Chapter 34

The room was quiet. Fortunately, Jody had no significant injuries.

“Thank you.”

Rohana quietly looked down at Jody’s face for a long time. Her dark brown hair, similar to Rohana’s, contrasted sharply with her pale face.

From the first day they met, Rohana had felt an inexplicable connection to this friend who was the same age as her. Jody was always bright and positive, and she had a way with people.

Fearful that she wouldn’t be able to face her, Rohana hadn’t asked about everything her father had done. She bit her lip.

“Duchess Delcliff.”

Trudy Pincheser spoke cautiously.

“You should go in and rest now.”

Trudy’s face was much more disheveled than before, but she still maintained her composure as the hostess.

Seeing the obvious signs of distress and apology on her face, Rohana quietly nodded.

The main building was unusable due to the fire, so they had moved to an annex a little further away. It was fortunate that the fire hadn’t reached this far.

It seemed the luggage had all been moved. There likely wasn’t much that could be salvaged, but that didn’t matter.

The dried blood on the thin nightgown made her feel uncomfortable with every movement.

After entrusting Jody to the Pincheser’s maids, Rohana stepped out of the room. One person was waiting outside. The Countess quietly bowed and then left.

“Rohana.”

Perhaps it was the black cloak, but Kaiden’s shoulders seemed broader than usual. Compared to the time in the South when he wore nothing but a shirt, now he was clad in solid armor.

“Your Grace.”

Rohana answered softly. Kaiden led her silently to one side. As she watched his back, Rohana felt her tension slowly easing.

“This way…”

Kaiden opened the door, entered, and then closed it behind her. The maids who had gone ahead were calmly preparing the water and then left.

“I…”

Rohana sat down weakly, watching Kaiden place his sword on the floor after sitting on the sofa in the reception room.

The maids followed her in.

“Please wash first.”

Kaiden took off his cloak and armor, laying them aside as if it were nothing. His broad chest was covered in a shirt soaked with sweat and blood.

“From now on, I’ll be by your side.”

Only after Rohana, who was unusually slow, entered the bathroom did Kaiden let out the sigh he’d been holding in. In his hand was a small pendant made of black metal.

As he looked at the pendant, engraved with beautiful handwriting, Kaiden recalled the moment just before he noticed the fire at Pincheser’s estate.

***

“Who is behind this?”

Kaiden asked coldly, pointing his sword. Behind the masked woman lay two men, already lifeless on the ground. The woman smiled twistedly in front of Kaiden’s sword.

“You already know, so why ask again?”

Kaiden frowned.

“Don’t go against the tide, young king. What are you hesitating for?”

At that moment, blood suddenly gushed from the woman’s mouth as if something was wrong.

As soon as Kaiden covered his view with his cloak, the woman’s body exploded in an instant. His heavy cloak was splattered with thick blood.

His cold black eyes swept the surroundings sharply. Amid the debris, a piece of black metal caught his eye.

He picked up the metal fragment with his gloved hand.

These were the ones he had detected while patrolling the area without even stopping for dinner. After capturing the tenacious individuals who were doing their best to escape, he suddenly had a bad feeling.

Attacks by the R.D. were always a regular occurrence. The group of sorcerers had vowed to kill anyone who wasn’t Kark.

Sometimes Kaiden would block them, sometimes join forces with them, gradually stabilizing Nopthal.

For 15 years, he had been searching for the “right time,” wondering how to coexist with the Kark people.

It was no surprise that R.D. didn’t like Kaiden’s considerations. Especially his marriage to the Hanover family might have seemed like a compromise with the Arin people, regardless of his true intentions.

Even after considering all these circumstances, something didn’t sit right with him.

The fact that they were staying at the Pincheser estate was top secret. Even the coachman only learned the exact destination after following him.

Yet these people had approached the Pincheser estate quicker than expected.

To encounter assassins this soon…

Kaiden downed the remaining whiskey.

‘The intermediate stop might have been exposed earlier than expected.’

He wiped his face with his large hand, feeling the unpleasant sensation of dried blood fragments falling off.

“Your Grace, the bath is ready. You may have some injuries; should I assist you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Even if you don’t need assistance…”

“Get out.”

When Kaiden threatened in a low voice, rubbing his temples, the servants quickly withdrew.

He no longer had the energy to maintain imperial etiquette. Besides, it wasn’t the capital, so the need for such formality was gradually diminishing anyway.

