Surprising Visitor

A few days later, in the west Wing of a tavern.

Rhys didn't think that Lyn would use the teleportation magic to see him. Luxin already informed him what her reply to his situation was. The words she said cut deeper than any knife. So, when he senses her mana. He immediately stands up and opens the door to confirm his suspicions.

While this area is already in Snow Kingdom grounds, the distance between this place and where Lyn was is a lot.

Lyn immediately fell in his arms, and Rhys felt his heart skip a beat, "What's wrong?"

"I'm a bit dizzy. Oh, thank goodness you're alright. I've been very worried."

Yet she only just came to see him? Well, he supposes it can't be helped. The husband is more important. The fact that she even spared him a second thought is already surprising enough. She still spared him a thought after cruelly drawing a line between them.

Rhys scooped the girl up in his arms. "Where's Kazuya?"

"I snuck out."

This again, this girl needs to stop doing that. Doesn't she know how many enemies she has?

"Did you two fight?" Rhys wondered.

"We didn't; we have a mutual agreement."

That means they had a fight and came to a half-hearted compromise. Rhys sighed and carried her over to the couch, "Did you eat, I just made some rice porridge."

"Food! I am hungry."

Rhys smiled when he saw the innocent look in her eyes. Since they met again, he hasn't seen her like this.

"Lyn," Rhys caressed her cheeks, and the girl flinched, "I missed you."

"I—I see, okay," Lyn looked away from him. "I missed you too."

After she said those words, Rhys stumbled on the ground. Did he just imagine her saying that? Did Lyn actually just say that she missed him?

"Wahh? Rhys, are you okay?"

"I think I'm hallucinating." Rhys mumbled.

He hadn't seen her act this kind towards him since before she married Kazuya, since they were dating. Ever since he reunited with her in the lovers forest, she has been treating him like an ice Queen and drawing a line between their relationship.

"You're not hallucinating, wake up." Lyn exclaimed.

"So, you're acting nice to me now? Why?" Rhys questioned. He felt bewildered, why is she even here?

At those words Lyn awkwardly looks away before sighing deeply. "Well, I didn't want to act cold in the first place. I just wanted to make you give up on me. But now I see I have to settle things first." Lyn looked him up and down, "Back then, when Kazuya left, did we date each other?"

Why is she asking him this stupid question? Were they dating? Of course they were, they even ended up getting married. Moreover, they started going out before Kazuya even left.

"You said, you'd give me a chance." Rhys chose his words carefully.

"I see, so I liked you."

Wait, wait... Why does she even need to ask this?

"Do you know one of the main reasons why Kazuya kept disappearing after marriage?"

"The jade, right?"

"And you," Lyn sighed, "He told me that we never really ended our relationship. Something happened during the final battle, and you left. During the jade war you decided to erase my memories."

So, Kazuya briefed her on everything. But just a brief, knowing that fool, if he were here he would say.. 'The rest is up to you.' What rest? Didn't she strongly reject him in the church already? Since then Rhys had been doing a bit of thinking, should he give up on her already? She's a married woman, married to his best friend.

"So," Rhys picked up a cup and a bottle of sake he opened earlier and poured the contents. "What do you want to do about this Queen Lyn?"

"I.."

"You're married already, but that's not it — you're also the Queen. I'm a noble, but unlike Kazuya, I have no charisma or anything to lead people, and I have no desire for the throne. Even if you accepted me back, I wouldn't be able to give you what you want."

When he realized she didn't reply, he looked over and noticed that she was shaking. Geez, Rhys waltz over, "Aren't you supposed to be strong now? Don't cry over this."

Lyn hits him, "It's your fault, Rhys. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I didn't want to ruin your relationship."

"Kazuya and me, things were awkward for a very long time when we got back together. Because Kazuya thought he took you from me, isn't that stupid?"

"Yeah, it is," Rhys agreed. The one who did the stealing, after all, is him.

Lyn sighed, "I honestly don't understand why I came here. When I heard you were injured, I wanted to rush to your side, but I stopped myself."

"That's normal."

"But I couldn't take it anymore and came here. Tell me, Rhys, what do you want from me?"

"I want to try as hopeless as it maybe." Rhys admitted.

"Right now, the war with the Snow Kingdom is getting worse. The famine is occurring in every place in the Empire. Some places are experiencing severe drought. The Snow Kingdom, however, grows more lavish and beautiful. No, the inner palace gets better and better. The Snow Kingdom people are victims, too; some areas are affected. We simply do not see it, because the royal family discards that area once they realize the infection has taken place there."

So, that's the reason why. Though there are many rumors about it, nobody can confirm things.

"Are you saying this isn't the time?" Rhys cupped her cheeks, "But you came here of your own free violation. You can't blame me for what happens next."

In the next second he kissed her deeply, and felt his tears fall. He doesn't remember when was the last time he could kiss her like this. He has been flirting with her since she came back however he couldn't kiss her like this. A kiss that exposes all the lies he has been hiding from her this entire time.

…

His gaze fell on the woman who fell asleep and sighed. 'Damn, what did he just do?' Rhys thought. That kiss was far too long; if she didn't use magic to regain her strength, then he would have certainly lost it. But honestly, what is he supposed to do when she is so breathtakingly beautiful?

"Rhys? Where are you going?" Lyn said half dazed.

"Out for a bit, why don't you go back to sleep?"

"How about you? Isn't this your room?"

"Sleep here; I'll just take the couch, okay?"

"Okay, night," Lyn said. Rhys nodded, and he expected the girl to lay back down, but instead, she reached over and hugged him lightly. "Night."

Rhys stood frozen in shock at her actions. 'Damm,' he thought. She doesn't make this any easier for him, does she? What is he supposed to do, he still likes her so much.

.....

Four hours later.

"You two make me barf as usual," Ayah said as he entered the room with a tray for dinner. Roughly four hours had passed since Lyn arrived, and the girl had fallen asleep.

"If you're jealous say so."

Ayah shot him a glare, and Rhys sighed, "You've always had a bad habit of eavesdropping."

"Who wouldn't be curious? What did you do, she's the Queen, you know?"

"Like I could actually do anything to her," Rhys trailed off, "I did sneak in a kiss and hugged her before she brought out the knife."

Ayah rolled her eyes, "Aren't you tired of this stupid love already? How many years have you been chasing her, isn't it stupid to continue loving somebody who won't look your way?"

That's right in eyes Ayah's Lyn has never returned his feelings, even when he was dating Lyn officially. Ayah was under the impression that Lyn was only using him as a substitute for Kazuya.

"Then how about you? How many years did you like your fiancé before he even looked your way?"

"You have no right to ask that, it's because of you that he..."

"I've been wondering about that," Rhys trailed off, "But, is that really the reason why he's acting weird around you?"

"What do you mean?"