Waiting For Your Reincarnation Chapter 146

“…The festival?”

 

“Yes, the festival.”

 

Iris’s eyes were filled with disbelief. She stood there in silence for a moment, then said with a slight frown.

 

“Do I have to go alone, then–”

 

“No.”

 

Zephyto shook his head, cutting her off. She had every right to come to that conclusion. They’d been married for a month, and she’d never eaten a meal with him face to face, so of course he thought she should go alone.

 

“I’m coming with you.”

 

“Together…, okay, I’ll definitely come with you.”

 

She smiled like a spring breeze and squeezed his hand. Feeling her touch, Zephyto couldn’t help but pull away.

 

* * *

 

Despite having slept through the morning sun, Iris was up and bustling around quite early, her servants rushing back and forth between the cottage and outside to help with the preparations, so that by the time daylight had passed, she was ready to depart for the capital.

 

Arriving in the carriage, the capital seemed as alive and vibrant as it had been yesterday. Iris bounced her head around, looking at the wares on the stalls. Zephyto followed at a slow pace, staring at her.

 

People seemed to be unusually favorable to her, perhaps because of her gentle demeanor.

 

What impressed him was that she didn’t take people’s consideration for granted. She knew how to appreciate their kindness, and she knew how to reciprocate it in an unobtrusive way.

 

Looking at her, it was hard to tell if she was really the child of the Duke of Elter.

 

But she was clearly part of his family. She would not have come to marry him without any intention.

 

‘With a face like this, she couldn’t be plotting something with her brother, could she?’

 

It was impossible to tell. There was only one person he could trust in the Empire and that is himself. He couldn’t judge by appearances.

 

As he gripped the scabbard of his sword, he suddenly remembered the small dagger he’d broken in half last night while entering the black market. It was unnerving not to have a weapon at his side, ready to deal with an intruder at a moment’s notice.

 

Zephyto’s gaze drifted to the weapons shop. He had heard that there was a shop in the capital that had been in business for three generations.

 

“Shall we go to that weapons shop?” Iris asked with a hint of a smile, seemingly sensing that he wanted to stop by the weapons shop.

 

Zephyto shook his head no. He had planned to go to the weapons shop alone in the first place. 

 

He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea and give away the slightest bit of information.

 

“No.”

 

“Why? Weren’t you going to buy a dagger there?”

 

“…How would you know that?”

 

His mood, as light as a balloon, quickly turned sour. He looked down at Iris with a sharp glare.

 

So, she was following in his footsteps, following her family’s footsteps.

 

The sounds of the noisy crowd were no longer audible. She stared at him, her mouth pursed. 

 

Zephyto opened his mouth to speak, letting out a ragged breath.

 

“I’ll go and report everything, even at a moment like this. I had stupidly forgotten that you are the mistress of House Elter.”

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Iris, who had been listening to him, furrowed her brow slightly. Having concluded the conversation, Zephyto turned to leave, but it wasn’t long before she grabbed his hand.

 

He brushed Iris’s touch away roughly, as if shaking off a bug, and her hands fumbled in the air. 

 

Her eyes, which had once shone like stars in the night sky, gradually lost their luster.

 

“I think you’re misunderstanding me. I’ve been looking at your daggers the whole time I’ve been here, that’s why I asked.”

 

Her explanation didn’t make Zephyto stop looking at her suspiciously. Even if he had been staring at the dagger, he wouldn’t have done so in a way that anyone would have noticed.

 

Iris clenched her fists slightly, as if sensing the prickly glare. Zephyto turned fully to face her and asked.

 

“You expect me to believe that?”

 

“You still doubt me? The daughter of House Elter?”

 

“…….”

 

“Then why did you marry me?”

 

“Do you seriously think I had a choice?”

 

“I…”

 

Iris swallowed what she was about to say again. With each word Zephyto threw at her, she broke down, her eyes fluttering uncontrollably.

 

Iris pressed her fists tightly against her chest in frustration. As if it were the only way she could breathe.

 

Her eyes, which had once held a beautiful glow, were filled with sadness, and she spoke, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

 

“Then, from now on, try to believe me, like I believe you.”

 

“…….”

 

“I can’t say my father didn’t have a hand in this marriage, but in the end, I’m the one who made the choice, and I haven’t done anything to be ashamed of it, and I never will.”

 

Iris poured out her feelings like a floodgate bursting open. Zephyto listened as she spoke.

 

“I only believe what I’ve seen. You’re…, a good man.”

 

“I’m…, a good man?”

 

“At least more upright than my father, so I will abandon Elter, become an Ophir, and stand by your side.”

 

“…….”

 

“I’m not the enemy, believe me.”

 

Her eyes were as pleading as they had been the last day he’d seen her in the forest. Zephyto’s fingertips trembled slightly.

 

When had anyone ever told him in his life that they believed him?

 

He swallowed dryly, wanting so badly to believe her. Seeing him hesitate, Iris gave him an understanding smile. Then she let go of his hand.

 

This time, Iris took a step away and walked away first. He did not follow her. His instincts told him to chase after her, but his reason held him back.

 

After parting with her, he wandered aimlessly through the village, never making it back to the cottage. Then the sun set and night fell.

 

Having purchased a dagger, Zephyto took an impromptu walk through the square. His gaze caught Iris peering through a glass window into a shop.

 

“That’s where she went.”

 

As soon as he saw her, it was as if a rope that had been tied around his neck was suddenly untied, and he approached her in silent steps, feeling the headache that had been weighing him down all day ease.

 

The shop she was looking at was a jewelry store. Beyond the glass windows were displays of accessories inlaid with unusual colored gems. Even for someone who didn’t know much about jewelry, each accessory was of high quality.

 

She was staring at a ring with a white gemstone.

 

Suddenly, he felt an emptiness in his left hand. He had matched Iris’s wedding ring, but he hadn’t worn it. He felt like a complete marionette for Ragnar.

 

Iris, on the other hand, never took it off.

 

“Hello?”

 

Iris was staring at Zephyto in the glass, and he was staring at her reflection in the transparent window. Instead of answering, Zephyto nodded once.

 

“I thought you might like to join us. There’s a celebration coming up.”

 

She seemed to be referring to Ragnar’s upcoming celebration. She acted as if nothing had happened. Zephyto didn’t bring up the earlier incident for the sake of it, as his mind wasn’t quite clear enough.

 

He looked away and examined the other accessories. A simple, light pink thread bracelet caught his eye. The threading technique was unique and intricate, and it looked like it would look good on her pale, thin wrists.

 

Iris’s gaze followed his to the bracelet.

 

“It’s beautiful.”

 

There was sincerity in her clear, crisp voice; she liked the bracelet, too.

 

As Iris had said, there would be a celebration soon, and she would need a bracelet.

 

He stared at the window for a moment, hesitating, then dug in his pants pocket. He was looking for money.

 

But Iris was slowly moving away from the window. Zephyto stopped without even removing his hands from his pockets. She cocked her head slightly.

 

“What, do you want to go in here?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Is there anything else you want to see here?”

 

With a little more effort, he could have pulled out the pouch with the money, but his hand wandered inside his pocket and didn’t end up pulling out the money.

 

Zephyto stood side by side with her, surveying the path they had taken to get here from the cottage.

 

“Okay, let’s go back.”

 

Their festivities ended without a single spark.