Our Summer Isn't Over Yet - Chapter 54

Walter’s suggestion was for Dylan to tell Mia what he had learned during the war. Dylan’s face darkened noticeably as he understood the meaning. As if recalling something dirty and unpleasant, he irritably swept back his hair. Walter, seemingly unaware of Dylan’s expression, continued, “Mia kept muttering about wanting to go home the entire time she was coming to the mansion.” Walter squeezed his eyes shut, recalling the fragmented voice that leaked through her torn lips. He might have felt less sorry if she had just cried out in pain. Mia, who only spoke of wanting to go home, was truly pitiful. Perhaps it was even more heartbreaking because if his daughter had grown up safely, she would have been around Mia’s age.

“That just shows how much home means to Mia.”

“Your Excellency.” Dylan called Walter softly, without a hint of emotion. Walter raised his eyelids and slowly closed his mouth.

“…I misspoke.” He realized what he had said. What was Dylan doing, going crazy for? Dylan added coldly, “As I said before, you don’t have to be involved. If you’re uncomfortable, you can withdraw now.”

“…”

“Of course, you shouldn’t reveal what you know to Mia.” Walter stiffly shook his head at Dylan’s cold demeanor. Soon, after mulling over his words, he apologized to Dylan, his face filled with dismay. “I’m sorry, I’m getting old, and my judgment was clouded for a moment. To tell you to tell her everything.” Dylan shook his head as if to say it was enough, and Walter let out a faint sigh. “But, didn’t it seem like Mia noticed something?”

“I wonder.” Dylan was lost in thought for a moment.

When she visited the mansion the other day, the open drawer was no different than before. Since there was no lock, he thought she would have checked Or, had she already checked and was just not showing it?

As the thought crossed his mind, Dylan’s eyes deepened. Surely not. He had trampled on the feelings she had cherished her whole life in an instant. If it were the Mia he knew, she would have questioned him calmly.

“There is one thing that concerns me more than anything else.”

“What is it?”

“His Majesty seems different than usual, but I haven’t met him directly, so I can’t get a sense of it.”

The nagging words of Morgan. Above all, the fact that Jose, who had been lying low, suddenly came to find her. Also, the fact that Mia was separated from the others at that time. The fact that the royal army was unusually stationed in that area.

All the circumstances fit together perfectly, and something felt ominous. Dylan was sure he was missing something.

“It’s unsettling how quickly and accurately the situation is unfolding.”

He couldn’t dismiss it as a coincidence because it was a matter directly related to Mia’s safety. Of course, the biggest problem, Murad’s fourth prince, had been arrested, so nothing major would happen immediately. Dylan was just afraid of any possible situations. He had never been able to protect anything, so he wanted to protect Mia, this time.

Walter, after a short sigh, adjusted Dylan’s disheveled appearance.

“Let’s focus on Mia’s condition first. I’ll keep a close eye on anything related to His Majesty.”

“…Thank you.” Walter nodded and was about to leave, but he turned back without taking a few steps.

Dylan looked at him questioningly, and Walter added calmly, “This incident will be big news in the papers, so it might be a good idea for Mia and you to stay at the mansion for a while or leave the capital.”

Walter calmly explained the situation to Dylan, who seemed unable to make any proper judgments about anything except for things related to Mia.

Mia was injured in an accident during relief efforts, there was a stabbing incident nearby and many people witnessed it, and so on. Given the situation, there was a very high possibility that Dylan and Mia would be talked about.

Above all, the story related to Murad’s fourth prince was being treated as top secret, but it was greatly revealed in this incident, so the Hippolyte royal family might amplify Mia’s case to reduce confusion. Dylan froze for a moment after hearing his words. Walter gave a bitter smile.

“It’s a relief that at least one of us is thinking straight, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Dylan, put Mia first. I’ll relay external matters to you, so get some rest.”

As if he had finished speaking, Walter then moved his feet. Behind him, the dim light of dawn poured in. For some reason, his shoulders seemed heavy, but Dylan shook his head briefly and entered the room where Mia was waiting.

Mia was still asleep without moving.

Mel said that she might be in pain when she woke up, so she administered a sedative with it.

So, she would definitely be like this for at least a few more hours, but he was just anxious. What if she just stopped breathing like this, or if she was having a nightmare?

He was afraid of the situation where Mia, who used to react to even the smallest sounds or movements, was sleeping like the dead.

“…Mia.” He couldn’t figure out where things went wrong.

Originally, things that were twisted could be straightened out. He had lived his life telling himself to just look ahead and run, and not to be consumed by regrets even if he had them.

The only regret that remained deep in his heart in his life was meeting Mia Blair late, and the only thing he hoped wouldn’t go wrong was her life that would unfold in the future.

In the quiet room, Dylan was the only one moving. He carefully took Mia’s hand.

There were veins on the back of her hand, but the strength with which he held her was not strong. He brought her hand to his cheek. When he closed his eyes tightly, Mia’s words, which she kept muttering in the midst of her pain, came to mind.

“I want to go home.” Her voice was full of moisture, as if she was so sad. It was a side of Mia he had never seen before. He felt like his heart was sinking.

“Mom. I, I want to go home.” She had a body full of injuries, but she didn’t make a single sound of pain, not even a groan, and only uttered the same words. The words were like a child’s whine.

“Let’s go together, home.”

“Home, home…”

When he slowly raised his eyes, he saw Mia, who was not moving at all. His gaze reached her hair, which sparkled like fine sand.

Dylan, who was carefully rubbing his chapped palm against his cheek, muttered, “…This is your home too.”

Then, he swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say. Let’s forget all the pain and live. Let’s live. Just, like that.

The sound of waves crashing from beyond the window. His deep blue eyes, which had been dry, became moist.

When he turned his head, the sun of today was welcoming them. After putting down Mia’s hand, he slowly moved his feet and began to turn off the lights. He turned off all the lights except for the one near Mia’s head.

He could see the sunlight gradually coming in through the window. He couldn’t tell if it was moving slowly or quickly. Dylan just stared blankly at the warm sunlight filling the room. His gaze followed the light that was slowly illuminating the darkness. It reached Mia, who was lying in bed.

The sunlight, which had gradually climbed up from her legs, had already reached near her face. Dylan’s gaze, following it, stopped at Mia’s lips. At the same time, he was also bathed in bright sunlight.

His eyes, which had been dark, sparkled like the blue sea, mixed with moisture.

“She’s smiling.” Somehow, it seemed like the corners of her lips were raised more than before.

Mia’s eyes slowly opened. As she blinked a few times, memories flooded in. She met Jose and returned to the mansion. She remembered being treated by Mel and then fainting.

As Mia listed the situations in order, she remembered something she had forgotten.

‘My parents’ remains.’ Jose seemed to know where her parents’ remains were. She had to convey that fact to Morgan.

Walter said he would convey it, but she couldn’t trust him. Mia’s body felt heavy, but she didn’t feel much pain, so she was about to get up when a low, cold voice struck her ears. “Have you awakened?” It was the voice that had been chasing her even in her dreams, without a single mechanical sound mixed in.

When she slowly turned her head, Dylan was there, dressed neatly without a single flaw.

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