"Will you trust me with your life?"

Casimir was silent after her question and there was nothing on his face. Adira couldn't tell what he was thinking about when he's like that.

"No. It sounds weird like that. I mean, it's not a trust me with your life wedding kind or what but the kind where you entrust your safety to me or something?" She ranted while making weird gestures, flustering about how to make it sound more convincing and more understandable.

"Am I in danger?" I mean, more than you?

"Not per se but I'm just asking. If that time comes, will you entrust your life to me?"

Casimir was still silent about this question that she didn't know what to do anymore. What was making him silent? What is barring him from answering her? What's his gripe?

On a desperate measure to have full control of that moment, his assassination, Adira hurriedly added, "If you entrust your life to me, I'll entrust mine to you. That way it'll be fair. Don't you think so?"

She tried to make it sound more light-hearted just to get his consent. She needed to get his word on it no matter what, if she wants to save him.

Because when that time comes, she'll do anything just to save him. Not even Casimir, himself, can stop her.

After watching the seriousness on her ashen eyes, Casimir slowly nodded his head. Careful not to let it show on his face how eager he was to exchange his life's rights with hers. It was more than fair. It was everything he could ask for.

Even if it wasn't only in the case of danger, he was very willing to lay his life onto her hands. The only reason why he didn't answer her the first time was,

Shouldn't it be obvious already? She's already got this much hold on me and she's still asking about it? From the moment I asked to be engaged to her, I've already given her my life.

Adira finally let out a small sigh of relief. Now, with this, she'll have to monopolize him before the assassination attempt happens.

Because she never cared for any man from her past life, due to her obsession and undying devotion to Triton, she never got to know the empire's first prince—Prince Casimir Athanasius.

It was only when news of his assassination circulated amongst the empire and his funeral, which higher nobles was required to attend, did she know of his existence. But even then, she didn't care.

So she's got this dilemma right in front of her. She never knew who was behind the assassination nor who did it!

Was it someone with unparalleled strength and skills to be able to best the empire's first prince known to be a prodigy?

Or was it someone who was close to him and betrayed him?

The honey-trap route was unimaginable since based on this Casimir that she knew, he doesn't know much on romance or flirting—aside from when he does it to her—nor does he care about it.

So it all boils down to, who did it?

Who was strong enough to kill Casimir?

Adira was having this serious and dark thoughts in her mind that she didn't notice Casimir's sharp gaze plastered on her.

He loved to admire different expressions on her face but this particular one she was using right now, oddly didn't seem all that interesting to him and so he lightly poked at the scrunched skin in between her eyebrows.

Adira snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Casimir. She remembered that they were still in the middle of their outing so what she did was rude.

"I'm sorry. I just had.. some thoughts bothering me but it's all fine now. As long as I have both you and Heise, then everything will definitely be fine." She said as she tried to reassure Casimir, but came out as if the one she was trying to comfort was herself.

"It'll be fine." Casimir said and placed a warm kiss on her forehead making Adira relax almost instantly.

Yes. There was no use worrying about it for now.

...

They were already travelling back to the capital the same way they travelled to their camp site.

It was already late in the afternoon and Adira's carriage was the last one to depart. Well, because they can't load Heise with everyone still there. The coachman was sent on a short errand as they were loading Heise so he didn't see him.

Heise was sleeping on Adira's lap while Adira was swaying back and forth after falling asleep. Casimir, the only one who remained awake, pulled Adira and let her rest on his shoulders.

They were just like a typical couple with their little pet they treat as their child. Yet, they were the most beautiful typical couple you could find.

When Adira opened her eyes, it was already dark outside and their carriage had stopped. Heise was still on her lap, asleep, and she was on Casimir's shoulders.

She slowly sat up straight and her stirring woke up Casimir who slept leaning on her.

They had already arrived outside the Sylveris' mansion for sometime now and though the servants had unloaded Adira's luggages, Casimir told them to leave for awhile and let Adira have her rest.

He didn't want to wake both her and Heise since they slept so peacefully and soundly. And after observing and just watching them sleep for awhile, he didn't notice he, himself, had fallen asleep.

"I'm sorry. I slept most of the way. It must've been hard on you." Adira apologized meekly, embarrassed about sleeping on Casimir's shoulders.

"It's okay." It was Casimir who made her sleep on his shoulders, after all, so it was definitely okay. Besides, he loved it anyway.

"I'm... I'm gonna go now. Thank you for sending us back first and please take care on your journey back." She said with a bow and moved, causing Heise to wake up and yawn.

Casimir felt reluctant to let her leave. She was just a couple of steps away when they were back at the camp site but now, they'll be separated for miles again.

He reflexively caught her hand and made her stop. Adira turned to her hand before turning to his platinum orbs that weren't too visible as he was partly hidden within the shadows.

"What is it, Casey?"

"Hurry back to school."

They were given a few days off and were allowed to return home which was why Casimir opted to send her back to the Sylveris Castle.

However, Casimir needed to return to school immediately. He needed to liberate Roman from his additional works after all.

Adira smiled softly and nodded her head. However, even after she answered him, Casimir still wasn't letting go of her hand.

"Is there something else?"

Casimir wasn't sure what to do to make sure she'll hurry back to school or at least miss him when he's not around.

He was thoroughly enraptured in her ethereal radiance under the moonlight's beam that filtered inside the post chaise as if all it wanted was to illuminate this goddess.

Unable to think about the suitable thing to do, he did one thing he had been itching to do since they were at the falls earlier.

He pulled Adira close and pecked her on her cheeks, immediately sending the maiden into overheat as she lightly touched the spot Casimir's cold lips left a kiss.

"Miss me."

Adira didn't know how she was able to return to her room that night as her mind floated elsewhere with no destination but Casimir's visage.

The way he looked as he pulled back from his kiss oh so gently and the way his cold platinum eyes glittered warmly and beautifully even placing the moonshine to shame.

After, she was very alarmed that she might just pounce on him one of these days.

Notes:
Hello, I've got a little news to share.
I just registered "She becomes a passive villainess—not!" into the watty's 2019. I don't really know how this thing goes but let's just try our luck, eh?

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