Chapter 7.8

A cool breeze carrying the scent of grass by the lake blew in. Sunlight slipped through gently swaying leaves, dancing across the page.

This was a favorite moment. The one time each month when the Duke of Bannon left the mansion for an inspection of the territory.

Brienne, having finished the last chapter of the book she had been reading for a long time, stretched lightly. The moment she captured the clear sky in her eyes, a low and gentle voice fell from behind her.

“Rien.”

When she turned toward that familiar voice, Kaiden was there. Always looking at her with a steadfast gaze—her first love.

“Ah, you’re here?”

“Yes, sorry for making you wait.”

Instead of saying it was okay, Brienne habitually made room for him and shifted over. But Kaiden only glanced at the spot briefly and leaned diagonally against the tree instead.

Realizing that he had no intention of sitting next to her, Brienne hid her hurt feelings with an awkward smile.

“……But who was it?”

“Herace Belif.”

“Ah, so it really was him.”

Nineteen years old.

It had already been a year since Kaiden told her he had no intention of dating a friend. Since that day, Brienne had tried to let go of her feelings, but it was not as easy as she thought.

“So it really was him. You met Herace?”

“No, not really. It was just a feeling.”

Brienne changed the subject, lifting the thick book she had just been reading.

“By the way, Kaiden, while waiting for you, I read two books. Look, this one’s really heavy.”

Showing off with a smile, Brienne’s face showed no trace of thoughts about Herace Belif. Kaiden looked down at her with a calm question.

“What’s it about?”

“Well… It’s about a poor but brave commoner woman and a rich but timid nobleman. They hated each other at first, but eventually, at some point, they fall in love.”

“That sounds like something you’d enjoy.”

“Exactly. The scenes where the two keep getting entangled and arguing are really funny.”

Brienne took out the bookmark tucked between the pages and looked up at him.

“If you’re curious, want to read it sometime?”

“I’m not sure, those romance novels aren’t really my taste.”

But Kaiden only gave her a gentle smile. His kind refusal made Brienne a little bitter. When they were younger, they used to sit shoulder to shoulder and read the same book together. Had they simply grown up too much?

Kaiden, watching her closely, tilted his head slightly.

“……Would you like me to read it?”

“Yes. It’s fun to talk about books together.”

As soon as Brienne nodded, Kaiden reached out his hand. Brienne’s pale green eyes widened.

“I’ll write a review after I read it. Will that do?”

“What?”

“Because you like it.”

“…….”

He wouldn’t even sit next to her, and insisted that such novels weren’t his taste… Yet Kaiden still found another way to be kind to her.

Brienne couldn’t help but love that about him, so she gently handed him the book.

“Alright. Then I’ll give you the first volume. I want to see how well you write, so you have to do your best, okay?”

“Of course, Master.”

Kaiden nodded his chin as he accepted the book. His polite tone, like that of a model student, made Brienne laugh lightly.

“Master? Are you calling me your tutor now? Why?”

“You always give me homework whenever we meet, so it’s not unreasonable to think so.”

“Ah, if that’s the case, you must be a diligent student?”

“At least I’m not an undisciplined one. Maybe I’m the kind of student who volunteers for homework and listens well.”

A faint smile appeared on Kaiden’s face. Brienne, staring at that smile, hurriedly opened her book to hide the pounding of her heart.

“Well, then I should be a diligent teacher too. I’ll have to reread it. Next time, I’ll give you questions and even a test.”

“Alright, as much as you want.”

Brienne hid her flushed cheeks between the pages and nodded, glancing at him. Kaiden’s calm voice lingered in her heart for a long time. It tickled her so much, it sometimes felt stifling. So she wanted to keep recalling it.

His scent, reminiscent of the dawn sky, drifted to her nose.

That day, Brienne couldn’t lift her head until Kaiden sat beside her and opened the book.

* * *

“Two coffees, please.”

Inside the old café terrace, a man’s even voice rang out. The server, taking the order pad, nodded and turned away from him.

