Chapter 129
Lynette quietly looked up at the inn they had arrived at.
It was her first time staying at an inn.
When she had been sold to the Imperial Castle, staying in a place like this had been a luxury she could never afford.
The only memories she had were of curling up in a dark, foul-smelling, narrow carriage, starving.
“Does it not suit your taste?”
Sillian tilted his head slightly as he asked.
She quickly shook her head.
“No, I like it.”
Since they were still near the Imperial Capital, a city too large to be called a town, the inn looked rather expensive.
The man handed the horses over to the stable hand with practiced ease, then went inside.
Lynette followed behind him.
Perhaps because it was time for dinner, the air was filled with the smell of delicious food.
“You must be tired, but it would be better to eat first before resting.”
“Yes.”
The two sat down at an empty table.
A middle-aged woman came over with a smile and took their order.
Lynette took off her coat and glanced around.
“Is this your first time in an inn?”
He asked with a faint smile.
She nodded.
As they were talking, the soup was brought out first.
“This place is fairly decent, but once we cross the border, we may have to stay somewhere less comfortable.”
“That’s all right.”
The soup was smooth and savory.
Since she had been traveling on horseback the entire time and hadn’t eaten a proper meal, the warmth that spread in her mouth made her realize how unbearably hungry she was.
She stole a glance at Sillian sitting across from her.
Sensing her gaze, he tilted his head slightly.
“If there’s something you’d like to say, go ahead.”
“Is it all right for us to travel this leisurely?”
He looked slightly surprised by her question, then soon laughed.
“You don’t need to worry about money.”
Her cheeks flushed faintly, feeling as though he had seen straight through her.
After she finished her soup and waited a little, the food they had ordered arrived.
It didn’t have the refined, luxurious feel of the meals served at the Imperial Castle, but it was more than good enough.
She quietly ate while listening to the murmured conversations of the other guests.
Sillian didn’t make a single sound as he handled his utensils.
Lynette found herself watching him again.
Even after spending years in the Imperial Castle trying to learn proper etiquette, she still hadn’t mastered the art of eating so silently.
This man, however, clearly had such manners ingrained in him.
‘Didn’t anyone ever find it suspicious when he worked as a guard?’
He stood out too much to be just an ordinary guard.
But since he had managed to handle himself without trouble for several months, perhaps he was better at blending in than she thought.
His red eyes, half-hidden beneath his golden lashes, slowly lifted toward her.
Startled, Lynette hurriedly turned her gaze away.
He gave a quiet laugh.
“Lynette, you said this is your first time leaving the Imperial Capital, didn’t you?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Hmm. Then what do you say we take a little trip?”
She tilted her head slightly.
“Aren’t we already on a trip?”
“I meant not merely traveling toward our destination, but sightseeing along the way.”
“Sightseeing…”
“There are many places worth visiting along the route. If there’s somewhere you’d like to visit, we can stop by.”
Her lips parted slightly.
Even if he suggested they go sightseeing, she had no idea what she should do or where she should go.
Even during her time with Euphen, she had never gone on a journey.
The farthest she had ever been was the meadow beside the Imperial Capital, so she had never felt the need to look elsewhere.
“There’s no set deadline for when we have to return, so we can take our time and look around.”
Lynette slowly nodded.
“If there’s anywhere you wish to go, just say so. Even if it’s far, that’s fine.”
A place she wanted to go.
At those words, only one thing came to mind.
The sea.
That vast, endless blue world, said to resemble Euphen’s eyes.
But she didn’t want to say that aloud.
‘He once said he’d take me there someday.’
If it wasn’t with him, then the sea meant nothing.
Now, she would never be able to go there with Euphen.
“I don’t really know. I’ll just go wherever you decide, Sillian.”
“Hmm. Then I’ll do my best to find a place, somewhere that’s nice.”
Would seeing beautiful sights and eating good food help her forget Euphen, even just a little?
She doubted it.
‘It’s only been a single day.’
Strictly speaking, not even a full day had passed yet.
So of course she couldn’t help but think of him.
The days ahead felt hazy and uncertain.
Perhaps noticing her thoughts, Sillian began talking lightly about the places they could visit. Almost as if he didn’t want to give her a chance to think of anything else.
Lynette tried her best to focus on his words.
“They say there’s a waterfall not far from here. It’s quite famous, even among the nobles. How about we stop by?”
“Alright. I’ve never seen a waterfall before.”
In truth, there were probably far more things she hadn’t seen than things she had.
She let out a faint, bitter smile.
“At this pace, it should take about three days to get there. It’s a bit of a detour, but since it’s something you’ve never seen before, we must go.”
She nodded.
Once they finished eating, the man naturally brought the conversation to a close.
Their rooms were on the second floor.
Whether by coincidence or intention, their rooms were right next to each other.
Sillian opened the door beside hers.
“If anything happens, don’t hesitate to knock.”
“Alright. Good night, Sillian.”
“Rest well, Lynette.”
He seemed to wait until she went inside before going into his own room.
Lynette lowered her head slightly, then stepped into her room.
Only after closing the door did she finally escape the feeling of being watched.
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