If I Throw Myself into His Sea - Episode 2.18

“……Deltia is a good place.”

Irene hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Objectively, Deltia was a prosperous and luxurious nation. A country leading a brilliant civilization with the monarch’s powerful magic.

However, the fact that the monarch was a Pereian, and that she was the one sitting in the vacant queen’s seat, was always the problem. Even though it was clearly a world with beautiful scenery and culture, the thought of Ian’s circumstances, having been pushed into marriage, made her feel suffocated.

Now, to her, this country, Pereian’s underwater palace, felt just like the basement of Epin Castle.

Her father was gone, and there was only the changed Pereian.

Reading Irene’s suddenly sunken expression, Rupel coughed repeatedly. It was meant to divert attention, but Irene was startled by the sudden loud noise and involuntarily shrugged her shoulders.

Ever since the encounter with Pereian, she had this reaction whenever she faced a loud noise, regardless of the cause. It was a symptom like the aftereffects of conflict and inner turmoil.

It didn’t take Rupel long to recognize the strangeness in Irene’s behavior.

“……Irene.”

He scanned Irene’s condition again with worried eyes. His hand hovered over Irene’s hunched shoulders, unable to reach.

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Irene mumbled and then pressed her lips tightly. It felt like Rupel would quickly notice even a moment of agitation.

She absolutely hated showing her unstable self to her longtime friend. Especially since Rupel vaguely knew about Pereian and Irene’s past.

“……I have to believe you. If you say it’s nothing.”

Rupel, who had withdrawn his hand in vain, awkwardly stroked his neck.

“Hey, Irene.”

“Huh?”

Rupel hesitated for a moment, his lips twitching. Irene looked at him questioningly, noticing the deep contemplation in his eyes.

“Aren’t you curious why your father chose me as the envoy?”

Of course, she was curious. What was the reason her father had sent him to Deltia? It was clear that it wasn’t simply a choice born out of goodwill towards his illegitimate daughter.

Her father wasn’t someone who would change overnight. There was no way he would treat his neglected and mistreated illegitimate daughter this way.

“I’m your close aide. And he cherished you very much.”

However, when they first reunited while welcoming the envoy, there were many ears listening, so she had simply covered it up this way.

Rupel looked at Irene, who had stiffened at the mention of her father.

“To be honest, I don’t know either. He suddenly called me in one day, asking if I was close to you, and then ordered me to join the delegation.”

“Ah…”

“No matter how much I think about it, it’s strange. How much your father…”

Rupel trailed off, his face pained. He knew how much the King of Epin had tormented Irene. There was no way such a man would send an envoy now, pretending to be doing it for Irene’s sake. He must have had an ulterior motive.

“We need to be more careful. If we just follow his orders well, we should be able to survive.”

Irene, who had been quietly listening to Rupel, sighed.

She was still anxious because she couldn’t figure out her father’s intentions. However, if she showed it, her identity might be revealed to the Deltia people.

All Irene could do in this situation was to be careful. Hiding all her anxiety and worry, she said,

“I wonder if the letter arrived safely?”

It was Irene who changed the subject. She kept wanting to ask if Sipri’s magic had worked well, and if the glass bottle had reached Rupel.

At Irene’s question, Rupel’s eyes lit up.

“How on earth did you do that?”

It seemed he had received it properly. Rupel, describing the glass bottle that had come to him, moved his hands this way and that, urging her to answer as he leaned in.

“It’s magic, right? Who cast it? Your husband?”

“Um, no. There’s a Lord Sipri. The one who guided you to your quarters.”

Even after hearing the answer, Rupel’s eyes did not fade. Rather, he seemed even more curious.

“Did you check the contents too?”

“Of course. I was glad to hear you were doing better.”

At Rupel’s words, Irene recalled the contents of the letter she had written to Rupel.

“Rupel, you have no idea how happy I am to see the person I’ve loved all my life become happy. It’s enough even if Ian doesn’t love me. He’s not affectionate to me, and I still cry often. But these days I think I know what laughter is, what it means to live. I’ve left the land. I hope happy things will gradually increase. That’s how I feel when I see Ian.”

“……Irene?”

Rupel waved his hand in front of Irene’s eyes, who was lost in thought.

“Sorry. I was thinking about what I wrote in the letter.”

“I have a mountain of things to ask. So, first of all……”

Rupel glanced at Irene’s expression and tapped the table.

“I remember that your first love’s name was Ian.”

“……Yeah.”

“I had a hunch from the moment your husband, who came to pick you up, introduced himself.”

The words ‘Ian’ and ‘Pereian’ kept coming out of Rupel’s mouth.

Irene clutched her dress as if what was coming had come.

“The ‘boy’ you mentioned in the letter, the person you loved your whole life is that man?”

“……”

“Answer me. Is that man your first love, Irene?”

Rupel asked her repeatedly.

Just as Irene was about to nod at Rupel’s question.

“Lady Irene.”

It was Atina who appeared, breaking the heightened atmosphere. She called her master from a distance and gave a short bow.

Irene greeted her with a wave. Irene’s cold hands bore the marks of her fingernails digging in, a sign of her tension.

Led by Atina’s greeting, the servants behind her bowed in respect.

Rupel wore a displeased expression, as the servants had entered before she had received an answer to her question.

Following Atina’s signal, the Coral Palace servants brought out tea and desserts one by one. They were for Queen Irene and Rupel, who was being treated as a state guest.

“These are refreshments that only the Deltia elite can enjoy.”

Atina said with a gentle smile, slowly scanning Rupel. It was clear that she intended to show goodwill, as the other woman was Irene’s close friend.

Irene looked at Atina with pride. The appearance of the person she trusted most in the underwater palace eased her stiff body.

Moreover, the desserts she brought were all to Irene’s taste.

“You like this, don’t you?”

Atina whispered in Irene’s ear, pointing to one of the snacks.

She had been writing down Irene’s reactions whenever she tasted a dessert, and it seemed she had made sure to bring only the ones Irene had reacted particularly well to.

“Thank you, Atina.”

Irene placed her hand over Atina’s and looked up, smiling with her eyes.

Atina, met with her warm gaze, smiled and said,

“Please continue your conversation. Call me anytime if you need anything.”

After bowing once more, Atina led the servants back into the Coral Palace. Now, only Rupel and Irene remained in the garden.

“…That maid seems like a kind person.”

“Ah, yes. She’s like a nanny. She’s always helping me.”

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