PBPGD

CHAPTER 43

'Was the horse this calm?'

Sitting on the saddle, Lia smiled and glanced at Ian, who was driving his horse without shaking. He seemed to be trying quite hard to be considerate of her.

"Yeah, it's still too much to say."

"It's a place where you can't just wander."

"The sun will set now. No matter how long the day has been, the time of my stomach in very clear."

"Don't worry. I won't let you starve."

Ian headed to a forest connected to the Academy. A deep scent surrounds her as she rides the horse along a narrow path full of fir tree, acacia, and some unidentified flowers.

The two got out of the forest path that seemed to be out of reach of humans.

Soon after, Ian stopped from talking as they reach a place where a calm sound of the water and the wind blew. It was a small lake in front of a huge Platanus tree lined with leaves.

"This resembles Cosoar."

Ian got off of the horse, and reached out to Lia's remark, as if she was
talking to herself.

"That's why I brought you here."

With Ian's help, she got off the horse and she collapsed on the floor as she grabbed her ribs from the sudden pain.

"Are you okay?"

"No. I want to walk home. It hurts."

"Weak. So weak."

Ian said so and sat beside her. Lia glanced at Ian, who was strangely calm. A
man who has subsided too much today.

"But how did you know this place?"

"Quite coincidentally. As I was riding the horse, I smelled water."

"You have a good nose. The smell of water, I can't really smell it."

"I remembered it well. I like Cosoar. Because it's beautiful."

Her hands dampened from touching the grass.

Lia liked Cosoar the same way. She always wanted to go back to the capital, but she missed Cosoar as she was staying here. To the extent that everything in Cosoar often appears in her dreams.

Perhaps Ian wants to go back to his hometown. As a Kieran's guest, he's been in the Empire for months now.

"I heard that you visited for my brother's engagement ceremony. Are you going back as soon as the ceremony is over?"

"Probably, right away."

"There's not much time left then? I hope you liked it here. Your hometown
must be a great place, right?"

"Well, it's a nice place, but I don't want to go back. Thinking of spending
another year with Kieran is killing me."

"Brother, too... Are you going back together?"

He spaced out for a moment. It's something that Lia didn't know.

Kieran became healthy enough that he no longer needs medical care. But why is he going back?

'Is that why the Marchioness allowed me to live in the academy?'

Various thought had piled up, and the beautiful scenery wasn't visible to her anymore. She was a bit depressed.

"Before you go back, I'll give you a present. Whatever it is that you want."

As his voice got near, Lia's dazed eyes regained focus. Ian smiled and looked
down at her.