Chapter 51.2
Raniero had been away since dinner. Thanks to that, I could sit alone in bed and stare at the fireplace. It seemed like my thoughts were clearing up as I blankly watched the sparks rising from below and disappearing in the air.
Ok, let's get it together.
Nothing would be solved by being scared and worried.
Let's think about it for a moment... what if Raniero didn't fall in love at first sight with Seraphina? For some reason, it seemed a little easier to admit that when Eden's eyes weren't looking at me.
'...I guess I want to stay here.'
I admired Eden's will to return to the original world, and I kept running away as well, still... there must have been a lingering feeling in a corner of my heart that I wasn't aware of.
I wasn't very happy in my original world. It was a messy life. I was so poor that reading novels that cost a few thousand won per book was almost my only hobby, and I had no friends. On the contrary, Angelica Unro was a well-educated and pampered princess, and had a loyal friend named Cisen.
I let out a long sigh.
I knew I couldn't just hold on to such a thing.
Even if the conditions here were regrettable, there was no guarantee that Raniero would love me forever. Since he was easily fed up with things, as soon as he got tired of me, my safety would not be guaranteed... It was like living with a ticking time bomb.
'If you look at it rationally, it'd be right to leave.'
But...
Wouldn't it be nice to extend my life here as much as possible? Whether it was a life in the other world with no future in sight or a life in this world where I had to live as a fugitive... as long as he cared for me, wouldn't it be possible to look away as much as I could?
'It's not that I'm not vigilant. I just... want to enjoy this.'
I blinked at the thought of a future where he would grow cold to me.
Though the thought of leaving was serious, a corner of my heart felt warm, yet it wasn't terribly sad or painful. Even though I was a little excited by the omnipotent tyrant, it seemed that my emotions hadn't grown much yet.
I shouldn't let it grow big.
'Because I'm afraid of being hurt.'
After all, it would be easy to step on the bud. No matter how sweet he tried to be, I couldn't entirely wash away my fear of Raniero Actilus... so until this fear goes away, I wouldn't be able to fully hold him in my heart.
As it seemed that I was getting some direction while I calmed my mind by myself, I then remembered the bag of gold coins I had left with Cisen.
'If I return to Actilus without much trouble, I'll give it to Eden.'
After being possessed here, Eden checked everything he could in the temple for several months. If he wanted to get information outside the temple, then he would need money.
'All right. This is enough.'
If I stayed awake until dawn, I thought I would have useless thoughts again, so I decided to go to bed. However, as soon as I undid the cloak's brooch and went into the blanket, I could hear a knock.
I asked as I got out of bed.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
It was Raniero's voice.
'Oh, did I lock the door...?'
I opened the door in a hurry. Then, stepping back so he could come in, I asked him in a very stupid voice.
"What's that?"
Of course, I knew immediately what it was as soon as I saw it. It was a bread that was baked and cut into small pieces so that it would crumble easily when bitten and covered with honey, and beer—both were my favorite snacks.
However, why he was holding it was a mystery.
Raniero, whose hands weren't free, kicked the door lightly shut.
"Something for the Empress to eat."
Entering the room, he strode over to the bed where I had taken off my cloak and sat down, and I couldn't help but stand in the middle of the room and watch his actions. As he sat down on my bed, Raniero gestured for me to come closer.
"You almost skipped dinner."
When I followed his call, I walked over and sat down next to him. He poked the bread with a fork himself and put it in my mouth.
It was sweet.
After I chewed it all up, I drank some bitter alcohol along with it. As the second piece of bread was delivered to my mouth, I stared at it for a moment and put it in my mouth. I then took the fork from his hand.
The third piece of bread was put into Raniero's mouth.
He, who didn't like sweets, frowned as he ate it awkwardly. But slowly, his jaw started to move.
Even today, he was outrageously generous with me as well.
I laughed and whispered.
"Do your best tomorrow."
Raniero gazed at me without saying anything. Then, as if the inside of his mouth was too sweet, he took the beer glass away and washed his mouth with alcohol before putting the plate on my lap. He parted his lips again.
"If you like it, just eat it quickly."
I couldn't help but smile faintly.