The Escape of Layla

After dinner, my Highness and I were sitting on the couch side by side. Even today I didn't have an appetite, and I didn't eat much, but Her Highness didn't seem to care about it, and now I was almost forced to eat tea and tea treats. It's really bad for us because even if we say we don't want it, it's gonna be ready.

While the tea Monica brings us is certainly a first-rate flavor, it was not far enough for Mr. Leanhardt to brew it. Most importantly, the tea you taste next to your Highness is unlikely to taste enough, even if it was brewed by Mr. Leanhardt.

Only the moonlight plugging through the window was illuminating us. There is no particular obstacle because it is fully illuminated at hand, but I do not feel that its darkness contributes to the severity of this room.

"Huh..."

As I was carrying a little cookie with sugar in my mouth in a blurry condition, I bit my lips. It's a serious lapse as a courtesan, but I don't really remember feeling ashamed if it's a sign that my heart is weak. Slightly licking the bleeding wound with her tongue gave her an uncomfortable taste of iron.

"Did you bite it?

Really, Your Highness aims terribly. How did you know that you didn't even speak out and just stopped working for a moment? His cold fingertips touched my lips as I stared back at His Highness with a slight surprise. Reflectively, I shake my shoulders frighteningly.

"I don't do anything. I haven't heard the answer yet."

With that said, Your Highness did not try to take his fingertips off my lips. It's not a strange distance to be mouthed like this, but the boulders should be called Your Highness, and the promises seem to be kept properly.

In my time as Your Highness's fiancée, I've never been late for a promise. I guess he's a very disciplined man because he never made a difference to his promise, even though he was expected to be bored and had no choice but to meet me.

Something serious like that, I used to like it. Now, though, that has become a very distant emotion.

"... has Leila ever spoken to anyone?

The words only reassured me a little when I thought of Mr. Leenhardt's face. The mouthing with Mr. Leanhardt, who was in love, is a painful, embarrassing and only a little scary, but now it's a good memory.

"... Yes, I do"

How unexpected the response was, His Highness opened his eyes for a moment. And some unstable grin touches the wounded part of my lips. The dull pain ran uncomfortable, but I stood still.

"Heh, clean Leila has that experience too... If the ladies hear it, they'll scream."

"What do you think? Because women like to talk about love..."

"Love? Well, I knew you had a lover. Who's the other guy?

I said hello, but I felt the hatred of the momentum that was going to kill me if I spoke the other person's name, and I shook up unexpectedly. I'm sure you won't let me go until you answer. I didn't know if I could call Mr. Leanhardt my lover, but I open my mouth softly.

"... a kinder sorcerer than anyone."

When His Highness finally took his finger off my lips to the words, he raised his voice gently and laughed. One way or another, it's a grin close to ridicule.

"Mage, or... Has Leila finally begun to break? I can't believe the presence of Miyagi... You want to get out of here as much as you want help with such a phantom existence."

His Royal Highness hands my shoulder and gently pushes me down on the couch. I'm surprised to say no to some more moderate manoeuvres than usual.

"Give it up, Leila. That would be a lot easier, wouldn't it?

His Highness softly combed and gripped my hair with his fingertips. His Royal Highness mouths gently on the tip of his flax hair as it is, with a neat grin.

I accidentally consolidated myself looking up at him in that modus operandi, which I don't think belongs to His Highness. I wonder what His Highness, who had strangled me every time.

"Come on, be mine."

I'm about to be flushed for a moment by His Highness whispering to my forehead like that. As much as that, I was hungry for kindness. I feel sorry for myself, but I seriously thought I could keep it flowing.

But the act of combing my hair at my fingertips was ironically reminiscent of Mr. Leanhardt and left me in my thoughts.

I know it's bad forever. But until the end of the day I wanted to think of Mr. Leanhardt.

"… the deadline for your reply should be tomorrow morning"

"Really, Leila is surprisingly strong. It's a lot of mental power."

"… it's an honor to compliment you"

When I think of Mr. Leanhardt, I almost distorted my face to uncut, but I'm good at killing emotions. I grin and look up at His Highness.

