Chapter 54

“Are you calm now?”

 

“Yeah… thanks.”

 

“Here, blow your nose.”

 

I took the handkerchief Piote handed me and blew my nose loudly. While I was crying, the knights were busy hauling the pirates away. Maybe because I cried so much, every bit of strength left my body.

 

And when I looked to the side, I saw Evan looking just as drained. He sat quietly next to me like someone who had used up all his strength. His pale face made me think he had really pushed himself too hard.

 

But I didn’t say it out loud. I had already hurt him earlier by snapping at him for coming despite being sick.

 

I slowly moved closer to Evan, watching him. Then I made a small gesture with my hand, asking him to scoot over. Piote frowned at Evan, clicked his tongue, and moved away.

 

“Sorry… You must’ve come because you were worried about me.”

 

“……”

 

I tugged gently on Evan’s collar, but he still didn’t react. So I rubbed myself against him and even put on a childish lisp to act cute. Heat rushed to my face from embarrassment, but I held out.

 

“Mm? Forgive me… I was weally wong.”

 

…Was that not it? It’s not like I’ve ever tried acting cute before. I kept glancing at him nervously.

 

“Oh! Or, I can grant you a wish! Anything! Just say it! You saved my life—I can do anything!”

 

Only then did I hear a faint sound, almost like a laugh.

 

“You laughed!”

 

I grinned widely. I’d finally managed to make Evan smile. Cold sweat rolled down my forehead.

 

My pathetic attempt at acting cute and offering a wish… who cared? Even if his smile was crooked and weak, the fact he smiled was all that mattered.

 

I beamed at him.

 

“It’s fine. I didn’t do it expecting a reward.”

 

Then Evan’s head dropped onto my lap. Naturally, I ran my fingers through his hair. Wondering if his anger had faded, I watched him closely, and he whispered in a voice barely louder than an ant.

 

“And it’s my fault. The way you reacted… Maybe I do need to change a little. I guess… you won’t like it anymore.”

 

“Evan?”

 

I blinked wide-eyed at Evan rambling things I barely understood. He saw my confusion and curved his lips. Slowly, he lifted his hand.

 

His fingertips brushed my cheek. It tickled, and I flinched slightly.

 

“Lep, just like you worry about me, I worry about you. Whether I’m sick or not. I didn’t want to make you have this expression.”

 

I bit my lower lip. I’d always told myself Evan was mentally older than Piote, yet I acted childish and lashed out at someone who was only worried about me—because I was too consumed by my own emotions.

 

“Evan didn’t do anything wrong!”

 

His eyes curved slyly at that.

 

“There’s plenty. I didn’t understand your feelings.”

 

“That’s—!”

 

“Shh.”

 

He pressed a finger against my lips.

 

“No more apologizing. There’s something else I’d rather hear.”

 

Then he bumped his forehead lightly against mine like he was scolding me. I exhaled and whispered with sincerity.

 

“…Thank you for coming to save me.”

 

“Mm. That’s what I wanted to hear.”

 

Evan wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled into me like a cat basking sleepily in sunlight. I played with his hair, shimmering under the warm light.

 

Soon, I heard soft, uneven breaths.

 

“See… you are exhausted.”

 

Watching him fall fast asleep, I whispered by his ear.

 

“…I was really happy you came.”

 

Worry had simply drowned out the relief and happiness.

 

I brushed his soft hair with my fingers, enjoying the warm sunlight and the gentle breeze.

 

Just then, Piote returned. I put a finger to my lips, motioning for him to be quiet as I pointed at the sleeping Evan. He frowned but sat down beside me.

 

“He finally sleeps. He barely rested because he was so worried about you. I hate to admit it, but he cherishes you as much as I do.”

 

He grumbled that he still didn’t like Evan, but he didn’t try to wake him—even though Evan’s head was on my lap.

 

Normally, he’d have shoved Evan’s head away immediately… but today, he let it slide.

 

“Considering he dragged his sick body all the way here.”

 

I snickered, and Piote flicked my forehead.

 

“Ow!”

 

The sound slipped out before I remembered Evan was sleeping. Piote poked and prodded my cheeks, then said sternly: “You cried earlier so I let it go, but if something like this happens again, you’re in trouble. Did you know Father fainted when he heard you were kidnapped? You bought all those magic tools for your safety and you still got kidnapped?”

