Chapter 23
For a moment, Isabella wondered—did he already know what had happened and come here to comfort her?
That she had endured all that time alone, struggling by herself.
At Kairus’s sincere words of consolation, Isabella’s eyes slowly widened.
“Your Highness. Did you perhaps… read this morning’s newspaper?”
She tried to ask, but her voice broke as tears welled up again. She forced them down, unable to finish the sentence. Yet he seemed to understand what she meant and quietly nodded.
“I tried to stop it as quickly as I could, but I couldn’t block a few of the early morning papers.”
He added that he had confirmed all the newspapers had been taken down regarding the imminent marriage articles.
Isabella looked at him in disbelief.
“You… personally ordered that?”
“If I acted without permission and offended you, I apologize.”
“N-no, it’s fine.”
The one who should have been apologizing—Ikanuel—was stubbornly insisting he hadn’t done anything, yet Kairus, whom she had only met twice before today, was the one offering help and even comforting her.
“Rather, I should be the one thanking you… so why are you apologizing?”
“I didn’t ask for your consent before acting. Are you really alright with it?”
Isabella felt grateful for his kindness, but at the same time, doubt lingered. She hadn’t even accepted his proposal yet, and still he was helping her so readily. What exactly was she to him, that he would go this far?
“Actually, I’d like to ask you something as well,” she said.
“What is it?”
“Is it really enough… just holding my hand like this, to help you?”
At her unexpectedly abrupt question, his expression briefly turned unreadable. Then Kairus curved one corner of his lips into a smile and lightly lifted their joined hands.
“Didn’t I already tell you before that it helps?”
The moment he finished speaking, his fingers intertwined more firmly between hers. As if telling her not to be afraid and run away.
Startled, Isabella fidgeted slightly, and her gaze naturally lifted.
Those orange eyes, impossible to fully read, were fixed on her.
“Isabella. When I hold your hand like this, the heat that used to burn my eyes and mind starts to slowly cool down.”
His palm gently brushed over hers, his fingers moving lightly as if teasing her skin.
“It feels like cold water being poured over a body that was burning alive. Symptoms caused by my mana overload that never eased with any medicine… they’re calming down.”
“….”
“And when I’m this close to you, holding your hand, it happens.”
He tightened his grip as if to reassure himself.
A gaze filled with almost obsessive certainty shone beneath the sunlight. Yet before Isabella could notice, he quickly concealed it and smiled casually again.
“But I haven’t even accepted your proposal yet.”
“Mm, that’s true.”
“And I’m not even certain I can properly cure your mana overload…”
She looked down at their joined hands for a moment before the words slipped out between her tightly pressed lips.
“Why are you helping me this much?”
“That’s a simple question.”
“….”
“I don’t want to make you dislike me.”
He paused briefly, as if about to say more, then let out a light laugh.
“I just don’t want to lose someone important to me again.”
She couldn’t understand his words. He gently nodded again, urging her to trust him.
He smiled as if telling her not to think too deeply.
Does that mean I’m someone important to him?
She had so many questions she wanted to ask him immediately, but her throat felt tight, making it impossible to speak.
Even though she knew there was no such thing as a favor without cost, her heart kept leaning toward his words. She didn’t want to cry helplessly anymore. And yet… it felt like, just a little, she had found someone to lean on after enduring such a lonely life.
“Isabella.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Her voice trembled with tears as she answered. She kept her head lowered, afraid that if she met his eyes, she would break down completely.
But he gently lifted her hand, silently asking her to look at him. Eventually, she raised her head.
He looked like he had many things he wanted to say, then curved his eyes playfully.
“If you keep this up, your eyes are going to puff up like a goldfish.”
Despite the joking tone, his touch was warm and comforting, and that made her tears spill even more.
“Why do you keep crying? You’re making me feel bad.”
As Kairus gently wiped her tear-stained eyes, her sobs only grew stronger.
He treated her with such care, as if she were something precious—his touch was warm, full of kindness.
Time passed. After a few minutes, Isabella finally managed to calm down.
She now faced him with a much lighter heart. Kairus had stayed beside her the entire time without taking a single step away.
“Feeling better now?”
“Yes… I think I am.”
He took out a neatly folded handkerchief and handed it to her.
As she wiped her wet eyes, she suddenly noticed something behind his shoulder.
“Isabella?”
A familiar figure appeared behind Kairus.
“…Dylan?”
It seemed he had just finished his early morning training. Of all times—right now, she had ended up running into Dylan while she was with Kairus.
‘Why now?!’
And Kairus was currently out in disguise.
Panicked, Isabella quickly reached out and pulled down Kairus’s hood.
“Isabella?”
“Shh!”
She immediately stepped away from him as Dylan approached.
His gaze locked onto Kairus, who was still hooded.
“Is there something going on between you two?”
“N-no! Nothing at all!”
“You were crying, weren’t you?”
Dylan had noticed her swollen, red eyes.
To avoid misunderstanding, Isabella quickly waved the handkerchief.
“I just… got some flower pollen in my eyes! He was helping me!”
“I see.”
She nodded quickly.
Then she bowed slightly toward Kairus. Even though only his lower face was visible beneath the hood, his lips were still faintly curved upward.
“Thank you so much for your help.”
“It was nothing. I’m honored to be of assistance to the young lady.”
Kairus politely placed a hand over his chest and bowed.
Then he looked toward Dylan.
An almost frozen tension filled the air.
Dylan broke the silence first.
“Thank you for helping Isabella.”
“I wasn’t looking to receive gratitude from you.”
“Still.”
Dylan remained composed.
“Since I’m here, you may go about your business.”
He extended his hand toward Kairus with a calm smile.
“As her knight, I will escort Isabella safely back to the estate.”
There was no reason for this unnecessary display—but Dylan remained unmoving, waiting.
With no other option, Isabella nodded and raised her hand.
The moment their hands met, Kairus flinched.
But Isabella didn’t notice and turned away.
“Then I’ll be in your care.”
“I will escort you safely, Isabella.”
Dylan led her away.
Once they had put distance between them, he spoke quietly.
“Is everything really alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You look quite upset.”
“Oh haha… pollen was just bad today.”
She tried to brush it off.
“Can we stop by the shop that sells the quiche Lionel likes?”
“Of course.”
Behind them, Kairus stood still, watching their retreating figures.
He slowly pulled back his hood.
His orange eyes were filled with unmistakable displeasure.
“Dylan Drayson…”
Something about him felt different from what he remembered.
Kairus remained standing there until the two figures disappeared completely into the distance.