His deep blue eyes, indifferent to that direction, slid back toward the alley behind Peterman Station. Kaiden’s gaze dropped, having come through a shabby street with no trace of noble atmosphere.

The worn table revealed the marks of time, and under it were his dust-covered shoes. At first, it was quite embarrassing, but now he was used to the look.

It wasn’t just the worn shoes, but also the lighter clothing that a servant might wear.

He had stormed out of his engagement ceremony, forged a new identity, and boarded a ship bound for Roeta to leave his homeland.

Overwhelmed by sudden emotions, he had done things he normally wouldn’t. But the reason he decided to come to Roeta was simple.

The moment he chose to believe he could change his predetermined fate, a promise he once made with Brienne caused a faint ripple in his heart, like the surface of a still lake.

‘Tutor, huh.’

Kaiden shifted his gaze to a job advertisement in the newspaper lying on one side of the table. ‘Looking for a tutor.’ Staring at that sentence, Kaiden vaguely remembered the teacher who first taught him to speak, and couldn’t help but frown before letting out a dry laugh.

It was almost funny.

It was easy to create a new identity, but there weren’t many things a well-raised noble could actually do.

Even so, having a life where he could choose what to do felt like a tremendous luxury. If a passerby overheard, they might throw stones, but Kaiden was willing to accept even that.

He thought he would never escape the name Bannon, even in death. So nothing he wanted would ever really matter.

Thinking and acting like a Bannon, he killed off any budding thoughts and emotions. He didn’t realize that this hurt not only himself, but also Brienne Ford.

The moment he realized he had loved for so long, Brienne’s love ended. Kaiden accepted this fact calmly. Just as when he realized his own feelings, he didn’t allow himself any deeper sentiment.

His gaze, lingering on the quiet alley, drifted to the clock tower rising faintly above a building. As memories from a few days ago surfaced, a subtle tremor flickered across his eyes.

He had seen Brienne.

Hearing a commotion, he turned to find Brienne had fallen. He impulsively started toward her, but stopped only because of the vivid image of her crying right in front of him.

Recalling that memory made him feel as though he might stop breathing.

He wondered if he still existed in Brienne’s eyes, and it scared him like a madman.

While he hesitated for such a foolish reason, Brienne stood up on her own, straightening her clothes. She was as strong as ever, just as he remembered—never needing anyone’s help.

So he couldn’t approach her.

That was the least he could do for someone who had always been sincere toward him.

Kaiden looked indifferently at the hand he couldn’t reach out to Brienne. What had he done with these hands? He had become his father’s puppet, ignored dying people, and brought more pain.

So with such hands, he couldn’t dare hold Brienne’s clean ones. Unless he found and avenged the person who had hurt her.

At first, he intended only to return what Brienne had lost to her escort. But as soon as he remembered Brienne’s face, he didn’t want to act according to plan.

He had always been selfish, so being selfish once more wouldn’t change anything.

Just once, he wanted to see her smile again.

With that single thought, he went to the Academy where Brienne was. He saw her at the window. He heard Brienne’s voice as she came after him.

Even after all that had happened, her gentle voice still called out to him as in the past.

<Kaiden……!>

What was she feeling? What was she thinking? He was too afraid to turn around and see Brienne’s expression.

But even so, he kept wanting to look back.

He had said hurtful things, insisting they should cut ties completely, and had done things that made her cry.

Now, he wanted to say he actually felt the same way she did. That he was always desperate to be by her side.

That her voice, her eyes, her smile—he wished they would forever be directed at him.

He wanted to say such things, not knowing his place.

With a bitter laugh, Kaiden rubbed his tired eyes. Just as he habitually picked up the newspaper to erase the feelings welling up inside, a man who was noticeable even from afar passed through the café terrace entrance and approached him.

“Long time no see, Kaiden.”

Just like before, Herace Belif, Brienne’s partner, wore a relaxed smile.