Chapter 87

Her vision flickered, and for a moment, she lost her sense of balance. After a few moments of blinking, her eyes opened.

What appeared before her eyes was a familiar scene—the view from her bed. Eldis clenched her fingertips, reaffirming that this was real.

She just couldn't get used to the sensation of returning to her body after creating an illusion. Sometimes, she even doubted whether this was truly her body, though these doubts faded with time.

Regardless, she had fulfilled her task. Eldis relaxed her cheeks slightly. It wasn't a dramatic expression, but her face seemed to brighten a little.

She wasn't sure if what she had gathered could be called information, but this would likely satisfy him. Thinking this, she swung her legs off the bed to leave the bedroom.

Suddenly, her reflection in the mirror caught her eye. It showed her standing up from the bed, her hair slightly tousled, and her clothes, though in male attire, noticeably disheveled. Her eyelashes and complexion might not have been as good as usual. Eldis's feet, which had been about to leave the room, stopped.

Naturally, her long fingers began to smooth her hair and straighten her clothes. She splashed water on her face, blinking and observing herself in the mirror.

Is this how it should be? She thought, perhaps she should use a comb as well. Just as this thought crossed her mind, her cheeks turned a rosy color.

What am I doing? She reminded herself that she didn't care about her appearance, preferring male attire and adjusting her tone to match. She didn't feel like she was forcing herself; this form and way of being suited her best.

Therefore, she had always left her hair and appearance to her maids, rarely caring about them herself.

But what was she doing now?

Eldis's large blue eyes wavered as she averted her gaze from the mirror, as if she were a girl fussing over her appearance. She didn't have such a habit.

Moreover, the person she was about to meet was the rough human, Ruis. Why should she care? There was no need at all. With this thought, she reached for the door separating the bedroom from the living room.

She cleared her throat a few times in front of the bedroom door, her fingers naturally smoothing her hair as she opened the wooden door, which creaked.

"Hey, I'm back. It wasn't bad. At least, I no longer need to fight blindfolded."

She didn't explicitly state whose achievement this was, letting a slightly higher-pitched voice escape her throat.

However, after waiting for a while, the expected voice did not return from the room. That was strange. Usually, his slightly sarcastic voice would have already replied.

Frowning, she peered into the room, and there he was, as usual. But his green-clad figure was slumped in a chair, head bowed and eyes closed.

Eldis approached him quietly, without making a sound, and leaned in close to look at his face.

The deep, regular breaths and closed eyelids confirmed it—Ruis had fallen asleep in the chair.

Eldis's lips trembled again, and her gaze hardened. She wasn't one to show her emotions openly, but her current expression clearly conveyed her displeasure.

She had carried out the reconnaissance mission as instructed, only to find her commander asleep upon her return. If you give an order, shouldn't you see the results through? Eldis's lips curled as she glared at Ruis's sleeping face.

But then, Eldis blinked and reconsidered.

Right, he hadn't slept much last night. She remembered that Ruis had held her all night, without a moment's rest, supporting this body.

Eldis's ears twitched slightly.

Indeed, it was understandable. She had heard that human bodies were not particularly robust or durable. Given what happened yesterday, it was reasonable for him to need some sleep.

Eldis gently stroked the unusually rough hand resting on the chair. After all, he was her knight. Perhaps it was a sign of her leadership to be lenient in such matters.

Thinking this, the irritation in Eldis's heart dissipated. Instead, a sense of appreciation for his efforts began to well up.

It wasn't that she had let her guard down with him, Ruis. She didn't fully trust him or have no reservations, at least not yet.

But the animosity she usually felt towards humans was indeed waning when it came to him, and Eldis blinked her eyelashes.

At first, it was out of sympathy, a mutual feeling of shared suffering. She thought they were both resigned to their fates, licking each other's wounds.

But she realized it was a misunderstanding, a one-sided thought. Ruis had said he had no intention of giving up or dying. He had even declared that he would forcibly take her away, his blue eyes piercing hers.

A soft smile escaped Eldis's lips as she continued to look at Ruis's sleeping face.

How utterly disrespectful. Normally, such an act would warrant a beheading. An elf princess and a mere human—comparing them was absurd.

But at that moment, Eldis couldn't feel that way. Without Ruis, she might have gradually lost her mind in this tower, her spirit eroding with time.

She wouldn't have had the courage to reach out and touch the sky, to run across the earth again.

Yes, she would have given up everything, let it all go. Ruis had said he would take her away, and she had to hold his hand to prevent that.

She intertwined her fingers with Ruis's limp ones, gripping them tightly enough to wake him, but not so much that he would stir.

"You said you would take me with you, make it so I couldn't escape. I was surprised."

She spoke each word deliberately, as if reciting a vow to the sleeping him, almost like a blessing, almost like a curse.

"Elves are very tenacious. Once they feel something, it never easily fades. Never."

Elves, due to their long lifespans, were resistant to change in their thoughts, habits, and emotions. Minor daily matters might pass, but the deeper the feeling, the more indelible the scar.

And she had made a contract with him. He had said he wouldn't let her go, and she had accepted it. It was a contract.

She hadn't completely let her guard down, hadn't fully trusted him, hadn't accepted everything.

But Ruis had said he wouldn't let her go.

Eldis had accepted the binding contract.

"I keep my promises. On my honor, I will."

Whispering, Eldis murmured these words into Ruis's ear, still breathing softly in his sleep.