Perhaps Iris was lonely too, Sidrain thought.
As Sidrain felt the soft press of Iris’s lips against his, a wave of warmth swept through him, melting away the icy walls that loneliness had erected around his heart. He savored the sensation, letting it wash over him like a long-awaited balm.
In that moment of vulnerability, he realized that he had been harboring an anger he could not name, a simmering frustration that had been buried deep within him.
It was not just that he needed her, he realized. It was something deeper, more primal than that. When she stood alone, he felt the weight of loneliness bear down on him, threatening to suffocate him with its unrelenting grip. It was not that he couldn’t wait for her, but rather that he didn’t want to. He had been waiting for her for longer than he cared to admit, even before he had laid eyes on her.
Sidrain’s voice was soft and tender as he whispered, “Don’t exclude me.” Only her, he thought, only she could make him feel this way. She was the one who made him feel unique and irreplaceable, someone who couldn’t be excluded. Memories of past pains came rushing back to him, like the time he was ordered to subdue the dragon and when he put Testalia in his heart. The hardship and suffering of those times were too much to bear, but he found solace in the thought of her, like calling out her name before falling off a cliff.
As he walked into the queen’s bedroom, Sidrain’s heart was pounding in his chest. He pushed Iris against the wall and whispered, “Ris, stay by my side at all times. Okay?” She saw the pain in his face reflected in the moonlight and nodded in agreement. Her teacher’s face passed through her mind, but when she weighed her teacher and Sidrain, she nodded again. Her teacher had a tower, and even though they were far apart, they had been doing well. It had already been five years since she left the tower and started living in a workshop, but Sidrain was begging her not to abandon him with just a month of being alone.
But it wasn’t just because this person needed her. Iris knew herself well. She was a sorceress, someone who was prepared to do anything to complete her magic. Selfish people who moved for themselves, humans who were willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goals. She was part of that too.
“Sid,” Iris called, and Sidrain leaned his face into hers. She bent her waist and planted a kiss on his forehead. “That’s not what I meant by leaving you alone,” she whispered. I never intended to hurt you by leaving you alone like that. If I could choose one person in the world to make happy, it would be you, not my teacher. I just don’t know how to express it
Iris nervously chewed on her lips as they twisted into a plum-like shape. Sidrain gently touched them with his fingertips and lowered his head, silently communicating his sympathy.
“I just wanted to be better in this world, that’s all. Without magic, I’m nothing. I wanted to learn how to be a real person, not just a magical creation. My master did everything for me, but I only realized it after inhabiting someone else’s body. I knew nothing about the world, I just said what I thought people wanted to hear, but that’s not how the world works. I learned a lot, and now…well, I don’t even know what I’m saying,” Iris said, fidgeting.
Tears welled up in Iris’s blue eyes as she felt overwhelmed with frustration. Ever since waking up after falling into Haran’s River, she had been struggling to understand the complexities of the real world. No matter how hard she tried, something always felt off, and someone was always getting hurt.
Living in disregard of reality had come with a harsh price, and Iris couldn’t seem to find balance. Unlike magic, people had different perspectives, and no matter how much she studied, she couldn’t fully understand them.
“Can’t I do everything for you?” Sidrain’s sudden question startled Iris, and she shook her head in disbelief. But Sidrain continued, “Like what Elaine did, no, more than that. Can’t I do everything for you? Can’t you trust me?”
Feeling vulnerable and foolish, Iris’s body stiffened, and she tried to hold back her tears as she saw a faint smile that resembled moonlight. But Sidrain gently wiped them away and spoke confidently, “It’s not that bad. You look at ideals, and that’s okay. Why does everyone have to see reality? Since many people do, it’s okay for someone to look at ideals.”
Sidrain thought back to the moment he fell in love with Iris Elaine. It was when she taught him how to control magic, despite her fear of people who couldn’t use it. She was a patient teacher who would do anything to help him learn. Everyone else had doubts about whether Sidrain could control magic, including himself. It was a serious situation, with the possibility of him losing his position as crown prince.
But Iris was the only one who never doubted him. Her trust was pure and unwavering, without conditions or any knowledge of the person behind the door. He had never received such trust before, and never would again.