***

When Rohana emerged from the bathroom, Kaiden was already standing by the window, dressed in white indoor clothes. It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who had been clad in blood-soaked armor just moments ago.

Noticing her presence, Kaiden turned to look at Rohana. His deep, cold gaze made Rohana shiver involuntarily.

“Are you feeling any better?”

Kaiden took long strides toward her. The distance between them felt strangely close.

“Yes.”

Kaiden carefully examined her, seemingly unsatisfied with her calm response.

Wherever his gaze landed, it felt like her pulse quickened.

At that moment, cold, long fingers gently grasped Rohana’s hand—the one with the ring.

“I was worried I might lose it in the chaos…”

Rohana muttered softly.

She had hesitated about taking the ring off before going to bed, but something felt off, so she decided against it. Kaiden held her left hand and didn’t let go.

“That…”

Rohana subtly tried to withdraw her hand, avoiding his gaze.

“Are you alright?” Kaiden asked in a low voice.

“Yes… And you?” Rohana lied with a nonchalant tone.

“I’m fine. Please, sit down.” 

Kaiden, who had been silently observing her, gestured for her to take a seat. The crystal glass in his hand contained an amber liquid. They both sat facing each other in silence for a while.

Then, there was a knock on the door, and the head maid carefully entered with a teacup and teapot, setting them down.

“The physician prepared this medicinal tea. You should drink it before bed,” Kaiden explained.

“Thank you.”

Rohana glanced at the teacup, then back at Kaiden.

“Um…”

She finally asked the question that had been on her mind.

“What exactly happened?”

She had been trying to piece it together, but it just didn’t make sense. It wasn’t simply that a fire had “broken out.” Those assassins truly intended to harm Rohana and everyone in her group.

There was also something else that had been bothering her—the one comment Lady Pincheser had made during dinner. She had asked if Rohana wasn’t worried.

What was it that she was supposed to be worried about?

“Please, sit down.”

After a brief hesitation, Kaiden spoke again. Even after sitting, he remained silent.

Rohana noticed Kaiden’s long, straight fingers. Upon closer inspection, they were covered in scars—old scars.

“What you saw earlier…”

Kaiden’s deep eyes met Rohana’s.

“It was magic, of course.”

Rohana unconsciously pressed her dry lips together.

“Naturally, it’s a secret. The fact that I use such abilities… officially. In the capital, magic is treated as a legend, something whispered about, so this is no surprise.”

Kaiden lifted a long finger to pour the tea. Steam rose gently from the warm liquid.

“Now that you’ve arrived in Nopthal, you were bound to learn of this sooner or later.”

“In the capital…”

“They’re aware of it in the capital too, of course. They just choose not to acknowledge it.”

Kaiden left the warm tea untouched and tilted the crystal glass he was holding.

“To admit it would mean they’d have to fight me, and they don’t feel the need for that just yet.”

Rohana realized that, true to the original story, Kaiden drank quite a bit.

“Or maybe they’re simply not confident enough.”

Kaiden gave a bitter smile, lifting only one corner of his mouth.

“It’s been a long time since I used this much magic.”

Rohana bit her lip.

“Then who on earth would attack us… and why?”

Silence followed.

“Who would set the fire…”

Kaiden gently swirled the liquid in his glass.

“Not just the fire…”

Rohana tightly shut her eyes. It was the first time she had seen someone die. Strictly speaking, it was the first time she had seen someone other than herself die.

The sensation of another person’s blood spilling on her back resurfaced in her mind. A shiver ran down her spine.

“You don’t have to talk about it tonight.”

“No.”

Rohana opened her eyes again.

“Please tell me. I need to know.”

Kaiden looked at the resolute Rohana with a slightly troubled expression.

“It seems the anger towards the House of Hanover is greater than I expected. They are the head of the Arin people, after all.”

But Kaiden swallowed those words. No matter how estranged she might be from her own family, he wasn’t sure if she could handle this harsh reality.

“Let’s rest for tonight.”

After a pause, Kaiden finally spoke.

“You need to rest now. It’s your first time witnessing someone die. It’s not something you’ll easily get over.”

Before Rohana could respond, Kaiden suddenly stood up and entered the bedroom. Just as Rohana was about to follow, Kaiden emerged from the room.

“There’s nothing unusual inside. I’ll rest outside, so feel free to use the bedroom.”

As Kaiden passed by her after speaking, Rohana grabbed him firmly.