An Unexpected Proposal

November 9, 2020

"If you need anything, just tell me."

"Yes, I will."

"And if anything is uncomfortable, tell me right away."

"Alright."

"And also…"

Cabelenus frowned, unable to think of what else to say. He wanted to have a long conversation with her, but no matter how hard he tried, his mind simply didn’t work in this area. It was getting frustrating.

"You don’t have to be so concerned."@@novelbin@@

"That’s impossible."

Cabelenus let out a short breath. It was strange—no matter how much he filled this room, it had always felt empty. And yet, now, with just one person in it, the space felt full.

"I'm not just saying this. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. My room is right next door…"

"Next door?"

"Yes. Right next to yours."

"I don’t mind staying in the separate palace like before."

Alicia subtly turned her head. She knew exactly what it meant for his room to be next to hers, and that knowledge made her cautious. That room had been prepared for the Grand Duchess of Schwarhan. Even if the position remained vacant, staying there was too much to bear. Their relationship had become too ambiguous to bring up past promises.

"It’s just in case. From this room, you can enter mine without going through the main door."

"…Into your room?"

Alicia’s expression grew even more uncertain at his explanation. She knew that being by his side was the safest place, but she still hesitated to nod.

"I know you won’t like it, but it’s for your safety."

"But…"

"You never know what could happen. Even if it’s uncomfortable, bear with it for a little while. I won’t let what happened before ever happen again."

"No matter what, still…"

Thinking about the past did make her uneasy. And more than anything, the man in front of her had an oddly calm face for someone who could be lying. Alicia hesitated but eventually nodded. It wasn’t just the spies she was worried about, but she couldn’t voice that concern. She simply looked out the window at the snowy landscape, wishing for nothing to appear in that endless white expanse.

"You must be tired. I’ll show you how to use the passageway tomorrow. Not just this one, but others, too. It’ll be useful to know."