A King is Born on the Road - CH 67

After a while, the carriage started. Parting with good people was always full of regrets. A little regret remained on the faces of Iris and Hayer in the carriage.

Sandra gave them tarts full of strawberries to eat on the way, so the two took them out and shared it when they were hungry.

It was the best strawberry dish Iris had ever eaten, with its large size and rich flavour of strawberries and unique scent, the cooking method was excellent.

The two were sitting in the carriage that moved nonstop without a moment’s rest, eager to let Ruben Everhart meet Sandra Hall as soon as possible.

After that, it was hard to sit in the carriage for a long time to go back to the capital.

In addition, Iris’s eyes, which had been unable to sleep again the previous day, kept bothering Hayer. But to Iris, who was trying hard not to look tired somehow, Hayer asked.

“Shall we take a short walk? To look around the market.”

Iris nodded as if she had been waiting for his suggestion.

Thus, the two got off at the Everhart Market for a short walk.

After walking through this market, they intended to ride the carriage again from the opposite side.

They were just entering the market when it suddenly began to rain.

The merchants moved busily and began to spread their tents.

Iris looked up at the tents that quickly became an umbrella and couldn’t contain her admiration. The tents emblazoned with all kinds of patterns from all over the world were dyed in colours unique to their own country.

Iris stared up at the tents for a while, distracted. And Hayer stood a step back, watching her look up at the tents like that.

“It’s beautiful.”

Iris murmured and moved on.

Hayer walked behind her, looking at the colours of the tents melting into her eyes.

Then at some point, people flocked, and in an instant, she disappeared into the crowd. Hayer, who had been watching her all along, rushed over and grabbed Iris’s hand.

Iris’s eyes were wide open, perhaps surprised to separate from Hayer for a moment. Iris asked, seeing the hand Hayer held one step later with those surprised eyes.

“How did you find me so quickly?”

Right.

It was only after she asked such a question that Hayer realized that he had been following Iris with his eyes, not paying any attention to the market.

From the first day he met her, Hayer thought that Iris was constantly within his gaze. Then one day, he was looking for the place where she was with his eyes.

He knows it bothers Iris to keep looking at where she is, so he avoids eye contact…

“I was watching. Continuously.”

He answered frankly.

Iris looked into his eyes.

“Are you afraid I might lose my way?”

Hayer shook his head at the remark.

“I’m afraid I’ll lose you.”

Is it because the goods will get wet from the sudden rain or because of the repairs of the merchants running around? He didn’t know what he was answering, and he was muttering like that.

It was amazing. Has he ever seen anything good in his life for this long? He didn’t remember very well.

Just, she was marvellous to him.

Hayer said, holding her hand tightly.

“Hold it and go. Don’t lose it again.”

Iris looked a little dazed, then nodded and followed him.

“Don’t lose me.”

She added, and Hayer smiled and nodded. Then he answered quietly.

“You can find it quickly if you lose it, but not me.”

When Iris looked at Hayer again, he gazed at Iris again.

“You have to watch it for a long time, if you don’t want to lose it.”

“Hmm… I see.”

“So if I’m looking at you, ah, I’m afraid of losing you, so I’ll just do it.”

Iris blinked at his answer, nodding slowly.

Exiting the market, they got back into the carriage and left Everhart. Having travelled to and from the capital often, she has now somewhat adapted to the stench felt upon entering the capital.

However, what was still difficult to adapt to was the number of street dwellers that increased exponentially from the moment they entered the capital.

Iris thought she would have a lot of chances to go to Everhart Street for the time being.

With no financial knowledge, she didn’t know Luwan’s finances properly. But as a Luwan living in this country, she felt certain that the economy was collapsing.

The bankruptcy of the Everhart family had to be prevented. It was as important a goal for her as not to lose the Hall fief.

When they returned to the royal palace, roses were blooming all over.

Hayer said after taking her to the front of the east building.

“I will go see my mother.”

“Yes. Thank you for coming with me. And… do you want me to come with you this time?”

Hayer’s expression was not bright, but he shook his head at her question. And asked jokingly.

“How did you know that I’m scared of seeing my mother?”

“I don’t know if you’re scared, but your steps do look heavy.”

“Ah.”

Hayer nodded, and continued.

“That’s right. I’ll go by myself though. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”

“Of course.”

Among the mountains of food Sandra gave them, Iris found a peach and handed it to him.

“I’ll give you this.”

“Ah, it’s definitely better than going empty-handed.”

“Go ahead.”

After receiving Iris’s worried farewell, Hayer moved to the basement of the west building where his mother, Peonia Lepos, stayed.

* * *

Standing in front of the basement of the west building, he took a few deep breaths to catch himself. Then he opened the door and entered the place where his mother stayed.

“Mother.”

At his words, Peonia turned around.

It’s been so long that Hayer couldn’t think of what to say to his mother. He couldn’t say anything now, which he usually did well.

Hayer put down the peach Iris gave him on Peonia’s table.

“Please eat.”

Peonia stared blankly at Hayer’s face, then ran frantically to hug her son.

Hayer patted Peonia on the back, feeling a little sorry for coming after two or three years.

“I’m sorry.”

He’ll come often—he didn’t say those same empty words. Because that’s impossible.

He couldn’t bear to let go of Peonia, who couldn’t fall away from his arms, and stood there.

After a while, Hayer put Peonia back in her chair, and he took a chair opposite of her. Then he started to peel the peach he brought with a dagger.

Peonia, who was staring at the peach, said.

“I like peaches.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Peonia nodded.

“I ate a lot when I was young.”

Did you know that?

Even though he knew it couldn’t be, Hayer briefly had such a question. She was a woman who knows a lot of things she shouldn’t know.

He soon left the peach and handed it to Peonia.

Peonia took a bite of the peach and looked happy. Hayer wiped the peach juice off his hands, and unconsciously smiled at Peona’s face.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile, Mother.”

“Is that so?”

Peonia asked back and ate the peach again.

Hayer, who was watching his mother eat, picked up another peach and began to peel it.

When Peonia finished eating one, Hayer, who handed her another, asked.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure. Of course.”

“Who is my father?”

When someone else asked this, Peonia kept her mouth shut and gave no answer. There were even times when she just screamed like a lunatic.

There’s no such thing as another man, she screamed until her throat was hoarse.

However, when her son asked the same question for the first time, she was eating the peach with a relatively calm face.

Hayer wiped the juice from Peonia’s hands after eating the second peach with a handkerchief. Peonia, who was watching her sweet son’s behaviour, opened her mouth.

“You look like your father.”

Hayer paused at her words. Then, he wiped the juice off his hands again and asked.

“In what way?”

In response to her son’s question, Peonia tapped Hayer’s forehead and nose with her clean hands.

“Your forehead and eyes. Maybe you’ll recognize each other right away when you meet. That man is my father, that man is my son.”

“I see.”

“He’s very strong, very…”

Peonia’s mouth trembled as she remembered that someone.

Originally, he knew that there was a separate biological father, but he felt complicated when he heard it from his mother.

Hayer, who was looking at his mother who thought of his biological father, asked.

“What is his name?”

“……”

“What is my father’s name?”