“F-Forgive me! Please, my lord…!”

Crunch.

“…Ugh.”

“Shut that foul-smelling mouth of yours. If you keep making noise, you’ll wake everyone. As much as I’d like to deal with you myself, I have to put my lady to bed. Cradoc.”

“Yes, Lord Caleb.”

“Handle him appropriately and bury him.”

“Understood!”

Crunch.

After what felt like an eternity, Caleb finally removed his foot from the man’s hand. Cradoc, who had fetched an enormous sack from somewhere, shoved it over the intruder’s head and hoisted him onto his shoulder.

Once Cradoc carried the struggling man out, only two people remained in the small room. Caleb’s gaze fell on Astrid, sprawled on the bed.

The cloth blindfolding her was soaked with tears, her cheek was swollen red, and there were scratches on her wrists. Each detail grated on him.

“…Damn it.”

Though it was a faint murmur, the small, curled-up figure on the bed flinched even more. Instead of reaching out to her, Caleb spoke in a low, soothing voice.

“The man is gone. Cradoc will take care of him. Now that I’m here, no one can harm you in this place. You’re safe.”

“…T-that ‘bury him’ part… Does it mean…?”

“What?”

Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. Impatient, Caleb lowered his head to bring his ear closer to her lips instead of pressuring her.

“You’re not… planning to kill him, are you?”

“…Ah. So that’s what you were worried about.”

That she would ask such a question in her current state… A wry laugh escaped Caleb’s lips.

Deeming her somewhat calmer, Caleb began removing the cloths that bound her. Despite his curt words, his hands moved with great care.

“That’s for Cradoc to decide. You don’t need to concern yourself with it.”

“…But causing unnecessary trouble isn’t good. We’re supposed to cross the border tomorrow morning. If rumors about you were to spread…”

Astrid lowered her head and fidgeted with her hands. Seeing her timid demeanor, Caleb’s eyebrows twitched in irritation.

If Cradoc had been present, he would have recognized it as the telltale sign of Caleb’s growing exasperation. Unfortunately, Astrid had no such insight.

At last, Caleb let out a frustrated sigh.

“Is that really your concern right now?”

“…But I don’t want to be a burden.”

Her tightly pressed lips spoke volumes about her stubborn resolve.

“Listen, Lady Astrid.”

The unexpected formality startled her into looking up at Caleb. With arms crossed, he gazed down at her, his expression one of distinct displeasure, making her instinctively shrink back.

She hadn’t always felt this way, but now, standing before him, she felt powerless and small.

Watching her withdraw further, Caleb gave her a straightforward piece of advice.

“This is the time to be angry. You should demand to know why I left you alone. Ask how I plan to take responsibility for putting you in such danger.”

“That’s…”

“I don’t know how things are in Hestian, but in Cliff, women are different. They hold their heads high and speak as equals to men. As the future Grand Duchess of Cliff, you should do the same.”

His mention of her role as grand duchess made Astrid’s blue eyes tremble. It felt as though he was telling her she wasn’t qualified to be a duchess. Her already wounded heart shrank further.

…Damn it.

He had only wanted to instill some confidence in her. Seeing her so defeated made Caleb’s expression flicker with a mix of regret and frustration.

Realizing he had pushed too hard on a young girl already enduring a grueling journey and harrowing experiences, Caleb softened his tone, attempting a joke.

“Got it? If you have complaints, voice them—even if it’s to me. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed. My brain’s all muscle, you see.”

“…Pfft.”

Astrid’s small laugh was enough to bring a faint smile to Caleb’s lips. But his expression quickly hardened as he took in her unguarded laughter.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“…!”

Surprised by the sudden closeness of his scent, Astrid leaned back instinctively. Caleb had approached her without her noticing.

Realizing her reaction, she quickly straightened herself, but Caleb didn’t move any closer. Keeping a hand’s breadth of space between them, he met her gaze.

“I…”

As Astrid opened her mouth to break the awkward silence, Caleb muttered under his breath as he examined her injuries.

“Those bastards…”

“What?”

Surprised, Astrid repeated the question, but Caleb didn’t answer. Instead, he silently reached into his coat and pulled something out.

“I’ll just treat the wounds.”

“…Oh.”

Realizing his intention, Astrid gave a small nod. Caleb’s large, warm hands approached her cautiously, applying ointment to her injuries with care.

“Ah!”

A small gasp escaped her lips before she bit down, startled by her own reaction. Caleb didn’t pause, however, calmly soothing her in a low voice.

