Love you

"Thank you..." Cirila sighed softly before slipping into a deep, peaceful sleep. Her parents encircled her protectively, while Eigar stepped toward me. I shivered under his sharp gaze. His stern expression felt oppressive, but his words weren’t directed at me; instead, they were meant for my fiancé.

"Thank you for saving my daughter’s life. You will forever have my gratitude and allegiance," he said, extending a hand. Rafar met his eyes, then shook his hand without altering his stoic expression.

I couldn’t help but wonder again how Rafar had known the precise location for the incision during the procedure.

"Dear Eigar, I appreciate your words, but the credit is not mine," Rafar replied. "The one who performed the procedure was my fiancée. I merely guided her."

Rafar rested a hand on my shoulder, and for the first time since the chaos of the night, he smiled warmly at me. I noticed beads of sweat still trickling down his face, yet his eyes no longer held their usual coldness. Unlike me, his hands remained steady, as though the harrowing moments we had shared had been routine for him.

I smiled back, feeling a comforting warmth in my chest. Cirila and her family soon departed, and the nobles returned to their festivities. However, from the murmurs around the room, I knew the evening’s sole topic of discussion was "the cleric’s daughter." Rafar remained silent, his gaze fixed on the throne. Following his line of sight, I saw the king watching me intently, his expression curious.

My mind raced with questions. Unable to hold them back, I gently tugged Rafar’s sleeve. "Can we go somewhere more... private?"

He blushed instantly and took a startled step back.

"W-what do you mean?" he stammered, clearly misunderstanding.

"No, no! Not like that!" I hurriedly clarified, flustered. "I phrased that poorly. I just have questions, and I don’t think it’s appropriate to discuss them in front of so many people."

Relief washed over his face, and his cheeks gradually regained their usual pallor.

"You’re right. Let’s go," he agreed, taking my hand and leading me out of the crowded hall. His brisk pace made it hard for me to take note of our surroundings; I only felt the cool breeze brushing against my skin. Finally, we arrived at a tranquil fountain near the palace.

The water cascaded gracefully, filling the air with a soothing melody. Brightly colored fish—some red, others yellow—darted playfully back and forth in the fountain.

"I wonder..." I mused, sitting by the fountain’s edge. "Do you think fish really don’t feel pain when they die?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"I don’t think so. Why would they?"

"I guess you’re right," I replied, running a finger through the water. In that moment, I felt like a fish myself—plucked from one world and placed into another. Everything around me seemed surreal: the ability to dance like a trained performer, the knowledge to save lives as if I were a seasoned doctor. It was all too strange, too overwhelming to process.

I was drawn from my thoughts by the weight of his gaze. Unlike me, Rafar wasn’t watching the fish; his eyes were fixed solely on me.

"How did you know?" I finally asked, locking eyes with him. His dark hair shimmered under the moonlight, and the metallic glint of his robotic ear caught my attention.

"About Cirila?" he guessed, as if prepared for the question. I nodded, and he let out a long sigh before sitting beside me. Unlike me, he didn’t spare a glance at the colorful fish. His focus remained entirely on me.

"I’ve performed this procedure a few times before," he admitted. "But I can’t go into details right now."

Performed it before? That made no sense. Why would the son of a king have experience with such a thing? And the cold efficiency with which he handled the situation still unsettled me. Though I sensed his honesty, his words only deepened my curiosity.

"You need to explain more. How exactly did you know what to do?" I pressed.

"That’s something I can’t tell you... yet."

"But you have to," I insisted, frustration bubbling up. "I need to know, especially since I’m your—"

I clamped my hands over my mouth. What was I about to say? It felt like a confession had just slipped out.

He leaned closer, his face mere inches from mine. I could feel his breath against my lips, and instinctively, I closed my eyes.

It was our first kiss.

The gentle sound of the fountain soothed my racing heart, and for a fleeting moment, all my worries dissolved.

But then I pulled away abruptly, reality snapping back into place. Where were we? What had we just done? He chuckled at my embarrassment, ruffling my hair affectionately.

"Good girl, good girl," he teased.

"Hey! Don’t treat me like that!" I retorted, unable to meet his eyes.

"You said you had questions. What’s the next one?" he asked, his tone lighter now.

I steadied myself. Pretend nothing happened. Pretend nothing happened, I chanted internally before speaking again.

"At the ball... you treated me so coldly. Why?" I asked, my voice tinged with genuine hurt.

"Isn’t it obvious? It’s because I love you, Mai. I can’t bear to see you talking to anyone else but me. I’m terrified of losing you."

Oh. That was it. He had been jealous of my conversation with Eigar.

"Rafar... Eigar is a key player in this game. Without him, I’ll end up in a bad ending, and—"

Oops.

His brow furrowed in confusion, and I knew I had slipped up.