Civil Servant in Romance Fantasy - Chapter 225

Chapter 225: Going to the Capital as a Beast (2)The warm atmosphere and the fluttering excitement in my chest vanished in an instant. The smile that once adorned baby's face hardened into an unyielding stare.

I was confused. Why? Why was baby wearing such an expression? Everything seemed fine just a moment ago, and I hadn’t said anything strange.

"Your Grace."

As I remained speechless in my bewilderment, baby spoke again.

His voice was low, but his eyes burned with intensity. It was as if he was warning me that there would be no next time if I didn’t explain myself properly.

"Explain to me. How am I going to live for hundreds of years?"

Fear started to creep in. I didn’t know why he was reacting this way, but it was clear that he was angry. This wasn’t just a fleeting annoyance or a sense of injustice; this was genuine anger.

"Potion."

I barely managed to get the word out through trembling lips.

Of course, this wasn’t a sufficient explanation. It was merely something I said to gather my thoughts. If I hadn’t said even that, baby would have turned his back on me immediately.

Upon hearing that, he leaned back into the sofa. That was a relief. At least he wasn’t going anywhere for now.

"Do you remember the potion I gave you?"

"Yes, I remember."

"That potion supposedly extends your lifespan."

His expression twisted with discomfort.

"Not immediately, though. You need to take it consistently for 40 years before it takes effect. For now, it just helps with your health."

I added this instinctively, and his contorted expression seemed to relax a bit.

It was only then that I realized that baby was uncomfortable with the idea of a prolonged lifespan. It wasn’t just an awkwardness towards the unknown; he genuinely disliked the idea.

But why?

I couldn’t understand. Gaining a long lifespan, akin to that of long-lived races, was a universal human desire.

My father had also wished to live a life like Mother and me. Mother dedicated her life to making my father like the long-lived races.

It wasn’t just my parents. They weren't obsessed with longevity just because they were lovers with different lifespans.

Everyone, everyone was like that.

In my over a hundred years of life, every human I encountered longed for longevity. Past emperors, nobles, and even clergies who professed to follow the will of the gods.

They all expressed subtle envy towards me. As death approached, they would look at me with desperate eyes.

They were so attached to life because they had so much to enjoy. Uncertain of what would come after this life, they wanted to enjoy their current luxuries.

For everyone, it was the same...

Even commoners, those who lacked wealth and status, wished for a longer life. Those with less, who might face more despair than happiness, also longed for longevity.

They feared death. They feared facing the unknown after leaving this familiar world behind.

Of course, baby would...

Baby lacked nothing. Wealth, honor, power, and personal strength. Naturally, I thought that he would desire longevity. After all, he had so much to enjoy in this world.

So, I naturally assumed that he would be pleased to spend hundreds of years with me, enjoying our current splendor, or even more, for centuries. Since he was human, I believed he would like it.

It would be unfamiliar, of course. He would be bewildered, perhaps even frightened. No one would remain calm if their lifespan suddenly doubled.

Still, I believed that he would eventually come to appreciate it.

"Your Grace."

After a moment of silence, baby spoke again.

"Why did you do it?"

A brief question, but one loaded with emotion.

It was clear that he was holding back and suppressing what he truly wanted to say.

"I thought you would want to live a long life—"

"Why."

But for him, it's not the same.

I was foolish. I only considered things from my perspective and assumed that lifelong bonds meant as little to baby as they did to me.

But for him, extending his lifespan didn’t mean that those lifelong connections would become fleeting. It meant that the people he thought he'd spend his life with would leave him far too quickly.

"...I apologize for my rudeness, Your Grace. Please forgive me."

Lost in the overwhelming shame, I watched baby rise from his seat and bow his head.

"If Your Grace decided so, there must be a reason. I was presumptuous to question you."

His words were polite, but they clearly drew a line between us.

I remembered our laughter and conversation just a few minutes ago. The drastic change sent chills down my spine, and I felt tears welling up.

"B-baby, I... I..."

No, I couldn’t let the conversation end this way.

I had hurt him with my ignorance and stubbornness. I needed to apologize immediately...

"I will make sure that Your Grace will never have to see my face again."

His words stopped my outstretched hand.

***He glanced at me one last time before leaving the tower room without hesitation.

I should have stopped him. I should have begged for forgiveness and promised never to make the same mistake again.

But I couldn't move. The repeated shocks had left me paralyzed.

"I will make sure that Your Grace will never have to see my face again."

He said he would take responsibility for his disrespect, but in truth, he was saying that he never wanted to see me again.

Those terrible, fearful words kept echoing in my mind. The happiness from just moments ago crumbled away like a lie.

And now, as happiness turned into despair, I saw the comb on the table. Pure white, and elegantly designed.

"It may be of no use to you, but this is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it. Between us, this is nothing."

No.

With trembling hands, I grabbed the comb desperately. I felt as if I had to hold onto it, or else I’d lose this gift too.

No...

And then, I cried. It was the first gift he had given me, a treasure worth more than all the riches of my duchy.

But it had now become the last gift, a symbol of the end between us; it turned from a cherished treasure into a horrid reminder of the downfall of our relationship.

"No!"

A scream tore from my throat.

I couldn't let it end like this. Even if he never forgave me, and even if he resented me for the rest of his life, I had to apologize. Even if I remained a selfish monster in his eyes, I needed to show at least a shred of decency.

So, I ran. I had never run for the sake of my appearance or dignity as a duke, but those things were meaningless now.

"T-Tower Master!"

"What on earth—?"

The more I ran, the more I heard voices filled with shock and alarm as I descended the tower.

It didn’t matter. My authority was useless.

Baby.

Even as I ran, I tried to sense his mana. If I could find his mana, then I could teleport to him.

However, it wasn’t easy. Magic was deeply influenced by the caster’s state of mind. How could my magic function properly when I was so confused and distraught?

Baby...!

So, I just kept running.

With no dignity, authority, or magic left, it was all I could do.