episode_0008

The guest room granted by Marquis Raden was a scene that indirectly reflected her elegance.

It was unfamiliar that various materials were beautifully processed in place of luxurious items. Especially, the decoration of braided cords in the shape of flowers left a deep impression.

It was immediately apparent how Marquis Raden had become wealthy. She must be a frugal person who avoids extravagance, despite being a noble.

A wise perspective on life. It is common for vanity to consume most of the income from estates in dress expenses.

“Did our mercenary group terminate the contract due to high prices?”

I couldn’t question the Marquis’s decision, but I hoped she had carefully considered it. It was a contract directly related to her safety, after all.

I let go of my thoughts and slowly removed the mask that was pressing against my face. Instantly, the world clouded by thoughts cleared, and a sense of relief washed over me as I breathed freely.

As I sat quietly in the chair, staring through the mask, Serin came to mind. She was fixated enough to notice even beneath my mask.

“What is she so curious about…”

So far, only two people knew the face beneath the mask. One was Roderick, and the other was the young lady who bore the burden of military service. Apart from these two, few people felt uncomfortable despite my concealed identity.

Above all, Serin’s true identity is the princess of the empire. As someone who had discarded the mask, I could not establish a normal relationship with her. Just as Roderick was anxious, I was a discarded child of the court, and Serin was the princess of the time.

Even if it is frustrating now, if she knew my true identity, disdain would surely creep into her eyes. Like the crowds who hurled insults at me in my youth.

“I don’t want that…”

At the very least, I wish for a relationship where we pay each other friendship dues. I had finally received recognition as a friend, and I didn’t want to lose it due to a momentary mistake, even if I realized it was a deception.

“The first person to approach me with genuine kindness.”

Roderick is a perpetrator of attempted kidnapping, and the members are either part of the cartel or merely in an employment relationship with me. In such circumstances, Serin’s presence feels special. Despite being persecuted in the palace, she brightly approaches me.

Whether it’s this way or that way, I should be satisfied here.

The discarded child of the world, who only received hatred, is drowning in excessive kindness, and I know it best. Even though I understand my situation so well, what is the source of this restlessness?

“Am I tired? Is this the way I want to live?”

Perhaps this is the answer.

I had been living a monochrome daily life devoid of joy or sorrow. However, one day, I was suddenly faced with the shocking incident of Serin being kidnapped. Since then, as we traveled together, various emotions began to sprout in the dry soil.

For example,

I felt compassion for her lonely situation.

The familiar routine of hardship felt absurd.

The declaration of becoming close was heartwarming.

I felt embarrassed by the crude movements disguised as exercise.

The days spent with Serin were stimulating and dynamic, making the world seem colorful. It was regrettable that our parting was imminent…

“It turns out I was more greedy than I thought…”

Placing the mask on the nearby table, I walked towards the mirror near the bed. For some reason, my face, which I rarely looked at, seemed unfamiliar. A face as hard as stone, devoid of even a speck of emotion…

Yet, as pessimistic as I was,

It didn’t take long for my stone-like face to express shock.

Clatter!

“Lian, I’m here! And as expected, this room is full of ambiance…”

“Wowww!”

Due to Serin suddenly bursting into the room, all my nerves were on edge, ready to make the right judgment.

I had no choice but to jump onto the bed next to me and bury myself under the covers.

“Rian? Did Rian just scream? It’s so fascinating!”

Immediately after, Serin looked at me in awe.

“Wow, jumping onto the bed like a child… Why are you acting like this, Rian? Oh?”

Serin, who failed to notice the current situation, casually picked up the mask placed on the table and gently slid her meaningful gaze over it.

“Oh my~ Oh my~ I really don’t understand the reason, do I? Oh dear! Even if I’m worried about Rian, I must make sure to check, right?”

Serin, who naturally ignored the obvious truth, was genuinely terrifying.

My heart was pounding. I closed my eyes tightly. My hands and feet trembled. I started to curl up in the corner with the covers wrapped around me like a cocoon.

“P-Please, Serin, don’t do this.”

“If you happen to catch a cold, you need to put a wet towel on your forehead, right?”

“I-I’m perfectly fine.”

“What you just said is a common phrase for patients. Look, your body is shaking like this, right?”

“Ugh…”

Serin’s movements got closer. If it had ended there, it would have been ideal, but soon the sensation of the bedsheet sinking in triggered a sense of fear.

“Hehe, I will sincerely take care of you, so please give me the covers.”

“It’s inconvenient. No. I don’t want to. Please stop, Serin.”

“Do you think this person is a criminal?”

“I’m scared to scream…!”

“That’s cute in its own way… Isn’t it usually the opposite?”

As the desperate threats didn’t work, I was engulfed in a delusion that my cognitive functions were completely broken. Serin, like a predator aiming for its prey, slowly closed the distance with all four feet.

“Enough… Give me the covers!!!”

Thud!

She finally leaped.

