A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 93

“…What?”

Ilex’s face crumpled slightly as if doubting his own ears, momentarily dazed.

Tilia spoke up again, casually, toward him, “Ice cream. You like it, don’t you? Want me to buy you one?”

Her throat tickled as if she’d swallowed the butterfly hanging around her neck. Her chest felt chaotic, as if hundreds of unspoken words were fluttering all at once.

Ilex Davenport probably didn’t have the faintest idea. About what exactly was hanging around her neck right now.

But even if the item had long been forgotten by its owner, she still felt an obligation to return it. Because she had cherished it so dearly, it had to end by being returned.

Her first love, standing right before her, still wore a dazed expression.

“Let’s go.”

Tilia tilted her chin toward her usual spot.

“I’ll buy you one. Vanilla.”

***

Even after hearing that, Ilex stood there blankly for a while. Only when Tilia sighed and moved first did he finally follow.

‘…Like a well-trained puppy.’

Feeling the tall man trailing behind her, Tilia thought privately.

‘Too big to be a puppy, and those clothes are way too expensive, but still.’

But even while entertaining such ridiculous thoughts, Tilia couldn’t smile at all.

Why did she keep walking ahead, showing him only her back ever since they reunited? Just like in the palace corridor, Tilia walked upright, paying close attention to her steps.

Though she had invited him nonchalantly with a blank face, Ilex too wore a dazed look.

Of course it hadn’t been easy for Tilia either. Asking her first love out for ice cream after all this time.

Despite acting bold, she had been secretly bracing herself for rejection. What kind of dessert in a rundown place like this? And you, a mere consulate clerk—do you even have the money to treat a duke like me?

But Ilex Davenport didn’t say any of that. He didn’t utter a single complaint, just silently followed her.

She could feel it—right behind her. That he was matching her pace, following close.

She was so aware of him behind her, she didn’t realize how close they’d gotten to the ice cream shop. Startled to find herself right in front of the general store, Tilia quickly pulled out her money.

“Two vanilla ice creams, please!”

And before Ilex could take out his wallet, she rushed to place the order.

As expected, he had likely intended to pay. Behind her, he paused briefly, and after a moment of silence, she heard the slow sound of a wallet being put away.

Only then did Tilia let out a quiet sigh of relief. She didn’t want him to pay. She truly wanted to buy it for him.

Not because she wanted to appear considerate. Not to ease some emotional debt.

She just wanted to buy it for him—just once.

And she wanted to show him.

That now, she could afford something like this on her own. That she could even treat him.

Afraid that Ilex might step forward and try to give her the money anyway, Tilia kept her back firmly turned to him.

That’s when a surprising request came from behind her.

“Can you buy me something else too, besides ice cream?”

Turning with a puzzled look, she saw Ilex elegantly raise what he wanted. Tilia unconsciously let her guard down and smiled.

“The duke’s family must be really struggling—begging for a newspaper now.”

“It would seem so. The newly inaugurated duke has been throwing money around carelessly.”

Even at that barbed remark, Tilia chuckled and paid for the Arkansis bulletin he’d requested. Ilex carefully held the paper he had secured and stood quietly beside her.

She sensed him sneak a glance at her profile as he slowly opened the paper.

As she listened to the rustling of pages, a strange thought struck her.

He just mocked me for where I live.

But why? That’s something I already wrote to him in a letter.

That was probably the last letter.

After seeing the article announcing Ilex’s engagement to Cecilia Clayton, Tilia had sent one final letter informing him of her move—and never again did she put a stamp on an envelope addressed to the Davenport estate.

She was pretty sure she had written the district she was moving to in that letter…

So then why had Ilex Davenport acted earlier like someone who’d been betrayed? As if she had left the home he had prepared without giving any notice. As if… he had never received her letter.

“Here you go—two vanilla ice creams!”

“Ah, yes.”

As if to break the flow of her thoughts, a man with a thick beard appeared at the counter, holding the two cones.

Tilia’s brow furrowed slightly as she hurriedly reached to accept them. Only then did she realize it wasn’t the usual shop owner but her husband.

This guy always butts in where he shouldn’t…

“So, who’s the handsome gentleman with you?”

Of course. The man who handed her the ice cream gestured toward Ilex, who was absorbed in the newspaper, and whispered.

“Done with the last guy you brought around? Good for you. This one looks way richer…”

“Thanks. See you next time.”

This shop would be perfect—if not for that man. Honestly, why won’t the owner just divorce him? If he didn’t run his mouth with unnecessary comments, their sales would double.

“You coming?”

Leaving the blabbering owner behind, Tilia had already started walking when she realized Ilex was still standing outside the shop. She turned back and called to him, puzzled.

“…Coming.”

Maybe he really had gotten lost in that bulletin, because he finally tore his eyes from the paper and answered in a low voice as he walked toward her.

See? That man really is the problem. Doesn’t even organize the papers properly, so they wrinkle like that.

Tilia shook her head internally as she noticed a corner of the newspaper Ilex held was sadly creased, then turned to walk on.

***

The man and woman, each holding an ice cream, found a spot on one of the benches near the fountain.

The public’s interest in the stranger who had suddenly appeared was still intense. She could feel the stares—curious, envious, and admiring—pouring in from every direction.

But Tilia, who would’ve felt flustered by them just thirty minutes ago, ignored them all and focused on the ice cream in her hands.

More precisely, she pretended to focus on it—to keep the man sitting beside her from noticing that all her nerves were still tuned to him.

After watching Tilia nibble at her dessert for a while, Ilex finally brought his own, now starting to melt, to his lips. Only then did Tilia stop pretending the ice cream was the only thing in her world and look straight ahead.

The sunset, once so vast it seemed to devour the sky in scarlet, was nearing its end.

The trailing edge of the light was slowly fading into darkness. From the corners of the park, shadows began creeping in. Tilia stared at the fountain, which would soon stop once night fell, and began organizing her thoughts.

“Tastes good.”

That was when the man beside her made a casual remark.

“Probably ‘cause someone bought it for me.”

“Free things always taste better.”

At Tilia’s reply, Ilex let out a soft chuckle. Wondering what was so funny, she glanced at him, but he said nothing, just smiled faintly.

Tilia gave him a curious look as he neatly rested the newspaper across his knees, then opened her mouth.

“I come here a lot. The milk flavor’s richer than most places.”

“…Yeah. Seems like the kind of taste you’d like.”

That marked the end of their conversation.

By then, the sun had fully dipped below the horizon, and even the lingering light was being swallowed by the dark. The fountain, which had once sprayed water as if powered by sunlight itself, now sat still.

Staring quietly at the rounded toes of the leather shoes she had splurged on a month ago, Tilia finally gathered the courage to speak after a long silence.

“I saw the article. Said you got engaged to Cecilia Clayton.”

At that, she sensed Ilex, who had been quietly eating his ice cream, turn his head toward her.