Chapter 13:Wishes

“It’s getting late. Shall we go back to the room? I’ll send you there.”

Lucas’ words brought Eva back to her senses, and she looked out the kitchen window. The heavy rain had already stopped, and the starry sky could be seen through the gaps in the clouds.

“Thank you. May I take you up on that offer? I was wondering how to get back to the room, so I appreciate it.”

With a wry smile, Eva spoke, and Lucas, laughing, took her hand. Taken aback by the naturalness of the gesture, Eva heard Lucas say, “You seem like you’d wander off somewhere if I took my eyes off you,” with a smile.

Eva’s heart tightened as she felt the warmth transmitted through Lucas’s gentle gaze and the connected hands. As if to shake off that pain, she looked up at Lucas, deliberately making a sulky face while smiling.

“Am I really that childish? I won’t go off somewhere.”

Lucas responded with a gentle smile, causing Eva’s heart to scream even louder.

They arrived at a familiar place.

They would reach the room soon.

Unconsciously, Eva’s grip on the hand she held tightened.

“Hm? Is something wrong?”

Lucas, noticing the increased pressure in Eva’s hand, peered into her face.

“Does the residence where Lucas-sama stays in the capital have a rose garden?”

Eva asked hastily. Trying to change the topic

“Oh, the residence we prepared for this time should have a small rose garden.”

“That’s a relief. I heard that the rose garden at the royal palace is magnificent. I hope I can see it at the next ball. I’m sure the imperial palace of the Dacian Empire must also have a lovely rose garden.”

“Oh, yes. Each of us has our own rose garden.”

“Well, that’s nice! I’m curious about what kind of roses bloom in Lucas-sama’s rose garden.”

