Chapter 36

“Oh.”

It’s a familiar ceiling.

I blinked and looked up at the ceiling of the cruise ship.

It felt like the lingering emotions stirred up by that dream of my past life were finally ebbing away.

When I turned my head, I saw Massera’s chiseled profile up close, his eyes gently shut.

‘He has a really pretty nose.’

Lost in admiration, I suddenly realized my head was resting on his shoulder and sprang up in surprise.

At the same time, Massera opened his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept a wink.

“Did I perhaps do something last night…?”

I asked cautiously.

After hearing the fireworks, I panicked and curled up under the blanket—everything after that was a blur.

“Next time, I’d appreciate it if you warned me in advance about things that scare you.”

He said, looking up at the ceiling with tired eyes.

There’s no way I would’ve known they’d set off fireworks on the cruise! Still, I must’ve done something to make him care for me like that.

“Gunshots, explosions, alarms—stuff like that…”

“And yet you married a soldier. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He was still lying there, staring at the ceiling.

His usually neat platinum blond hair was now disheveled.

“Go wash up and change first.”

He spoke in a tone even stiffer than usual.

He always used to be up at dawn on the train ride, sitting neatly dressed. Is it because of me?

“Okay.”

As I got up, something felt off. Glancing down, I was startled to see that my pajama buttons weren’t done.

“I didn’t do that.”

His tired voice came from behind me as I turned away.

“I know.”

There’s no way a situation like a one-night stand could happen between us.

“You stayed with me all night, right? Thank you.”

I turned my back to Massera, buttoning up my shirt, and thanked him, but he said nothing.

Every time I was about to give up on life, the one who held me was—ironically—that man who doesn’t like me.

‘He’s a pretty warm-hearted person.’

A warm foot warmer—for now, he passes the first round of screening.

***

While Cynthia tidied up her disheveled clothes and went into the bathroom, Massera remained lying on the bed, deep in thought.

“Have you forgotten the trials and suffering we went through because of the Variessa royal family? In the end, you too have become a man blinded by ambition, General.”

Captain Declan’s agitated voice came to mind—he had opposed the marriage to the very end and refused to even attend.

“Do you really think that woman, who lived in hiding in the countryside pampered like a princess, could understand even a fraction of the pain of war? It’s an insult to the servants at the residence, most of whom are war victims.”

Massera covered his eyes with the back of his hand and let out a sigh.

Before meeting Cynthia, he’d intended to treat her harshly and hurt her.

“Hello, I’m Cynthia Queensguard.”

But when he saw her innocent, childlike smile, all his firm resolutions seemed to waver.

His determination to break her, who had always lived so brightly, only stirred guilt inside him.

Most of all, the fear-stricken look on her face was one only someone who’d already been broken could make.

“I’m fine, really. I feel better when I eat a lot of good food.”

The moment he recalled the subordinate who always wore a bright smile but ultimately took their own life, unable to overcome their trauma, Massera’s eyes snapped open.

“Ha.”

Massera’s eyes trembled slightly.

That subordinate’s suicide had become the turning point that led him to take in and help others struggling with the aftermath of war.

And yet, the person he was supposed to despise most was stirring up pity.

Ever since he met Cynthia, he kept getting swept up in emotions that weren’t like him.

‘I just need to get through this.’

Once the honeymoon was over, there’d be no reason for them to spend time face-to-face like this, aside from official events.

They’d keep their distance and eventually go their separate ways.

‘So she’ll never become someone important.’

Beneath the hand covering his face, Massera’s lips twisted slightly.

***

After many twists and turns, we finally arrived at the Medeia royal palace as state guests.

People who saw Massera’s sleep-deprived face smiled knowingly, saying we must be having a great time.

“We welcome the war hero of the Luthemia Republic and the Princess of Variessa. Please enjoy your stay in Medeia.”

We were even granted an audience with the Queen of Medeia, a beautiful and alluring woman. On top of that, she possessed striking intellect—fluent in six languages, including Luthemian.

Later, after being shown to a luxurious guest room reserved for state guests, Massera sighed at the sight of there being only one bed.

Sweeping a hand over the sofa that would be his bed, he said—

“So, what’s the plan for this trip? I heard you meticulously made an itinerary.”

“Of course I did. Here.”

He glanced over the itinerary I handed him, then asked with a baffled expression—

“...Do you consider this a plan?”

