[IYFILWATIP] Chapter 46

His mind went blank. In a daze, he waded through the water toward her and grabbed her face, unable to believe what he was seeing. Was he dreaming? He hoped he was, or maybe it was just a trick of the light from a distance. 

But up close, her eyes only shone brighter, their colour unwavering. 

Jade Eclipse held his breath. 

He had been dragged to the East at the age of twelve and had received only half the education a proper noble should. He didn’t remember much about the high-ranking noble families and had been unable to figure out the girl’s identity until now. 

But he wasn’t foolish enough not to know the one fact that everyone in this vast empire was aware of. A trait unique to a single bloodline in the entire empire. A proof of royalty. A noble eye colour that only direct descendants of Theresia could possess, one that even distant relatives quickly lost. 

She was the Emperor's daughter. 

"What in the world is this..." 

He recoiled as if burned, pulling his hands away from the princess’s face. Seeing his dazed expression, the princess realised her mistake and cursed under her breath. She sighed and covered her face with both hands. 

"Damn it, I forgot. This lake undoes magic. It’s undone again, damn it!" 

"Why, how did you end up here..." 

Jade sank down by the edge of the water. This was impossible. The princess, who should be receiving the utmost care in the Imperial Palace, had been thrown into the East, completely unguarded, alone in the Nabimi Forest. And now, she had been captured by a mere mercenary. 

He should have quit while he was ahead. He had always known that the jobs Beatrice gave him were exceptionally dangerous. 

He shook his head, but the harsh reality was all too vivid, making it impossible to escape. The princess, half-submerged in the water like a siren from the eastern rivers, was staring at him with a look that said she wasn’t sure how to explain this situation. 

Jade Eclipse. In his five years as a mercenary, he had managed to accomplish something that no mercenary in the history of the empire had ever dared to do. 

He had kidnapped the princess. 

* * * 

The princess quickly regained her composure. After a brief sigh, as if resigning herself to the fact that she had been discovered, she calmly continued her bath, paying little attention to his stunned reaction. She took her time washing her body and even her hair with the soap she had brought, then announced, "My real name is Kirona." 

She really was the princess. 

"I changed my eye colour with a potion. I’ll change it again after I finish washing." 

She was the firstborn princess of Mihadas. The Emperor's first child. The one whose birth was celebrated across the empire with beautiful lanterns, a treasure of the empire... the Emperor’s most beloved and cherished daughter. 

"Why? Do you regret your attitude now? Are you going to start addressing me with extreme politeness? Just act like you were before. There's no point in calling me ‘Princess’ here. You’re not planning to go around spreading rumours that I’m a princess, right?" 

Kirona frowned as she watched him remain frozen. Then, as if nothing had happened, she finished her bath, got out of the water, and began to dress, casually tapping his forehead as she did so. 

"Get dressed and tie your laces. I noticed earlier that you’re good at tying knots." 

In a daze, Jade tied Kirona's bootlaces. 

"And carry this. My arms are tired. Your wounds should be better now, right?" 

"......" 

"Much better, I see. Let’s head back." 

Now that her identity was revealed, Kirona seemed determined to boss him around. She dumped all the few belongings they had on him. Jade couldn’t muster any objections. He had too many questions swirling in his head. 

He could hardly remember what the walk back to the hut was like. If a monster had attacked, he might have been eaten on the spot. He had been so focused on Kirona's amber eyes that he was completely distracted. 

"I told you, it’s an order. Keep using casual speech. It would be suspicious otherwise. And drop the ‘Miss’ too. It sounds sarcastic and annoying... There’s no such thing as a ‘Miss’ who enters the Nabimi Forest." 

At the entrance of the hut, Kirona stopped again and reminded him. Jade was at a loss for words. 

Put yourself in my shoes. Knowing what I know now, how can I possibly speak to you so casually? Even if I’m just a down-and-out mercenary. He had nothing to lose, but the faint respect he had for the royal family, instilled in him as a child, still lingered. 

"So what should I call you?" 

"Casual speech, remember." 

"Then what should I...?" 

He trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish the sentence. Kirona shrugged and told him to call her "Natalie," the name she had initially given him. Jade couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking. Was she mocking him? 

Jade followed Kirona into Sonia's house.