With six hours left until midnight, the two of them wasted no time and set off.
Their destination was none other than Namsan.
It was a place that was quite suitable for lovers, neither too extravagant nor too casual, with a slight classic touch to it.
The choice of this place was purely Ariel’s will.
While she and Edgar were browsing for a final destination via the internet, the Namsan Cable Car caught her eye.
Before returning to that world, she wanted to capture as many views of this world as possible, making it the perfect means for her.
The distance from the mausoleum to Namsan was quite considerable.
After stopping by a café to grab a drink, they arrived at the ticket booth just before 8 PM.
Thus, the two bought their tickets and boarded the cable car.
Although it wasn’t particularly late, they were the only two passengers in the cable car.
In the tranquil air, Ariel felt as if the world was allowing them to enjoy their precious time together.
“It’s beautiful.”
“The night view?”
“Yes. It’s a different vibe from the night view of that world.”
As the cable car made a small noise while reaching the summit, Ariel smiled, gazing at the endless sparkle of the night view.
It felt distinct from the towns seen atop the castle in that world.
It was more dazzling, and the lights were abundant and varied.
Maybe the reason there were fewer stars in this world’s sky was that those stars were collected and kept on the ground.
As Ariel watched the countless ground stars, she suddenly had that thought.
Sipping on her warm coffee, she felt a bit of resistance against the chilly spring breeze.
Although it tasted a little different from the coffee she had before in this world, it still satisfied Ariel’s palate.
“So, how was it over the past three days? Did you enjoy it?”
“Yeah, it was really fun. It’s almost incredible that it’s not a dream.”
When Edgar asked for her impressions of the time spent in this world, Ariel nodded without hesitation.
Newness doesn’t always translate to joy.
Sometimes, adapting to the unfamiliar can be quite a challenge, and during that time, moments can slip away quickly.
However, in the three days Ariel spent, everything felt new, and there was nothing that wasn’t enjoyable.
The richness of the coffee she tasted for the first time, the spectacle of fish flying overhead, the fictional romance she had only seen visually.
Of course, the biggest reason was probably that she spent it with Edgar.
Yet even putting that aside, Ariel was sure that this journey would remain a memorable page that she would never forget.
Once again taking a small sip of her coffee, she turned her head to look up at Edgar.
Now that she thought about it, she realized she hadn’t heard any words of enjoyment from him, which made her a little uneasy.
“And you?”
“Me?”
Edgar was momentarily taken aback at her reversing the question.
This world was a place he had been in far longer than the other world, one he was familiar with.
So, there wasn’t much that was new or special about it.
The journey over the last three days might just have been a continuation of the ordinary life he had experienced before.
“Of course it was fun.”
Still, Edgar nodded with a smile.
It wasn’t lip service to ease Ariel’s mind; he genuinely enjoyed it.
A café he thought he’d like to visit if he ever had a significant other.
Sitting on a park bench, holding hands, and chatting about nothing particularly special while passing the time.
Watching movies or attractions they hadn’t shared with anyone since being alone.
It was just that they went from being one to two, but every ordinary thing brought special joy.
“Really? That’s a relief. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one enjoying it.”
At his candid reply, Ariel smiled brightly and shifted her gaze back to the night view beyond the glass.
As if trying to capture the immense subject through a camera embedded in her eyes.
The darkness that had settled wasn’t too thick yet.
Perhaps it was because it was spring, causing the sun beyond the horizon to be sluggish in making its departure.
Ariel found the blue night sky quite appealing.
In Hespania, the sun always set early, making it hard to see anything other than the dark night sky.
She had seen the moon struggling to come out from behind the clouds quite a few times, but it was her first time witnessing the sun trying not to hide, making it feel remarkably rare.
Clunk.
Soon, the cable car reached its destination with a small sound as it climbed the hill.
“I wanted to see a bit more.”
Feeling a twinge of disappointment, Ariel got off the cable car and smacked her lips as Edgar poked her shoulder and pointed somewhere.
There stood an observation deck soaring high amidst the dense darkness.
“It’ll be easier to see from over there?”
“Really?”
Excited by Edgar’s words, she immediately took his hand and moved like a little chick following its parents.
The coffee they bought while it was still warm was starting to cool down, so they decided to lean on each other for warmth.
