Chapter 1 (Part 24)

“Ha.”

Kahin let out a deep sigh. His rational mind reminded him not to forget the position of Duke of Astina’s right-hand man, repeatedly cautioning him. Yet, desire, sweetly whispering, asked if he didn’t want to be by her side. In a place where reason and emotion conflicted, there could never be a lasting peace, akin to a ticking time bomb. It’s frustrating to live with that in your head.

Kahin looked down at his hands stained with freshly drawn blood, wondering how much better it would be if he could endure such things. He closed his eyes tightly.

“Kahin.”

That’s when the clear-toned voice called his name, the one he could hear even with his eyes closed. He had always hoped she would call out to him, so he couldn’t help but recognize it.

When he opened his eyes and lifted his head, he was met with a pair of hazel eyes staring right back at him. At that moment, a shiver ran through him, enough to catch his breath briefly.

“Come here.”

He didn’t hesitate as she beckoned, her hand swaying lightly like petals in the wind. The faint scent of her body wafted to the tip of his nose.

“Ria, Kahin doesn’t like this kind of thing.”

“But he’s standing there all alone while the rest of us eat. Kahin, this isn’t very sweet, what do you think?”

Suddenly, the green eyes, which had quickly scanned the table full of desserts instead of various foods, turned back to her.

“Or do you have something else you like? Oh, how about a nice cold tea?”

“I… like sweet things.”

“Oh, really? Then from now on, let’s eat dessert together! You two never eat anything, so I always end up finishing them alone. Since we’re in the mansion anyway, there’s no need for you to stand guard.”

“You like sweet things?”

The brightened voice tickled his ears. Kahin nods, a beat too late, at his master’s questioning look. It wasn’t really a secret that despite his large stature, he liked sweet things, but there was no need to reveal it first. Except for his late father.

“This is delicious. It’s not that sweet, but it’s my favorite…….”

As Ria reached out for the dessert she had chosen for him, the moment when she handed over a chocolate madeleine, he instinctively reached out. But when she saw his hand, which had reflexively reached out, she stopped abruptly. The blood smeared on his large palm was clearly visible.

“Kahin, your hand!”

Upon hearing those words, Kahin quickly withdrew his hand. But Ria was quicker to grab his hand. Kahin’s breath caught in his throat at the touch of a hand so much smaller than his own, so smooth and free of calluses.

“I’ll take care of it right away…”

“Ria.”

The voice stopping her from using her natural healing abilities brought her back to her senses.

“Many eyes are watching.”

“But…”

“He can get treatment from the physician, so it’s okay. You don’t have to use your abilities.”

Eden and Rune interjected alternately. Ria withdrew her hands in frustration at their adamant demeanor, feeling incapacitated by the fact that this was the only thing she could be of use in this place, and they wouldn’t let her use it. It made her feel incompetent.

Kahin’s mood also sank a little. It wasn’t because the two intervened in his treatment, but because she had tears in her eyes.

Kahin, as someone who also knew about her healing abilities, had listened to Rune and Eden’s advice. They had insisted on keeping her ability a secret because it could pose a danger to her if it were revealed. He had agreed with that advice from the beginning. Therefore, he didn’t mind not receiving treatment. He even thought that there was no need to use her precious ability for such minor wounds.

Whether it was shown to the physician or not, it wasn’t a problem. He had endured many deeper wounds before he was called the Sword of the Empire. 

But it wasn’t such a trivial issue for Ria. Even a nosebleed from fatigue or a slight cut from a knife or paper was a very serious problem for her, accustomed to seeking ointments or bandages in her daily life.

Ria gently wiped the blood-stained hands with her thumb for a while before handing him her handkerchief.

“You must get treated by the physician. Okay? I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. Don’t worry.”

Staring at her worried brown eyes, Kahin reassured her while lightly clutching the white handkerchief.

“Kahin, you should go inside first and get yourself tended to, we’ll be inside soon enough.”

Lowering his head in response to Rune’s words, Kahin turned back towards the mansion. With each step, his heart began to beat in rhythm.

His grip tightened on the handkerchief. An insatiable thirst consumed him.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

Evening passed. Eden had returned to Duke Carlisle’s residence to take care of some business that had been pushed back by his aide’s pleas, and Rune had gone into his study to look over the remaining papers. It was the first time in a long time that Ria had time to herself.

Ria immediately set out to find Kahin.

She wondered if his hand had healed well, and if it hadn’t, she thought she should secretly treat him in a place where no one was around.

Mmm…….

However, no matter how much she wandered around the mansion, Kahin was nowhere to be found. Since he usually stayed by her side or by Rune’s side, she didn’t know any place he would go alone. Pausing to think for a moment, Ria grabbed a passing maid.

“Do you happen to know where Kahin is?”

“Are you referring to Sir Fernon?”

“Um, yes. Kahin Fernon.”

Because she usually addressed him by his name rather than his surname, Ria found his surname unfamiliar for a moment.

“I saw him entering his room around lunchtime… Would you like me to guide you to Sir Fernon’s room? He stays on the third floor of the knights’ quarters alone.”

“No, it’s okay. You seem busy. Could you just tell me the way? I can go there on my own.”

The maid bowed once to thank her for her consideration and then politely showed Ria the way. Since the floor where his room was located had a separate path directly connected to his room unlike the rooms of other knights, Ria could reach the third floor where his room was without encountering other knights.

“The black door in the middle.”

After a short walk, Ria arrived on the third floor where there were several rooms. She walked towards the center and found the black door. That was the room he used.

Ah, there it is.

The door, a little larger than the others, and the only one that was black, stood out like a sore thumb among the other brown doors. Feeling proud of herself for not getting lost in the vast mansion as much as she had expected, Ria resumed her halted steps.

“Hmm.”

However, as she got closer to the door, the faint sound that began to be heard was odd. It sounded similar to when someone was in pain.

With a puzzled expression, Ria, suspecting it might be because of an injury, quickly closed the distance to the door. Finally, when she reached right in front of the door, she could see inside through the slightly opened gap.

“Ha, ugh…….”

Ria quickly covered her mouth with her hand to suppress the sound that was about to burst out.

There was Kahin, leaning against the headboard of the bed…wiggling his huge p*nis in his hand…….