Episode 48

Episode 48: While She Sleeps

The road to the kingdom of Calus stretched out ahead.

Leonard, Cedric, and I rode hard on horseback and carriage. Our long journey to solve the drought had finally begun.

Glancing back, the palace that had grown smaller and smaller soon disappeared from sight.

“Are you not tired?” Leonard asked, riding beside me.

“Not yet, I’m okay.”

“It’s a long journey, so don’t push yourself too hard. Let me know whenever you’re tired.”

“I understand. I don’t plan on overdoing it.”

“But…”

Leonard glanced at my hand and smiled happily.

“You agreed to my request.”

On my left ring finger glittered the ornate ring he had given me.

“Why was wearing the ring a condition for coming along?”

Yes. The reason I wore such a fancy ring on this arduous journey was because of this man.

When I first proposed the plan, Leonard had refused outright. Traveling such a long distance without proper guards, crossing borders—it was reckless.

― Absolutely not. It’s far too dangerous. Even if the entire knight order escorted you, I couldn’t guarantee your safety.

He was right.

No one could deny how reckless this plan was.

I too wanted to move with a proper escort if I could.

But the Emperor would never believe me. Besides being reckless, the plan sounded absurd.

― I know it’s reckless. But this is the only way. Please help me, Sir Leonard.

At my desperate plea, Leonard finally nodded.

― Understood. If you say so, I’ll help.

― Thank you.

― But… I have one request as well.

His condition in exchange for helping?

That I wear the ring he had given me before.

It wasn’t difficult, but I wondered.

“Why such a strange request?”

“No particular reason. I just wanted to see you wear the ring I gave you.”

He lightly tapped his chin with a straight finger and continued.

“It really does suit you well, Your Majesty.”

At that moment, something caught my eye.

The bracelet wrapped around his wrist.

“…A bracelet.”

“Yes?”

“That bracelet.”

I looked back and forth between his wrist and the ring on my finger.

‘Could it be… a matching set?’

Like my ring, the bracelet featured dark blue gems and platinum accents.

Anyone could tell they belonged together.

Just then, someone voiced the same thought.

“They’re a set.”

Cedric muttered grudgingly.

I shot Leonard a sharp look.

“No wonder you insisted I wear the ring… this was why?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Leonard shook his head.

“If you think it’s because my bracelet looks similar, that’s a misunderstanding. It’s a common design anyone can find anywhere.”

Though Leonard spoke casually, I felt strangely unsettled.

Even Cedric had said the ring wasn’t fit for a long journey…

‘Right. I’ll take it off.’

Since I’d already shown wearing it, it should be fine now.

Just as I carefully removed the ring—

“You made a promise.”

A sharp voice stopped me like a blade.

Startled, I turned to see Leonard watching me with a stern expression.

His voice was firm as he continued.

“The promise. You must keep it.”

It took about a week to reach our destination.

The journey was fairly long, crossing several mountain ranges.

Of course, we had planned to stop at an inn along the way.

If only we hadn’t run into that heavy rain.

Just as we reached the foothills near the border, a sudden downpour began.

Pushing through the torrential rain and climbing the steep mountain path became nearly impossible.

“Your Majesty! There’s a hollow here where we can take shelter.”

Leonard, moving skillfully through the terrain, spotted a natural refuge.

We hurried to the spot he indicated.

The cavern was spacious enough for the three of us to avoid the rain comfortably.

I glanced up at the sky.

“It doesn’t look like it will let up anytime soon…”

The downpour continued without pause.

Fortunately, my clothes stayed dry—I had taken cover inside the carriage as soon as the rain started.

But Leonard and Cedric, who had brought the horses and driven the carriage, were soaked through.

Steam rose from their drenched shoulders.

“It looks like we’ll have to camp here for the night.”

Cedric said with a gloomy expression.

His downturned eyes made him look like a forlorn puppy.

“You seem worried. Is something else troubling you?”

“Allowing Your Majesty to rest in a place like this… it’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, Cedric. Who could have predicted such sudden rain?”

Until just before we left, the sky had been clear and bright.

Who could have imagined it would pour down so heavily in just two hours?

“No, it’s my failing as a mage for not forecasting the weather. It’s entirely my fault.”

Cedric’s mood sank because he hadn’t anticipated the change in weather.

I’d heard he was excited about the long trip after so long and skipped his usual weather forecasts.

“Ah, that explains it.”

Unlike him, I didn’t mind the situation much.

‘Well, there’s a certain charm to it.’

Surely Helena would have hated this.

But unlike her, I wasn’t the daughter of a noble family.

Instead, it reminded me of camping trips with my family when I was young.

‘It rained hard back then too…’

The tent we set up was useless in the downpour.

The camping was canceled midway, but it was still fun.

