Waiting For Your Reincarnation Chapter 145

“The honeymoon is a smokescreen, and you’re telling me to go out and investigate.”

 

“Exactly. Since you haven’t gone yet, isn’t now the time to do it? Love and work.”

 

“What about love?”

 

Zephyto rubbed his chin with his index finger, thinking. The distance between the capital and the kingdom of Telene would be a week’s journey by wagon, and he doubted Iris would be willing to travel that distance.

 

But there was no alternative to Elita’s suggestion.

 

“We should go.”

 

He pushed himself out of his seat, secretly hoping that Ragnar hadn’t gotten himself into trouble.

 

“Are you going?”

 

“When will I be at the cottage?”

 

“Anytime from next week, since it takes time to send a word.”

 

He nodded in understanding, slipping his arms into his uniform coat draped over the chair. 

 

Seeing that Zephyto understood, Elita said she’d be in touch and returned to the training center.

 

Watching her go, he followed her out of the office. It was time to get back to Iris.

 

He headed straight for the bedroom, but Iris was nowhere to be found.

 

The knight told him that she had been out in the garden since morning and hadn’t returned. 

 

Zephyto had no choice but to go to the garden.

 

In a deep corner of the garden, he saw Iris tending to the flowers. Her hands were covered in dirt, but she was smiling with a smile that was more joyful than grim.

 

“Prince…!”

 

Her maid spotted Zephyto before Iris did, and she stared at him in amazement. As if she couldn’t believe he was here.

 

He approached her with slow steps. Colorful flowers bloomed around her, but none of them could steal Zephyto’s attention.

 

This was why he didn’t want to see her. His resolve always crumbled when his eyes met hers.

 

He clenched his fists and took slow steps toward her. Iris swallowed dryly and brushed the dirt from her palms.

 

“What are you doing here, my lord?”

 

“Am I somewhere I shouldn’t be?”

 

“I don’t think so… Are you done with your busy work?”

 

“It’s over, and by the way, I need you to pack up your things within the next week.”

 

“What?”

 

Iris’s eyes widened at the sudden announcement. Without realizing it, Zephyto reached out and gently stroked the area around her eyes. Then he felt her body turn to stone.

 

“We’re going on a trip. You haven’t been on one since we got married.”

 

“…Travel?”

 

His voice was so sweet and gentle she could almost mistake it for love. Iris repeated, her voice trembling. Zephyto, sensing an unusual mood, frowned slightly behind her back.

 

‘What if she refuses to go?’

 

He gently moved the hand that had been blocking Iris’s view to the side. She stared at him intently, her eyes as black and lustrous as black pearls.

 

“The two of us are going together, aren’t we?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Where is the place, and when are we going?”

 

“Telene. We’re leaving early next Monday morning.”

 

Hearing the specific place and plan, Iris began to believe him. Despite his worries that she might not like it, she smiled broadly. So brightly, just like her younger self.

 

Seeing her smile, his hand faltered for a moment. It felt tight, like someone was squeezing his heart and shaking it.

 

Suddenly realizing he’d been more tender than necessary, he removed his hand from over her face.

 

“I’ll see you then.”

 

He turned away to hide the heat in his face, and as he walked toward the bedroom, he thought, ‘I should never love her. I should never fall in love with her.’

 

* * *

 

As soon as they reached Telene’s villa, Zephyto left Iris behind and headed into the center of the capital, alone. She looked puzzled at his immediate departure, but she didn’t hold him back.

 

The capital was bustling with festivities. The plazas were crowded with people, and the smell of human life filled the air.

 

Zephyto emerged from the hidden underground black market and blended in with the crowd before he could remove his robes.

 

Ragnar’s movements were definitely suspicious.

 

‘What the hell are they doing?’

 

The black market Ragnar’s forces had created was massive. In the center of the black market, long rows of cages lined a corridor.

 

Customers would walk through them, picking out children to buy as slaves.

 

“They’re all tested, smart kids.”

 

The black market leader repeated the words. If they’re just slaves, why does he keep emphasizing the word smart when they’re not even physically strong?

 

Zephyto reached into his robes and pulled out a piece of paper. It was the map of Telene he’d found in the Director’s room.

 

The only thing unusual about it was that it didn’t mark the locations of buildings, but rather the paths of water.

 

‘There’s going to be a war soon.’

 

As he studied the map, he eavesdropped on the leaders’ conversation. They seemed to be talking about invading Telene, which was not part of the Empire, to increase their land holdings and keep the people happy.

 

The Empire had been at war for less than three years. The war had ended in victory for the Empire, but as much as it had gained, it had also lost.

 

The internal situation had not yet stabilized. It made no sense to mess with the friendly Telene at this time.

 

‘They’re doing all this just to kill me?’

 

If there was a war against Telene, they said, they would put Zephyto at the head of it. It was there, they were sure, that he would die.

 

Ragnar thought to himself, ‘I am going to kill him.’

 

Zephyto ran his hands through his hair, his mind racing. He had to get back to the Empire and discuss this with Elita.

 

He made his way back to the cottage, weaving his way through the revelers. It was a perfect starry night.

 

He didn’t arrive back at the cottage until dawn, when he could see the hazy light. Two days had passed since he left.

 

As he reached for the doorknob, he turned around and stared out over Lake Bates.

 

In front of him, Iris sat casually on the grass. She looked lonely, sitting there under the calm dawn sky.

 

Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t enter the cottage without recognizing her.

 

As Zephyto approached her with quiet steps, she turned her head back as if she had been recognized.

 

“Hello?”

 

“What are you doing here? Why are you not sleeping?”

 

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

 

“What a waste.”

 

There was no lie in her steady gaze. Iris glanced over at Zephyto, who stared down at her, still, and then clasped his left hand in both of hers.

 

The sudden grip froze him in place, unable to shake it off.

 

“Are you hurt? Where?”

 

“Oh.”

 

She looked at the gash on the back of his hand that was leaking a little blood. A raw cut from breaking into the underground black market.

 

Frowning, Iris told him to wait a moment and went inside the cottage.

 

A moment later, she returned with a cloth pouch the size of her palm. Inside was a pale yellow powder that Zephyto recognized.

 

It was a powdered herb that she often used to help heal wounds.

 

Bringing it casually to Zephyto’s hand, she sprinkled the powder over the wound.

 

When he took an effortful step away, Iris took two steps toward him. She stared at his hand and opened her mouth.

 

“I can see why Lake Bates is a popular travel destination.”

 

“…….”

 

“I like the mysterious green color of the lake during the day, but at night it’s different, like you’re in the middle of a vast ocean.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes, it’s a very beautiful place, though I wish the two of us could have seen it.”

 

Iris’s words made his hand tingle, and she gently lowered it, looking straight at Zephyto.

 

“Thank you for being the first to suggest we take a trip here. I’ve seen enough to last a lifetime.”

 

“I’m glad.”

 

“So now we need to get back to the Empire, and we need to get going, so give me a minute. I’ll go get my things.”

 

Iris’s gaze drifted to the robe in his other hand. She turned toward the cottage without hesitation, as if her words of returning to the Empire were no lie.

 

Perhaps that was why.

 

Iris’s all-knowing demeanor suddenly changed. Zephyto grabbed her hand as she moved away.

 

“There’s a festival in the capital. Let’s go there during the day. It’s not too late to get to the palace afterward.”

 

Iris’s fingertips trembled slightly at his floating suggestion. The bright morning sun was rising over their heads.