Radiant City was still the same as ever, as massive and bustling as always.
Erich walked along the pedestrian path. The disguise on his face had long been washed away, and his hair color had returned to its original state. Since he already had the pursuit squad under his control, there was no point in hiding anymore. He might as well walk back openly and see what kind of game was being played.
Every so often along the walls of the street, a wanted poster was pasted, bearing Erich's face. The crime listed was attacking the imperial princess.
Amusingly, even though he was walking around so brazenly, no one came forward to arrest him.
Erich wasn't particularly surprised. After all, when he had emerged from the teleportation hall earlier, the guards had caught sight of him from afar and quickly turned their heads, pretending they hadn't seen a thing. Clearly, someone high up had already given the word. On the streets, people occasionally recognized him, but those who did stopped at pointing in his direction and whispering among themselves; not a single person approached.
There was, however, a child who was suddenly yanked into an alleyway by his mother, as if she were terrified of him being targeted by some kind of monster.
Erich couldn't help but touch his own face. Was he really that terrifying?
Shaking his head, Erich ignored the gossip and headed straight toward Morningstar Academy. Honestly, rather than the pointing and whispering, he was more curious about the young princess's current state. Knowing Isabella, she probably couldn't wait to describe his plight as a hundred times worse than it actually was when she delivered the message. He wondered what the young princess would think upon hearing it.
The academy was already in sight—the familiar plaza, the familiar gates. Erich let out a breath of relief. Just as he was about to step inside, a carriage drove up from the side and stopped squarely in front of him.
The door opened, and the young princess stepped down.
She wore a light-colored dress, and her luxurious yet understated accessories highlighted her noble aura. However, her eyes were terribly red, as if she had been crying for a long time. Standing by the carriage, she stared at Erich, walking toward him step by step until she stopped just inches away.
Neither of them spoke.
Erich originally had a lot he wanted to say, but now that the moment was here, he found the words stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single syllable.
After a long silence, he was the first to speak. “Long time no see.”
The young princess's voice was slightly hoarse. “Long time no see.”
And then she began to cry. Tears welled up and spilled over without warning or restraint. She threw herself entirely into Erich's embrace, her hands gripping his lapels with a death grip.
Several maids climbed down from the carriage. Well-trained, they immediately gathered around, forming a protective ring around the two and using their skirts and shawls to block out any prying eyes from the surroundings.
Erich froze in place, his hands unsure of where to go. Looking down, he could only see the young princess's pale gold hair and feel her shoulders trembling with each sob.
The young princess cried for a long while before finally looking up. Her eyes were quite swollen and the tip of her nose was red, but the strength in her hands didn't loosen in the slightest. She clutched Erich's clothes as if terrified he would vanish the next second.
“Come with me,” she said.
Erich allowed her to drag him onto the carriage. The young princess's carriage was much more spacious than he had imagined, lined with soft blankets, and a faint, sweet fragrance drifted through the air. The moment she boarded, she sat right next to him, refusing to let go of his arm.
“Where are we going?” Erich asked.
“My dormitory.”
Erich blinked. “A princess's dormitory... Is it really appropriate for a grown man like me to go in?”
The young princess didn't answer, only hugging his arm even tighter.
The carriage drove through the academy gates and stopped in front of the Silverwing Hall girls' dormitory. The moment Erich stepped out, he could feel numerous gazes peering from windows all over the academy. But the young princess led the way, pulling him into the building and all the way to a room on the top floor that was clearly decorated with greater luxury. “You stay right here. You're not allowed to go anywhere. It's very dangerous outside.”
Erich looked at the young princess in front of him. He really wanted to say, “Actually, it's not that dangerous outside,” but seeing her swollen eyes, he swallowed his words.
The young princess pulled Erich over to sit on the only chair in the room, then sat down on the edge of the bed right beside him. After a long silence, she spoke first. “What happened after you were teleported away?”
