* * *
“That’s why the Tower Lord and I are going together. There’s already unsettling gossip—resolving this should help quell the rumors.”
“Unsettling gossip?”
“About you being an impostor.”
Unsettling gossip?
More like the truth.
And now I had to go along just to suppress it?
Ateol really only gave me the worst jobs.
Maybe I should just refuse.
If I sent Ateol alone, I could use the chance to escape.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, Ateol’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Startled, I looked up at him.
Had he read my mind?
Or had I muttered it aloud?
“I can see exactly what you’re thinking. Plotting to ditch me and run, aren’t you?”
“…….”
How did he know?
I averted my eyes, but his gaze remained piercing.
“I’ll just have to make you want to come with me.”
“How— Ah—!”
With a splash, Ateol and I were thrown into the water.
Trapped in the wide bathtub for nearly an hour, I finally broke, pleading tearfully, “Fine, I’ll go! Just—please, have mercy!”
Ateol, of course, only laughed, looking unbearably smug.
I realized what Nesare was famous for only after arriving.
It was known as the City of Rain and Lovers—more precisely, Lovers in the Rain.
Long ago, a pair of lovers, Milisa and Aria, faced opposition from their families.
They fled to Nesare, but were soon discovered and pursued (seriously, sending hunters after your own family?).
As they ran, a downpour began.
Deciding they’d rather die together (a bit extreme, no?), they shared a passionate kiss in the rain before leaping into a well.
Their tragic tale became a wildly popular novel, turning Nesare into a romantic hotspot.
Now, couples visited to kiss in the rain, reenacting the scene.
I couldn’t understand it.
These lovers died—why would anyone want to emulate them?
It was like couples walking along Deoksugung’s stone wall for luck, or locking love padlocks on Namsan Tower—or cosplaying Romeo and Juliet.
“Yuri.”
“Eek!”
Lost in thought, I jolted upright.
Ateol had called my name while blowing sharply into my ear.
The rush of air sent a shiver down my spine.
He’d been sitting across from me—when had he moved so close?
“What were you thinking about so deeply?”
“Nothing. Just zoning out.”
“Then you must’ve been sleepwalking with your eyes open. I called you several times—you left me no choice but to come over.”
“…….”
How many times had he called me?
This wasn’t something that happened after just one call, right?
Then again, maybe it was.
No—more than likely.
I shot him a side glance, grabbed the edges of my hood with both hands, and yanked it back over my head.
But Ateol didn’t care.
He leaned in, lips first.
I tried to dodge to the side, but he was faster. I smacked his back a few times while he kissed me, but he held me firmly until the carriage finally came to a stop.
Only after he relaxed his grip did I shove him off.
He backed away, looking like he’d done me a favor.
“What the hell was that for?”
That “what the hell” carried a lot of meaning. He winked and said:
“I told you, didn’t I? I planned to seduce you with my body.”
His voice was maddeningly casual.
I let out a scoff, wiped my lips furiously, pulled my hood down deeper, and moved toward the carriage door.
As if he’d been waiting, Serta opened it.
Hopefully my lips weren’t obviously swollen.
On purpose, I took Serta’s hand and stepped down from the carriage, making sure Ateol had a clear view.
But right behind me, Ateol leaned in and whispered:
“Cute move, but I wouldn’t recommend that for your own sake. You already know I’m a madman who’s lost it, so it’s a bit… puzzling that someone as sharp as you would test that.”
“……”
“If you were trying to make me jealous… well, that’s even cuter.”
A madman, huh. What am I supposed to do with this lunatic?
That afternoon, right as we arrived in Nesare, the rain started to fall—soft and steady.
The kind of rain that makes the autumn feel lonelier than usual.
And even though it rained this much, the well had still dried up.
That said a lot about how bad things had gotten.
The rain grew heavier, so we postponed our plan to inspect the well until tomorrow.
I was holed up in my room when tok tok tok—a sound different from the raindrops—came from the direction of the window.
I poked my head out from bed to check… and saw a tall man in a soaked cloak standing on the balcony.
I flinched—and right then, the system alert popped up:
[Event Triggered!
How about a romantic date in the rain with Ateol?]
Of course it had to be Ateol pulling something like this.
With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly got up and opened the window.
The rain rushed in immediately, so I backed away—only for Ateol to step forward and follow me right into the room.
He shut the window behind him, pushed back his hood, and moved like he belonged in my space.
Like it was his.
A date in the rain, seriously?
Just earlier I was thinking how cliché it was, like one of those tragic lover’s tales.
And now this event prompt?
What a joke.
What the hell is this system even thinking?
[Tip: The system thinks just like you do★]
Oh, give me a break!
That’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard.
I let out a small, disbelieving laugh through my nose, and Ateol tilted his head.
“Am I that unwelcome?”
“…Huh? No, not really.”
I wasn’t exactly thrilled, but he didn’t deserve to be misunderstood.
I wasn’t mad at him—it was the system that ticked me off.
Not that I could say that out loud.
Ateol just shrugged.
“Then would you care to step out with me for a bit? I know a place where the rain makes the view breathtaking.”
I glanced past him, out the window.
“Do I have to? It looks like it’s coming down harder.”
“We’ve got umbrellas. Rain cloaks, too. I promise, you won’t regret it.”
Maybe Ateol was a fan of that novel too.
Or maybe he was the kind of guy who had to get that perfect Instagram shot no matter what.
Good thing this world didn’t have the internet or social media.
“Where are we going?”
Either way, I couldn’t upset him over something this small.
As long as it wasn’t too much trouble or something I really hated, I might as well go along.
Ateol smiled.
“It’s not far.”
And he was right—it wasn’t.
Just a short walk up a hill from the estate.
No Serta, no Lessa. Just the two of us.
* * *
