The day Kashan crossed into the North under the guise of reconnaissance – that day marked the beginning of it all.

“Captain, the movements of the Empire seem unusual lately. If you allow us, we can check things out quietly.”

“No, that’s all right. You don’t even speak the Imperial language. I’ll go myself.”

Though not common, these formal reconnaissance missions happened occasionally. That day, Kashan crossed the Empire’s border on one such mission and encountered Seria – or, more accurately, spotted her running frantically down from the mountains.

Even with her cloak pulled tightly over her head, her small, frail figure was unmistakable. A quick glance revealed that she was unarmed, and her movements were erratic and uncoordinated.

‘Someone like her in the north?’

Her appearance was so striking that it immediately caught his attention. Without hesitation, Kashan began to follow her.

For some time, he followed Seria’s every move. For someone wandering the north unarmed, her lack of awareness was astonishing – she didn’t even know she was being followed.

‘Who on earth is this person, moving around so carelessly?’

It was clear from the way she kept her guard up that she knew the dangers of the area. But her awkward movements and inappropriate appearance made her seem completely out of place.

‘At this rate, she might not even make it through the night.’

Kashan took a few steps back, watching her from behind. His suspicion wasn’t unfounded. Even as he followed her, several men had already begun to look in her direction. Their curiosity and scepticism was obvious.

And as expected, it didn’t take long for trouble to find her.

“Hey… hic, doesn’t that look like a girl to you?”

A man slurred, his speech interrupted by a hiccup.

“What’s up, Fred? What are you talking about?”

“That one in the bathrobe looks like a girl, don’t you think?”

Fred’s drunken voice caught the attention of the others. Kashan narrowed his eyes as the situation began to escalate.

The men were clearly drunk, their movements sloppy as they tried to pull back the hood of the deep robe. Fortunately, the hood did not slip, avoiding a major scene, but in the midst of the commotion, Kashan caught a glimpse of something through the folds of the robe – golden hair spilling out, shimmering in the light. It was long, cascading down to what appeared to be her waist.

He also noticed her pale hands peeking out from the sleeves of the robe, delicate and smooth.

‘A woman. And not just any woman—one from a noble family, judging by her appearance.’

Despite this knowledge, Kashan had no intention of intervening. He despised meddling in other people’s affairs without cause, and the idea of helping an Imperial citizen – one of those who constantly looked down on the Kuth as savages – was particularly unappealing.

He turned to leave, ready to walk away from the scene. But then, for the briefest of moments, his gaze met hers through the small gap in her robe.

Eyes as clear and transparent as a pristine lake, glowing a deep sapphire blue.

The moment their eyes met, Kashan found himself moving towards the woman as if under a spell. By the time he came to his senses, he was already interfering – something he absolutely despised.

But he couldn’t help himself. Kashan had a particular weakness for golden hair and blue eyes, a curse he had never been able to shake.

***

This weakness was rooted in a memory from long ago.

Kashan, at the tender age of fourteen, had once infiltrated the Imperial capital to rescue his brothers who had been taken prisoner. It was a reckless mission born of desperation, and his ignorance of the world only made matters worse.

His dark skin and striking yellow eyes made him stand out like a beacon. It wasn’t long before he found himself being hunted by Imperial Knights.

“There’s been a report of a wild child hiding nearby. Spread out and search every inch!”

“Arrest anyone suspicious immediately.”

“Check everyone – beggars, vagrants, gypsies. Leave no one unchecked!”

Knowing little of strategy or caution, the young Kashan had acted purely out of a desire to save his siblings. But his inexperience had placed him in the heart of danger, with knights hot on his trail.

But no matter how tightly he pulled the cloak over his head to hide his face, it was only a matter of time before he was caught. If anything, the cloak seemed to *rouse more suspicion.

“Hey! Over there! That one looks suspicious! Grab him!”

Barely moments after reaching the heart of the capital, Kashan found himself on the run. He couldn’t even secure a proper meal – entering a tavern or buying anything from a merchant was out of the question in his current state.

For several days, he barely survived by scavenging for discarded food alongside the beggars huddled in a corner of the market. But as the knights’ patrols grew more frequent, Kashan found himself increasingly trapped, unable to move forward or retreat back to the Kuth lands.

He had plunged recklessly into the heart of the empire, but he had failed to save his brothers. Returning home was no longer an option.

For days he fled aimlessly, the futility of his actions weighing heavily on him. It was then – when Kashan had almost resigned himself to his capture – that a young girl suddenly appeared before him.

She had eyes full of curiosity, clear and blue as the summer sky, and her hair, a rich golden hue, was neatly tied in two braids. Even the inexperienced, desperate Kashan could tell the moment he saw her – she wasn’t an ordinary child.

She was unmistakably a member of the Empire’s upper class.

The girl, who had appeared out of nowhere, stared intently at Kashan’s dark skin peeking out from under his robes, her expression one of pure fascination.

“Wow, your skin is so dark!”

‘What the hell is this Imperial brat babbling about?’

At the time, Kashan had only a rudimentary understanding of the Empire’s language. He could pick up a few basic words, but holding a conversation was out of the question. He had never felt the need – or the desire – to learn the language of the despised Imperial citizens.

“How did your skin get so dark? It’s so beautiful! You’re so different from me!”

Kashan had assumed that ignoring her would make her leave. But the girl didn’t go away. Instead, she continued to chatter on, seemingly unaware – or unconcerned – that her words were not being understood.

And that wasn’t all. She kept offering Kashan the food in her hand.

“Would you like some bread? I ate a lot of cake with my mother and nanny earlier.”

She held out the piece of bread as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Pride urged him to refuse, but at that moment Kashan was far too hungry to refuse. He had been on the run since arriving in the Empire, surviving on scraps of discarded food found in the market alleys.

The warm bread he was offered was nothing short of a lifeline. Without a second thought, Kashan grabbed the bread and began to devour it voraciously.

It had been so long since he’d eaten real food. With each bite, he felt as if tears of gratitude were welling up in his eyes.

“Thank you.”

Only when he had finished the bread did Kashan thank her, his voice barely audible.

The girl tilted her head, blinking her large, doe-like eyes in confusion, as if she didn’t understand what he had said.

Just then, a voice called out from a distance, as if searching for someone.

“Seria! Seria!”

A noblewoman in an extravagant gown appeared, accompanied by several maids. The young girl who had been crouching in front of Kashan turned her head towards the source of the voice. Then, with a quick, cheerful stride, she ran off and disappeared from his sight.

“Mother!”

“Ugh, Seria. How many times have I told you not to wander around alone? And stop talking to beggars. It’s filthy… As soon as we get home, you must wash your hands properly.”

Kashan watched the girl’s retreating figure with fascination. The warm bread she had given him had filled his stomach and restored his strength.

‘What a curious child…’

Neither of them would remember the moment, but it was the first meeting between Seria and Kashan.

And it was this encounter that sparked Kashan’s interest in learning the Imperial language.