“It’s fine. It reminds me of those trips—no, outings I had when I was a kid. I like it.”

“But…”

“Really, it’s okay.”

I smiled gently to reassure him.

Then a chill suddenly ran through me.

‘It’s pretty cold.’

The rain in the high mountains made me shiver.

“We should light a fire.”

Leonard said and gathered some dry branches.

As Leonard stacked the wood, Cedric stepped forward.

He pulled out a short staff from his sleeve and muttered a few incantations.

Water seeped out from the soaked wood.

A faint yellow flame flickered.

Crackle, crackle.

As the campfire caught, the chilly shelter warmed quickly.

‘Ah, this feels lively again.’

The warmth melted away both body and mind.

Finally, I had time to look around inside the refuge.

“It seems this shelter once had an occupant.”

Leonard pointed to the straw scattered inside.

“An occupant?”

“I believe a large beast used to inhabit this place.”

The word ‘beast’ made me flinch.

“What if it returns?”

Did we accidentally take refuge in a predator’s den?

Should we leave before it’s too late?

“It’s been abandoned for a long time, so don’t worry.”

Leonard’s reassuring smile eased my anxiety like a charm.

Cedric brought blankets from the carriage.

Wrapped in a blanket, I stared at the steady rain.

“Maybe this rain will end the drought.”

Cedric, watching the rain closely, answered,

“It looks like a passing shower. This won’t solve the long drought.”

I added dry wood to the fire.

“This is serious. The drought will likely last another two years.”

Leonard’s eyes narrowed.

“Two years… Your Majesty sounds like you know it will be solved somehow by then.”

Of course I knew. I’d read the original story.

Two years later, thanks to Fay’s earnest prayers, the rain came.

A heavy rain lasting ten days straight.

But I couldn’t say that out loud.

“It’s just a feeling.”

Leonard gave me a strange look.

I ignored it.

No, I can’t tell him even if he looks at me that way.

“The schedule’s a mess now.”

Cedric said.

We were supposed to reach the inn beyond the mountain tonight.

But we’d lost time sheltering from the rain, and now dusk had fallen.

We had no choice but to camp here.

“Well then, let’s stay up all night and talk.”

I clapped my hands with a smile.

“Stay up all night?”

Leonard and Cedric looked worried.

“Of course. I used to do this often with close friends.”

Though that was before I was possessed by Helena—in another life.

I said confidently,

“I’m really good at staying up all night.”

Inside the dark cavern, the crackling of burning logs echoed softly. Intermittent, steady breaths drifted through the quiet. The person who had loudly declared a night of endless chatter had disappeared somewhere. Before dawn broke, Helena had already lost her battle with sleep, nodding off in her seat.

“You must be very tired.” Leonard quietly shifted closer to her. Gently, he rested Helena’s leaning head on his shoulder.

Cedric, sitting opposite, shot him a sharp glare. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Without breaking his gaze from Helena, Leonard replied calmly, “She looked uncomfortable, so I was just helping her rest for a moment.”

Just then, Helena’s head slipped from his shoulder.

“Her Majesty does seem quite high-maintenance.” Leonard carefully tried to reposition her head back onto his shoulder.

At that moment, a pale hand swiftly pulled her head away.

It was Cedric.

Already at Helena’s right side, he gently laid her sleeping head on his own shoulder.

Leonard’s expression darkened noticeably at the sight.

“And what are you doing now?”

“Can’t you tell?” Cedric’s hand slowly traced from her hair to her cheek and down to her chin, leaving a trace of reluctant tenderness as it withdrew. “As Her Majesty’s mage, I’m ensuring she gets a restful sleep.”

The soft gaze and delicate touch from Cedric caused Leonard’s face to stiffen.

“If you’re a mage, you’d better keep a proper distance and serve Her Majesty appropriately.”

Leonard reached over to reclaim Helena’s head, moving it back to rest on his shoulder. Gripping her chin as if to claim her, he added, “I’ll be the one to serve Her Majesty closely.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for the captain of the knights to go scout around like a proper guard?” Cedric refused to back down. “We never know when the true owner of this place might return.”

A sudden gust stirred the campfire’s flames. Leonard waved his hand forcefully to keep the blaze steady.

Meanwhile, Cedric tried to hold Helena close—not just her head, but her upper body as a mother bird would cradle her chick. At the last second, Leonard made a deft move and pulled her back.

“Is it fitting for the one called the Sage of the Forest to harbor such impure intentions?”

“I’ve heard Sir Leonard has no interest in women. Seems the rumors don’t hold true.”

Thus, Leonard and Cedric continued their fierce struggle to claim Helena’s side.

Meanwhile, unaware of their heated rivalry, Helena remained sound asleep.

“Umm, so, I’m telling you, I’m confident about staying up all night… The one who falls asleep first… loses…”