After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 105

At the end of the alley, under a shabby tent, Leo, with his sleeves rolled up, sat on an old box as a chair.

He was talking to someone when he suddenly turned his head in Ayla’s direction.

The moment their eyes met, she could see joy spreading in Leo’s eyes.

“Ayla.”

His voice, as he stood up abruptly and approached, was low and affectionate.

Hearing that affectionate voice after so many days, Ayla’s tense heart melted away.

“I’ll wait, so finish your conversation first.”

“Ah. Just a moment.”

Leo quickly turned around and approached the man he had been talking to.

He seemed to be saying they would talk again tomorrow, but Ayla pretended not to hear and played dumb.

Inwardly, she knew she shouldn’t be doing this, but her desire to be with him even a little longer was much stronger.

“When did you arrive?”

Leo, having seen the man off, came closer with a smile.

“Just now. I came out because I missed you, but it seems I unintentionally interrupted.”

Seeing her subtly reveal her embarrassment, Leo shook his head as if it were absurd.

“Interrupted? Not at all. Absolutely not.”

Then, he grabbed Ayla’s hand and took the lunch basket from her with his other hand.

“Why did you bring something so heavy?”

“I have to make sure you eat properly. I heard the food here isn’t very good.”

“Edward is having a harder time than I am, but whatever. Let’s go. There’s no proper place to rest here.”

Leo, holding Ayla’s hand, waved Dex and the knights away.

“You guys go play somewhere else.”

“What? Hey, the chef packed enough for us too!”

“Go buy your own food. Don’t bother us.”

“Wow… Even the great Leomund is helpless once he’s married. You’ve changed too much. Isn’t that a bit much?”

“If you don’t like it, get married yourself.”

“Ha…”

Leaving the dumbfounded Dex and the knights behind, Leo continued walking.

Then, looking down at Ayla beside him, he asked.

“Is it okay to walk? The road here is a mess.”

“It’s fine. I wore shoes without heels.”

“How did you know?”

“I just didn’t think it would be a place to wear high heels.”

“I see.”

Leo smiled slightly and pointed to one side with the hand holding the lunch bag.

Behind the densely packed houses, a hill leading to a steep slope could be seen.

“There’s a decent open space on that hill.”

“A hill…?”

Ayla’s eyes widened slightly.

The thought of having to climb up a hill that looked higher than she expected was a bit daunting.

“I’ll carry you on my back if it’s too hard.”

To his playful remark, Ayla retorted as if protesting.

“Not at all. I can handle that much.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Leo laughed as if he found Ayla’s suddenly confident attitude cute.

“Alright, then. Let’s go.”

As they walked towards the slope, children in shabby clothes peeked out with curious faces from the narrow alleyways.

Some of them even spoke to Leo, and Ayla was amazed at how casually he responded.

“You’ve made a lot of new friends in the meantime?”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

“A little?”

“I’m honored, but…”

Leo, meeting her eyes, added with a grin.

“I prefer this one more.”

What man in the world could smile so beautifully?

With a face that made her heart flutter just by looking at it, he nonchalantly said such things, and she felt like she was going to stop breathing.

Those sweet words were so delightful.

This moment was so happy.

“Hmm. You look touched.”

He had already reached the hill and pulled Ayla’s hand to sit her on a chair.

Strangely enough, there was an unexpected table and chairs in the open space on the hill, as if someone had put them there.

“I am touched,” Ayla said quietly, muttering to herself.

“It’s the first time. Someone has ever said something like that to me.”

Leo raised one eyebrow and tilted his head slightly.

“Are the other guys blind?”

“Maybe you’re the one who’s blind?”

To Ayla’s playful retort, he chuckled and said as if that could never be.

“Even though I look like this, I was born a prince. I can recognize beauty and preciousness at a glance.”

“That’s not a very convincing explanation, is it?”

“Are you scolding me for being an abandoned prince now?”

