The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 62

Even as she said that, Evelyn’s mind was busy going over whether such traces really existed behind the delphinium.

Is it true? No way? Those elves who can’t stop showing off with every word, surely they wouldn’t do such a terrible thing outdoors…. It can’t be. But what would Nike gain by lying to me?

Her head hurt too much to think anymore. Having witnessed incredible artifacts with her own eyes from the entrance of the temple, she didn’t have the courage to explore any further. She hurriedly stepped a couple of paces away from Nike.

“…I’ll be going now. Thank you for showing me the Nymph’s temple, Lady Nike.”

“I have one last thing to say. Of course, it’s only the last for today. I’m not giving up on you.”

Evelyn flinched at the word “last,” but deflated at the qualifier attached at the end. Still, she stopped. Nike’s lips were oddly downturned, like autumn leaves withering away.

“What is it?”

“What do you think love is?”

Something she desperately wanted.

A precious value that made her unable to watch her best friend’s wedding to the end due to bitter jealousy, something she couldn’t achieve even when she tried to substitute it with sweet fruit while hiding behind a poplar tree. For just one day… the vain hope she had begun to sketch in her excited heart when she didn’t yet know that Cassis, who had come to receive her, was the king of the elves?

Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to share the words that came to mind. It was a flower that shouldn’t bloom, a fairy tale doomed to tragedy from its ruined beginning. So she responded with indifferent words.

“…Well. I don’t really know.”

“Love is like a bottomless deep sea. If you struggle not to fall in, you sink even deeper, and no one can pull you out. Either you fight your way out yourself, or you resign yourself to being submerged and live consumed by that sea, that love. It’s one or the other, and that’s the tragedy.”

Love. She was even cautious about murmuring on her lips a word she wouldn’t dare contemplate regarding Cassis. Nevertheless, it was true that she was increasingly wavering toward him. Noticing the waves of sadness rippling in Evelyn’s eyes, Nike spoke with emphasis.

“Evelyn, you know, I wish the King wasn’t your first love. The world is a very big place, and there are many for a nymph to love. Isn’t that right? Elves may consider love with humans taboo, but not for nymphs. So don’t let yourself be swayed by him too much.”

Evelyn finally revealed a bit of the feelings she had kept layered deep inside. However, she carefully cut out any part soaked with the sweet nectar of love.

“His Majesty Cassis is my benefactor who saved my life. He willingly transplanted my tree when everyone else had given up, and took responsibility for me.”

“The way you look at His Majesty seems different than that…. Hmm, well, I’ll accept it. Let’s say that’s how it is. I’ll have another chance to talk about this later.”

“……”

After parting with Nike and leaving the Nymph’s temple, Evelyn sighed softly. The delphinium flower bed… she naturally didn’t have the courage to go and verify whether that frightening whisper was true or merely an unfounded rumor spread as gossip.

What should she do, and how? It seemed better to fulfill the resolution she had first made when leaving the Hall of Glory.

‘I can’t go back like this. Let me go to the quarters where those Guardian-nims were filing into earlier. Even if I’m a little scared, I should go and greet them.’

Mustering her courage, she ran at a quick pace to that place. Elves along the way recognized Evelyn and glanced at her, but no one approached her with hostility. Indeed, only that elf who had abruptly spoken to her earlier had been aggressive. Perhaps there was hope in that.

“Haa, haa….”

She was out of breath even though she hadn’t run far. She had been in decent shape from living in the countryside, but things had changed considerably since becoming a nymph. Standing before the firmly closed door, Evelyn calmed her breathing that had risen all the way to her chin, took a deep breath, and knocked with her fist. Then she spoke as clearly as possible.

“Um, hello. I’m Nymph Evelyn. I’ve come to pay my respects to the Guardians who have returned after a long time…!”

After stating her business, the tension in her legs that had been holding her up suddenly subsided. They might not open the door. And even if they did open it, they might coldly reject her, saying they had no need for greetings from the likes of her.

‘Either way, I won’t be disappointed. This is better than doing nothing and regretting it later.’

But unexpectedly, the person who opened the door and poked their face out was a familiar one—Mel.