 

“…Sorry.”

 

“Good. As long as you understand.”

 

He patted my head and continued: “We’ll get the mercenary you mentioned safely back to land. And the others who were kidnapped—we’ll identify them and send them home.”

 

“Mm. Thank you.”

 

I let out a sigh of relief. They could return to their families.

 

A knight approached.

 

“We’ve captured all the pirates! Departure preparations are complete!”

 

“Good work.”

 

I tried to get up, but Evan was still sleeping soundly on my lap. We needed to board the ship Piote and Evan had arrived on.

 

But waking him up seemed cruel; still, letting him stay in the cold wind wasn’t good either.

 

‘I know he likes using my lap as a pillow but…’

 

It couldn’t be helped.

 

“Brother. Can you carry Evan to the cabin?”

 

“What? Me?”

 

Piote recoiled like I’d insulted him.

 

“Or should I carry him? With these skinny arms?”

 

Piote thought for a moment, then nudged Evan’s leg with his foot.

 

“…Hey, wake up. Want me to carry you on my back?”

 

I yelled immediately.

 

“Why would you wake him up?!”

 

“Ha, he’s not sleeping that deeply. I was trying to spare him.”

 

Piote stepped toward Evan to pick him up—just as Evan stirred. His eyes fluttered open.

 

“Oh? He woke up.”

 

I could hear Piote mutter something like “pathetic…” but I ignored it.

 

“Lep, want to rest in the cabin?”

 

He asked it like he already knew the entire commotion was about him.

 

I wondered if he hadn’t really been asleep, but the way he blinked tiredly and rubbed his eyes suggested otherwise.

 

I nodded. Piote’s eyebrow twitched wildly, but I ignored him.

 

“This is ridiculous! Why would you sleep together in a cabin?! And why would you just accept that?!”

 

“What? I sleep in Evan’s room sometimes.”

 

“Whaaat?!”

 

“Why so shocked?”

 

If I looked after him, sometimes I’d doze off leaning on his bed, and sometimes he’d scoot over so I could sleep comfortably. That’s all.

 

Ignoring the overly dramatic Piote, I grabbed Evan’s hand and pulled him along.

 

“You, you, YOU…! That sly bastard…! Just wait—I’m not letting this slide!!”

 

“What’s he even talking about…”

 

My cheeks flushed even deeper from Piote’s embarrassment. Evan chuckled beside me.

 

 

***

 

 

Evan slowly opened his eyes.

 

In the dim room, he quietly gazed at Lepina sleeping beside him.

 

To check if this was a dream or reality, he reached out. Warmth seeped through his fingertips.

 

When he saw her injuries, his expression hardened. Though he had iced them and applied medicine, the dark bruises made his heart feel bruised.

 

“I should’ve beaten him more.”

 

He had kicked the pirate multiple times where Lepina wouldn’t see, even cracked a rib or two, but it still felt insufficient.

 

“Well, it’s fine. I still have plenty of days left.”

 

There was a lot he needed to hear from the pirates. Evan smirked, lips curling viciously.

 

“Mmm… Evan… sorry…”

 

“I told you. No need to apologize.”

 

Even in her dreams, she apologized. Evan let out a dry laugh. How fragile did she think he was?

 

“Even if Lep gets mad at me again… I’ll still come to save her. No matter what I have to do.”

 

He never believed in love at first sight. He had thought it foolish.

 

How could you fall for someone without knowing who they were? How could you love someone based on one tiny fragment of them?

 

He never understood it.

 

But the moment she had met his eyes—with that confident smile—it stole him entirely. And the more he learned about her, the deeper he fell.

 

“So Lep… don’t risk yourself for my sake.”

 

That fact alone broke him.

 

Just as Lepina had played with his hair, Evan lifted a lock of her hair, touched it gently, then brought it to his lips.

 

“Mmh…”

 

She winced in her sleep as the blanket brushed her injury. Evan quickly held her shoulders and laid her flat so her wounds wouldn’t hurt.

 

“….”

 

His eyes glimmered coldly as he stared at her bruises.

 

He thought he could protect her. She had been within his reach.

 

But she vanished from his sight in an instant—and fell into danger.