“Are you showing off in front of an abandoned daughter?”

Leo, speechless at Ayla’s unyielding retort, let out a hollow laugh.

“I give up.”

“You thought well. It’s said that the family is peaceful when the man gives in.”

“My family will always be peaceful, then.”

“That’s right. Thanks to whom?”

At her affectionate tone, Leo laughed as if he couldn’t help it and rested his chin on his hand.

“You seem to be very good at giving poison and then medicine.”

“Of course, isn’t it? I want to be a good person. If I only give poison, is that a person? How is that different from a demon?”

“Haha. Alright, be a good person. I’ll take care of all the demons.”

“Stop joking and eat quickly. The chef put a lot of effort into making it.”

Ayla, who had already unpacked the lunch box, handed him a fork.

Inside the neatly arranged wooden lunch box, there was a generous serving of mushroom cream stew with a subtle aroma, crispy herb potatoes, colorful vegetable pickles, and sweet chicken dish topped with apple slices.

It was a wonderful lunch box that even Leo, who hadn’t been thinking about it, found appetizing.

“Looks delicious.”

“Right? Eat it before it gets cold. I’m hungry too.”

She pushed the stew bowl towards Ayla, who had also picked up a spoon.

Leo watched her take a bite of the stew before smiling and using his fork.

“Is the preparation for going to the Grand Castle going well?”

“As a matter of fact, the merchant that my aide introduced me to came today. I ordered the urgent things roughly, but there are still things I haven’t checked, so I decided to visit again in three days.”

“I see. I should be helping you, but I’m sorry for making you suffer alone.”

“It’s okay. It’s kind of fun.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

While they were talking about this and that, Ayla spoke as if she had forgotten something.

“Ah. I’m going to the Imperial Palace in two days.”

“I heard. You were invited to tea time.”

“Yes. His Majesty invited me.”

Ayla’s expression, as she nodded, was flushed.

“It’s not a big gathering, he just said he wanted to see my face? You and Prince Edward, who are competing, can’t come, but he said he wanted the rest of the family to gather and have a cup of tea.”

“The rest of the family? I didn’t hear that.”

One of Leo’s eyebrows twitched.

“Is the Empress coming?”

“Yes. I heard Alexander is coming too? I guess His Majesty feels awkward being alone with me. So maybe he invited the two of them?”

Ayla tilted her head and continued.

“Maybe it’s because of the magic tool… Or maybe he feels sorry for me. I’m fine, though.”

“Don’t go.”

Leo’s tone was firm.

“Eek… How can I not go? It’s His Majesty who invited me, not anyone else.”

“You don’t have to go. It’s not too late to go with me after the competition is over.”

“I want to go. It’s not as His Majesty, but as your father who invited me. I even prepared a gift.”

Ayla stubbornly added her opinion.

“He said it was a private meeting, not an official one. What would His Majesty’s private meeting mean? He wants to see me, who married his son. That’s what he must be thinking.”

“Then tell him to see you alone. I can’t send you to such a meeting alone when I don’t even know why Uncle met you then.”

Ayla momentarily closed her mouth at Leo’s grumbling remark.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t even seen him off when he went to war because she had kept silent about the day she met Alexander…

Was it right to protect Edward’s secret even if it meant upsetting him…?

After a brief moment of contemplation, Ayla made up her mind.

“The reason Alexander came to see me that day was because of what happened on the hunting competition day.”

“Hunting competition?”

“Yes. That day… I got lost and wandered around, and I accidentally saw a scene I shouldn’t have seen.”

“A scene you shouldn’t have seen?”

Leo’s brow furrowed.

“What was it?”

“It was Alexander and Her Majesty the Empress together.”

“Uncle and the Empress? If you were wandering around, it would have been in the forest?”

Ayla nodded at his guess, and that alone was enough for Leo to roughly grasp the situation.

“Don’t tell me, were they having a secret rendezvous?”

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