Perhaps Iris was lonely too, Sidrain thought.
As Sidrain felt the soft press of Iris’s lips against his, a wave of warmth swept through him, melting away the icy walls that loneliness had erected around his heart. He savored the sensation, letting it wash over him like a long-awaited balm.
In that moment of vulnerability, he realized that he had been harboring an anger he could not name, a simmering frustration that had been buried deep within him.
It was not just that he needed her, he realized. It was something deeper, more primal than that. When she stood alone, he felt the weight of loneliness bear down on him, threatening to suffocate him with its unrelenting grip. It was not that he couldn’t wait for her, but rather that he didn’t want to. He had been waiting for her for longer than he cared to admit, even before he had laid eyes on her.
Sidrain’s voice was soft and tender as he whispered, “Don’t exclude me.” Only her, he thought, only she could make him feel this way. She was the one who made him feel unique and irreplaceable, someone who couldn’t be excluded. Memories of past pains came rushing back to him, like the time he was ordered to subdue the dragon and when he put Testalia in his heart. The hardship and suffering of those times were too much to bear, but he found solace in the thought of her, like calling out her name before falling off a cliff.
As he walked into the queen’s bedroom, Sidrain’s heart was pounding in his chest. He pushed Iris against the wall and whispered, “Ris, stay by my side at all times. Okay?” She saw the pain in his face reflected in the moonlight and nodded in agreement. Her teacher’s face passed through her mind, but when she weighed her teacher and Sidrain, she nodded again. Her teacher had a tower, and even though they were far apart, they had been doing well. It had already been five years since she left the tower and started living in a workshop, but Sidrain was begging her not to abandon him with just a month of being alone.
But it wasn’t just because this person needed her. Iris knew herself well. She was a sorceress, someone who was prepared to do anything to complete her magic. Selfish people who moved for themselves, humans who were willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goals. She was part of that too.
“Sid,” Iris called, and Sidrain leaned his face into hers. She bent her waist and planted a kiss on his forehead. “That’s not what I meant by leaving you alone,” she whispered. I never intended to hurt you by leaving you alone like that. If I could choose one person in the world to make happy, it would be you, not my teacher. I just don’t know how to express it
Iris nervously chewed on her lips as they twisted into a plum-like shape. Sidrain gently touched them with his fingertips and lowered his head, silently communicating his sympathy.
“I just wanted to be better in this world, that’s all. Without magic, I’m nothing. I wanted to learn how to be a real person, not just a magical creation. My master did everything for me, but I only realized it after inhabiting someone else’s body. I knew nothing about the world, I just said what I thought people wanted to hear, but that’s not how the world works. I learned a lot, and now…well, I don’t even know what I’m saying,” Iris said, fidgeting.
Tears welled up in Iris’s blue eyes as she felt overwhelmed with frustration. Ever since waking up after falling into Haran’s River, she had been struggling to understand the complexities of the real world. No matter how hard she tried, something always felt off, and someone was always getting hurt.
Living in disregard of reality had come with a harsh price, and Iris couldn’t seem to find balance. Unlike magic, people had different perspectives, and no matter how much she studied, she couldn’t fully understand them.
“Can’t I do everything for you?” Sidrain’s sudden question startled Iris, and she shook her head in disbelief. But Sidrain continued, “Like what Elaine did, no, more than that. Can’t I do everything for you? Can’t you trust me?”
Feeling vulnerable and foolish, Iris’s body stiffened, and she tried to hold back her tears as she saw a faint smile that resembled moonlight. But Sidrain gently wiped them away and spoke confidently, “It’s not that bad. You look at ideals, and that’s okay. Why does everyone have to see reality? Since many people do, it’s okay for someone to look at ideals.”
Sidrain thought back to the moment he fell in love with Iris Elaine. It was when she taught him how to control magic, despite her fear of people who couldn’t use it. She was a patient teacher who would do anything to help him learn. Everyone else had doubts about whether Sidrain could control magic, including himself. It was a serious situation, with the possibility of him losing his position as crown prince.
But Iris was the only one who never doubted him. Her trust was pure and unwavering, without conditions or any knowledge of the person behind the door. He had never received such trust before, and never would again.
