Chapter 90: Return Safely
“Got it!”
Without hesitation, Violet grabbed Ashray’s thick arm and began pulling him along, urging him to hurry.
“Uh, uh… Sister…?”
Ashray threw a pleading look over his shoulder, but Astrid wasn’t in a position to say anything. Instead, she found herself unexpectedly flustered by the situation.
“Alright then, we’ll be going first! See you later, Astie!”
The guesthouse wasn’t far, and with an early departure planned for tomorrow morning, there were plenty of things to prepare—packing, organizing, and the like.
Violet tugged persistently on Ashray’s arm, waving back enthusiastically with her free hand toward Astrid and Leopold as she moved farther away.
“Shall we take a walk?”
Leopold wasn’t looking at Astrid.
He had turned his head to gaze elsewhere, seemingly detached.
A cool breeze swept through the evening air.
The heat that had lingered until yesterday had dissipated after the morning rain, and the wind dispersed the remaining humidity.
Leopold’s golden hair swayed gently in the breeze, catching the faint glow of the fading daylight.
His piercing blue eyes gazed off into the distance, framed by a sharp profile tinged with melancholy.
Thump.
‘What… was that?’
A deep, resonant thud echoed in Astrid’s chest, loud and undeniable.
Where had that come from? Why was it so loud?
Astrid didn’t know.
“Astie?”
Leopold turned to her, puzzled by her prolonged silence. As his gaze fell on her, the warm, orange light of dusk bathed his face.
Already stunning, Leopold’s features seemed even more striking as his eyes met hers directly. Startled, Astrid turned her face away, unable to hold his gaze.
“Y-yes, alright.”
“Let’s go.”
Leopold started walking ahead as if he hadn’t noticed her reaction—or perhaps as if it didn’t matter.
Astrid hastily followed, biting back the words that had nearly escaped her lips: “Together?”
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
After walking in silence for some time, Leopold’s sudden question caught Astrid off guard.
Though she had an idea of what he meant, she asked anyway, uncertain how to respond.
“Heading to the North… Are you alright with that?”
“It’s my home. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Astrid’s reply was straightforward, and Leopold glanced at her briefly.
She wasn’t wrong.
The North was her home, the Duchy of Miterien. There shouldn’t be any reason for concern.
Yet something felt off.
The thought of Astrid leaving, of being somewhere beyond his reach, unsettled Leopold deeply.
“Something about it feels… wrong.”
“In what way?”
Astrid didn’t dismiss Leopold’s words. Even without tangible evidence, instincts and intuition often held weight in uncertain situations.
“It’s just… a bad feeling.”
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of their footsteps filled the quiet academy grounds.
Though the academy was usually bustling, the evening was unusually calm.
Most students were likely enjoying their Friday night in the city, leaving the campus eerily serene.
“Astie.”
Leopold suddenly stopped, his voice breaking the stillness.
Standing in the dim space between two streetlights, he was partially obscured by shadows.
“You…”
Leopold turned to face her, his expression hidden by the darkness.
Astrid couldn’t tell if he was looking at her, or what emotion might be etched on his face.
The height difference between them became apparent again.
Astrid wasn’t short, but Leopold’s stature made her feel small. She had to tilt her head slightly to meet his gaze.
“Does none of this bother you?”
“What do you mean?”
She wanted to ask, but she didn’t. She could sense that Leopold wasn’t finished speaking. This wasn’t the moment to interrupt—she needed to wait for him to continue.
“Leaving my side and heading to the North. Does that not affect you at all?”
Those words struck Astrid silent.
“I—”
Leopold took a step closer to her.
The light from the streetlamps revealed his face, the shadows retreating to expose his expression—a mixture of longing and regret.
Leopold looked at her with an intensity that made her heart race.
“I don’t want you to go.”
His voice was calm, but the emotions behind it were undeniable.
“I only just realized how much I’ve grown used to having you near. And now, I’m supposed to let you leave for an entire month. It feels… unbearably sad.”
Memories of Astrid flashed through his mind—
The Astrid who drunkenly teased him.
The Astrid who acted strangely under the influence of that accursed arousal spell.
The Astrid who dozed off in class.
The Astrid who struggled to deal with Violet’s constant teasing.
The Astrid who laughed off Eranya’s borderline inappropriate antics.
She was so different from the Astrid he had known ten years ago.
Leopold had thought he’d finally reached a point where he could watch her closely, truly appreciate how much she’d changed.
But now, she was leaving—for a whole month.
The thought weighed heavily on him.
A month.
It was a long time.
Leopold took another step forward, closing the distance between them.
Astrid looked up at him cautiously. She wasn’t frightened or intimidated, but she felt… restrained.
She could easily brush aside his hand, now resting gently on her shoulder, and step back if she wanted to.
But she couldn’t.
Despite the clear disparity in strength, Leopold’s touch felt unshakable. She couldn’t bring herself to move.
This felt familiar, as if it had happened before.
When had it been?
Ah, yes—behind the dormitory, on the bench. Just like then.
Leopold’s eyes were right in front of her.
So close that Astrid could see her own reflection in his gaze.
She could feel his breath. The soft rhythm of Leopold’s breathing tickled her lips.
Astrid realized her own breathing must be doing the same to him, and from that moment, every breath became a conscious effort.
“Do you remember, Astie?” Leopold’s voice broke the quiet. “There was a time we faced each other like this before.”
“…Yes,” Astrid replied with a faint nod.
“At the time, I said that even with our faces so close, I felt no flutter, no excitement for you. And you agreed, didn’t you?”
“I… I did.”
Leopold’s eyes softened, curving into a gentle arc.
He was smiling.
“And now, how is it?”
Now. How was it now? The question felt absurd.
Astrid’s face was flushed red.
Her chest pounded, her heartbeat thundered, and she worried Leopold might hear it.
“…What about you, Your Highness?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“If you’re asking how I feel…” Leopold began, his tone quiet but firm.
His hands, which had rested lightly on her shoulders, now moved to cup her cheeks.
Warmth radiated from his palms, and for a moment, she felt as if time had frozen.
Then, his face withdrew from her view.
And—
Something soft and damp touched her forehead.
From this angle, Astrid could see the column of Leopold’s neck, and the realization of what was happening struck her with clarity.
His lips.
Her forehead felt hot where they’d made contact, and her face felt like it might burst into flames.
Her heart raced wildly, and she stood frozen, arms rigid at her sides, unable to figure out what to do or how to react.
“There,” Leopold said softly as he stepped back, his face once again filling her view. “That’s how it is now. Does that answer your question?”
His hands slid away from her cheeks, and the space between them grew again.
Leopold’s voice turned composed, though his words carried undeniable weight.
“As someone who will one day become Crown Princess, your resolve to personally address such a critical matter is admirable. However, the risk you face may be greater than you realize. It would be wise for you to act with more caution and restraint.”
A faint smile curved his lips.
At that smile, Astrid’s body shuddered involuntarily.
“What… What is that? That smile… It’s unfair…”
【You’re utterly hopeless, you know that?】
The voice of the real Astrid echoed in her mind, but the words didn’t register. Astrid simply stared, entranced by Leopold’s smile.
It was captivating—she hadn’t been bewitched yet, but she knew she was dangerously close.
“Return safely. Come back to my side, Astie. Promise me you’ll return unharmed. Do you understand?”
【What are you doing? Answer him! You shameless woman!】
“…I will… Your Highness…”
Even as she spoke, her voice dazed, Astrid nodded absentmindedly, still spellbound by his gaze.