“It couldn’t get any more perfect than that.”

Day 1: Arrive at the palace. Tour the palace (Buy a souvenir for the Queen’s 20th coronation anniversary). Visit that famous river—I forgot the name.

Day 2: Visit the highest observation deck. Ride the ferris wheel to enjoy the night view.

Day 3: Visit a cool temple. Visit the cathedral. Walk the pilgrimage route.

“So day two is aerial combat, and day three is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land?”

“We’ll just be flexible with it as we go.”

I was a spontaneous P-type person.

He flipped to another page and pointed with his finger.

“It seems you only put effort into researching food.”

– 73 Blaine Street, Le Celine House. Local cuisine spot approved by the royal family. 100-year history and has been run by the Le Celine family of chefs. Opens at 3 PM and operates until midnight, except for during break time. Expect to wait in line during dinner time.

– 5 Descente Street, Footman My FairMade. Traditional beer hotspot. Said to be opened by a *Francian* footman who once served a noble house in Medeia before retiring.

…..

…

The list of about twenty spots were picked and written down in that manner.

“Food is what really stays with you from a trip, you know?”

At my firm attitude, Massera looked at me like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing and sighed.

“Let’s go see the palace garden first.”

“It is raining.”

It was a country where it rained all year round and sunny days were rare.

“It’s fine. I’m a weather fairy, after all.”

I went out to the garden full of confidence, but the rain showed no sign of letting up.

“Once we step outside, it should stop soon, right?”

While we toured the beautiful garden and made our way to the famous river that I still couldn’t remember the name of, the rain did not stop pouring.

‘The rain here is strong enough to beat even my luck.’

I looked up at the sky, umbrella in hand instead of a parasol.

“The rain gives it some charm. Don’t you think it’s kind of nice?”

“Sure.”

Massera answered reluctantly, looking at the river that had become muddy due to the heavy rain.

I’d wanted to take a sightseeing boat… but oh well. That man would never row, and I’d end up doing it myself.

After that, we took a quick look around the river which had turned yellow and muddy, and headed to the cafe I had carefully picked out.

<Closed today due to our dog (Name: Latti) giving birth.>

“Uh… Congratulations, Latti.”

I, who had boasted that I would take responsibility for this trip, looked back at Massera with an embarrassed expression.

I had a feeling that everything was going to ruin.

But books say, “Life is fun because things don’t go as planned.” So as a flexible person, I decided to move up our plans for day two.

And it was to visit the highest observation deck!

“...”

I had dragged Massera to the observation deck before falling silent for a moment.

<Not open in case of rain.>

“It rains all the time here. So when is it ever open…?”

In the end, we did nothing until evening, and right after eating at a restaurant I’d researched did the rain finally stop.

“See? I told you I’m a weather fairy. Things got off track earlier because something better was coming.”

“Lucky Princess, I think the rain simply decided it was time to stop.”

I shot him a glare at his sarcastic remark, then headed for the ferris wheel to enjoy the night view.

I pretended not to hear his question about what we’d do tomorrow now that I’d pushed up all the plans. That would be tomorrow-me’s problem.

Thankfully, the ferris wheel was running as usual.

Once inside the rickety ferris wheel, I kept exclaiming in awe as I looked at the night view.

The sky, now cleared of clouds, was filled with countless stars and a shining moon, and where it met the twinkling lights of the city, it looked just like the cosmos.

I gushed to the man sitting across from me.

“The night sky is so clear! I heard the fog usually makes it hard to see the view, so maybe the rain earlier was for this. We’re lucky, don’t you think? I mean, there is the saying—speak it into existence.”

“Is that so?”

The man with no reactions, as usual, just stared outside, deep in thought.

“By the way, what happens if this thing suddenly stops?”

“Then we have to live here.”

He gave the laziest response in the world.

Right around the time we reached the top, the ferris wheel shook violently and came to a stop.

“...Huh? Seriously?”

The lights went out and the ferris wheel showed no signs of starting again.

Looking anxious, I rushed over and sat next to him. I clung to him like a whimpering puppy and grabbed his sleeve tightly, noticing his brows furrow slightly.

“Your luck of making things come true—please don’t use it like this.”

It’s not my fault!

…But wait—isn’t this the cliché where the male and female lead get trapped in a confined space and share their true feelings?