Chapter 10

The next morning.

Ries, who had come to pick me up as promised, was not in his usual pure white uniform. Instead, he wore a brown vest over a plain white shirt, a black belt, and trousers designed for ease of movement, along with long leather boots. His simple attire was the only hint of his true status, marked by the intricately crafted sword hanging from his waist.

The special uniform of the Privileged Knights from yesterday was, in a sense, a formal suit for meeting the Spirit Maiden. For the journey, he wore this outfit to avoid drawing attention.

Anticipating standing next to the overly impressive Ries, I had chosen one of the more elaborate dresses from my closet, an orange one. I now bitterly regretted my choice, having dressed up to avoid looking inferior. I really wanted to change.

But until we reached the next place where I could change, I had to endure the unfamiliar carriage ride. Ries glanced at my outfit but said nothing, though his eyes seemed colder than usual.

I loaded the wooden box I received from Rinse yesterday into the carriage, and we set off, accompanied by the bright red flowers of the Ricola.

Already, the start of my journey to the capital seemed fraught with difficulties, and I set off for the royal capital.

●●●

The journey to the capital was uneventful, and we arrived smoothly. The royal capital, Rubelia, was a vibrant and beautiful town with cobblestone streets and colorful roofs.

As I looked around curiously after getting out of the carriage, Ries simply said, "Don't look around," and strode ahead with his long legs. He kept a clear distance from me.

...Ries, true to his words of "not intending to interact more than necessary," hardly spoke to me during the journey. When he did, it was either formal or dismissive. Most of the conversation during the trip was with Wol.

"Hey, Sue. What's that? It smells delicious! What are they playing over there? It looks fun. I want to see it up close!"

Wol seemed more excited than I was. As a newly born spirit, this was his first time in the capital, just like me.

As I tried to stop Wol from running around, I bumped into someone passing by. After hurriedly apologizing, I noticed they had a spirit with them, and the spirit chuckled.

The spirit, a beautiful cat with lush green fur, had vines entangled in its tail, likely a Holy Spirit of the Earth.

"Such a lovely spirit user. Is this your first time in the capital? May this be a memorable and joyful visit."

The spirit, in a voice like the tinkling of a bell, said this and waved its tail as it left, the green vines swaying. Then, pink petals appeared from nowhere and softly fell on my head.

It was a playful blessing, but in an unfamiliar place where I felt a bit lonely, it was a welcome sight.

As I stood there, picking up the petals, Ries came back to me, glaring.

"...I told you not to look around. We don't have time to waste. Don't stop here."

"I know, I know! It's just that a spirit welcomed me with flowers...!"

"Flowers?"

Ries furrowed his perfectly shaped brows and looked at me with a puzzled expression. At first, I stood up straight and said, "Yes! Flowers!" but then I realized I was covered in petals and quickly brushed them off my hair and clothes. I was happy to receive flowers, but I didn't want Ries to see me looking any more disheveled.

...Those cold eyes are really hard to take.

Wol, as soon as Ries approached, visibly perked up his ears in a threatening manner. This had been the case throughout the carriage ride. Ries, however, seemed oblivious to Wol's behavior. The thought of going to the church and then to the Spirit Queen filled me with unease.

Shaking off my unease, I patted my skirt and was about to start walking when Ries unexpectedly called out, "Hey."

"What...?"

"There are still petals in your hair. ...You're as slow as ever, you know."

I stopped my foot, which was about to step on the cobblestones, and Ries looked at me with a slightly softer gaze, a rare expression for him. His usually expressionless, sharp face was slightly relaxed.

The subtle change in his expression and the words he spoke made my light blue eyes widen.

"Sue, you have Ricola petals in your hair. ...You're as slow as ever."

A peaceful scene from a distant past flashed through my mind. It was a memory from when we were young, tending the garden together. Back then, he had gently removed the petals stuck in my hair, surprising me with the unexpected gentleness of his actions, despite his words.

For just a moment, the past Ries and the present Ries overlapped in my mind.

Caught off guard, I stood frozen as Ries slowly reached out his hand. But he suddenly pulled back, as if realizing what he was doing, and turned his face away, looking embarrassed. Then, he pressed his hand to his chest and said, "Let's go," before walking briskly into the crowd.

"Don't leave me behind, you guard!"

I hurried after him, still covered in petals, my heart racing from the brief moment of change.

Why did he show me that face now?

I hated how a small thing like this could unsettle me and disturb my heart. It was pathetic to be swayed by a hint of the past and a few words. Lins would scold me for this.

I scolded myself, "Pull yourself together, Soria," over and over in my mind. As I hurried to the church, I caught a glimpse of a petal being carried away by the wind, and I quickened my pace.