Chapter 8. From Winter to Spring(2)

Peter, who had fallen backward after being struck by the scabbard, rubbed his behind as he got up. With a look of frustration and embarrassment clearly written on his face, he locked eyes with the culprit who had thrown the scabbard. And froze.

“…K, K, Kailon-sama?”

Peter, usually known for being able to speak fluently, stammered as he called Kyle’s name, clearly flustered. Kyle, who coldly looked down at his fellow swordsmanship club member, showed off his amazing ability by dismissing Peter with a single motion of his chin.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Peter, looking like a mess both physically and mentally, scratched the back of his head and gave a slight bow. I was about to return the bow, but I was suddenly too stunned to move.

“What were you doing with Peter?”

Kyle casually stretched his arm and came closer to embrace me. Oh, wait—was that not the case? From the position, it seemed like I was the one leaning into Kyle, but that wasn’t the feeling at all. When I lifted my head to look at Kyle’s face, his deep, red eyes were staring directly at me. Hesitant, I finally answered.

“…We were talking.”

“Hmm, talking?”

The wolf-like, sharp, and intense gaze locks me in place. I’ve felt it before, but there’s something about this look that makes me feel like it’s pulling me deeper. I silently watched as Kyle, growling low, reached out with his hand, setting a trap for his prey. It was clear Kyle was acting out of anger, so why did I feel excited? It was a bit of a big question.

“Are you jealous right now?”

Seeing Kyle react sharply to my question about what I had been doing with Peter, I asked in a voice full of amusement. Seriously, to be jealous of Peter when there’s no one else to be jealous of!

Seeing Kyle’s face, puffed up in annoyance, I burst out laughing. If he’s this cute, I might just kidnap him. I need to hold myself back.

“Hmm, should I stop being with other men?”

I tapped Kyle’s head lightly as I asked. Without hesitation, he nodded.

Ah… Why does this obsession feel so good? Is this what they call being lovestruck? As someone who’s always been single, I finally understood why couples look at each other so lovingly.

“Don’t get too close to Dia, either.”

“Huh, why Dia…?”

“Being with her is the most annoying thing.”

Why Dia? When I tilted my head and kept asking, Kyle quickly pressed his lips to my cheek. Peck! He gently kissed my cheek, then pulled away with a satisfied smile.

What the heck? How can he kiss so naturally? I stared at him, shocked and stunned.

“If you bring up Dia again, I’ll do it again.”

“Yikes.”

I felt my face heat up, and I quickly tried to cover it. But Kyle was one step ahead of me. He pressed his lips to my cheek once again with a peck.

“I didn’t even mention Dia!”

As soon as Kyle’s lips parted, I protested in frustration. I hadn’t even mentioned Dia, so why would he suddenly kiss me!

As I was still protesting, Kyle’s words immediately shut me up.

“Just wanted to.”

Huh. Does he think I’ll just give in if he says that? …But I couldn’t bring myself to argue, and I lowered my head. Since Kyle saved me from almost being attacked by assassins, he seemed to shine even brighter. It was hard to even look at his brilliantly glowing face.

“Can I do it again?”

“Of course not… no, you can’t!”

I hesitated when I saw his slumped shoulders, but I managed to say no. Heh, I’ve become immune to that gloomy look. I used to be weak against it, but now it doesn’t work on me!

I placed my hands confidently on my hips, and with a proud expression, Kyle leaned his face closer to mine.

“Really not… mm.”

As soon as Kyle started to beg, I knew I’d give in, so I quickly covered his mouth with my hand. Now, this should stop him from—

Peck.

Another peck sound echoed. This time, it wasn’t from his lips, but from my hand. Kyle gently took my hand and placed a light kiss on it. Ugh! Seriously, this guy! He kept kissing me, and I was about to go crazy from the embarrassment.

“Outside!”

“Outside?”

“Yes, let’s go outside!”

In the end, I suggested a walk to calm my flushed face down.

“Okay.”

Kyle answered without hesitation, and I quickly went outside to take a breath. Kyle followed, casually walking beside me, and then naturally took my hand. When I looked over, I saw Kyle’s face slightly reddened as he fidgeted with my fingers. Hmm, it felt like my heart was tightening a bit.

***

The Mage Tower’s walking path was incredibly beautiful. Unlike the barren surroundings of the tower, there were vibrant flowers blooming everywhere, overflowing with life. Who takes care of these flowers? Could it be Aren? Imagining Aren watering the flowers seemed so fitting.

“Did you hear about Seria?”

I casually brushed my hair, which had been messed up by the cold winter wind, and asked Kyle. I wasn’t particularly eager to talk about Seria, but I was curious about Kyle’s reaction, so I asked cautiously. He replied briefly with a disinterested expression.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t you wonder?”

“Not really.”

Such a simple, straightforward answer. Well, it seemed like Kyle had never been interested in Seria from the start. It would feel even stranger if Kyle, who generally shows no interest in others, suddenly took an interest in Seria. I still can’t believe that Kyle was originally one of the male leads.

“The Marquis will soon have all the facts revealed, and he’ll be tried.”

Of course, Kyle probably wasn’t interested, but feeling uneasy, I kept talking, hoping it would make me feel a bit better. Kyle quietly listened to my ramblings.

“The Marquis… he seems worse than I thought… I’m afraid he’ll try to get revenge later.”

