Chapter 47 - Are You A Lunatic?
Chapter 47 – Are You A Lunatic?
Kissing was a little strange, as it could steal someone's breath away. And yet, you'd also want more as if it wasn't enough, no matter how long or deep it was. It would never be enough, setting one's body ablaze.
I glanced at Hugo across from me. After saying he wanted more and slowly leaning for seconds, Tito knocked from outside the door, telling us we should set off. Hugo was obviously displeased, but he got up from the bed and told me to prepare before leaving.
Now, we're back inside the carriage we'd been using for the past weeks. Like usual, Hugo sat across from me with his hood covering the upper half of his face, arms crossed. At this point, I wasn't curious anymore if he was asleep or dead. We've been in this situation for weeks.
'He really looked upset this morning,' I thought. But if Tito didn't interrupt us, my gut feeling told me we wouldn't set off today. So, I guessed this was fine. Hugo was also in a hurry to return to their home, so postponing it wouldn't be beneficial.
"Bambi, we will stop by in the next town." I raised my brows as Hugo raised his hood with a finger, golden eyes glimmering at me.
"The next town?" My brows slowly creased as I looked outside the window, catching the town from the distance. "But it's still early."
"I know, but that's where this carriage can take us. We need to run back so we can arrive later tonight," he explained, making me blink my eyes blankly.
What did he say?
Hugo studied my blank expression as I looked at him in silence. "I received an order yesterday to return to Ronmin immediately. If we ride the carriage, we can reach the empire in three days. But I was summoned tonight."
"Oh…" I rocked my head in understanding. "Alright."
It was not like I had a choice in how we traveled. Although I was a bit nervous about stepping foot in Ronmin Empire. It was a place where werewolves reigned. Not to mention, Hugo was an important individual in that place. All other important people in Everfell were busy — Ashton and the maids often tell me that, that was why Father couldn't visit me as much.
"What are you thinking?" his warm baritone voice brought me back to the current lapse. I raised my head and loosened my grip on my skirt as soon as I locked eyes with him.
"Uhm… I was thinking if we can still see each other often," I confessed, watching the space between his brows wrinkle with his head tilting to the side. "They said important people are busy people, so I was wondering if… you'll be gone for a year."
"A year?"
I nodded, thinking that there was a time in the past that Father visited me only once in an entire year. "Yes, for a year."
"Me?" Hugo chuckled while staring at me as if he was looking at a clown. "My Bambi, in Ronmin Empire, the busiest person is the emperor and yet, he never fails to see me every other day when I was a child."
"Really?"
"Yes!" he nodded encouragingly. "He taught me that there's not a busy man in this world if the people are important to you."
'Whenever Hugo talked about his father, the emperor, it almost sound like he was an amiable person. But in this pack, Hugo was the only one who wasn't scared of the emperor.'
"So, I will still see you frequently?"
"Every day." His finger erected, waving slightly. "Why did I even take you with me and then leave you alone? There's a limit to how someone can stay dense, my Rinnie."
I frowned a little, biting my lips. "I'm just asking to confirm since I don't know how busy an important person such as yourself in your country."
"Uh… nothing much? Ivo does most of the paperwork unless they have spare time to put a shredded document together."
My brows furrowed. Although I didn't meddle with internal affairs, I knew documents were important. So, did I just hear him say he shredded important documents?
"Hugo, are you perhaps a lunatic?" I asked and tilted my head while pointing at my temple. "Do you have a loose screw in the head?"
"What?" His nose scrunched with eyes telling me 'coming from you?'
"Papers are not meant to tear apart," I explained in the same soft tone. "I treasured my books because they are meant to be treasured and not ruin. If an important person like you does that, what will you do when you need them?"
"That is not my problem."
I blinked twice at his response. I had this conclusion in mind that I didn't want to speak aloud. That the problem didn't lie to Hugo, but to the person who put him in charge of a fief. How could they entrust a land with people in the hands of someone who seemed he didn't care about the world even a bit?
On the second thought, I might be also wrong. Maybe Hugo wasn't that a terrible Lord. My mind recalled the people I was traveling with and mentally nodded my head. Although they were clumsy, they respected Hugo.
"Alright. If that is what you say." I shrugged since it was pointless to argue with him anymore. "I'm actually curious what you do in Ronmin."
A subtle smile appeared on my face, which made him raise both his brows. Ever since I met him, all we did was travel. So, I was a bit curious about what their life was like once they were back.
"Why are you suddenly smiling?" he asked cautiously with narrowed eyes.
"Nothing. I am just looking forward to what kind of important person you are in Ronmin." My smile stayed, stretching broader as I thought about it. Would he act more dignified? It made me imagine how different he was.
"Rinnie, my Bambi, you… will be disappointed." His reply made my smile fade, replaced by curiosity and bafflement. "How you see me right now, I will be the same in Ronmin. The only difference is that I have a title. But even if I don't, everyone still hates me."
"Hate you…?"
He nodded. "Yes, because of how I got the title is something no one in the empire will ever forget."
"Hugo…" I called in a low voice and followed by a frown. He didn't seem he was lying. So, he was hated in Ronmin Empire? Was he bullied there? But he also didn't look sad about it.
Hugo leaned on his side, eyes on me, arms crossed. "Bambi, this is what you need to remember once we step foot in Ronmin Empire. Werewolves, although lived in peace, are naturally cruel and born savages. The laws of Ronmin follow the rule of the wild: strong eat and weak are meats. Understood?"
I didn't reply quickly, but I still nodded in understanding. "Understood."
"Good. I don't want you to get swept away with the peace you might see because, behind the peace, blood is shed. Behind the power, a life is lost. As long as you understand that, you will be fine."
We stayed silent for a moment and just stared at each other. This time, Hugo's expression was solemn, making me etch his words deep in my mind. We only snapped when the carriage stopped and Kieran's head abruptly appeared in the window.
"Alpha Hugo, we're here. Let's run, run, run!" he announced excitedly as if he was itching to run a distance a carriage would take three days to reach.
This was it, I told myself.. We would finally reach the Great Ronmin Empire.