The bed shook as the center wavered. A chilling coldness rose up my spine and touched my cervical vertebrae, sending shivers down my spine.

Thump!

The heavy weight that followed sent a sense of impending doom ringing loudly in my head.

“Ugh! Rian! Trust me and leave everything to me, okay? We’re friends now!”

Crash!

“It turns out we may not be as close as we thought…!!!”

Thud.

“Then let’s build that trust from now on!”

“We are actually close!”

“If we’re close, there should be no secrets!”

“I-I can’t…!”

It was a desperate and perfect argument. Serin’s intelligence was truly admirable. I instinctively knew there was no way to win against Serin in an argument.

As we both pushed and pulled, the covers seemed to scream on their own. It was hard to ignore the possibility of cotton flying out.

“Give in, Rian. I’ll take care of everything.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s all good, all good. Hah, but there’s no way to explain it.”

“You can do that with Serin! I’ll pass!”

“Huh, you know how to say that?!”

“This is the first time! Ugh…”

Unable to push Serin away, I stood up. Then, like a child pretending to be a ghost, I quickly flipped the covers and hurriedly jumped out of bed.

From behind, Serin’s disappointed sigh echoed, but I didn’t have the luxury to care.

Breathing felt somehow difficult. Even though I wore the mask and put down the covers, my rough breathing continued.

‘Ah… so this is what exhaustion feels like. Is this what being tired means?’

At the age of five, when I was chased out of the institute, and when I destroyed the cartel following Roderick, it was a physical state I had never experienced in my entire life. Thanks to that, I vividly realized how amazing Serin was.

“You’re too much, Rian. My hair is so messy like this, but you’re fixing your mask…”

“If you want, I can fix it for you.”

“Oh, really? What a surprise.”

The contemplation of what “tteok” was would come later. For now, I had to help Serin, who couldn’t hide her disappointment just by looking at her face.

But at that moment, her eyes sparkled like a flash of lightning.

“Just a moment, Rian.”

“Yes?”

“You speak so easily… Have you ever brushed another woman’s hair before?”

Serin asked with a sharp tone. Just hearing her voice made my bones shiver. Not knowing the right answer, I simply replied truthfully.

“Never. Absolutely not.”

“Really? You spoke so easily, I thought you were familiar with it.”

“I’m not familiar with it. I just thought that brushing hair straight down with a comb would be enough…”

I explained while adding repetitive hand gestures to make it easier to understand.

Seemingly understanding clearly, Serin regained her smile.

“Okay, then.”

“Thank goodness… I guess?”

I was trying to read her reaction.

Serin approached me with a satisfied look in her eyes and held my hand.

“You know, Rian. Promise me one thing.”

“I’ll listen first.”

Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Serin nodded gracefully.

“You may not know, Rian, but touching a woman’s hair is not a normal act of intimacy, you know?”

“I understand.”

“But I’m okay with it. Why? Because as loud as you screamed earlier, we’re intimate! Do you agree, Rian?”

“That… sounds right?”

“In other words, it’s only possible in a relationship loud enough to match the size, not just in decibels.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Serin responded with a bright smile to my quick affirmation.

I was happy thinking that I was slowly finding the right answers.

“But since you’re gentlemanly and don’t shout recklessly… it won’t be easy to meet the conditions. Oh, of course, I’m the only exception.”

“Um, right…?”

“Will you shout at other women in the future?”

“I will never do that.”

“Good!”

After cheerfully finishing the evaluation, Serin took my hand. Dazed, I followed her to a large dressing table. She then picked up a comb and handed it to me.

“Now, let’s brush our hair. I’ll teach you.”

“Understood.”

“Remember what I told you.”

“Of course.”

In short, my vision was simply to touch Serin’s hair and nothing more. There was nothing difficult about it.

Indeed, she seemed to have a talent for teaching common sense.

I diligently combed and passed through her smooth hair following Serin’s demonstration. However, I felt a little anxious as combing hair was not as simple as I had thought.

“Am I combing correctly, Serin?”

“This is the life of a saint…”

“What?”

“You’re doing so well that it’s touching, Rian.”

“I feel like I learned quickly because you’re a good teacher.”

As I spoke the truth, Serin in the mirror looked at me with a subtly mischievous expression.

“Do you like me?”

“Yes. Very much.”

A sincere word. But Serin seemed to want assurance rather than doubt.

“Can you swear?”

“It’s not difficult.”

“Is it a promise?”

“It’s a promise.”

“Haha…”

The meaningful exchange evaporated into the air.

A strange echo lingered in the atmosphere.

Whatever it was, if Serin was satisfied, then I was satisfied too. Roderick, who had once been wary of her, wasn’t so bad after all.

Smart.

As we were having a fairly harmonious conversation, a quiet knock from outside intruded into the room.

With permission granted, the maid respectfully delivered her master’s invitation.

“The Viscount invites both of you to dinner.”

At the unexpected invitation, Serin’s eyes lit up challengingly.