My Ruin to You - Chapter 194

Roseline, feeling awkward, pointlessly rubbed her own forehead. She had no idea what or how to even begin to explain.

“His Highness didn’t agree to meet me right away. I waited a long time.”

“If he were the type to meet someone just because they waited a long time, Lady Malsen would have set up camp right in front of him.”

“……”

“But hearing you say you waited a long time puts me in a bad mood. I’m sorry.”

Schnitzel, who was quick to feel remorse, deflated again immediately. She could let it slide vaguely like this, but it was a topic that would inevitably return someday.

“I don’t understand his intentions either. But I have no intention of being involved with anyone; I just want to be alone, eat well, and live well. I think that’s all I can say.”

Schnitzel looked like she had a lot more to say. The part about ‘wanting to be alone, eat well, and live well’ seemed particularly bothersome to her. However, given her own misdeeds, she didn’t add anything else. Only much later did she mumble softly, “Thank you for telling me.”

She’s so good at apologizing, yet utterly clumsy at expressing her own feelings. Roseline glanced briefly at Schnitzel’s ears, which looked a bit redder than usual, and finished writing her statement of reflection. Leaving the part where the ink had smudged earlier as it was, she repeated the tedious phrases as she wrote, all the while thinking about something else in her head.

First Malsen, now Schnitzel.

There were already two people who had questioned Valen’s excessive attention. Of course, Malsen was focused on Valen, and Schnitzel was highly sensitive about her love life, so it wasn’t strange that they noticed. But at this rate, it seemed only a matter of time before others found out.

Even so, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t go around stopping everyone to explain, and he wasn’t the kind of man who would listen even if she went and scolded him to ‘stop being so obvious.’ Perhaps he was even waiting for the day she would come to him, conscious of those very rumors.

So, she just needed to focus on her own tasks and keep careful track of the days. That was all.

Now, only twenty-eight days remain.

◇◇◇

The next day, the official schedule began.

The Manifestors were issued white robes, signifying that from now on, they were not members of the Academy, but part of the war effort. The treatment changed as well. Until now, they had traveled comfortably in their respective family carriages during the journey, but there would be no further courtesies. When moving to the encampment, they had to travel uncomfortably, crammed ten to a carriage meant solely for transport.

After a full day of travel, their destination was Belhar. It was a land that had once long ago been imperial territory but was seized during the Carnoc invasion, and it was the very front line of the battlefield that Valen had recaptured in the last battle.

A tense atmosphere of war hung over the camp constructed on the barren land. The menacing iron fences, the densely packed tents, and the soldiers moving in perfect unison heightened the tension among the novice Manifestors. It was just then, as Roseline, mixed in with the group of thirty or so Manifestors, was looking around her surroundings…

“……”

…that her eyes met Valen’s from a distance, where he was receiving some report from a section leader. Unfortunately.

Unlike the Manifestors who had only just arrived, he had departed early in the morning. Before leaving, he had made a point of seeking Roseline out to give her some unnecessary instructions.

‘I’ll be moving separately to the encampment.’
‘Yes.’
‘You’d hate it if I assigned you a separate carriage, wouldn’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t get any foolish ideas just because I’m not around.’
‘Yes.’
‘It’s a shame to leave you behind.’
‘Yes.’
‘Can I have a kiss?’
‘Ye— I mean, No?’

When Roseline, who had been half-listening and responding mechanically, finally looked up at him with a stern face, Valen laughed delightedly. Without waiting to hear more, Roseline promptly closed the door. That was the last she had seen of him, so it had been two days. It would have been better if it had taken a few more days. A real shame.

“……”

She was about to turn her head away first, but of all things… Valen winked one eye at Roseline, who was standing there stiffly. Then, completely indifferent to Roseline’s horrified reaction, he disappeared into the tent with his subordinates following him.