I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

"Hey."

The boy looked up at the familiar voice. At the unexpected visitor holding his arm, the boy scrunched up his face as he looked at the blond boy.

"Evan, let me go."

A blond boy who suddenly appeared.

Not as much as her father and brother, but the blonde boy's eyes were clear. If it weren't for the tattered clothes the boy wore, the dark ash on his face and hair, he would have been mistaken for a nobleman.

Ophelia, who was looking at the boy with round eyes, came to her senses at the sharp voice.

"You are the one who steals people's money by lying."

"Lie…"

The blond boy named Evan turned his head towards Ophelia.

"Yes, that's a lie. The fact that he's starving and telling you how to get out of here. He cheated on you."

Evan's blue eyes didn't waver one bit. It wasn't a lie… As if to prove it, the skinny boy yelled at him and shook Evan's hand roughly.

"Are you crazy?! Why are you interrupting me? Want to die?"

Ophelia looked embarrassed by the vulgar word she'd never heard of, but the boy didn't stop, swearing more. Evan narrowed his brow as he looked at that boy and firmly placed the bag of money in Ophelia's hand.

"He lied to you to do something bad, so don't lose your head and take care of yourself."

“Oh…” Ophelia nodded, clutching her bag as if possessed by Evan's determined words.

The skinny boy yelled and his face turned red.

"Hey! This is really! Do you think you will be safe like this?”

"Do you think you'll be fine if you live like this?"

The boy's face, whose poor mask completely disappeared, had a world of difference. Ophelia shrugged with terrifying impulse, but Evan didn't flinch one bit.

"Brothers! Help me! Evan is trying to steal ours!"

The boy, who was huffing and puffing at Evan, suddenly looked back and shouted loudly. Soon after, good-bodied men appeared among the huts. At first glance, there were more than five people.

When the men threatened them like this, not only Ophelia but also Evan's shoulders stiffened.

“Lia, the outside of the Imperial Palace is a completely different place from the world you've seen. We don't know when and where dangerous things will happen.”

For some reason, what her father said crossed Ophelia’s mind.

‘That I have to do? There are no parents, no brother, no Imperial knights here to save me.'

Ophelia's hand trembled on the bag. The ragged boy turned his head.

"You are dead now."

As soon as the boy's mouth twisted, Evan grabbed Ophelia's hand. And then…

"Run!"

He took Ophelia's hand and began to run.

“Oh…!”

Surprised by the sudden situation, Ophelia ran with all her might, holding Evan's hand for a while.

"Hey, stop there!"

The footsteps behind keep scaring them. However, Evan ran like a madman, heading into the alley, never letting go of Ophelia's hand.

How long did he run like this? As soon as her heart was about to explode and her throat smelled fishy, Ophelia's legs gave up.

“Oh, oh! Oh my! No more…! I can't run anymore…"

Ophelia was really on the edge. Even if she wanted to run, she couldn't put strength into her legs.

Ophelia sat up, her hips flat on the floor. It was an act of unimaginable indignity, but now it didn't matter. Evan's harsh breath sank over Ophelia's head.

“Ugh… Huf…”

Taking a breath, Evan looked around and said to Ophelia.

“That is a relief. I think we got rid of them perfectly. You can rest for a while.”

It was lucky that Evan knew a shortcut that they didn't. Otherwise, they would have been caught.

Evan looked at Ophelia, who was nearly unconscious, and headed for the stands of the streets around her.

“Can I have a fruit juice?”

“5 coppers.”

Evan took a silver coin from his pocket. It was the money he received after a full month of tasks. After buying the fruit juice, he had 5 coppers left. He lost half of the money he earned after working hard.

Evan paused, but he couldn't leave the girl who was about to collapse. But he couldn't take the money out of the girl's bag at will.

Evan soon gave the owner a silver coin.

"Please give it to me,” Evan drank the juice and went back to Ophelia.

"Drink this."

Ophelia quickly caught the juice that appeared before her eyes. She thought she was going to die of thirst.

It has been a long time since the Princess's face had disappeared. While drinking the juice, Ophelia suddenly stopped drinking half of it. She then gave the remaining juice to Evan, who was watching her.

"You drink it too."

"…"

However, for some reason, Evan, who made eye contact with Ophelia, didn't respond. Ophelia, who was looking at the hardened Evan, bowed her head.

"Aren't you thirsty, Evan?"

When she called his name, Evan stepped back in surprise. Evan, who came to his senses only then, responded by avoiding Ophelia's gaze.

