After getting dressed again, he looked so proper that it was hard to believe he had explored her body multiple times. Unlike her tired face wearing only a leopard print, his clean face even emanated a glow.

Since he had thoroughly cleaned up after their intimacy with a handkerchief, despite having seen everything of each other, Larien still blushed.

“Just lean on me. What if you collapse?”

He lifted Larien with one hand and carried her on his shoulder. With his other hand, he grabbed the crutch that had been thrown aside.

Unlike her who felt weak, as though she was aching all over, Jayden, who seemed to overflow with energy, easily carried her and went up the stairs to the second floor where the owner was sleeping.

“J-Jayden? Why here?”

Larien, who had been outside but never been to the second floor, looked around nervously, worried about being discovered by the owner.

“I have a secret place in that attic. It’s where I used to go often with my close friend, but there might be quite a bit of dust since I haven’t been there for years.”

He continued his explanation in a friendly tone, quite different from before.

“There’s a large window where you can clearly see where the festival is happening. If we’re lucky, we might see fireworks too.”

Larien wasn’t interested in the festival or fireworks. She was just overjoyed by the fact that she was invited to his secret place.

The close friend he mentioned was probably the one who left for the Land of Dolls. So besides that friend, this would be a place known only to him and her.

A secret just between her and Jayden.

Larien’s heart fluttered pleasantly.

As he said, past the owner’s and his son’s rooms, there was a storage room, and behind the randomly piled luggage was a steep staircase that connected to the attic.

It was blocked by a small wooden door, a space you wouldn’t notice unless you paid attention.

Jayden climbed the tall stairs easily as if Larien wasn’t heavy at all. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief that she had skipped dinner.

After climbing the last step, Jayden carefully set Larien down like he was handling a jewel. When he turned her body towards the window by holding her shoulders, Larien’s lips parted in amazement.

“Wow…”

Through the wide window, countless stars crossed the night sky, shining as bright as day. Below them, lanterns released by people emitted beautiful, colorful light like fairy hats.

Being at such a high location, they could see the entire festival scene by the river at a glance.

Since it was late at night after people had left, the festival grounds were now occupied by dolls dressed in beautiful clothes. Larien’s eyes sparkled, wondering if she might recognize any faces among the groups of dolls.

“Do you like it?”

Having quickly finished cleaning while she was looking outside, Jayden laid a soft blanket on the floor by the window and sat her down. His jacket fell softly over her exposed shoulders.

“I really love it, Jayden. I’ve never seen such a beautiful scenery before.”

Larien pulled up the corners of her mouth, thinking that while the scenery was wonderful, she would like anywhere as long as she was with Jayden.

Sitting next to her and watching her brightly creasing eyes, he tilted his head and captured her lips.

Smooch.

Although they had done this and that until just now, they hadn’t kissed on the lips, so she just blinked, not even thinking to close her eyes.

He chuckled, amused by her reaction, and briefly kissed her widely opened eyelids. Then he placed kisses in turn on her rounded forehead, straight nose bridge, and flushed, puffy cheeks.

Larien blankly looked up at Jayden’s face as he kissed her, completely dazed.

Then, only after her face turned as red as a ribbon on a Christmas tree did his face return to its original position. Before the breeze coming through the slightly opened window could cool down the heated atmosphere, Jayden tightly grasped her hand.

“To my eyes, you’re a million times more beautiful.”

Perhaps because their bodies were closer, Jayden was freely saying such embarrassing things.

Covering her burning cheeks that felt like they might burst, Larien bit the end of her lip. Could this be a dream?

Such a gentle Jayden — Larien couldn’t believe it.

“This feels like a dream.”

“A dream?”

It seemed she had spoken aloud what she meant to think inside. Surprised by his question, Larien added,

“Being with you like this doesn’t feel real.”

“I feel the same way.”

He laughed refreshingly and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it.

Just then, fairy fireworks burst high in the sky, brightly illuminating their surroundings.

Larien was relieved that this was reality, thinking such huge fireworks couldn’t possibly be a dream.

Her heart felt like it was flying in the sky, as excited as the bursting fireworks. Jayden, who had somehow moved very close, whispered softly in her ear.

“Want to check if it’s a dream or not?”

“H-how?”

“How about this?”

He smiled mischievously and began unbuttoning his shirt one by one.

Pop, pop. With each button undone, his firm torso became visible through the opening shirt, flexing deliberately.

As Larien couldn’t take her eyes away, he pulled her hand and placed her palm on his exposed chest. The sensation of his skin, as sturdy and smooth as well-tanned leather, transmitted clearly through her palm.

Hearing his heartbeat that was several times faster than her own, was somehow both reassuring and embarrassing.

As her fingers kept trying to curl inward, he gently but firmly pressed them flat against his chest. She could hear her own heart beating as loudly as his thundering one.

The man before her was definitely Jayden, but somehow he seemed both playful and bewitching.

She guessed this might be his true self. Someone who played pranks and laughed easily.

Grandfather Owl’s testimony that he had been cheerful before his injury seemed more credible.

Larien made a troubled expression as she felt herself falling even deeper in love with him, beyond what she had thought was her maximum.

How could she like him even more?

Come to think of it, only she had confessed her love to Jayden. Although he had just called her beautiful, she hadn’t heard him directly say he liked her.

“Um, Jayden.”

“What?”

“How do you feel about–!”

Before she could finish speaking, he suddenly stood up with his crutch and drew the sword at his waist. The blade, gleaming sharply under the moonlight, pointed toward the stairs they had come up.

As Larien wondered what was happening, she heard a scratching sound like something gnawing.

“What’s wrong?”

“Shh! Sounds like a mouse.”

He signaled with his fingertips and approached the stairs, reducing his footsteps.

“D-don’t go, Jayden.”

Larien urgently grabbed the hem of his clothes.

Though she had never seen a live mouse before, after seeing a huge dead rat caught in the owner’s trap, she had nightmares for days. She felt like the rat with its sharp teeth and long claws might come back to life and chase her.

She couldn’t let Jayden go alone to where such a monster might be.

“It’s safe here, just wait a moment. I’ll check downstairs.”

“If it’s safe, you should stay here too.”

“It’s better to eliminate any possible dangers. I’ll be right back. Can you do that?”

He winked one eye and kissed her forehead before going down the stairs, making it impossible to refuse. He didn’t forget to block the entrance with a chair from the corner.

What was happening?

For a while, there were sounds of stomping feet, then silence returned.

Larien, who had been crouching with an anxious face, counted to a hundred in her mind before jumping up.

I need to find Jayden. As she was about to run to the entrance, he appeared before her eyes as if by magic.

“Jayden!”

Larien ran to him and hugged him tightly.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? What happened?”

Larien asked about his well-being without taking a breath.

“As you can see, I’m fine. It was just a lost mouse.”

Despite his assurance, she slightly pulled away from his embrace and quickly scanned his condition. Fortunately, except for his disheveled hair, he looked no different than before.

A big sigh of relief escaped.