Ever Ever After

Chapter 20: Life Extension

Ailea looked up and saw a white bird flying in the sky.

“He’ll be here any minute,” she murmured.

And like she expected, Lawrence riding the back of his horse and men following him from behind rushed to the Outer Palace.

The life she lived in this lifetime was different from her last one. The biggest difference was Lawrence’s visit which she thought would happen only once repeated again in this lifetime.

Ailea shook her head. She didn’t want to think about it further.

On those two visits, Lawrence came to her room and drove her into a corner spouting horrid things. Like a cunning child, he laughed at her, said that she was a beast, a horrid beast. He seemed far more interested in bullying her in this lifetime, though.

Ailea stood still holding Blue while men on horseback surrounded her.

 

Lawrence jumped off the horse.

“Hello, Your Highness,” Ailea greeted with a smile.

“…You didn’t get the dress I gifted you?”

“Dress? Oh… yes, it’s inside.”

“You’re not trying it on?”

“I kept it folded neatly in the case it got dirty,” as she said so, Ailea caressed Blue as if she had little to no interest in Lawrence.

“What are you doing with that cat?” asked Lawrence, a little offended that Ailea wasn’t overly interested in himself.

“It got hurt. I’m treating her…”  Ailea belatedly remembered that the castle would burn in a sea of flames soon and sent Blue out. “Blue, stay out. It’s dangerous.”

But the kitten didn’t listen to her and nestled deeper in Ailea’s arms.

“I won’t marry you, Ailea,” said Lawrence as she watched Ailea repeatedly try to let the kitten go and watch her fail.

 

“…I see.”

“I’m going to kill you.”

Ailea hesitated at his remark. Soon after, she looked at Lawrence and handed Blue to him.

“Keep her out of here,” she said.

“…What?”

“The kitten, she’s injured. Please save her.”

Everything had gone against Lawrence’s bitter expectations. He thought she’d be angry. But why wasn’t she? She should be in tears crying a pool of river and directing the blame towards him.

Ailea was a bore, a boring woman, but somehow she became rather lively strangely after kicking her out to the Outer Palace.

It was nearing the end of April. The rose vines covering the Outer Castle were slowly preparing to blossom. The scent of the roses could already be subtly felt.

Though he came running with rage, he had quite the fun and enjoyable moment teasing her. Last time he came, he thought it quite staring at the face that seemed like it’d cry as he continued to make fun of her. However, he stopped visiting her after that time because he was afraid Rita would marry another man.

Still, he sent her a dress, relishing in the idea of her wearing that dress. He thought of trampling her heart—the thought of it was strangely tempting.

But Ailea didn’t react in the hopes he desired. Moreover, she wasn’t wearing the dress he gifted her.

“There’s no one to look after that kitten. This castle is surrounded by sorcerers and soon…”

Lawrence, who was about to say that he’d burn the castle, saw Ailea’s face constrict and hold onto the kitten tightly. Only then did she shed tears thinking Blue would die because of her.

Lawrence’s expression changed thereafter.

“A month,” he said.

“…What?”

“I’ll burn this castle in a month.”

“Wh-what?”

Without answering, Lawrence turned around and left.

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Ailea tried to run after him but she was stopped when she hit a transparent barrier made of magic.

…What was happening?

“Ah… ah… Blue! I told you to run away!”

Ailea held Blue tightly, sighing deeply as she looked at Lawrence’s back.

For some reason, her lifespan extended by a month.