“Someday, I’d like to show it to you. The rose garden at the Marquis’s estate was splendid, but my rose garden is quite something too.”

~~~’I’d like to show it to you someday.’

Eva was so happy with Lucas’s words that she felt like crying. It was probably a casual remark made without much thought, and it might not have a deep meaning. Yet, because it seemed like Lucas accepted her, those words made Eva’s heart warm.

“By the way, the gardener at the Marquis’s estate left something for you and everyone. Can I give it to you now?”

Remembering the item Roger handed her as they arrived at the room, Eva asked. She wouldn’t meet Lucas again. So, this was likely the last chance to give it to him.

“From the gardener?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’ll go get it now.”

Eva left the door wide open as she entered the room, taking out a bottle filled with dried rose petals that Roger had handed her from her bag.

Looking back at the door, she noticed Lucas standing in the hallway, his gaze fixed on her green dress. Worried about it wrinkling, she had taken it out of her bag and hung it on a clothes hanger when they arrived at the inn.

“Lucas-sama,” Eva called out to Lucas as she returned to the door.

“Is this dress… a gift from the person you’re engaged to?”

Lucas’s stern expression made Eva uneasy.

“The dress? No, it’s the first dress my father ever gave to my mother. I didn’t receive a ball gown from my uncle, so… I decided to wear my mother’s dress. I was afraid it would wrinkle if I kept it in my bag, so I hung it up. But… do you think it’s not suitable for the ball?”

From Lucas’s serious expression, Eva couldn’t help but think that her mother’s dress might not be considered appropriate for a ball. Eva had never attended a ball before, especially one hosted by the royal family. Invited nobles would undoubtedly come dressed in extravagant attire.

Even if it was a beautiful vintage design, perhaps it was unacceptable as an old item.

What should she do? She didn’t have a single dress suitable for a ball.

Lucas, noticing Eva’s anxious and pale expression, hurriedly apologized. “I’m sorry if I made you anxious. That’s not it. I think it’s a very lovely dress.”

“Lucas-sama, it would be better to know in advance so I can come up with a plan. Could you please tell me the truth? Is that dress unsuitable for the ball?”

Certainly,Prince Lucas should be more knowledgeable about dress codes than the country girl Eva.

“You really don’t need to worry. That dress is suitable for the ball, and it will undoubtedly suit you.”

“Then why? Why were you making such a serious face?”

“I thought you would look incredibly beautiful in that dress. But I just didn’t like the idea that it was a gift from another man.”

Once again, receiving words of beauty from Lucas, Eva could only open her eyes wide. Lucas, in front of her, seemed to have a slightly sulky expression, appearing more childlike than usual. Although she understood he was waiting for her response, she couldn’t figure out how to answer.

“Th-thank you very much,” she awkwardly expressed her gratitude.

“What are you thanking me for?”

Seeing Eva flustered, Lucas seemed to have regained his composure. He teasingly asked, “For saying you’re beautiful…?”

Blushing, Eva muttered, “Thank you very much for saying that…” Shrinking, she felt a soft voice coming from above.

“You are beautiful. I want you to have more confidence in yourself. I understand that it might be an unfamiliar feeling given the environment you’ve grown up in.”

After a moment of silence, Lucas ordered in a commanding tone, “Eva, look at me,” pausing for a breath.

Whether it was the inherent dignity of being born into the royal family or not, Eva’s body moved involuntarily in response to Lucas’s words.

As Eva looked up at Lucas, her gaze couldn’t tear away from his strong, shining red eyes.

“Can you believe my words?”

“Yes.”

“Eva, you are more beautiful than anyone else. Have confidence, stand tall, and participate in the ball. Can you do that?”

“Well… I’ll do my best.”

“Haha… you’re stubborn. Eva, do you think my eyes, which see you as beautiful, are strange?”

“No.”

“Then believe in me.”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, when Lucas laughed, the imposing aura typical of royalty that seemed to dominate the air dissipated. Like breaking free from a spell, Eva felt her body become free.

She sensed the difference in majesty between someone accustomed to ruling over many races and someone considered under such a ruler.

“Indeed, Lucas-sama is a member of the royal family. Your way of speaking became quite regal.”

Lucas, with his red eyes widened, turned to the side and chuckled, causing his body to shake.

“Lucas-sama?”

Staring in amazement as Lucas laughed uncontrollably, he finally seemed to calm down and wipe away the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

“Did I say something strange?”

“I thought you were getting angry at the authoritative way you spoke, but instead, it’s about sounding royal…”

Either remembering or realizing it again, Lucas restrained his laughter while looking at Eva.

“You really are amusing. So, how was my royal manner?”

“It was very charming. You looked cool.”

“I’m glad it was to your liking.”

In a good mood, Lucas looked at Eva and pressed his lips against a strand of silver hair that glistened in the light. Eva involuntarily caught her breath at the sensuous expression.

“Your hair color and eye color are beautiful. They will surely complement that dress.”

He told her to have confidence. If it’s Lucas who says it, she can believe it.

“Thank you.”

She raised the corners of her mouth and smiled warmly at Lucas, looking straight into his narrowed eyes.

“Oh, this.”

She handed the bottle containing rose petals to Lucas.

“If you run out, please visit the Marquis’s estate when you return to the country. The gardener, Roger, should have made new ones.”

Although they hadn’t discussed it, she was confident that Roger would have made more.

“Thank you. I appreciate it. Let me express my gratitude for these roses properly. Is there anything you want in return?”

“No need for thanks. I only understood the meaning of my mother’s teachings thanks to Lucas-sama and Raymond-sama. I am the one who should be thanking you.”

“I want to express my gratitude. By the way, have you prepared the accessories for the ball?”

All the jewelry from her mother has been taken by her aunt.

What she has on hand is…

She took out a necklace with sentimental value from her chest and showed it to Lucas.

“This necklace was a gift from my mother. With this, I should be fine.”

“I see, it’s a high-quality garnet.”

While looking at Lucas with a soft expression, she felt the urge to make a request.

“Lucas-sama, may I ask one thing as a token of gratitude?”

Seeing him nod, she gathered all her courage to voice her request.

“Could you please call me ‘Eva’?”

“Huh?”

Lucas’s eyes widened.

“I understand it’s an impertinent request from someone who doesn’t recognize their social status. However, only my uncle’s family calls me by my name. I thought it would be nice if Lucas-sama could call me ‘Eva’ like earlier. Everywhere I go, it feels like I can be myself if people address me by my name…”

—So please call me Eva. And please don’t forget about me.

She silently chanted the words she couldn’t convey in her heart.

Though they weren’t lovers, she knew it was an audacious request.

It was a wish she could express now, knowing they would never meet again.

The hesitant light in Lucas’s red eyes was evident, causing a pang in her chest.

Until Lucas spoke, the actual seconds that passed felt like an eternity to Eva.

“I understand. Goodnight, Eva.”

He suddenly chuckled softly, and after Lucas’s large palm gently stroked Eva’s cheek, he closed the open door.

Eva, who had stood motionless as if enchanted, remained with a bright red face. When she could no longer hear Lucas’s footsteps fading away, she involuntarily crouched down.

—Thank you, Lord Lucas.

There was nothing left to regret.

No matter what happens from now on, she should be able to face it.

She tightly grasped the necklace at her chest, steeling her resolve.

The next morning, the group departed early and easily arrived at the capital. They then parted ways with their respective estates.

Eva secretly watched Lucas’s figure from the carriage.

