Chapter 56
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Meanwhile, Eir was led back into the house by Rubel’s hand.
Rubel only released her wrist after entering the area where he had set up a barrier.
The mark he had gripped on her white wrist was momentarily irritating to look at. Just like the purple bruise from when he had pressed her chest. Moreover, the bruise on her chin showed no signs of disappearing.
He thought about asking Petro to remove it, but knowing how strange it would look to ask for treatment for a potential witch, Rubel gave up and spoke about the matter at hand.
“Pack your things.”
Eir looked at him with a face that suggested she had no other choice.
“Lord Shinote. Leaving here is an extremely important matter for me.”
Unlike before, her tone didn’t seem like mere whining, so Rubel gestured for her to speak.
But even though he gave her the opportunity to speak, Eir couldn’t bring herself to say anything.
Whether she died here being accused of being a witch or died outside after being exposed as a fugitive priestess, nothing would change. So why did leaving this place feel worse than death?
Thinking about it carefully, it was a matter of shame.
The shameful memories Eir had desperately buried would resurface to everyone if she left, and that would be incredibly difficult. But she had no way to explain this, and she couldn’t make anyone understand, so eventually, Eir turned away in defeat.
Rubel watched Eir’s retreating back as she went to pack, her shoulders drooping. He could have teased her about making a big deal out of nothing, but he didn’t. Her momentarily darkened expression concerned him.
Well, being transported as a criminal isn’t something anyone would enjoy. Still, they hadn’t exactly publicly declared her a criminal, so was it really that unfair?
In any case, it was clear Hecate had been far too indulgent.
Standing there for a moment, lost in these thoughts, Rubel waited for Eir to finish packing.
Eir came out sooner than expected, carrying lighter luggage than Rubel had imagined.
“Is that all?”
Rubel blurted out without realizing it. Eir replied with a look of disbelief.
“Should I have packed some plates too?”
Rubel didn’t answer and looked at the woman carefully. Suddenly, his gaze settled on one spot. There were her old leather shoes that looked like they might fall apart at any moment.
Ha.
He bowed his head, roughly scratched his hair, and went to his room, gesturing for her to wait. When he returned, he held a pair of new shoes.
“What’s this?”
Clearly too small to be his, she asked hesitantly. But Rubel said nothing and knelt at her feet, putting the shoes on her directly.
He took off her old shoes, guided her foot into the new ones, and steadied her with a hand on her shoulder.
After doing all this unconsciously, he suddenly frowned looking at her surprisingly small foot. A merchant’s words from when he bought the shoes came to mind.
‘No, no. In my opinion, a man would only buy this for a woman he truly loves.’
Rubel unconsciously denied this.
“It’s nothing. What meaning could there be in such a gift?”
In saying this, he inadvertently revealed it was a gift. Rubel sighed, feeling like he wanted to bite his tongue, and stood up to leave first.
Left behind, Eir muttered “Gift? A gift?” in confusion, unconsciously looking around. Her eyes met with people watching through the wide-open door, who immediately looked away, but Eir wanted to ask them.
What does this even mean?
Then, a realization struck her.
Ah, it’s to make me walk to death, isn’t it?
Clearly, it’s a warning. If my shoes wear out and my feet start bleeding, slowing down the procession, he won’t let it slide.
Once that interpretation settled in her mind, it seemed impossible for the gift to mean anything else.
With slumped shoulders, Eir gloomily followed after Rubel.
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