SIDE STORY 1 (Part 2)

He distinctly remembered the day Rienn entered his life.

It was the summer of his seventh year, the sky was blue and the sun was dazzling.

Angela had told him days before, and he knew that the Reuther siblings would be visiting. Though it was his father’s invitation, Dian had secretly hoped they wouldn’t come.

His days were usually spent reading, attending lessons, or training. He was mostly alone, and even when surrounded by adults, tutors, or knights of the household, it wasn’t much different from being alone.

A quiet, static routine.

There was nothing lacking, so the intrusion of outsiders felt unwelcome, an interruption he didn’t desire.

But as scheduled, the Reuther’s siblings arrived in the afternoon. Dian, out of courtesy, went to greet them at the front entrance. A splendid cream-colored carriage adorned with golden embellishments stopped, and as the door opened, a young boy descended the steps.

He had blond hair, blue eyes, and a dapper appearance. Yan Reuther, Dian knew, from the stories he’d heard, was two years older than him.

‘Finally arrived!’

The boy stretched as his feet touched the ground, followed by a little girl, or rather, a little boy. She had the same blond hair and blue eyes as the boy, but she was much prettier for being a girl. It was Rienn Reuther, Yan’s sister. Dian had heard she was the same age as himself, but she seemed smaller in stature.

A rabbit-like girl with a white face and big eyes hopped down the stairs. Meeting his gaze, she smiled broadly and approached him.

‘Hello! I’m Rienn Reuther, nice to meet you.’

Extending her hand, Dian slowly raised his hand to shake it. It was small and tender, with a hint of moisture.

‘I’m Dian Hidesen.’

‘I’m Yan Reuther.’

The boy from behind interrupted. Rienn withdrew her hand first and looked around.

‘Your house is really big, Dian. It must be great for playing hide and seek.’

‘Um…’

Dian suddenly realized. He didn’t know if it was big because he’d never been in anyone else’s, but he’d often been told by their staff that it was the most beautiful mansion and gardens in the kingdom. Somehow, he just shrugged his shoulders.

‘I saw a tree on the way here that looks like a good place to climb, so let’s go!’

Before Dian could reply, Rienn grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Dian stumbled along, feeling embarrassed.

‘Let’s go together!’

Yan followed, and they arrived at a garden with endless rows of trees. Rienn stopped in front of a tree that was smaller than the others, but huge compared to her size. Releasing his hand, she began to climb the tree deftly.

‘…….’

Dian inwardly admired her agility, reminiscent of a squirrel. Though petite, she was full of energy, her movements nimble and swift.

‘Dian, do you like cicadas?! There’s a cicada here, do you want me to catch it?!’

He was dumbfounded.

Cicadas?

‘No, it’s okay.’

He responded after a beat. But Rienn, atop the tree, seemed unaffected by his answer.

‘I got it!’

She exclaimed, likely having caught the cicada, then descended from the tree.

‘Here!’

With a gesture of willingness, Dian reflexively reached out his hand. Rienn, having caught a cicada larger than expected, released it onto his palm. The insect remained still, seemingly stunned, and Dian, though not particularly afraid of insects, rarely had experience handling them bare-handed.

Despite his startled reaction, Rienn, with her cheerful demeanor, scurried back to the tree and climbed up the trunk. Yan, as if accustomed to this, brushed past him and climbed the tree.

Dian stared down at the cicada for a moment, feeling very embarrassed. He wanted to wave his hand to send it flying, but he didn’t know if he should release the cicada he was just given. As he stood there, helpless, a cheerful voice called out from above.

‘Dian, you should come up here!’

Though they had just met ten minutes ago, Rienn treated him without hesitation. Her words carried a strange power, and somehow, he couldn’t resist.

Dian hesitantly approached the tree. Before he knew it, Rienn was perched on a large, thick branch, beckoning to him.

Feeling an indescribable emotion, Dian carefully tucked the cicada into his pocket and grasped the tree with both hands, climbing upwards. It wasn’t familiar, but it wasn’t difficult either.

