The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 179

‘It’s okay. I’ll think back to my old self. I’ve had so many happy moments that I never thought I could have. No matter what anyone says, no one can take that away. I can keep these as my own memories.’

Since the thought had crossed her mind, she wondered if she should write it all down in a diary. Until now, she hadn’t really written anything beyond practicing her handwriting, but with a new notebook, she could start today.

‘It would be a disaster if someone found out my personal stories, so I should only write a little at a time. Only what happened, not my feelings….’

As Evelyn pondered, she was suddenly overcome by a bleak feeling, like hitting a massive wall. No matter how private the diary, she couldn’t just boldly write down that she loved Cassis. Or how he’d held her, or how her body had been ravished, or on what date it had happened….

I like rowan berries—even saying that indirectly would still make it too obvious that the person was Cassis.

So what should she do? What could she write that wouldn’t raise suspicions about symbolizing Cassis, yet only she would understand? No matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn’t come up with a good answer.

“At times like these, I should go out.”

It was ironically amusing that the time she’d started to enjoy walking alone was after her spring picnic with him, just as Polyxene’s rumors began to spread.

Nike still hadn’t returned since leaving Macriss. Worried beyond endurance, she’d asked Ruba, only to receive a dismissive “not my business” in reply. Probably at this hour… Ruba, who had been surprisingly kind lately, would be napping. It seemed she’d have to take a walk alone.

She opened the door to the dressing room.

Deciding what to wear—such a delightful dilemma—was something she’d never experienced before meeting Cassis. Back then, with so few clothes, it was simply a matter of choosing the cleanest and least worn. She pulled out a modest dress from behind the more elaborate ones with their intricate embroidery and lace, and as she was about to put it on, she groaned. A clear, metallic sound, like sunlight striking a mirror, rang out.

“Ah… surely this isn’t real gold? Even if it’s just plating, it’s too flashy.”

This vaguely green dress, a lighter shade than her eyes, had caught her fancy because it seemed unassuming, not opulent, but it was a disaster. Glittering gold embellishments ran in lines from the bodice down to the flowing skirt, making it incredibly conspicuous the moment she took it out of the wardrobe.

“What do I do? Should I pick another dress… Oh?”

Because she liked this dress, she reluctantly turned it inside out to fasten the buttons, and her eyes caught a hook that clicked. Could it be separated if I unhook this? With a thumping heart, she pressed it, and the gold adornment miraculously detached with a soft thunk.

It worked.

She managed a somewhat wistful smile. Seeing that hook reminded her of the deep crimson slip, darker than her own lips. The intense, ecstatic memory of that day….

‘From now on, I absolutely must not try to seduce Lord Cassis. I’ll act professionally, professionally….’

She carefully placed the glittering gold adornment, as if it was begging her not to leave it behind, on top of the drawer. Then, she changed into the dress and stepped out of the hall. The weather was beautiful. Evelyn looked around, desperately searching for a word to use in place of Cassis.

The darkest leaf of the World Tree… No, he’s the guardian of the World Tree; they’d catch on immediately. What about a knight’s sword…? That won’t work either. Where would you find an elf duller than me?

Evelyn felt a deep frustration at her lack of expressive ability and threw her head back. Just then, she saw brilliant, colorful spores floating freely in the air, just as they had the first day she arrived here.

”Wait a minute. The darkest green leaf of the World Tree might be too much, but what about golden spores? Aside from him, they’re the most beautiful, most brilliant, and most mysterious things here, and you can see them everywhere if you walk around the castle. Yes… This is it.”

Cassis’s hair, unlike the black, glossy berries he’d shown her in a vase, was a unique, lemon-tinged gold.

This is it. It symbolizes him perfectly, yet will throw off any suspicion. Good, if I write ‘golden spores’ in my diary, no one will know, she thought, feeling pleased.

Just as she was filled with joy and about to turn back towards the Hall of Glory, following the path she came from:

“Nymph Evelyn?”

“…!”

At the clear male voice calling her name, Evelyn turned around in surprise. Not “human-born nymph” or anything like that, but “Nymph Evelyn.” It was correct, but… somehow, it didn’t feel like a good greeting.

It’s Sir Iel?!

Recognizing the other person, Evelyn bowed her head in embarrassment. She had been lost in pleasant memories of her first visit here with Cassis, looking at the World Tree’s golden spores. And facing this familiar yet strange knight was also the first time for her. And after that….