The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: A Double-Edged Flower (5)

***

A cabin, built with materials far surpassing the dilapidated shack where the boy had once lived with the girl, struggling to survive.

Unlike the shack, which reeked of decay, this cabin was filled with the pleasant, calming scent of old books, like a well-loved library.

Hee hee.

The girl's cheerful giggle echoed through the cozy cabin, a testament to the elves' craftsmanship and attention to detail.

She admired the blue butterfly ring on her left ring finger, the setting sun, streaming through the window behind her, painting it with a warm, golden light.

No, the sunset wasn't what truly captivated her.

It was the blue butterfly, a masterpiece of intricate craftsmanship, adorning her finger.

'Where did Finn even get this?'

He hadn't mentioned anything about getting her a ring, so she assumed he had secretly saved up for it, a touching gesture that filled her with both joy and a pang of sadness.

Perhaps he had spent all his savings, like he used to when he was her attendant…

She remembered the hairpin, the one he had given her, which she had later turned into a ring.

Perhaps he had been planning this all along, waiting for the perfect opportunity to give her a proper ring.

The thought that he might have prepared this gift without knowing when, or if, he would ever have the chance to give it to her, brought tears to her eyes.

But she couldn't ask him about it.

He hadn't boasted about the ring, hadn't asked for her praise or acknowledgment.

It would be rude to question him about its origins, its price, its acquisition date.

And she, who held him in such high regard, couldn't bring herself to ask such a question, even out of simple curiosity.

A ring far more valuable than the hairpin she had worn so casually, a ring even she, a princess, couldn't easily afford.

She didn't recognize the gems adorning the butterfly, but the band was encrusted with diamonds.

And she suspected, having witnessed it herself, that the ring was also imbued with ancient elven magic.

The translucent vine, extending from the butterfly's body,

And the faint, shimmering aura, a pale green light, that emanated from his chest as the vine connected their fingers, like a red string of fate.

'Pale… green?'

She somehow understood the meaning of the color, without needing an explanation.

Relief.

He was relieved to have given her the ring.

She wasn't surprised by his relief. It was understandable, after such a significant gesture, almost like a proposal.

But what surprised her was her newfound ability to clearly perceive his emotions.

She no longer had to study his face to understand his feelings.

She had almost burst into tears again when she realized this.

It was another gift, another act of kindness, meant to ease her anxieties, her insecurities.

'He must have known I would overthink things, that I would try to read his mind, even if he told me not to. So he added this effect to the ring.'

The ring eliminated her anxiety, her fear of misinterpreting his feelings.

And the fact that he had given her such a powerful tool, a tool that allowed her to see his emotions, even if it only worked on him, meant that he trusted her completely.

How could she not be overjoyed?

These thoughts, these complex emotions, swirled in her mind every time she looked at the ring. So, she agreed to his request, to wait for him at the cabin.

He had said he was tired from the journey, and that he would bring back takeout, so she should just relax and wait for him.

Normally, she would have insisted on going with him, but she sensed his excitement, his anticipation, and nodded obediently.

'He probably wants to have dinner alone with me in the cabin.'

If she went with him, they would inevitably end up eating in a crowded restaurant.

"He's so cute."

A wide smile spread across her face.

The boy, who was usually so cold and ruthless, who treated his enemies like insects,

Was so clumsy and awkward when it came to romance. It was endearing.

Then, a memory surfaced.

-One bed is enough. A large one, please.-

"Don't tell me… he's planning to… after dinner…?!"

She had heard the rumors.

That men often referred to women's bodies as a "sweet dessert."

That they reinterpreted the fairytale trope of little girls being made of sugar and spice, their desires turning them into ravenous beasts.

The source of these rumors? Her maid, Marianne, of course.

She panicked.

"W-What should I do?! What if he suddenly says, 'Shall we have dessert now?' and pounces on me…!"

"Underwear…! I should change my underwear! Or maybe a negligee…?!"

A voice, clear and distinct, stopped her frantic preparations.

[Um… Your Highness?]

"…Huh?"

Finn's voice. No, it was as if his voice was being projected directly into her mind. She froze.

"F-Finn…?"

Her eyes darted around, searching for him.

But he was nowhere to be seen. His voice, answering her unspoken question, echoed in her mind.

[I forgot to mention. If you touch the butterfly on the ring… you can communicate telepathically. Like this.]

But this time, it wasn't curiosity, but mortification, that made her cheeks burn.

"H-How long have you been… listening…?"

[….]

A moment of silence.

"Tell me… Finn…"

Her voice trembled, a plea in her voice. He sighed, then revealed the devastating truth.

[Since… the 'hee hee' giggle…]

"Aaaaaaaaagh!!!"

He had heard everything. Her embarrassing fantasies, her inner monologue.

***

"Please, forgive me, Your Highness… I'm sorry…"

As the sun set and the moon illuminated the Secret Garden, Lili was still mortified, even after dinner.

"No… it's not your fault… it's my fault for saying those things… ahaha…"

"It wasn't your fault. You were adorable."

"R-Really…? Even the… dessert and underwear part…?"

"Ah. That…"

He searched for the right words, his eyes darting around.

He couldn't say "adorable" again. She might faint from embarrassment, especially after he had revealed the ring's communication function.

'What should I say? That I was happy? No, that's too creepy. That it was okay? That's weird too…'

He couldn't find the answer in any of the webnovels he had read, and even if he did, it wouldn't work.

She had already figured out that he had used those words as an opportunity to tease her. And now, with the ring amplifying her ability to sense his emotions, it was a bad idea to even try.

She saw his hesitation, his internal struggle, and quickly turned away, her cheeks burning with shame.

Her gaze fell on the double-edged flowers outside the window, their silver petals now open, glowing in the moonlight.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong…?"

"Look. The double-edged flowers… they're blooming."

They had noticed the flowers surrounding their cabin during the day, but,

The guidebook hadn't mentioned them blooming at night. They stared at the flowers in silent wonder.

She opened the guidebook again, wondering if she had misremembered, while he opened the window, wanting to enjoy the cool night air and the sweet fragrance of the flowers.

He remembered that the flower's effect had a limited range, so it shouldn't reach the cabin.

Creak. Whoosh.

The cool night air, fragrant with the scent of the forest, filled the cabin.

He turned to see her, her hair fluttering in the breeze, her gaze fixed on the guidebook.

Alone in a cabin in the woods.

He remembered the time he had spent with her in the shack, before his regression.

A time only he remembered now, with Finn gone.

This cabin, built with far superior materials.

The luxurious food.

Her healthy glow, and his own.

And…

The memory of that final day, a short, but intense, memory that had become a permanent fixture in his mind.

Her dying in his arms, her blood staining his clothes.

Her clinging to life, her only wish to hear him say her name.

And her final moments, her dying without hearing his voice.

'I won't let you die like that again, Lili.'

"I won't let you die like that again, Lili."

….

….

…What did I just say…?

"…What did you just say, Finn…?"

She looked up from the guidebook, her eyes wide with shock, her hand covering her mouth.

The double-edged flower, its effects reversed at night,

Its silver petals blooming only under the moonlight,

Had shattered his carefully constructed walls, revealing his true feelings.

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