His Royal Highness looks at me like that and sighs lightly, he gets his hands off me and stands up. I couldn't read the expression clearly because of the light on my back of the moon, but I felt my mouth was slightly distorted.

"Well, its strength is not until tomorrow either. Looking forward to hearing back from you tomorrow, Layla"

That's all I told you, Your Highness mouthed my forehead as usual and walked away from the room. Wake up slowly as you lay your hands on the couch and watch the two lined teacups.

Perhaps His Highness is convinced. I couldn't have abandoned Rose. He said he was willing to give himself to His Highness to save Rose. If you know your highness quite jealously about me, no wonder you anticipate so.

Besides, it's about His Highness. If I had chosen a path that would not save Rose, I would have done enough to kill Rose in front of me. If I had a sword on Rose's neck in front of me, I might cry and beg for her life. No, I'm sure I can't help it.

In the end, I felt that no matter which path I chose, my lord would do as I wished, and I accidentally had zero self-derisive grin. For the past two weeks, I feel danced and hurt on His Highness's palms.

I took a big breath and softly rose off the couch.

The truth is, even I want to give up. Because if I don't know anything anymore, I won't suffer any more, or cry in memory of Mr. Leanhardt.

But still, this romance that stays until the end resists it.

I don't want to escape this thought, though it's the Duke's house or me who kept running away from the presence of Princess Amelia.

I can't give way only to this thought that I love Mr. Leanhardt.

I took out the pendant I had left sneaking in the embroidery piece arranged on the top of the cupboard and proceeded to the window. Even today, a stone as beautiful as a starry sky.

"... Mr. Leenhardt"

I gently put the pendant around my neck, looked up at the moon and thought of Mr. Leanhardt.

I won't give this thought away, I can't give it away. Still, this is definitely the last night I think of him. Because from tomorrow, when I reply to His Highness, I'm sure I won't even be able to afford to put my thoughts to Mr. Leanhardt.

"We admire you"

Tell him to whisper so, and gently grip the stone of the pendant. I really wanted to say it in person. I wanted to confess in front of him that I liked you.

But that may not come true anymore either. Does the salvation at least mean that once this raw thing is over, again, only this soul will be able to see Mr. Leanhardt again?

Princess Amelia, too, must have been careless. Because I was killed on the verge of being tied to my favorite Mr. Leanhardt.

Though I don't know where my soul resides, I gently put my hand on my chest and thought of Princess Amelia. I'm with her, too. In a way, Princess Amelia, who can be called her lover, wanted to comfort each other if she could comfort each other.

... I can't believe I'm in my own soul at last. I'm sure this heart will break before it's too far away.

Let's at least keep thinking about Mr. Leanhardt until the last moment he breaks.

As usual, I approach the cage of golden yarn sparrows, deciding yes to my heart. A little faster than usual, but I wanted to calm down even by feeding.

But I find myself uncomfortable with a golden yarn sparrow that doesn't ring a single beep when I stop by the cage.

"... I wonder what's going on"

I opened a cage of decorated golden yarn sparrows and tried to feed them and they wouldn't jump on me as usual. On the contrary, I didn't even try to lie down at the bottom of the cage.

"Huh..."

I accidentally put my hand on my mouth and retreat after a step. No way, is he dead? I never forgot to feed or replenish the water every day. Even though Monica always kept the cage clean.

I approach the cage again and gently put the golden lark in my hand. I didn't feel the warmth, it felt as if I was holding an elaborate doll in my hand.

... I wonder if the cage didn't fit.

Poor thing, I thought at the same time I was shown who I was in the future and a chill ran on my spine.

Well, will this happen to me before it's too far away? I had intended to be ready, but before the death of the various creatures, I was scared.

Embrace the Golden Threaded Sparrow with your chest and pray for a peaceful sleep for your little life. I thought about what a sentimental thing I might go to that side right away, and I accidentally got a zero self-derisive grin. Poof, and zero fallen tears stain the wings of the golden yarn sparrow.

