Chapter 182: Extra 11 |
A hand bigger than hers. Ophelia was holding Evan's hand when she ran away from the slum, but she didn't even think she had held his hand because she was so busy before. But now she was walking slowly down the street. Maybe that's why she felt the reality that she was holding the hand of an unknown child.
Ophelia held her father's and brother's hands countless times, but with Evan she felt something different. It was comfortable and warm.
Dad's hands were warm too. Of course, his hands were much smaller than my dad's.
Ophelia moved her fingers because the temperature of Evan's hand bothered her.
Not friends of the same sex, but of the opposite. It was the first time in her life that she held the hand of a strange boy, so Ophelia couldn't help herself. But unlike Ophelia, Evan doesn't care at all.
“If you walk down this road from here, you will find the Help Center for the Poor. It's a bit unsafe to ride a carriage, so it's better to walk.”
He was speaking calmly.
‘Am I the only one who cares?'
Young ladies and aristocrats took strict etiquette classes, so they didn't hold hands like that, even if they knew each other. In particular, since Ophelia was a Princess, the young nobles were more polite.
“Evan, don't you really need a reward? You saved me and bought me juice. And you take me to the Help Center… I am so grateful that I wish to give you a reward.”
“Well, I have seen something bad, but I have learned that it is not the duty of humans to pretend not to know. So it's only natural that I would help you… Juice is fine too. And today, the Help Center for the Poor will hold a donation event to commemorate Princess Ophelia's birthday. On such a significant day, I can't accept a reward or something while going to the Help Center.”
Ophelia shrugged when her name came up. As she slowly turned her head, she could see Evan's blue eyes shining.
"Do you like Princess Ophelia?"
Evan stopped walking upright.
“I dare not express my feelings with such light words. I am really grateful to her."
"Grateful?"
"Yes. Every year, on her birthday, they always open the Help Center for the Poor.”
"That's… It's not Princess Ophelia's, it's Her Majesty's…"
“Of course, it was done by Her Majesty, but I think Princess Ophelia would feel the same way. That's right, if the Princess objected, there wouldn't have been a Help Center for the Poor on every birthday. I think the annual Help Center for the Poor is all thanks to Princess Ophelia. ”
Evan's eyes were shining steadily. His eyes say that he won't receive any rebuttal from Princess Ophelia.
"Oh…"
‘Princess Ophelia is me.’
Although Ophelia was here in person, Ophelia couldn't add anything more to Evan's determination.
“And I heard while working that Princess Ophelia is really kind like an angel and beautiful like a fairy. Although we have never met…”
‘Kind as an angel and beautiful as a fairy.'
Ophelia slipped away from Evan's praise, who spoke with ecstatic eyes. She just let it go, but it was hard to let it go like nothing happened.
Evan's compliment was different, though she'd heard she was beautiful once or twice. His blue eyes felt full of sincerity. Ophelia opened her mouth slowly, feeling her face burning for some reason.
"…I see…"
"If I ever become a knight, I want to be the princess's escort… That's probably too big a dream."
‘Knight of the Princess.'
Evan scratched his chin in embarrassment just imagining it. Then Ophelia caught his eye.
"Princess’s escort…"
Evan was embarrassed, but it strangely stuck in Ophelia’s head. If Evan becomes her escort in the distant future… She thought it will be a lot of fun.
"I hope so."
It hasn't been long since she met Evan, but Ophelia didn't hate Evan… No, he was good. It's a pity they have to part soon.
It would be nice to play together next time, but it was unfortunate that Evan was an escort knight. Ophelia smiled brightly at Evan with a friendly look.
"…"
Evan's face went blank when he saw her smile. Ophelia's face was filled with blue eyes that widened.
‘Beautifull.'
He couldn't think of anything other than that. How can a person smile so pretty? Evan has never seen such a beautiful smile in his life. No, it was the first time he had seen such a pretty girl.
While working, she saw noble ladies several times, but there was no lady as bright as Lia… Is Lia really a human? …He didn't doubt that she was really a fairy from a fairy tale.
Or perhaps Princess Ophelia, who was said to be beautiful as a fairy… Evan's eyes, who had been thinking blankly, hardened slightly.
‘Princess Ophelia…' He thought subconsciously, but he felt something strange. Lia also had purple eyes like Princess Ophelia.
“Princess Ophelia has black hair that resembles the night sky and purple eyes that sparkle like amethyst. I only saw her up close once and she was a really beautiful person like a fairy.”
The story he heard flashed through Evan's mind.
‘Lia's eyes are also purple like amethyst. She was wearing the hood of the cloak, so I couldn't see her hair, but if it’s black…?'
Lia, who appears to be a noble but hides her name.
Evan's eyes on Lia deepened. Ophelia tilted her head when she saw Evan, whose face was hardening.
"Evan, what's up?"
