Published at 18th of October 2020 05:50:44 PM
Chapter 173: Chapter 173 - Awkward Position (2)
Chapter 173 – Awkward Position (2)
The woman was supposedly a part of a merchant group who served as an agent for other important peoples . She talked nonstop . She never went too far in talking about herself, nor did she ask about me at all . All I heard from her was gossip she picked up from her acquaintances and colleagues .
I tensed when she broached the subject of the newly divorced and remarried empress . Still, it was interesting to hear the people’s reaction to the incident for myself .
“I support Her Majesty’s actions . ”
“Really?”
“Well, some people say she was acting selfishly . But it’s not their business, so they shouldn’t criticize . ”
“She didn’t request the divorce, it wasn’t discussed with her, and it was one-sided . But after the divorce? Just screw it all, don’t you think?”
I nodded hard, almost as if to say “thank you . ”
“Yes . Screw it . ” (TN: she uses a formal tone in her sentence)
“But your tone is very strange . ”
The woman continued to talk, until the carriage stopped so we could eat .
During the meal, a new carriage driver appeared, and he changed the horses and climbed on to the driver’s seat . Afterwards, the woman and I got back into the carriage . I assumed we would be traveling all the way to the Western Kingdom capital, and I stared out the window to enjoy the scenery outside . I don’t know whether Sovieshu’s knights were on the hunt for me, but everything seemed to have worked out well enough so far .
Contrary to my expectations, the woman dropped me off before we crossed the Western border . She left me at a small village in a neighboring country, informing me that I was supposed to be taken here . She parted with a brief “Take care”, and then vanished .
I stood in this strange place alone . Not long after, Heinley appeared on a large horse . I blinked my eyes in surprise .
“When did you get here?”
He came from inside the village, not from the outside . In other words, he arrived before I did, even though my carriage did not stop for lodging .
“I arrived a little earlier . ”
“I didn’t see you at all—”
“Our paths didn’t overlap . ”
So did I travel by highway, and Heinley took a shortcut? Well, he didn’t seem to have arrived by carriage . I nodded my head, and he smiled and reached out his hand .
“Do you know how to ride?”
It had been a long time since I rode without abandon . Heinley had even prepared riding clothes for us, and I was so excited that as soon as I got on the horse, I urged it to a full gallop .
“Queen, aren’t you going too fast?”
Heinley sounded slightly panicked as he clutched my waist from behind . The wind whipped away his words . I turned my head back at him and smiled .
“I like this . ”
Most nobles participated in recreational sports, including horseback riding . I was too busy for it after I became empress, but I used to love riding . Before I became the crown princess, I used to ride a pony alone in the garden, and after I became crown princess, the incumbent empress presented me with a beautiful black horse .
Sovieshu liked horse-riding too, so together we would…
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‘I should stop thinking about that . ’
Whenever I thought about the past, it was always about Sovieshu . I had taken for granted that he had always been with me then . I forcibly pushed away thoughts of him, then realized that Heinley was too quiet .
‘Does he not like going fast?’
“Heinley?”
I called him urgently .
“…Yeah . ”
He answered right away, but his voice sounded weak .
“Are you scared? Should I slow down?”
I looked at him concernedly, but he shook his head . As he did so, I felt his chest shift against my back . I suddenly felt self-conscious about our closeness, so I squeezed the reins tighter . I hadn’t ridden in a long time, and I wanted to sit up front . That meant that Heinley’s hands gripped my waist so tight that there was no room between our bodies .
“Heinley . ”
“Yes, Queen . ”
“You…you can loosen your grip a little…”
“Then I’ll fall . ”
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“It’s terrifying . ”
Heinley wasn’t self-conscious because of me . Was I the only one? My body was stiff for nothing .
‘Because we’re so close, Heinley probably feels that . ’
I felt like I was the only one acting weird, and I sped up so I could feel the wind and ignored Heinley’s hands . It didn’t work, so I eventually slowed down a bit .
Wait, what was that? I could feel a faint trembling on my back . I remembered how Heinley laughed silently with Duke Elgy when I squatted in the box .
Maybe if Heinley and I switched positions now…but that would still leave us in an awkward arrangement . Sitting in the back would mean that I would have to hug Heinley from behind, like he was doing to me now . Then he would definitely feel my heart pounding wildly on his back . I had no good options before me .
Heinley looked at me with a smile .
“I’ll hold the reins together with you . Is that alright?”
That meant he wouldn’t have to hug me so tightly . I nodded my head .
“That would be better . It was a little cramped…”
Heinley laughed and reached for the reins . He didn’t cover his hands on mine, but our fingers brushed against each other . Not only did our hands touch, but the length of our arms as well .
I bit my lip and forced myself to look straight ahead . He only hugged my waist earlier, but this time I was surrounded by the cradle of his arms .
“I think…riding a carriage is a good idea . ”
“I hear you like riding horses . ”
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“I also like riding carriages . ”
“But the horse is faster, Queen . ”
“Why don’t we get another horse?”
“It would be hard to get another one now…and even if we do, stopping for one will delay us for too long . The Western Kingdom is only a little further away, and McKenna is waiting . Why? Do you feel sick?”
I couldn’t tell him that I was embarrassed by the feel of his chest, arms, and hands, so I replied with a “No . ” As he said, we didn’t have the time to stop .
‘He doesn’t mind, and it’s weird that I’m the only one who’s self-conscious . This is…natural . We’re only riding a horse together . ’
I swallowed back my foolishness, and tightened my grip on the reins .
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