‘You’re doing great, Dian.’

Among several sturdy branches to sit on, Rienn scooted over to make room for him, as if to invite him to sit beside her.

With the spot reserved for him, Dian sat there, feeling somewhat awkward. They sat side by side on one large branch. A cool breeze blew, and a white butterfly flew out of nowhere and hovered around them.

Rienn watched the butterfly’s flight with her eyes and slowly raised a hand. The butterfly brushed past her fingertips as if to touch them.

Dian heard a sound from above and looked up to see Yan climbing to a higher branch. He looked skillful as he climbed the tree.

Somehow, Dian felt a mysterious sensation. It was strangely peaceful. Rienn pointed towards the mansion in front of them.

‘I can see your house from here.’

‘Yes.’

The mansion he had seen every day looked different from up in the trees.

‘Would you like to show me the mansion later?’

‘Sure.’

Dian replied readily. Amidst the thick scent of the trees, there was a faint scent of soap.

That summer, the siblings’ visit disrupted his routine.

The identical-looking siblings had a natural talent for playing. They taught him countless games he didn’t know, and the days flew by as he played with them. Yan and Rienn were both so easy to get along with that even the reserved Dian naturally blended in with them.

Dian found it fun and enjoyable to play with the goofy and mischievous siblings. Though their arrival disrupted his quiet life, he didn’t dislike it as much as he thought he would. He welcomed the change.

After the summer passed, the siblings returned to the marquisate, leaving Dian alone in the mansion.

While he knew the word ‘loneliness,’ he didn’t fully grasp its meaning until he felt their absence. Dian eagerly awaited the day he would meet Yan and Rienn again.

After strongly persuading his father, their meetings became a tradition. They visited each other’s mansions alternately and stayed for about a month each time.

But it wasn’t enough. Dian wanted to live with them permanently. Realistically, he knew it was difficult, but it had always been his wish.

So, over time, he was finally able to fulfill that wish after enrolling in the Academy.

He was really happy at the Academy. He could always be with Rienn without worrying about separation. Although they slept in their respective dormitories, they spent all their other time together. They met in front of the dormitory in the morning for classes, trained together after class, and worked on assignments and studies together. They often spent leisure time in the garden or the nearby town. Every day was exciting and joyful.

If there was one downside, it was that there were so many people. Naturally, there were many other students at the academy besides him and Rienn. Among them, many male students liked her.

Dian sensed them with an animal-like instinct. The male students who laughed along with Rienn’s laughter. The ones who subtly glanced at her during class or when she walked down the hall. The ones who approached Rienn under the pretext of sparring in the training grounds…

He was never one to let his guard down. If someone stole a glance at Rienn, he would simply stare back. Usually, the other person would be startled and quickly avert their gaze.

He never left Rienn alone in the training hall. Although it was good to spar with various people due to the nature of swordsmanship, he made sure to accompany her. Nevertheless, he was her most spirited and enduring opponent in their duels.

Despite his discrete approach and vigilance over three years, Rienn never noticed anything. Whether it was a good thing or not, she didn’t realize his one-sided love. She was oblivious to other people’s crushes, and similarly, she had no idea about his crush. She seemed indifferent to such matters. Occasionally, Dian would dabble in the romances of others she had no interest in.

‘Rienn’.

‘Yes?’

‘Armie and Leroy are dating, you know.’

‘Oh, really? They suit each other well.’

She nodded in agreement but didn’t seem too interested.

‘…Yeah, maybe it’s because it’s spring, but it seems like a lot of people are dating these days.’

‘I see, that’s interesting……. Dian, look what I’m doing.’

Rienn precisely halved a falling leaf with the spring breeze.

‘Did you see that?!’

‘……Yes, you’re good.’

‘Haha, this is unexpectedly fun.’

The girl he liked was more interested in cutting leaves in the wind and throwing daggers than in romantic relationships. His heart warmed at her adorable antics, but the problem remained of how to convey his true feelings, especially with graduation approaching.