Chapter 74: Change
The sound of music echoed from a corner of the night market. It wasn’t exactly a beautiful melody, but it was lively and fun. The people around me clapped their hands excitedly, following the beat. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“What could it be?” I wondered aloud.
“You’ll see when you get there,” Sigren replied.
I followed Sigren through the crowd and soon realized it was a wandering troupe. Musicians played old instruments while dancers moved gracefully to the music. Their thin veils fluttered as they danced.
“Pretty,” I murmured.
It felt different from Heilon. The dancers in Heilon performed sword dances in traditional costumes, with many moves involving lifting swords while wearing thick traditional clothing. It gave a strong, heavy impression. In contrast, the dancers in the capital wore light, flowing garments and danced as gracefully as butterflies. Well, in defense of the Heilon dancers, if they wore the thin clothes used by the capital dancers, they would probably get pneumonia. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I hummed along with the song. “What song is this?”
“It’s a traditional song from the capital,” Sigren explained.
“A traditional song?”
I listened to Sigren with interest since I knew absolutely nothing about these details. I hadn’t even written them in the first place.
“It’s a song created by a traveling bard that has been passed down since ancient times. My mother used to sing it to me.”
Sigren’s mother was a singer. She must have sung beautifully to have been summoned by the emperor. I glanced at Sigren’s profile. He used to have a strangely bitter expression when he talked about his mother, but this time, he wore a soft smile. It seemed happy memories had come to mind.
‘Thank goodness.’
When the song ended, Sigren turned to me. “Let’s go back.”
“Already?”
“It’s late. If I stay out too long, Abel—no, Master—will catch me.”
I replied honestly, “Certainly, if I’m late, the Duke might invade your palace.”
Abel had become weirdly, subtly overprotective since coming to the capital. It wasn’t like this in Heilon.
Sigren looked a bit gloomy. “Of course he would.”
Wait, was it normal to invade the imperial palace?
Anyway, we reached the entrance of the night market and caught a carriage. I stared blankly at the scenery passing by the window. Perhaps because I was up past my bedtime, I began to feel drowsy. Come to think of it, Sigren said he’d tell me something when we got back…
“Fiona, we’ve arrived.”
Sigren shook my shoulder slightly. I seemed to have fallen asleep without realizing it. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Come down carefully.”
“Hmm…”
He seemed quite anxious as I got out of the carriage, yawning. He grabbed my waist, lifted me up, and set me down on the ground.
Hmm, why did it feel like I was bossing around our precious prince?
Anyway, thanks to him, I was a bit more awake. I yawned softly. “Thank you…”
“Go in and go to bed.”
Sigren turned to leave, likely heading back to the palace.
Ah, wait.
I grabbed the hem of Sigren’s clothes.
“What?”
“I remembered you said you wanted to tell me something earlier.”
Sigren gave me a questioning look. “If you hear it now, you’ll forget it when you wake up.”
What did he think of me?
“I won’t forget. I’m almost fully awake.”
I rubbed my eyes and shook off the remaining sleepiness. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“What’s the problem then? Is it a little uncomfortable doing the same things we did when we were younger?” Now that his status had changed, I could understand why it might be difficult for him. I considered various reasons in my head.
“Fiona, as I said before, it’s not like that.” Sigren took a step closer, even closer than last time. I blinked curiously as I looked at him.
Sigren grabbed my hands that were hanging by my sides and lifted them up. This gesture wasn’t as simple as before. His calloused fingers gently caressed each of my knuckles. His hands were much larger, so it felt like my hands were either wrapped or entangled in his.
“This is what I mean when I say it’s a problem.”
“Huh?”
“When I hold your hand—” Sigren wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled me slightly closer. “Unlike you, I think of more than that.”
I think I need time to process this.
However, Sigren didn’t give me any room to ponder. “At first, I want to hug you, then I want to touch you, and after that…”
Sigren slowly lowered his head. I saw those long eyelashes in front of me. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
WAITTT.
Konk.
Sigren bumped his forehead against mine, clicking his tongue briefly. “Calm down, Fiona.”
… I thought he was going to kiss me.
Anyway, thanks to him, I came to my senses, though I barely managed to process the situation.
“Well, so… you want to do this and that with me in a, um, sexual sense?”
“I’ve been thinking about this since last time, but can’t you phrase it better? Or did I really sound like that?”
“Sorry for the unsophisticated expression.” I rolled my eyes in confusion. “Well, is it just because of youthful instinct, or—”
“Fiona.” Sigren smiled crookedly. “Do I look like a pathetic guy who gets flustered whenever I see a woman’s skirt?”
“….”
“It’s because it’s you. I feel this way.”
He emphasized again. “Exactly only you.”
So, in other words…
“Is this a confession?”
Sigren sighed. I know! Ah! Sorry for the pathetic response!
“Yeah, it’s a confession. I like you.”
This was so sudden, like someone had turned on a blinker. He carefully wrapped his hands around my cheeks. But because of the conversation we just had, I couldn’t help but stiffen. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com. He said he thought of this and that!
“Relax.”
“Do I have to answer now?”
“No.” Sigren gently patted my cheeks. It tickled.
“You can think about it as long as you need.”
Contrary to my dumbfounded reaction, Sigren was very calm. Had he practiced or something?
“I’m just afraid that other guys might take the lead.”
Take the lead, my foot. I’m not even popular…
“….”
Sigren kissed my forehead. It was a very light kiss, like a child’s. Then, in a soft voice that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, he whispered in my ear.
“Good night, sleep well, Fiona.”
Immediately after, Sigren neatly pulled away from me, then turned around and walked away. He must be heading back to the palace….
I blinked and touched my forehead, my brain circuits working slowly.
“It’s not a silly dream, right?”
As I pondered the situation, my face slowly began to heat up. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Hah…”
Haahh?!!
***
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