Unfortunately, spring’s lingering cold was creeping in, but it didn’t feel that cold.
Upon ascending to the observation deck, various souvenir shops welcomed them.
As Ariel browsed around a few items, she followed Edgar to the side where they could see the night view.
“Wow…”
At that moment, Ariel realized that Edgar’s earlier description had been far from exaggerated.
This was because the cityscape stretched even wider and farther than what they had seen in the cable car.
“Is this really true?”
“Yeah. It’s the best.”
Ariel stepped closer, so close that it seemed she might lean over the fence, staring blankly at the endless array of lights.
The most fascinating part was the roads.
Thanks to the streetlights scattered here and there, the roads glowed a lemon-yellow even in the oppressive darkness.
As if the stars were gathered to create a river on the ground.
“Ed, what’s this?”
“That? It’s a sort of souvenir. People write what they want to say or letters to each other and hang them up… It’s often used as a love pledge.”
As Ariel looked at the hanging locks, Edgar kindly elaborated.
If she knew about something like this, she would surely want to participate, he thought.
“Is that so…”
However, contrary to his expectations, after fiddling with a few locks, Ariel quickly withdrew her hands.
She didn’t seem that interested at all.
Edgar approached her with a somewhat surprised expression, tossing the empty cup into a nearby trash can.
“That’s odd. I thought you’d want to do it.”
“Huh? Not really. It wouldn’t be bad to do it, but this isn’t necessary.”
Shrugging, Ariel slowly passed by the fence and turned around.
The way she sparkled against the backdrop of the night view was incredibly beautiful.
Even Edgar, who had spent nearly 20 years with her and thought he was used to it, felt his heart race at that moment.
“Well, our relationship isn’t going to change just because we don’t have locks or anything, right?”
“…Seriously. It’s kind of strange to hear you say that.”
That was an answer not typical of Ariel, who usually wanted symbols of connection, proof of eternal togetherness.
Yet, on one hand, Edgar could understand.
It was a testament to their belief that their bond wasn’t so fragile that it would waver for lack of such minor gestures.
The weak girl who always yearned for oaths, contracts, and eternities no longer existed.
Only the resolute northern ruler, focused on standing next to her beloved and walking forward together, remained.
As Edgar saw his reflection in her crimson eyes, he gently embraced her.
Without even a hint of resistance, Ariel buried her face in his chest and hugged his back with both hands.
It’s quite fascinating.
Despite thinking they had become so familiar, just being close enough sent both of their hearts racing.
Perhaps there’s no more efficient or precise way to confirm the feeling of love than this.
“But it feels a little sad that it’s time to go. Right?”
“Yeah.”
That embrace marked the end of their moment, and the two briefly wandered around the souvenir shop, giggling before soon descending from Namsan.
Time was short before returning to that world, plus all the gifts they needed were already in the car.
Having spoken their last words of promise to return, the two vanished from this world.
* * * * * * *
Boom.
With a shock, the two tumbled right down to the floor.
While dimensional travel isn’t the easiest thing, can’t they do something about this falling flat on their faces both coming and going?
“Welcome back, you two.”
Minette, who was sipping coffee while sitting on the bed, greeted the two with curiosity as they returned laden with various things.
To her, not even 30 minutes had passed, but for the two, three whole days had gone by.
She wanted to know what their thoughts were on the travel, which was short yet long.
“Ugh, yeah. We’re back.”
“Oof… everything was great, but can we do something about falling every time we leave? Minette.”
“Sadly, that’s not within my capacity. By the way, how was the trip?”
Minette assisted them up and checked the contents of the bags beside her.
There were many items stuffed in there, among which a few caught her eye immediately.
“It was fun. I definitely want to go again if possible.”
“Right? It was really enjoyable. Ending it here feels a bit disappointing.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to make the effort. Since there was one miracle, perhaps there could be another.”
Adjusting her glasses with a smile, Minette didn’t ask for too many details about what they had done.
Just the fact that there was an even brighter smile on their faces than before they left was enough for her.
She didn’t believe miracles existed in magic, but perhaps today was the day she finally made one.
With that thought, Minette urged the two to share their experiences.
For the next three hours or so, their stories weaved tales of laughter throughout the workshop.