Erich thought about it, starting from the giant serpent in the dungeon, moving on to the lightning strike, his loss of consciousness, the Gray Fang adventurer team, the caravan along the way, and the pursuit squad they encountered mid-journey. He tried his best to pick the amusing parts to tell, deliberately downplaying the part where he was struck by lightning and left half-dead. The young princess listened very intently, occasionally asking for details, but mostly just watching him quietly.
“What about at school?” Erich asked.
So the young princess also shared some recent events: the academy classes, Lorraine throwing a tantrum at the Headmistress to beg for help, Irene and several roommates organizing a petition at the academy. When she mentioned her own lobbying of the nobles, she merely brushed over it lightly.
But Erich could tell that she had grown noticeably thinner since their last meeting, with faint dark circles under her eyes. All her exhaustion from this period was written clearly on her face.
In the afternoon, several visitors arrived one after another. Lorraine pushed the door open, and upon seeing Erich sitting in the chair, she rushed over and punched him on the shoulder. “So you finally decided to come back!”
Balin, his two other roommates, and Irene followed behind, their expressions completely relieved. Celine stood at the doorway and looked in. She didn't say much, only nodding. Seeing that Erich was indeed fine, the group took their leave one by one.
As they left, Lorraine looked back at the doorway at Erich and the young princess, who were practically glued to each other. Swallowing whatever she wanted to say, she pulled the door shut behind her.
Time passed faster than expected. By the time the room grew quiet again, the sky outside had already darkened.
Erich leaned against the back of his chair, trying to figure out where he would sleep tonight. After all, this was the princess's dormitory; he couldn't actually overstay his welcome and sleep here.
The sound of running water from the bathroom interrupted his thoughts.
He looked back. The bathroom door was closed, light shining through from inside.
After a while, the door opened. The young princess walked out wearing pajamas, her damp hair clinging to the side of her face. She glanced at Erich, sat down on the bed, and then slightly tilted her head, gesturing toward the bathroom with her eyes.
Erich felt he must have misunderstood her meaning, so he looked again.
The young princess kept the same expression, but the message was clear: Go take a shower.
“I'll go wash up,” Erich replied dryly, obediently heading into the bathroom. Faint warmth still lingered inside, and a dry towel hung on the rack.
He washed up incredibly fast and changed into the pajamas the young princess had brought him. They were clearly prepared in advance, fitting him surprisingly well.
The young princess was still sitting on the bed. She patted the empty space beside her, then looked up at him.
Erich stood by the bedside and let out a dry laugh. “This is a bit inappropriate, Your Highness.”
“Call me Nora,” the young princess said.
“Nora, isn't this a bit improper?”
The young princess tilted her head, seemingly considering the question seriously. Then, she spoke, her words shocking him. “Didn't we already sleep together in the Abyss?”
How is that the same?! Erich thought. In the Abyss, they were forced by their environment. Besides, what did she mean by "slept together"? At most, they had spent a night in a tree hollow. If word of this got out, who knew how twisted the rumors would become?
But the young princess gave him no opportunity to argue further. Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and forcefully dragged him onto the bed. Caught off guard, Erich tumbled onto the soft mattress. Before he could push himself up, the young princess had already snuggled close, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.
“No running away,” she whispered.
With a soft, delicate body in his arms, Erich didn't dare to move a muscle.
The young princess didn't do anything else. She simply held Erich, her breathing gradually growing long and steady. Soon, her body relaxed completely.
She was truly exhausted. From the moment Erich went missing until today, heaven only knew how long it had been since she last had a good night's sleep.
Erich gazed at Nora's sleeping face. Gently, he tucked the blanket around her, adjusting his posture to make himself more comfortable.
Only after a long while did he murmur, “I won't run.”
The room fell silent. Erich lay on his back, listening to the even breathing beside him, letting out a sigh of relief without quite knowing why. He had thought he would suffer from insomnia, plagued by countless messy thoughts, but before long, sleepiness crept up on him silently.
And so, he fell fast asleep.
The two of them, together.
Rate on N.U.