I didn't know if the death of the Golden Threaded Sparrow was sad, worried about my future, or if my heart was already starting to break, but I didn't know that the tears that quietly conveyed my cheeks would stay. It just fills me with the feeling of suffering.

As she wept to wrap herself around the golden sparrow, a pendant stone struck her hand wrapped in the golden sparrow. It's a beautiful stone, like a starry sky.

... I wonder if Mr. Leanhardt will notice if I die.

With that in mind, tension runs in my heart. For the first time in a long time, I felt my heart bounce.

"... yes, yes, yes"

How could I not have noticed? When I gently returned the golden lark to the cage, I again grabbed the pendant lowered from my neck. I'll try to remember what Mr. Leanhardt said when I received this pendant.

- It's magical, so when Leila falls or her life is in danger, she's telling me.

"Huh..."

I thought it was a worrying Mr. Leanhardt magic then, but now I can only thank him for his overprotective nature. Because it gave me hope.

Yes, if Mr. Lienhardt is right, he may be able to meet Mr. Lienhardt by putting himself in danger of his life. The stone is somewhat missing, so I don't know if it still works, but it's worth a try at this magic for backwards.

Before I reply to your deal with His Highness, I just want to see him one last time. I would like to meet him and apologize for the selfishness with which I have harmed Mr. Leanhardt. Even if the body is to be dedicated to His Highness, I want to say a proper goodbye by telling him that this heart belongs to Mr. Lenhardt.

However, in order to try it, you will really have to come prepared to give up your life.

When I was living in the capital of the phantom king, I had cut off my fingertips in cooking with this pendant on, or just a little burn with hot water, but Mr. Leenhardt never rushed. Besides, the magic didn't even work when His Highness caught me and I was so exhausted that I was about to fall.

Maybe the activation conditions are pretty tight. That's why I'm sure Mr. Leanhardt won't notice unless he falls into a fainting situation or suffers an injury that puts him in danger of his life. So if we're going to do this, we have to challenge our lives with constant momentum.

...... Still, I want to see Mr. Leanhardt for the last time. I want to see you and apologize for my selfishness.

Get ready and look around. The spacious rooms were lined with all the expensive conditioning. It would have been quick to talk if it had been decorated with a sword, but there's nothing like that in the room reserved for women.

In it, I take a vase decorated with anemones and look at it. It's ceramic, so if it cracks, it'll be pretty sharp. I pounded the vase to the floor with momentum, apologizing to Monica for keeping the flowers alive in my heart and the beautiful decorative painted vase.

As I thought, the vase broke into several fragments. Many things have pointy tips, so this will work. I took the sharpest shard and ran straight in front of the mirror.

I'm not going to die, but I made a suicide note in case, so I put it in front of the mirror. It's a simple one that runs and writes about how unbearable this life is, and apologies to His Highness, thanks to Monica, and writes down his name at the bottom, but it will be enough to avert suicide.

While I'm at it, it's a really dangerous bet. Now if I die, both Rose and the Duke's house will have to follow the path of ruin.

But please, let me put an end to this love. At first sight, if I could have met Mr. Leanhardt, if I could have apologized to him for my selfishness, then I would surely have no regrets and I would be ready to be His Highness's.

I stare at myself in the mirror and gently push the vase fragments against my neck. You don't really want death, so you won't have to be so powerful. It's just a blood vessel that can really die if you apply or subtract force incorrectly, you need to be careful.

I believe you, Mr. Leanhardt.

Mr. Leanhardt stopped doubting his love, although there were times when he was about to be swallowed up by anxiety that he might have given up on me or something already. Mr. Lenhardt, who is so loving and heartfelt, cannot easily abandon me. I feel like I'm complacent and distracted, but I risked my life to try to believe in his love.

Meditate your eyes gently and breathe deeply. I'm afraid it hurts. But if there's any hope that I might see Mr. Leanhardt, I feel like I can bear it with wonder.

"... please, Mr. Leanhardt"

Praying hard in my heart, I sank the vase fragments into my neck.