episode_0028

“More alcohol… please…”

After laying Mul, who had fallen asleep completely drunk, down.

I cautiously slipped out of the store.

As I exited the store, the sky had turned into a canvas painted with moonlight.

I moved forward, gazing at the brightly shining moon.

Despite the late hour, many people were out on the streets to catch a glimpse of the moon, creating a bustling crowd.

Passing by them, I headed towards a place deep in the mountains where not a single soul existed.

“There should be a clear view from here.”

Although the mountain was somewhat dark and dangerous,

If one pushed through the thickets, they would eventually reach a certain spot.

It was a place where the moon shone brighter than anywhere else.

And there, a woman sat quietly, gazing at the moon.

“Ariana.”

Calling out her name as I looked at the back of the woman.

Ariana, turning away from the moon to face my direction, widened her eyes in surprise.

“Oh? Kael? Wasn’t it your turn?”

“I was planning to come right away. But something came up.”

“Is that so? Sit here.”

Ariana patted the space next to her.

Following her gesture, I sat down beside her, gazing at the brightly shining moon.

“I just met Mul.”

“I see.”

“You seem to have been worrying a lot about Ariana.”

“You too. I’m getting older now.”

Ariana let out a light chuckle.

“No matter how old I get, in Mul’s eyes, I’m no different from his daughter, so it’s natural for you to worry.”

“I’m also quite an adult now, right? You’re being overly protective.”

Ariana grumbled playfully.

“But please consider Mul’s perspective.”

“I know. The fact that you love me as much as my dad does. I’m always grateful inside. It’s just that I don’t express it well.”

“Even if you don’t express it, Mul probably knows, right?”

“True. You’ve known me almost as long as my dad has. You worry, too. But I can’t always stay in the shadows, can I? I need to gather my strength again. Just like you, in a way.”

Ariana smiled at me.

Her smile, reflecting in her eyes like the moon, seemed oddly melancholic.

Despite seemingly coping well compared to Mul’s worries, she gave off a sense of being more entangled in sadness.

“Ariana.”

“What is it?”

“What’s wrong?”

Ariana’s expression wavered for a moment at my question, but she quickly returned to her original smile.

“Nothing? There’s nothing wrong. Why?”

“You just seem quite sad.”

“…It’s natural to feel sad. This place is filled with memories of my dad. It used to be hard to even look around here. It’s a bit better now, though. Until a year ago, I hardly ever went outside. But now I’m okay. So, don’t worry too much.”

“If that’s how you feel, then that’s how it is.”

I nodded slightly and turned my gaze back to the moon.

Ariana also looked up at the sky, and between us, only a quiet silence lingered.

It was Ariana who broke the heavy silence.

“Kael, when do you plan to leave?”

“I’ll leave once my business here is done. I’m not sure when that will be over, but I don’t think I’ll stay for long.”

“Hmm… Kael, do you remember?”

“What?”

“When I asked you to live with me forever.”

“I remember.”

How could I forget?

On a night like this, with the moon rising,

When the stars filled the sky, emitting a brilliant light.

It was the first time she sincerely confessed her feelings to me.

“Do you still feel the same as you did back then?”

“I did.”

“Is it the same now?”

“I’m truly sorry, but the answer then and now is the same.”

“No need to apologize. It’s just my wish.”

Arina stood up from where she was sitting.

“I have something I need to do for a moment. Please tell the old man not to worry too much about me. I’m doing well.”

“I will.”

“Kael.”

Arina met my gaze and called out my name.

As if she had a lot to say.

Her eyes held various complex emotions.

Yet among those complex emotions, one stood out the most.

That emotion was gratitude and love.

“I’m always grateful to you.”

Arina slowly approached me.

As the distance closed, her golden eyes shone even more brightly.

When she reached right in front of me,

Along with the fragrant scent of roses tickling my nose,

I felt a soft and sweet touch on my lips.

A sensation that was intense and deeply captivating.

Unconsciously, I closed my eyes to feel that sensation even more.

Soon our lips parted,

And as I slowly opened my eyes,

The darkened view returned to the world, and Arina, who caught my eye, smiled mischievously and brought her finger to her lips.

“Kael’s first kiss. I took it.”

“…”

That mischievous smile.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but chuckle at her face, which contained no trace of falsehood.

“Well, I never expected my first kiss to be stolen like this.”

In my life, I’ve never really been interested in romantic relationships, let alone women.

Since my fate is already decided.

I never even thought about dating someone.

The reason I rejected her confession is as I told her.

It’s partly because there are still things I must do, but also because I know my end will be marked by death.

However.

“It might be a bit tough.”

It seemed like my future life would be a bit challenging.

I wish I had never experienced those sweet and beautiful emotions.

Her crimson lips kept stealing my gaze, and the recent kiss still lingered in my mind.

Whether she knew my state or not,

Arina spoke with an innocent smile.

“I wasn’t bad, right? How was it for Kael?”

“I also enjoyed it.”

“If I do this, Kael won’t forget me, right?”

Even if there was no need for such antics to be remembered, focusing solely on intentions could be considered quite successful.

No matter how many years pass, this moment will not be forgotten.

“I’ll be going now. Kael, thank you once again. And I love you.”

“I am thankful as well. I may not be able to answer your feelings.”

“You’re so dull. At times like this, don’t you at least have to say ‘I love you’ out of courtesy? After stealing my first kiss.”

While Arina complained like that, from my perspective, it was a bit bewildering.

“Someone watching might think it was all my fault. I’m clearly the one who was taken advantage of.”

If I had initiated it, it would be different.

It felt somewhat unfair to hear such words when I was clearly the one taken advantage of.

“Kael, you fool. I’m leaving.”

“You were planning to leave anyway.”

Without saying a word in response, Arina narrowed her eyes.

As if showing that she was upset, she pursed her lips.

“…If our dad were here, he would’ve scolded us a lot.”

“He wouldn’t have scolded you, but scolded Arina. Saying she should behave.”

“True. That’s what our dad would’ve done.”

Unable to deny this, Ariana nodded in agreement with my opinion.

Just moments ago, a person who had been showing a sulky attitude suddenly broke into a smile.

“Now you should go. You have things to do.”

“Right. Should Kael stay here longer?”

“I thought since it’s been a while, maybe we could spend a bit more time together.”

“Then I’ll head out first.”

Ariana stood at a distance from me, by the bushes leading out.

I almost turned to leave, but she turned back towards me at the bushes and silently mouthed something.

I mimicked her lip movements.

“I. Love. You.”

A satisfied expression crossed Ariana’s face before she quickly disappeared from sight.

Realizing I had fallen for Ariana’s trick, I let out a wry smile.

“Whether then or now, some tricks always work well.”

If there was one thing that set Ariana apart from my master, who could be considered her father figure, it was this aspect.

My mentor, who followed the path of a knight, was more honest and straightforward than anyone else, preferring to confront rather than scheme, unlike Ariana.

They were quite similar in many ways, but in this particular aspect, they were distinctly different, leading to heated debates that often left me with a headache.

What made it even harder was knowing that ultimately, I had to make the decision to end those arguments, which was quite harsh.

Choosing one side meant perpetuating a cold atmosphere with the other.

Back then, it was an incredibly awkward situation.

Looking back now, it’s just a memory.

A memory that can never be relived.

“Today, I feel like seeing you more than usual.”

It was a day when I particularly missed my mentor.