“It’s fine to say it hurts. You can cry out if you need to. Or even pull at my hair.”

“That’s a bit much.”

“I won’t hold it against you for complaining a little.”

“…!”

It was an odd kind of reassurance. There were no sweet words or comforting embraces, yet Astrid felt a strange sense of solace in his gentle touch as he tended to her wounds.

“…Thank you, Caleb.”

It was the first time she’d said his name, and Caleb’s hands paused mid-treatment. The stern set of his lips softened into a faint smile.

Thump, thump.

Her heart’s sudden loud rhythm startled Astrid, her face stiffening in embarrassment.

“All done. You should get some sleep now, my lady. We’ll reach Cliff tomorrow.”

Caleb placed a hand lightly on her head, tousling her short hair gently. Unlike his previous rough gestures, this one was unexpectedly soft.

“Rest well.”

With that, Caleb lay down on the small bed beside her, closing his eyes as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Astrid froze, her body going rigid, but he was already fast asleep, his breathing steady.

‘…He’s treating me like a child. This is too much.’

They were officially engaged with the king’s blessing, soon to be husband and wife. Yet to Caleb, she was still that helpless fifteen-year-old girl he’d first met.

Nothing more, nothing less.

That realization stung. Her own heart pounded so loudly that she couldn’t bring herself to even shift in bed, yet Caleb could sleep peacefully beside her without a second thought.

Perhaps it was better this way. Caleb’s strong presence seemed to fill the small room, quickly erasing the memory of the terrible incident from her mind.

“If you have complaints, voice them.”

What would Caleb’s reaction be if she told him her grievance was being treated like a child? She was curious but couldn’t imagine saying such a thing.

‘How could I? If it weren’t for Caleb…’

If he hadn’t reached out to her, she might have spent her life rotting away in the monastery or been subjected to an inquisition. She owed him her gratitude and her best efforts to repay his kindness.

Suppressing her fleeting feelings of resentment, Astrid buried her emotions deep inside.

Bearing it, enduring it, and locking it away—it was something she’d become adept at since her father’s death.

***

Having spent a sleepless night, Astrid rose early and prepared to continue their journey to Cliff. They were now only a short distance away from their destination.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

Without warning, Caleb grabbed her by the waist and lifted her effortlessly, setting her gently on the ground. Then, without another word, he strode toward a large tree, gesturing with a short nod for her to join him.

Astrid shook her head, remaining where she stood.

‘…It’s too hot.’

Her face was flushed, the heat overwhelming her, and she fanned herself lightly in an attempt to cool down.

As she did, Cradoc approached her after freeing the horses to graze.

“My goodness, you look pale, my lady!”

Concern dripped from Cradoc’s voice as he noticed Astrid’s drawn expression.

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t worry, my lady. That vile man from last night has been dealt with! How dare he try to harm the future Grand Duchess of Cliff!”

“Um… surely you didn’t…”

Astrid seemed hesitant, her words trailing off. Impatient, Cradoc pressed her for clarification.

“Yes? What do you mean, my lady? Are you unwell? Your face is red—could you have a fever?”

“No, it’s not that!”

Seeing Cradoc ready to summon a physician, Astrid quickly waved her hands.

“It’s just… the man who broke into my room last night. You didn’t… bury him alive or anything, did you?”

“Ah! You’re worried because Lord Caleb said to bury him? Is that what’s been troubling you? Surely you didn’t lose sleep over such a thing! It’s nothing to worry about, my lady. And even if he were buried alive, what does it matter? When it comes to dealing with scum like that, I…”

Cradoc’s rambling was cut short by Caleb’s voice from a distance.

“Let’s move.”

Cradoc scowled openly, muttering in protest.

“Now? We just let the horses rest—how long has it even been…”

Ignoring Cradoc’s grumbling, Caleb mounted his horse and rode ahead, stopping only to wait for them to catch up.

“Do you feel uneasy, future Grand Duchess of Cliff?”

Astrid lifted her gaze to look up at Caleb. Perhaps it was because the sun was nearing its zenith, but the sunlight streaming down made it hard to look at him directly. Even so, Astrid didn’t hesitate as she took his outstretched hand.

His strong arm encircled her waist as he lifted her onto the horse.

‘This is really goodbye, isn’t it?’

The moment of parting with Hestian was finally upon her. She had thought she would feel only relief, but now that the time had come, her heart felt tangled with conflicting emotions.

Perhaps Caleb sensed her turmoil. Throughout the ride, his steady arm firmly supported Astrid’s swaying body.