-HER-

I lingered in the shadows with my heart fluttering in my chest. My eyes kept darting around the open courtyard, desperate to spot the familiar tall figure of Viscount. I rechecked my small pocket watch. I was there much earlier.

It had been the only thing I had been dreaming about all night. A part of me was still wondering if it was a dream. I didn't know what made Viscount ask me out all of a sudden, but at the same time, I wasn't complaining. I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I glanced at my watch one more time only to find that the time was moving slower and slower. When I glanced up this time, I found Viscount in the empty courtyard, looking around... for me. I almost leapt out of the shadows and ran towards him.

I caught myself and took a deep breath before calmly walking out of the shadows. He stopped looking around when his eyes fell on me. I didn't miss how he scanned me from head to toe.

"Good morning," He greeted me first when I reached up to him, "I hope I'm not taking up your precious time,"

"No, I'm quite excited to see the city," I told him. He nodded before leading me out of there through a narrow passageway. "And she is out, so I have some free time in my hands," I told him.

"I'm glad to hear that," He spoke over his shoulder, walking ahead of me. We left the passageway into a narrow road at the back of the palace. A carriage was already waiting for us there. He held the door open for me to climb inside the carriage before following me inside.

"Where are we going?" I asked him once the carriage started rolling. He gave me a pensive look before asking, "Do you have a particular place in your mind?"

"Not really,"

"What about your family? Would you like to meet them? I'm sure it must have been a long time since they had seen you," He offered. I didn't know why but there was something dark in the way he had suggested the idea. His words pricked me in a way.

"Oh..." I was wordless for a bit, looking out the window, "They don't live in the capital anymore," I told him.

"Then where do they live?" He asked. I heard a hint of determination in his voice.

"It's in one of the villages far away from here," I answered, trying to get rid of this topic, but for some reason, he seemed a bit too fixated on my past.

"You're going to be here for a while. Maybe, I can take you there someday if you wish?" He offered, but it sounded more like a statement.

"I-I don't think that would be possible," I spoke, shifting uncomfortably in my seat and staring out of the window to avoid him. Though I could feel his eyes fixated on me like a blazing beam. "Besides, I think my parents are dead. It's been a long time,"

"How many years have you been at the shrine?" He asked me.

"A couple of years," I told him. "You didn't tell me where we are going,"

"We're going to the shipyard because I've something to deliver there. I'll see where to go from there," He told me.

"The shipyard?" I gasped. The place always fascinated me, especially how the sea looked from there. "I've heard a great deal about the huge ships being built there,"

"That's because we build the best ships," He told me, looking smug and proud.

"Of course," I smiled cheekily.

It didn't take us much time to reach the shipyard. Even though the ships under construction were blocking the sea view, they couldn't cover the sound of waves crashing in the distance. Viscount led me through a path to one of the farther points, telling me about each ship. In between the ships, I would catch a glimpse of the sea through the narrow gap.

"Can we get inside one of those?" I asked him as he showed me another of their ships under construction. More than a hundred people were working on a single ship. It was always a wonder for me how they could make such huge things float on water.

"Not in these," He answered, "But you'll be inside one soon," He assured. I almost hopped behind him in joy like a child. I was breathless when we reached the last ship. Structurally, it was ready, but I could see that many people were still working on it.

Apart from the size of the ship, the figurehead really stole my breath.

"It's..." I breathed, unable to believe my eyes as I looked up at the figurehead.

"Qromeda," He completed, stepping behind me while I was busy admiring the skill used in carving the figurehead.

"Qromeda is a sea goddess associated with us exclusively. Why would you have it on a ship?" I couldn't help but ask him as I took a last glance at the goddess.

In response, Viscount laughed, "I will leave it to your reasoning. Let's go on board," He offered. The inside of the ship was huge, having hundreds of cabins along with long passageways and huge rooms.

He led me through the ship's insides before we ended up at the deck. The sea seemed to look more beautiful from there. He showed me the captain's cabin and the ship's features, but he briefly disappeared to meet the person in charge of this ship's construction.

I took this opportunity to climb on top of the captain's cabin leading to the very front edge of the ship, which provided a breathtaking view of the sea. I bent down the railing and admired the electric blue water, finding the ship's height surreal. I had missed the sea these days.

I used to hate the sea before I was taken to the shrine. Though, at the shrine, the sea was hard to ignore. The sound of water was always there at the shrine, murmuring with the sun in the day and whispering lullabies at night. It often filled me with a fear of being alone while gazing at the horizon. The world felt empty.

Though, I had gradually gotten used to it. The fear slowly turned into calmness when I realized that the sea wasn't as empty as I used to think. It had a life, and it had its secrets.

In the palace, I would glance out the window, expecting to be met with blue water, only to be disappointed.

"I hope you're enjoying your day so far," He commented after returning.

"Oh, I'm loving it," I grinned, "Where are we headed next?"

"The market," He told me before we headed there. It was ages since I had been there, so I was delighted to be there, but at the same time, I couldn't believe how things had changed there. Viscount took me to some shops and bought me some things. After lunch, we visited a couple of local shrines. I didn't want the day to end, but I could do nothing to stop it.

Viscount visibly seemed to have had a good time with me, mainly because we shared the same interests— art, food and visiting new places. However, I had to filter my words because I didn't want to give him an impression.

Though now and then, I would often forget it and expect him to recognize me as Theresa. However, I soon remembered that it wasn't possible anymore. Vittoria had erased my face from everyone's memories except a few people. What remained were fragmented memories of a person without a face.

Nonetheless, he seemed to have enjoyed my company immensely.

"We should get out again soon," He told me on our way back.

"I would love that, but I am not sure if I would get the time," I sighed, looking at him contently. He nodded in an understanding way.

"I hope the Emperor stops this soon," He muttered, looking out the window.

"That would be too bad," I yawned, feeling tired, "I would have to go back to the shrine," As soon as I said that, his head snapped at me with lightning speed.

"Yeah... that might be an issue," He muttered, looking at me with an unfamiliar emotion. He opened his mouth but shut it abruptly and looked away. He licked his lips and clenched his jaw. He looked hesitant for a bit, his body slowly tensing up.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked after a long silence.

"Yes,"

"Have a priestess ever—"A ground-shaking thunder pierced his words, and instantly it started to rain heavily.

"We have to take shelter," the carriage master announced. Viscount looked at me before sinking back in his seat, looking slightly disappointed. The rain was falling in thick white curtains. The palace was far away, and there was no way we would make it in this rain.

We ended up taking shelter at a Guild Member's house who turned out to be a very good friend of Viscount. That's when we learned that we weren't the only guest the guild member was hosting that night under the rain.

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