The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: A Double-Edged Flower (2)

***

[This airship will shortly arrive at the Secret Garden. Those with entry passes, please…]

The elven spirit magic announced our imminent arrival, interrupting our quiet moment, our hands clasped together as we gazed at the scenery below.

"Oh, it's time to disembark! Let's go, Finn!"

Lili, still holding my hand, led me towards the center of the airship, where we had first boarded.

Our luggage had been taken care of by the elves, so we didn't have to worry about it.

The wind blew in the opposite direction of our movement, carrying Lili's sweet fragrance, the scent of flowers, towards me.

I smiled, mirroring her joyful expression, but a shadow of unease lingered in my heart.

Was it guilt over my deception?

Or self-loathing, for manipulating her emotions, for crafting her beautiful smile with the ugly threads of lies?

'No, forget it. This isn't the time to worry about such things.'

Yes, I still had much to do.

And telling Lili the truth now—"Actually, you were the one who saved me!"—wouldn't change anything. She wouldn't believe me without proof.

Even Finn's dying words—-I won't kill Bifrons. He's someone you'll want to kill yourself…-—had been misinterpreted by Lili as a selfless act of kindness.

-Worrying about things beyond your control is arrogance.-

Lili had said that, too. To focus on what I could do, not what I couldn't.

So, I wouldn't dwell on my regrets. I had to make her happy, especially now.

Bifrons and Poras's early defeat meant that the war with the Demon King would escalate soon.

And then, such peaceful excursions would become a distant dream.

Knowing the nature of this story, the characters I neglected would inevitably meet a gruesome end.

So, I couldn't waste time on such trivial worries.

My priority was to make Lili happy, to make the most of this short summer break.

And to create lasting memories with her, memories we could share, memories that wouldn't be erased from this world.

This time, I wanted to be a part of her memories.

***

As the boy and girl stood on the deck, playfully ruffling each other's hair, their faces close, their eyes filled with affection,

Elania Lifre, accompanied by Bianca Lopez, approached them.

"You two are heading to the Secret Garden, right?"

"Is there a problem?"

The boy, his happy mood slightly soured by the interruption, asked, his tone a bit sharp.

'He's so clueless. I'm trying to give him some advice about the Secret Garden…'

But she couldn't just leave without saying anything. So, she decided to be a bit cryptic.

"Well, just… remember that the Secret Garden is very different during the day and night… and… read the guidebook carefully."

She was about to walk past them when the signal for disembarkation rang out, and the boy, unexpectedly, thanked her.

"…? Um… yeah, thanks."

"Huh?"

"I appreciate the advice. I thought you were going to complain about something. Sorry, Lifre."

"No, I…"

Lifre, surprised by his sudden change in attitude, was about to respond when the boy and girl stepped onto the short-range teleportation circle.

"Wait, in the Secret Garden, be careful of the double-edged…!"

She tried to warn them about something she hadn't explained properly, but they vanished in a flash of light as the teleportation magic activated.

"…flower. I should have told him. Its effects are completely opposite during the day and night."

But her words were lost to the wind, and she shrugged, scratching her head.

"Well, they'll figure it out. He's practically drowning in honey."

She hoped they would at least read the guidebook.

A guidebook infused with elven spirit magic, its words changing depending on the time of day.

***

"Double… what did she say?"

The boy tried to recall Lifre's last words, the warning she had tried to convey before they teleported.

"Why are you thinking so hard? You can ask her later. Look! Isn't it huge? How can this all be a garden?!"

But his thoughts were swept away by the girl's excited voice, her gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the Secret Garden.

"Hahaha… you're right. This place is bigger than most kingdoms' castles."

"Ooh… the garden eats the castle… chomp chomp. Like this?"

She giggled, gently nibbling on his finger, careful not to leave any teeth marks. Her face was radiant, a bright, flower-like smile.

She was so excited about their trip, so overwhelmed by the sheer size of the Secret Garden, that she couldn't resist her playful antics.

And the boy, mirroring her playful mood, gently nuzzled her cheek with his lips.

" Mumble, mumble… I'm going to eat the Pwrincess."

"Eek…! Everyone, look! The attendant is eating the Prin…."

"…? Pwrincess?"

Suddenly, she froze, as if turned to stone.

Following her gaze, he, too, saw them. Two elves, standing near the entrance of the Secret Garden, watching them with an unreadable expression.

"A-Ahem. Sh-Shall we go, Your Highness?"

"Y-Yes, Finn."

He offered his hand, like a gentleman escorting a lady, and she placed her hand in his, her gaze averted, her cheeks flushed.

While there was no point in trying to regain their composure now, they decided to face the elves with a semblance of dignity.

"Welcome to Wiridia's pride, the Secret Garden. Are you… Her Imperial Highness, Lilisiana Yekaterina, and… Finn, the second-place student of the academy's Knight Department?"

""…Yes.""

The elves, accustomed to greeting love-struck couples, seemed unfazed by their awkwardness. But the boy and girl, despite their earlier resolve, couldn't hide their embarrassment and lowered their heads.

"Then, may I see your entry passes? Please show me your hands."

They extended their hands, and one of the elves cast a spirit magic spell, verifying their passes.

"Confirmed. Are you familiar with the basic rules of the Secret Garden?"

They both shook their heads simultaneously.

The elf, as if anticipating their answer, began explaining,

"First, you can only visit the Secret Garden twice a year. You can use both visits consecutively, but we recommend visiting during both summer and winter breaks, as the flowers in bloom are different each season."

""Oh… I see…""

The elf smiled at their enthusiastic response, like chicks eager for food, and continued,

"And you can take up to three flowers per person per visit, excluding the protected species, of course. Please write the names of the flowers you wish to take on the entry spell I've cast. Just say 'Dicto,' and a writing interface will appear."

They both tried the spell.

""Dicto.""

A translucent holographic notepad appeared, displaying the words they thought of, the words appearing and disappearing as they willed.

""Ooh…""

The boy, experiencing magic for the first time, and the girl, her excitement amplified by the novelty of the simple spell, expressed their amazement.

The elf, interrupting their fascination with the writing magic, asked,

"Are you two a couple?"

"Huh? Ah, well…"

The girl hesitated, glancing at the boy.

She wanted him to answer, to define their relationship himself.

He, sensing her hesitation, took her hand, intertwining their fingers, and said,

"Yes, we are."

"I see. Then we'll assign you to the same room… Would you prefer one bed or two?"

"…."

"…."

They were both stunned, having not expected such a direct question.

But unlike the girl, flustered by the elf's forwardness, the boy, having read countless stories about protagonists being rejected for choosing the "wrong" option, confidently answered,

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

"Understood."

The elf nodded, adding access to their designated room within the Secret Garden to their entry passes.

'Choosing two beds would be idiotic.'

The boy, pleased with his answer, thought smugly. The girl, however, blushed, her face burning, completely flustered by the unexpected turn of events.

'W-What color underwear am I wearing?! Did I bring a negligee?!'

And then, her imagination ran wild, conjuring images of little babies, one after another, defying the laws of mathematics with a miraculous 1+1=5 equation.

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