"…I'm fine. Drink it all.”

‘I’ve never seen such a pretty person.'

Evan was hardened by Ophelia's beauty. Smooth forehead, sharp nose, thick pink lips and skin whiter than flour. I even thought that he might have met a fairy in a fairy tale.

Therefore, Evan turned his head. He couldn't look directly into the jewel-like purple eyes. Because the reflection of himself in those bright eyes was so ragged.

Turning his head, Evan's ears were red, but Ophelia didn't notice it. Ophelia, who had no idea of ​​Evan's complicated thoughts, drank all the remaining juice without much thought, because Evan's attitude of not drinking juice seemed too firm.

“It's a waste to throw it away.”

"Give it to me."

As soon as he finished drinking, Evan walked over to Ophelia. Evan, who was handed an empty juice can, tossed it into the surrounding trash can. And when she turned her head naturally, he met Ophelia's eyes again.

Evan quickly looked down. While looking somewhere between Ophelia's eyebrows, Ophelia's small lips moved.

"Thank you very much for your help."

"Yes."

“By the way, are you alright? If those people come back for you… I think you're going to be in trouble because of me. I'll help you…"

"It's okay. I was going to get out of there anyway. There is no reason to be there anymore."

Evan, who had been avoiding eye contact, looked up. Ophelia couldn't open her mouth the moment she saw Evan's blue eyes. Because his eyes looked so sad.

She didn't know much yet, but Ophelia was still a pretty mature girl for her age. However, she had never seen such a sad look. His eyes look like they will break if she touches them.

‘What should I say at times like this? If I ask why she's sad… I don't think I can…'

She knew the words of comfort, but even those words didn't come easily. When Ophelia was lost, Evan's eyes changed quickly. Evan, whose expression changed as if he wasn't sad anymore, shrugged.

"So you don't have to worry. I'm not going back there. I will work hard and enter the Commoner Academy.”

“Commoner Academy?”

"Yes. I'm going to go in there and learn how to use the sword. My dream is to be a knight."

"You will definitely be a good knight!"

Evan's eyes widened as Ophelia deliberately smiled and yelled to encourage him. Evan rolled his eyes as he looked at Ophelia's smile, mesmerized. She was pretty even if she didn't do anything, but when she laughed, she shone brighter, like sunlight.

Evan pretended to be fine, so he cleared his throat.

"…Thanks. Why the hell were you in the slums? Did you get lost without an escort?”

“Oh… Yes. I was going to go to the Help Center, but I got on the wrong carriage and came to the slums. That's why…”

“Hmm, you were really in danger earlier. You know it, right?"

"Yes."

"Don’t do that again. Not all the poor are kind. If you give money so carelessly, it can be very dangerous.”

“I won't do that again. Excuse me… I don't know the way, but can you get a carriage to the Help Center? …I will give you the bag.”

Evan's brow narrowed as Ophelia tried to give him the bag of money.

"You just said you wouldn't do that again."

"I can trust it to you."

Evan's heart pounded at Ophelia's direct gaze.

Evan scratched his chin and said.

"…I don’t need money. I was on my way there anyway, so let's go together. I'll take you home."

"Really? …Thank you, Evan.”

"What…? But what is your name?"

"My name? …Uh… Lia. My name is Lia."

Ophelia, who almost inadvertently said her full name, quickly changed it to her nickname. She thought Evan is not a bad person, but it was a different matter to reveal that she was the Princess.

“Lia? That is your name?" Evan made a strange face.

That's because he thought that the girl in front of him would of course be a noble. Robes that look expensive to the eyes and skin not burned by the sun. It can’t be a commoner or a poor person.

He was going to greet her properly and speak formally if she had told him her first and last name…

‘What do you mean Lia? …There is no family name and the name is too short to be a noble.'

"Aren't you an aristocrat?" Evan asked openly.

"Well, noble… I'm not," Ophelia shook her head.

She's part of the royal family, not a noble, so she didn't lie. However, Ophelia slightly avoided the blue eyes because she was worried that she wasn’t honest with Evan.

"Hmm… I see."

‘Should I believe it or not? Just looking at her, I think she's a noble.'

Evan didn't believe what Lia said, but decided not to ask any more. There must be a reason why she doesn't reveal it. Evan gave up on his question and walked over to Lia.

"Let’s go."

"Oh, yes," Ophelia hesitated and took Evan's hand.