Chapter 43

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"Where did you search today?"

"The rooms on the first floor, from here to here. ... I don't think His Majesty would go into the laundry room, but according to Lady Eugenia, His Majesty really wanders around everywhere, so it's better to check without any preconceptions."

"Oh, Prince Edwar also said something like that. Isn't it interesting, how King Wilson is? I find him much more approachable than my father."

"If you say that, King Jules will be angry, won't he?"

The next night, Olivia was staring at the castle's floor plan in Silas's room. Silas's room had been cleared of people, even the guard Colin had been sent away.

This floor plan was prepared by Edwar, thinking it would be necessary for the search. Silas was marking the places that Edwar's team and Olivia's group had already checked with Xs.

"Still, to forget the Chosen Sword... it seems like the cleaning maids would notice, doesn't it?"

"Maybe it was forgotten in a place where the maids don't go?"

"Rather than forgetting it, it might be more accurate to say it was dropped somewhere."

Even if it was dropped, unless it was in a place where the cleaning maids wouldn't notice, like a gap between shelves or under a bed, it's possible someone else has already found it. It's unlikely that a maid would put something they found in a room into their pocket, but it's not impossible. Of course, Edwar and his team have considered this possibility. However, since the king has officially announced the start of the "Selection Ceremony," if anyone has found it, they would rush to return it to its original place. If someone is caught stealing the national treasure sword, immediate execution is unavoidable. If the crime is discovered, the entire family would be executed. No maid would be unaware of this.

"Well, from now on, even if they find it, they probably won't touch it. After all, it's a ceremony."

Silas put down his pen, folded the map, and stood up to put it in a drawer. Since the cleaning maids also enter the room, it's better to hide such things where they can't be seen. When Silas returned, he didn't sit on the sofa opposite where he had been, but next to Olivia. As Silas sat down close to her, Olivia's heart skipped a beat.

"Because of this strange situation, I feel like the time I can spend with you, Olivia, has drastically decreased. I want to find it quickly and have some leisure time. I also want to go sightseeing. Filarus has so many beautiful places."

As Silas said, Filarus has many tourist attractions. Although she hasn't been able to visit any of them due to lack of time, there is a very beautiful town by the sea. There are also ruins and old towns that have been preserved. I believe there are also underwater ruins in the northern lake. It's impossible to see everything without a lot of free time, but I want to visit someday.

Olivia's eyes narrowed in delight, and Silas, as if reading her thoughts, casually pulled her shoulder towards him and whispered in her ear.

"Right now, we can't take the time, but what do you think about coming to Filarus for our honeymoon?"

"Right... huh!?"

(Honeymoon!?)

Even though the engagement ceremony hasn't even happened yet, the topic has jumped to a honeymoon, making Olivia's ears turn red.

"Huh? Don't you want to, Olivia? Of course, the destination can be within the country, but unless it's at a time when we can take the time, I don't think we can get the time off."

"No, I don't mind, and of course, I think Filarus is wonderful, definitely, yes!"

"Olivia, your phrasing is a bit off."

Silas chuckled.

Silas sometimes seems to deliberately make Olivia flustered, and today is no exception. When she glared at him, his smile only grew wider.

(Ugh... Of course, I know it's not something that will happen soon... but it's embarrassing.)

Olivia is seventeen years old. If her engagement to Alan hadn't been dissolved, she would probably have gotten married next year or the year after. In fact, there had been talk of starting preparations soon.

Therefore, she understands that the path from engagement to marriage with Silas will be very short, probably less than two years.

She doesn't mind marrying Silas and, of course, wants to. She likes Silas. Her heart races and she gets flustered, but being close to him is also very pleasant. However, there is one worry.

(My heart... will it hold out?)

Taylor often says that Olivia's romantic views are as immature as a child's, and she can't deny it.

There was almost no physical contact between her and Alan as engaged partners. Perhaps because of this, she is not good at physical contact with romantic partners.

"Where do you want to go, Olivia? I want to go to the 'Floating Bridge of the Goddess' along the western coast."

"Ah! I want to go there too!!"

Olivia, who had been flustered and her heart racing, suddenly looked up at the mention of the 'Floating Bridge of the Goddess'.

In the west of Filarus, there is a narrow white sand path that connects the mainland to an isolated island, which only appears during high tide. This path is commonly known as the 'Floating Bridge of the Goddess'.

The isolated island was once a small island nation composed of a now-extinct ethnic group during the Granoria Empire era. Although no one lives there now, numerous ruins remain, providing valuable insights into the life of a different culture that is said to have become extinct. She wants to see it with her own eyes.

"The only time you can cross to the island is when the floating bridge appears. The time is very limited, and you have to return quickly, but if you hurry, you can stay for about thirty minutes. I really want to see it with my own eyes!"

"Sure, I thought you would say that, Olivia. But I'm more interested in the bridge's legend."

"Legend?"

"Yes. It's said that lovers who cross the 'Floating Bridge of the Goddess' holding hands will stay together forever."

As Silas leaned in and said this, Olivia's heart started racing again.

"Um, well..."

"I want to cross the 'Floating Bridge of the Goddess' with you, Olivia, because I want to be with you forever, even if we die and are reborn."

"Ah!"

Please don't whisper in that sweet voice.

(He's doing it on purpose, definitely on purpose!)

Silas, who enjoys making Olivia flustered at every opportunity, must have deliberately brought up this topic.

"Hey, don't you want to be with me forever, Olivia?"

As he closed the distance, Olivia found herself trapped in Silas's arms. His arms were wrapped around her back, and she looked up at him, wide-eyed.

No matter how she answered, it felt like the situation would only make her more flustered.

As Olivia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to figure out what to do, she heard a loud knock on the door.

"Your Highness, are you still in there? I hope you're not doing anything inappropriate. If you go too far, you'll be killed by Duke Atwar."

Colin, who had been kicked out of the room, was banging on the door and shouting.

Silas, frowning, said, "Colin can be such a spoilsport sometimes," and reluctantly released Olivia. As Silas stood up to open the door, Olivia let out a sigh of relief and pressed her hand over her still racing heart.

(Forever... Silas wants to be with me forever...)

Although she was very, very flustered, she was happy to know how Silas felt, and her cheeks softened into a smile.