Elara Pov
I practically floated back to my chambers, a silly, unstoppable smile plastered on my face. Every time I remembered the way Eri held my hand or the way her thumb brushed my lip, I felt a fresh wave of heat rush to my cheeks. I was shaking my head at my own foolishness, feeling like a schoolgirl with her first crush.
When I pushed the doors open, I expected Miya to pounce on me with a thousand questions. But instead, it was quiet.
I found her sitting in the corner, staring blankly at the wall, her face unusually pale and her lips pressed together. She didn't even notice I had entered.
"Miya?" I called out, tilting my head. "Why are you so quiet? That's not like you at all."
Miya jumped as if she'd seen a ghost, her eyes wide with shock. "Huh? Oh! Elara! You're back! I... I was just thinking. I mean, nothing! I'm fine! How was your... uh... walk?"
I giggled, too caught up in my own happiness to notice her strange behavior. I sat on the edge of the bed, hugging a pillow to my chest. "It was... well, it was almost perfect."
"Almost?" Miya asked, finally snapping out of her daze.
"We were standing there, in the middle of the hallway," I started, my voice dropping to a whisper. "The air was so still, and no one was around. Eri was looking at me with those intense eyes, and she started to lean in. I thought, this is it. She's finally going to kiss me. So, I closed my eyes and leaned in too."
I started laughing, covering my face with the pillow. "But because we were both so nervous and it was a bit dark... we didn't align! Instead of our lips meeting, our foreheads slammed into each other! Clack!"
Miya's eyes widened, and then she let out a loud snort. "No way!"
"Yes!" I laughed harder, remembering the pain and the embarrassment. "It hurt so much! Eri immediately pulled back, rubbing her forehead with this shocked expression. I couldn't help it—I just started laughing. She looked so dignified yet so confused. In the end, we just stood there awkwardly. She scratched the back of her head, told me to sleep well, and we went our separate ways."
I sighed, falling back onto the bed. "My forehead still stings, but Miya... I've never seen her look so human. It was the most perfect 'fail' of my life."
Miya smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked back toward the window, her hand unconsciously touching her own lips—perhaps remembering her own "encounter" in the shadows with Lourice.
"Yeah," Miya murmured. "Sometimes, the things that don't happen are just as loud as the things that do."
I didn't notice her melancholic tone. I just closed my eyes, the memory of Eri's clumsy tenderness lulling me into the sweetest sleep I'd had in years.
The next morning, the palace felt colder. I woke up hoping to see Eri, but a servant informed me that she had left at dawn for Uran City to handle an urgent matter regarding the city's trade.
Since I was left alone with Miya, I decided to walk around the gardens. That's when I saw her—Regent Sato.
She was busy organizing a banquet, moving with a grace that spoke of years of experience. Traditionally, these duties—the household affairs and the hosting—belong to the Queen Consort. It is the role of the wife to be the heart of the palace while the Sovereign is the head.
However, Eri had been very firm. She told the council that she had "other duties" in mind for me, tasks that required my specific skills, so the domestic responsibilities remained with Sato for now.
But we all knew the truth: Sato was being slowly demoted. Now that the Queen of Kazunaga finally had a wife, the position of "Right Hand of the Throne" belonged to me. Even Haru was being pushed aside, his only role now was to study as the "Next in Line"—a title that would disappear the moment Eri had an heir.
"Lady Sato," I greeted, approaching her with a polite bow.
Sato turned around, and a warm, motherly smile spread across her face. "Ah, Elara! You're awake. I was just making sure the flowers for the gala were perfect."
I smiled back. I had always liked Sato. Back when Haru used to visit Vesperia, she would often accompany him. She was always so kind, always smiling, and treated me like her own daughter. To me, she was a familiar face in this strange, new land.
"You shouldn't be working so hard, Lady Sato," I said sincerely. "I feel guilty that you're doing all of this when I should be learning the ropes."
Sato reached out and gently patted my hand. Her touch was soft, but for a split second, I felt a strange chill, though I dismissed it immediately.
"Nonsense, dear," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You are still adjusting. Eri is right to let you take your time. I've been doing this for years; it's no trouble at all. I just want everything to be perfect for our Queen... and for you."
"Thank you," I replied, touched by her words. "I don't know what I would do without a friendly face like yours here."
"You will always have me, Elara," she whispered, her smile widening just a fraction. "In this palace, it's important to know who your real friends are. Now, why don't you and Miya join me for some tea? I have so much to tell you about the traditions you'll soon be leading."
As I followed her, I felt a sense of relief. Haru might be acting strange, but at least his mother was on my side. Or so I thought. I didn't see the way her smile vanished the moment I turned my back, replaced by a gaze that was as sharp and cold as a funeral shroud.