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“I just finished taking a bath,” Lille called as she walked back to her room. Despite the fact that Ark was only in human form for his own convenience, he decided to take a bath all the same, going in with Leo. Apparently, as a bird, he normally bathed in cold water and preened himself.
Charles was lying on the bed, reading. When he heard Lille, he closed the book with a snap.
“Oh, welcome back. Guess it’s bedtime now,” Charles said by way of greeting.
Her skin was warm and moisturized from the bath, and it felt soft against the bed when she plopped down.
Charles jolted and went completely rigid. “Umm… Lille, listen. I really don’t want to wake you up if I start sleep-talking again, so I’ll go to sleep after I’ve finished casting a powerful sleep charm on myself,” Charles said stiffly.
He was acting strange. Only the moment before, he’d been languidly lounging about, but since saying the word “bedtime,” he’d grown restless and fidgety. Lille would have assumed he was nervous, but the look on his face resembled terror more than nerves. What was there to be scared of?
“Huh…?” Lille blinked. “If you’re worried about disturbing me, there’s no need to go that far. I really don’t mind.”
“I mind. Actually, there’s a lot about this situation I mind.”
“Like what?” Lille asked, her brow knitting in concern.
“Well, like…,” he trailed off, his cheeks blazing. Steam bubbled from the surface of his skin. It couldn’t be heat from the bath so long after his turn, so Lille could safely assume her magic made it visible to her. “A-Anyway, I definitely won’t wake up until morning, so you’ll be able to sleep soundly. Goodnight, Lille,” he gabbled.
Then, without another word, he buried himself beneath the blankets and went straight to sleep. Curiously, Lille poked at his cheek, but there was no change in his calm, regular breathing.
“He really meant it. I can’t wake him up…” she remarked in amazement.
She wondered if the sleep charm prevented nightmares. Or did it just not allow him to wake up, even if he did have bad dreams? She was slightly worried, but if the charm enabled Charles to sleep deeply and recover from the day’s exhaustion, perhaps it was a good thing.
Lille tucked herself into bed next to him, but she just couldn’t settle down. Their bodies weren’t touching, but the idea that Charles was completely vulnerable beside her made her heart race.
…What should I do? I don’t think I can sleep like this.
She was beginning to regret not asking him to cast a sleep charm on her as well. While Lille lay as straight as a soldier, her arms at her sides, Charles turned over in his sleep. She could see his elegant profile right next to her, the curved slope of his nose pointing toward the ceiling. If either of them moved, they would be close enough to kiss.
Do I truly have the power to protect him?
She never wanted him to use the watch ever again. But what if they failed? What if she died? The more she thought about her misgivings, the more the fear set in.
She wished she had a good luck charm. Something to give her courage. Something that proved she could get through anything.
“Sorry,” she whispered under her breath, not quite loud enough to be audible. Slowly, she leaned forward, bringing her lips closer to his face.
He should save any real kisses for someone who’s special to him, so I hope it’s okay if I give him one that represents my love as his family.
She softly pressed her lips to his cheek.
It was the first time she had ever kissed someone. If she’d ever done anything to make her a criminal, then that tiny kiss was her crime, a small indulgence committed under the cover of night. The only witness to her secret vow was the pure-white snow piled outside the window, the snowflakes her sole confidants.
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A week passed in the blink of an eye. Many of their days were filled with strategy meetings, and they even carried out a practice run of the plan in the garden. They all stayed up to see the new year in together, raising a toast with glasses of wine and fruit juice. Under Leo’s instruction, Lille helped to make a feast for the occasion, and August even gave her some money as a gift. Apparently, it was customary for older adults to give money to children in honor of the new year.
Lille wished it could last forever. If only they could give up on their plight and pretend nothing had ever happened and live out their days in peace. But every time Lille caught herself thinking that way, she remembered everything Charles had done for them. He was sensitive to pain whether he was the one being hurt or someone else was—even if he’d never met those who were suffering. For that reason, Lille wanted to make sure he overcame the ordeal with nothing left to haunt him.
She was committed to pursuing the outcome that would make Charles the happiest. If she could, she wanted to show him a beautiful world, full of kindness.
If I manage that…I’ll ask one last thing of him.
Then, before they knew it, the day was upon them.