~~~~~~~~~~

Since coming to the Tifris Kingdom, things have been out of sorts the whole time.

He knew the cause. It was Eva.

Back when he was in his country, he only needed to focus on the matters of the knight order as its commander. There were many women who approached him, but he casually dealt with them.

Lucas, being a Dhampir, had the political interest of being allowed to marry someone other than a vampire, and his status as a royal made him a subject of political interest. Many women were drawn to Lucas due to his appearance.

Originally, vampires were said to have exceptional beauty, enough to enchant their partners for blood-sucking. Vampires were known for their attractive features, and the royal family’s appearance stood out even among them.

Eva had recognized Lucas as a servant from the start, and even after realizing he was a prince, her attitude didn’t change. For Lucas, she was the first person of the opposite sex with whom he could speak freely without the constraints of social status. Perhaps Eva felt a sense of friendship, akin to a friend with whom she could share various things, as she became more comfortable with Lucas.

Was it because he saw her as a sister that he found himself caring about Eva?

Then, how would he explain this vampiric impulse?

The night before entering the capital, he was surprised when he saw Eva’s room at the inn. Instead of a room prepared for the daughter of a border marquis, she had been assigned a servant’s room. Witnessing Eva, who showed no signs of questioning or feeling miserable about it, he felt as if he had witnessed how she was treated in the Marquis’s household.

When he saw the vibrant green dress that caught his eye, he felt an intense flame burning in his heart, thinking that the beautiful attire she wore was a gift from a man other than himself.

It was the first time he felt so unsettled by his emotions.

Lucas took out a petal from the rose she gave him and savored its fragrance, feeling a bit more composed.

First and foremost, he began thinking about what he should do from now on.

He needed to cut off the root of this irritation.

In that case, action was the only way forward.

“Brother, I need to step out for the matter we discussed.”

“Understood. Inform me of the situation upon your return.”

“Ah, and I’d like to urgently summon my subordinates from the homeland for the mentioned task. Is that acceptable?”

“Not enough personnel?”

“We need a team suitable for the operation. I want to wrap this up before the ball. You wouldn’t want to linger here any longer, right?”

“Well, certainly. Since we plan to reveal our identities to King Tifris at the ball, let’s handle things discreetly until then.”

“Understood. In that case, I’ll be on my way.”

Raymond smirked as he watched Lucas hurriedly leave.

It seemed something happened with Eva-chan on the way to the capital.

Lucas, with a changed demeanor, was fervently engaged in the task at hand.

“Really, Lucas is adorable,” Raymond muttered inadvertently, causing the attendants around him to look at him in surprise.

[Hehehe, maybe I should do something for my cute little brother, like arrange a bug spray.]

The most entertaining events are best witnessed from the prime seat.

“Prepare a costume for the ball; I’ll be attending.”

Raymond issued instructions to his attendants and, with a smug smile, shifted his attention to the documents in front of him.