‘It’s not there.’

Kaver tried to harden the corners of his mouth, which were rising in anticipation of success.

“You look really beautiful dressed like that.”

“I don’t have to lie when I’m with you.”

Adel reached out to Kaver and lightly stroked his chest.

“Honestly, I don’t mind, but…….”

“You still have a way of embarrassing people.”

Kaver turned his gaze to her deeply cut dress.

“His Highness said he had prepared a necklace, so I took it off. So it feels too empty.”

Adel leaned close to him and looked up at him.

“You’re still impatient.”

Kaver took a couple of steps back and held out his hand to Adel.

“Didn’t you say you’d show me your favorite place?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Adel tasted her lips as she remembered what she had said.

“But I’m more curious about the gift His Highness prepared.”

At her words, Kaver smiled softly and gently stroked her cheek.

“The night is long, so there’s no need to rush.”

“……That sounds like you’re going to stay with me all night.”

“Well, if you want, it wouldn’t be bad to leave for a while, just the two of us.”

Adel was starting to get confused.

Was Kaver really treating her like this because he needed her? Or has his heart changed even a little bit towards her?

“Your Highness’s attitude has changed subtly since coming to the kingdom, am I jumping to conclusions?”

“Well, maybe there really has been a change of heart.”

Kaver answered vaguely.

Adel was in a state where it was difficult to accept the situation rationally because there was a glimmer of hope. Besides, even if the Crown Prince caused trouble in this kingdom, it wasn’t his country.

“Then let me introduce you. My favorite place.”

Adel took his hand and led him, hoping to capture Kaver’s heart.

“I grew up reading books here since I was a child.”

“Is it a place no one knows about?”

“It’s a place that no one knows about except my father.”

Kaver seemed curious at Adel’s words and followed her deep into the garden.

In the garden that continued, there was a place full of flowers.

Adel walked through the flowers and lightly stomped her feet twice.

Then the ground cracked and a hidden staircase appeared.

“How is it? Aren’t you already interested?”

“It looks pretty fun.”

“You’ll probably be even more surprised when you go inside.”

“Am I allowed to go in here?”

Adel slightly rolled her eyes at Kaver’s words and nodded.

‘There are no books that His Highness can read anyway.’

Besides, it was her own secret space, so she could see whatever she wanted.

She didn’t miss the glint in Kaver’s eyes and caught it.

“Then shall we go down?”

“If you want.”

Kaver took Adel’s hand and followed her down the stairs.

Because it was dark and nothing could be seen, Adel clung to Kaver, almost hugging him.

“It would take a day to go down like this.”

“Would everyone be in an uproar if we disappeared for a day?”

Adel suddenly had another thought.

This place would not open unless she opened it. Once the door was closed, it would only open after a day. To open it by force, she needed the power of the necklace.

The same was true from the inside. So if she didn’t open the door to go out, Kaver would have to spend the day with her.

It wasn’t intentional, but it was a pretty good opportunity for her.

“Your Highness said earlier? That it wouldn’t be bad to leave for a while, just the two of us.”

“Do you think it’s a lie?”

“I don’t care.”

As soon as Adel stepped on the floor, she secretly closed the door without Kaver knowing.

With a thud, the space where light had been coming in from above disappeared.

“This, it seems like we’re trapped.”

Kaver frowned in the darkness where nothing could be seen.

‘Trapped? If we’re really trapped…….’

He had a feeling that he could finish the job much easier than he thought. If he had a day, he wouldn’t have to bother switching the necklace.

He thought it would be better to save his words until he heard a definite story from her, just in case.

“That’s right, we’re trapped.”

Adel pushed a stone towards the wall with a leisurely attitude.

Then, in a place where there was no light, lights were lit one by one and the appearance was revealed.

“Your Highness is the first to come here.”

Adel showed a huge amount of books behind her. Kaver found a familiar pattern in the middle of them.

‘It seems like I’ve found the place I was looking for.’

Kaver chuckled at the unexpected harvest.

“I think it would be okay to be here together for a few days.”

“I’m glad Your Highness likes it.”

Adel approached Kaver and gently grabbed his arm.

“And this place is also quite romantic, for each other to connect.”

Kaver took out a box from his pocket, looking at Adel, who was openly coming on to him.

“Then, it seems like this is the timing to give a gift.”

He grabbed her shoulders in front of him, turned her around, and put the necklace around her neck.

“How is it? It seems to suit you well.”

Adel looked at the necklace around her neck in surprise and looked at Kaver.

“I thought you liked red, so I ordered something similar.”

“It’s really similar.”

“But are we really trapped?”

Kaver asked Adel with drowsy eyes. She nodded without any doubt.

“Even if someone comes to find us, they won’t be able to open the door. There is a way to open the door, but others won’t be able to do it.”

Unless she used the power of the necklace, no one but her could ever open this door. Of course, not even the current her.

“So Your Highness, shall we get a little closer?”

Adel slyly approached Kaver. He pushed her away with a different expression than before.

“……Your Highness?”

“Ah, then I don’t need to act anymore. You said we can’t get out, and no one will come to find us. Did I say the necklace I gave you is similar to yours?”

“What do you mean…….”

“It has to be similar, because it was made based on that.”

Only then did she properly recognize her situation. That being left alone with Kaver was by no means a good thing.

‘What have I done?’

She must have been possessed by something. Otherwise, how could she have trapped herself here with someone whose intentions she didn’t know?

‘I left the necklace behind too…….’

Only then did Adel realize that she had fallen into a trap.

But it was already too late. Once the door was closed, it would only open after a day. Besides, since she didn’t even have the necklace, there was no way to open it by force.

She had to be here with him for a day.

“Oh dear, your face has turned pale. How about sitting down and resting?”

“Don’t tell me…… from the beginning.”

“I didn’t intend to, but the result isn’t bad.”

Adel grabbed the necklace around her neck and threw it to the floor.