“…Lia, you…”
The moment Evan parted his lips because he didn't know what to say, a heavy voice penetrated between them.
"Your Highness."
Ophelia's eyes, looking at Evan, were surprised and excited. As Ophelia slowly turned her head in surprise, she saw a knight leaning his body towards her.
"Your Highness, greetings from Carter Eyovins."
Carter Eyovins, the leader of a knightly order.
Ophelia looked at Carter and articulated.
“Oh, how could Carter…? Don’t tell me…!"
‘Did they catch me leaving the Palace?' Ophelia's hair stood on end with a sinister hunch. And Carter's words were heard confirming the sinister hunch.
“Her Highness the Princess. His Majesty and Her Majesty already know that you have left the Palace. So I was leading the Order and looking for Her Highness the Princess."
“I can't believe my mom and dad knew…”
Ophelia has never been in such big trouble. The reason why she was able to confidently escape from the Palace was due to the unfounded confidence that she wouldn't be caught. She thought no one would notice her departure. Ophelia was smart, but she was still young, so she was clumsy.
‘What should I do if I get caught?'
As soon as Ophelia's face was contemplating, Carter opened her mouth.
“Your Highness, don't worry. Their Majesties, the Emperor and the Empress were not very angry.”
"Really?" Ophelia asked with a hoping face.
"Yes. They are just worried about the Princess.”
"Oh…"
However, Ophelia's expression darkened when she heard that her mother and father were worried for a while.
‘I felt bad for my parents.'
"Then come back with me. Their Majesties, the Emperor and the Empress are waiting for the Princess at the Help Center for the Poor.”
"Uh-oh!"
The moment she heard the words Help Center for the Poor, Ophelia suddenly remembered someone she had forgotten. Evan, who was here right now.
Ophelia turned quickly to Evan. And found Evan, who was as hard as stone.
“…Evan.”
When she spoke his name softly, Evan's rigid face moved. And Evan was startled as if he had come to his senses and let go of Ophelia's hand.
"Your Highness!"
Evan dropped to his knees and fell to the ground. Still, this situation wasn’t being resolved in his head, but he knew one thing clearly. That Lia is the real Princess Ophelia.
‘What do you mean Princess Ophelia? What do you mean royal family?’
She is incomparably high compared to the nobility. A person you would like to meet at least once in your life. And he dared to take the Princess’s hands. And then he omitted the honorifics. Evan felt dizzy in front of his eyes.
A situation where there is nothing to say, even if it is immediately thrown away.
“I made crime of death! I'm really sorry… The Princess…”
Ophelia's embarrassed voice echoed as Evan's fingertips trembled over her flat face.
“Crime of death? What do you mean? Evan, stand up! Hey?"
"Princess, do you know him?”
As soon as Ophelia tried to get closer to Evan, Carter carefully blocked her.
“He is the one who saved me and helped me.”
"I see."
Carter moved closer to Evan and spoke to him in a low voice.
“It is the order of the Princess. Get up!"
Before Evan could even respond, Carter grabbed Evan's arm and quickly pulled him up. Evan, who inadvertently jumped, made eye contact with Ophelia.
“Oh… I have been rude. I have sinned to death…”
"Evan, come with me."
"What?"
Evan blinked at the unexpected comment. It was unexpected that Ophelia was the Princess, but since this happened, Ophelia wanted to get closer to Evan.
Ophelia, who decided so, drew a big smile while looking at Evan, who showed a puzzled face.
“I want to introduce you to my mom and dad. So let's go together, Evan."
* * *
“Ophelia is gone? Mother, what is that…? What are you talking about?"
When Carlisle was volunteering at the Help Center for the Poor for a long time, Ellie and Raymond suddenly visited the Help Center. Surprised for a moment by his visit, Carlisle's heart sank at the incredible and shocking news.
“It is as you heard. Ophelia secretly left the Palace.”
‘Ophelia secretly left the Palace. My infinitely small and young sister is now alone outside the dangerous Palace.'
Carlisle felt reason slipping away from him. He have to go find Ophelia right now. The moment he made up my mind, Ellie's low voice sounded.
“Carlisle, the event is not over yet. Don't be frivolous because you have more than one eye."
"But…"
“If you lose your mind and act disorderly, the fact that Ophelia disappeared will quickly spread outside the Imperial Palace. Then Lia might really be in danger," Ellie quietly added Carlisle.
Only then did Carlisle's wild eyes calm. In an accurate understanding of Ellie's words.
“…Did you inform the knights?”
"Carter is searching the capital with knights in civilian clothes."
Raymond, who was greeting people at the Help Center for the Poor, came over and spoke quietly.
"Yes."
Carlisle was not easily relieved, though he was told that the best Knight Commander in the Empire would search himself. Ophelia will be alone even at this time when he can't move.
Of course, Ophelia wasn't alone, but Carlisle, who wasn't aware of it and burned inside.