# Chapter 48
“I'll drive you.”
Evening came, and the streets were crowded with people.
In the crowd, the distance between Edmund and me grew closer, so much so that our fingertips touched lightly with every step.
But he apparently did not feel anything because of the gloves on his hands.
If I stay like this I will look nervous, and if I move away I will look even more nervous.
I hesitated a little, then decided to tie my hair again so that I could move my hands away in a natural way.
But Edmund suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Ed…Edmund?”
“I was afraid you would get lost. There are a lot of people here.”
"Get lost? This is my way to work!"
I replied, surprised by his strange excuse. He looked away and stammered, "I mean... me! I'm the one who might get lost. I haven't been out of the palace much, and it's dark at night, and the roads are the same, so I get confused sometimes."
The skin was originally cold to the touch, but its temperature seemed unusually warm, and the heat extended to my face until I couldn't look directly at it.
Edmund, by nature, doesn't talk much.
Time passed in silence between us, and our shadows stretching on the ground seemed to be of a harmonious couple.
Perhaps passers-by will now see us as two ordinary lovers walking side by side...
I looked at him furtively.
Even in public clothing, he attracted attention with his upright figure and calm, confident features.
It seems that I'm the only one feeling embarrassed.
In my previous life and this life, I had never walked with a man like this before.
No father, no one has ever held his hand like that.
The feeling of walking with someone who shares your footsteps... is strangely beautiful.
Is this what they call the feeling of love?
Even when I ate with Gallerhead I didn't feel like this.
While I was thinking deeply, my eyes fell on our intertwined hands.
'Oh my God...is this all racial?'
Edmund's black glove became damp.
I have to remove my hand immediately before he notices!
I focused all my energy on my fingers, trying to withdraw slowly so as not to appear rude in front of the Crown Prince.
But as soon as the thumb was left alone, he slipped his fingers between mine and tightened the grip.
The sound of skin rubbing against skin shocked me more than anything.
'Why is he crossing his fingers now in particular?!'
“Hmm. How did you think today was?”
He asked me in a calm voice, so I quickly started looking for any topic to talk about, just to end the situation.
“I think the idea of having multiple entrances was really genius.
Then another matter occurred to me: the building we built... What do you think if we designated some of it as small guard posts for the surveillance squad?
“We paint it a prominent color so people know it, and when an accident happens they can go there to report it.”
I had thought about this while walking among the similarly colored houses.
Having centers like this - like the police stations in my previous world - would be very useful.
“I think it would also be better to put a sign on the fountain that says:
‘Entry inside is prohibited’, to prevent accidents.”
“…Huh.”
Edmund took a deep breath, as if hiding a laugh or boredom.
Did I say something wrong?
"Ah! And I remembered something else. The residence that Prince Lucid built for the people of Voglish, the people there are still dissatisfied with it. On the contrary, the project your Highness has planned will certainly gain a good reputation. Even Galerhead said that he would rather be independent with a loan than live in those residences!"
But Edmund tightened his fist more and said in a sharp tone: “I didn’t mean that kind of talk.”
I was confused by his sudden tone, so he took a deep breath, then wiped his face with his palm as if to calm himself down, and said in a lighter voice: “I was asking... about our date. I mean, about today’s tour.”
“Ah… round, right.”
I stuttered. That word “appointment” came from him suddenly like a thunderbolt.
“I mean, think about it, we attended a show, we ate...isn't that a date after all? ‘Date’ is a nicer word than just ‘inspections’.”
“Ah, right, if we look at it like that.”
Indeed, what we did today was no different from a real date.
“It was...okay.”
In fact, it was a day full of surprises.
Serious Edmund watched the puppet show with interest, behaved nicely, gave gifts, and even apologized.
His every action was unusual.
But I reminded myself that my goal was to leave this world and return to my mother.
Am I starting to relate to this place after all these years?
"Just okay? I've never heard that kind of review before. I'm used to hearing 'great' or 'best' all the time."
He pretended to be upset, but his smile did not disappear.
“So next round… I’ll make her rating higher.”
He stopped at the temple door and said, “Here we are.”
I didn't realize when we had come all the way, but I felt a little disappointed that we had arrived so quickly.
'loss? Why do I feel a loss?'
Wasn't I hoping to come back early to rest?
“Come in.”
“Goodbye, Your Highness.”
“Huh? You’re saying Your Highness again?”
He laughed as he patted my head lightly.
It was the same gesture I had become accustomed to in the office, but under the moonlight it seemed warmer.
“No one is here, so I can safely say it.”
“Well, then I'll have to get used to it myself...”
"Huh? For what?"
“I will have you call me 'Edmund' without affectation.”
“Why is that?”
His voice suddenly changed, and with it my heart was confused as well.
He slowly extended his hand towards me, and I tensed for no apparent reason.
A gentle breeze blew, and my hairband flew out of place.
“Oh, my hairband!”
Edmund held it, then stretched out the flowing blue locks and kissed the ends gently.
My hair has no feeling, but my face turns red as if the lips touched my cheek directly.
"This would be a more appropriate disguise. Since we are dressed as common people, it is strange for you to call me by an official title. And then I have Vogelish blood in my features, and no one will suspect that we are of the upper class."
“Ah… I see.”
He is right, the purpose of this visit is confidentiality.
“I will be more careful next time.”
He smiled and handed me the hairband again.
“Olivia.”
"Yes?"
“You know, I'm not one of those people who look like sunshine.”
I stopped in my tracks, wondering what the meaning of his words was, so he continued quietly: “But perhaps I can be the breeze of spring that caresses you.”
“Huh?”
I still don't understand it.
I was always first in language lessons, but his language alone was difficult to understand.
“I am the one who will take your coat off.”
“Take off? What? What exactly did you say?!”
As I gasped, he reached over and carefully re-closed my coat.
“I mean, even if the sun is shining and it's hot, never take off your coat. Understood?”
He left that mysterious phrase and walked away.
I saw the red color extending to the tips of his ears.
What is this strange talk? Am I crazy or is he?!
I didn't understand with my mind, but my heart started beating like crazy.
It seems that extraordinary beauty can actually confound logic.
The wind played with his black hair as he walked away with confident steps.
Even his back is handsome... What is this man?
I stared at his back for a long time, as if I didn't want that moment to end.