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T/N: Although actions speak louder than words, words still hold a certain degree of effectiveness when talking about ‘communication’…
Chapter 117: Side Story 3
“Laila.” Ardion spat out my name as if he were chewing it, his gaze sharp, nearly cutting.
I avoided his eyes and turned to the aide. “Would it be alright if I used the room at the far end?”
The aide glanced at Ardion, then bowed his head. “I’m sorry, but the servants only had time to clean this room. The others aren’t ready.”
“That’s fine. I can clean it myself with water magic.”
“But…”
“Laila.”
“Your Majesty.”
Ardion and the aide called my name at the same time. I stepped back.
Suddenly, lightning flashed across the sky. Startled, I turned my head, and a loud clap of thunder roared right after. My shoulders flinched instinctively.
Ardion strode towards me. “You’re afraid of thunder, yet you want to be alone?”
I was at a loss for words. The thunder really was frightening.
Seeing me say nothing, Ardion wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “Laila, if you have something to say, let’s talk inside the room.”
With that, Ardion gave a signal to the aide. The aide quickly bowed and disappeared down the hallway. Left with no choice, I followed Ardion into the room. As soon as we entered, he shut the door and stood in front of it, blocking my way out.
I looked at him. “No matter how I think about it, what you said earlier makes no sense. If I’m sick, shouldn't a healer check me first?”
Ardion’s brows knit together, and he stared at me for a moment. “Then promise me you won’t hide anything from me anymore.”
“I already told you that before,” I replied, frustrated by the repeated demand.
Ardion stepped closer. I instinctively took a step back. His gaze turned sharper. “Laila.”
“I just want to be like this for now.” I turned and sat on the bed.
Ardion continued standing, watching me. There was a certain intensity in his stare. I turned my body away from the window and lay down on the bed, avoiding his gaze.
The wind kept howling, rattling the glass violently. Flashes of lightning lit up the room, followed by endless rumbles of thunder.
It was far too long and fierce to be called a mere shower. Of all days, it had to storm on my vacation and right after a fight with Ardion. It was as if the whole world was begging me not to go.
I let out a sigh.
Just then, a knock came at the door. Ardion opened it, and light spilled into the room. I sat up in bed and looked towards the door.
“Oh my, to have His Majesty open the door himself, what an honor. By the way, may I read your palm as a token of your visit?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Just as Ardion was about to close the door, I jumped off the bed and shouted, “No! I’d like to have my palm read.”
An old man stood there. His back was hunched, like it was hard for him to even stand straight. He must have struggled to come all the way here. Turning him away like that felt terribly rude.
Besides, hadn’t Ardion said it himself? It was during times like this that spending money let people live more comfortably.
When I reached for the door, Ardion looked down at me. I gave him a subtle signal with my eyes, and with a reluctant sigh, he stepped aside.
“Please come in. I don’t think I saw you earlier. Where were you?”
“There were too many people before, so I stepped away for a bit. When there’s too much noise, the energy in my hands gets disrupted.” The old man smiled.
I paused. His eyes were a pale blue, but they also shimmered with a faint whiteness.
Could he be blind?
If so, he walked awfully well. I had offered him my arm, but still…
Now that I thought about it, he did shuffle his feet slightly like he was checking the ground.
How in the world did he climb up to the third floor?
And without a cane too. As I pondered this, we had already arrived at the table. I gently helped him into a seat.
Ardion came over and looked at the old man disapprovingly, then leaned close to my ear. “Laila, are you really going through with this palm reading?”
“What’s the harm? I’m curious about my future.”
I pulled over a chair and sat down. When I motioned to Ardion, he let out a light sigh and took a seat too.
Once we were all seated, the old man seemed to sense it and looked up. “Now, could I see both of your right palms, please?”
I promptly held mine out. Ardion, on the other hand, sat with his arms crossed, simply watching. I had no choice but to tap his arm. He looked at me.
“Ardion.” I called his name softly.
He finally extended his right hand. Placed beside mine, his hand looked noticeably large.
The old man held both of our hands, running his fingers across them slowly. His fingertips were surprisingly rough. Ardion’s eyes flickered with a trace of curiosity. At last, the old man let go of our hands.
“Your Majesty seems deeply troubled at the moment. You’re trying to grasp something, but it keeps slipping through your fingers, always just out of reach.”
“…”
“But the bigger issue lies in your heart. If you stop clinging to the past and trust in the present, everything will work out.”
Ardion looked as though he’d seen a ghost. It was a rare expression for him. He was almost never surprised. He always seemed prepared for whatever happened, as though he already knew the reasons behind it all.
I thought carefully about the old man’s words. Trying to grasp something… What did that mean?
Just as I was about to ask Ardion, the old man spoke again. “And as for Her Majesty, rather than worrying about others, I suggest enjoying what you have right now. If you do, life will feel a little more spacious, and your heart will be more at ease.”
“…”
“And most importantly, instead of keeping everything bottled up inside, try letting some of it out. That will not only lighten your heart but also improve the situation around you.”
I had no words. It felt like he was looking straight into my heart. Every worry, every internal struggle I’d faced, he had named it all.
How could he know all that just from our palms?
While I sat there, stunned, the old man smiled warmly. “But what’s certain is that you two truly love each other. Your future together will be unwavering and full of promise.”
His words were comforting, yet I was still speechless from the uncanny accuracy of his reading.
“Thank you for your kind words.”
At least Ardion managed a response before I did. I quickly followed, offering my thanks as well.
The old man nodded and stood up. When I moved to help him, he waved me off. “It’s alright. You helped me earlier, so I’ll go on my own now.”
“Are you sure? I could walk you down to the first floor…”
“No need.”
He declined so firmly that I couldn’t insist. Still, we accompanied him to the door. Just as I was about to give him money, Ardion stopped me by placing a hand on mine.
“I’ll tell the aide to handle it. You don’t need to.”
I nodded and lowered my hand, but Ardion still held it.
Once the old man left, the room fell quiet again. I could feel Ardion’s eyes on me. The room was dim except for the candlelight, but his green eyes stood out clearly. Their intensity reached me even when I turned away.
Then lightning flashed again. A few seconds later, thunder boomed through the sky. I jumped and turned my head. The next moment, a large hand touched my shoulder, and Ardion pulled me into a firm embrace. In an instant, I was wrapped in his arms.
As I blinked in surprise, he buried his head against my neck. “Laila, everything was my fault.”
“…”
The tension I’d been holding onto started to ease. But I hadn’t been perfect either, so I replied carefully, “I’m sorry too… for not telling you everything. I thought I was protecting you, but I didn’t realize it would hurt you. From now on, I’ll tell you everything.”
His embrace tightened, even more than before. My chest felt slightly constricted, but it wasn’t unpleasant. I could feel his breath against my ear. His warmth, once comforting, now grew hotter.
“Laila, I won’t cling to the past anymore. I realized I’ve been stuck in it for too long. Even back at the ball, things only worked out because I trusted you.”
His voice was low and soothing, like a soft murmur brushing against my ear. Every bit of resentment I’d held onto melted away.
I gently stroked his broad back.
He flinched slightly, then let out a small breath and whispered near my ear, “You won’t push me away anymore, right?”
“No.”
With that, Ardion slowly drew back. Our eyes met. Lightning flared again. In that flash, Ardion’s lips seized mine, claiming them with urgency. My breath caught.
As his lips moved, I found myself slowly leaning back. My legs bumped into the bed. Ardion wrapped an arm around my waist and gently laid me down.