This is how I honestly feel. I’m just the daughter of a mere Count, while Edwin Marquis is a highly respected man with the trust of many. With his wealth from the mines, he could easily buy his way out of any situation, and I never know what kind of revenge he might try to exact on me. The worst-case scenario would be if Seria were found innocent and appeared before me again. In this world, there’s nothing money can’t solve. That’s why I’m on the verge of panic.

“Don’t worry, you won’t see the Marquis or Seria again.”

“…What?”

A slightly uneasy word slipped out of Kyle’s mouth. Wait, what did you just say? Huh? I hurriedly tried to meet Kyle’s eyes and desperately asked him again.

“Could you explain what you meant by that?”

“….”

No, don’t avoid it with silence! Kyle quickly looked away from my gaze. Eventually, I gave up on making eye contact and casually walked along the path. Well, if I listened to Kyle, it seemed like I wouldn’t have to worry about revenge from the Marquis or Seria. Though, it seemed like the two of them might meet a dreadful fate.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.”

As I walked, I saw a garden full of flowers blooming even in the winter. Perhaps it was maintained by magic, as the air in that area was warm and cool at the same time. I gazed down at the red and beautiful flowers in the flower bed, murmuring quietly. Upon hearing that, Kyle quickly came over to my side and started admiring the flowers with me. It was such a peaceful moment.

“Do you like flowers?”

“Huh? Ah… I do, yes.”

I smiled lightly and answered his sudden question. I do like flowers. They’re fragrant and have a beauty that can only be seen at that moment. Unlike me, who has always had a fondness for things like this, Kyle, who has spent his life wielding a sword, has probably never given flowers a second thought. He pitifully picked a single red flower that was blooming faintly and casually placed it in my hair. Ah, I could get in trouble for picking it… but never mind.

I decided I’d apologize to the gardener later and followed Kyle, picking another flower and placing it in his hair. I gave him the same bold, red flower he had given me, and Kyle awkwardly adjusted it in his hair. Ah, I guess he’s uncomfortable with this…

“It suits you.”

Kyle kept his lips tightly sealed and shook his head. Oh, that’s not right… it actually suits him really well! The red flower in his dark hair, like the night sky, matched strangely well. I guess when you have a perfect face, anything looks good on you. I smiled at Kyle, who looked awkward with the flower in his hair. When he saw my smile, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“…While I’m gone, don’t get too close to Dia.”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

What’s this now? And more importantly, it seems like Kyle is really worried about Dia. He’s been warning me about him ever since earlier… Hmm, Dia is just a friend, though sometimes, he can be surprisingly reliable. Could he be… a guy? I entertained this wild thought while looking straight at Kyle.

“I’ve got something going on, so I won’t be able to attend the academy.”

“Huh?”

I could understand why Kyle wouldn’t be at the academy now that graduation was almost here, but what had happened that made his expression so dark? Hmm, if Kyle, who usually couldn’t be bothered by anything, had something important come up, then…

“It’s the Emperor’s command.”

Kyle nodded briefly. Oh no, the time has already come. Kyle had been personally scouted by the Emperor and entered the First Imperial Knights. He hadn’t even graduated from the academy yet, and now they’re already putting him to work… But since it’s the Emperor, I can’t really argue! I lowered my head, feeling a bit gloomy.

“Kailon-sama, His Highness the Crown Prince calls for you!”

Seeing the knight calling out to Kyle from afar made me feel even more downhearted. The Emperor, the Crown Prince… why are they all so eager to put him to work? Damn royals! I didn’t dare curse out loud, afraid I’d be charged with insulting the royal family.

“Kyle!”

As he turned back to look at me with a hint of regret, I called out and stopped him. I could see my reflection in his deep, ocean-like eyes.

“I like you.”

Petals fluttered in the wind. The romantic timing made me smile with satisfaction. I felt that if I didn’t say it now, I might not get another chance for a long time. If I waited, I might never be able to tell him how I truly felt, so I hurried to confess the feelings that had slowly grown inside me. Along with a sense of relief, a wave of embarrassment hit me. My face must be bright red by now…

“…Kyle?”

“Huh? Kailon-sama!”

Kyle started walking toward me slowly. The knight who had come to fetch him panicked and called out urgently, but Kyle completely ignored him.

“Ka…”

I couldn’t even finish saying his name before my words stopped.

Wh-what’s going on? Flustered, my eyes darted around. Okay, deep breath. This must be… a kiss. But… why is there tongue?! It was a kiss far more intense than I expected. His tongue slowly entered my mouth, and he began to explore more deeply. The kiss was rough and gentle all at once, and I was completely overwhelmed. I lightly tapped his back.

Mmph… I can’t breathe!

“I like you more—so much more.”

After the intense kiss ended, Kyle gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and spoke. His once-drowsy eyes turned serious, glowing as if he was about to devour me. I was still a helpless rabbit before the wolf, and he… he was my beloved wolf. Kyle pulled me tightly into his arms.

“Every night, I think of you. I dream of kissing you like crazy every time I fall asleep. Even when I’m looking at you, I want to keep seeing you.”

His breath brushing against my ear tickled, and I instinctively shrank back. His low, mesmerizing voice stirred my heart. I trembled, afraid he might hear how wildly it was pounding.

“Wait… was that a confession?”