Chapter: 18
“You said we’re going to your house, so why are we going to the Imperial Palace?”
From the moment Dana decided to leave her home, she chose to value herself.
Accepting kindness naturally was part of that.
After a few seconds of thinking, Dana smiled brightly.
“What are you doing? Hurry up.”
At her words, Edwin smiled warmly.
Dana, who was not used to other people’s touch, had accepted him.
Edwin stood up and brought a soft towel.
Then he moved behind Dana, who was sitting in the chair.
Dana’s attention was fully drawn to her back.
She could clearly feel Edwin’s presence.
Why am I so nervous…?
Even though she had agreed to this, her body was stiff with tension.
Without saying anything, Edwin gently pressed the wet towel against her hair.
What expression did he have right now? Was he nervous like her?
Dana wanted to see his face.
She wanted to know if he also felt this strange tension in the air.
Edwin’s fingers softly combed through her hair.
Moisture dampened his hand.
When he brushed her side hair, his little finger lightly touched her ear.
Dana flinched without realizing it.
His touch made her stiff, tense body react strongly.
Edwin felt it too.
It was only for a brief moment.
But the place where their skin met felt strangely hot.
The soft sensation kept replaying in his mind.
When he gathered Dana’s long hair upward, her slender neck was revealed.
Her pale neck, contrasting with her black hair, looked like it was bathed in moonlight.
It was Edwin who broke the silence.
“Senior’s hair… is like the night sky.”
It felt like a comforting night sky wrapping around him.
“Really? I always hated my hair color.”
“Why?”
It was so beautiful.
Edwin asked, unable to understand.
“Our family all has brown hair.”
“So?”
“When I was young, I wondered if I was being left out because of my hair color.”
Dana said it lightly, as if it were a joke.
“That’s ridiculous, right?”
“Maybe I just needed something to blame.”
“….”
“You wanted to belong, but they kept pushing you away.”
Edwin seemed to see through her childhood thoughts.
The lonely child who struggled in isolation.
Dana laughed softly.
“Maybe. My mother and father also said they disliked my hair.”
Edwin felt anger again toward Dana’s family, whom he had never even met.
Dana was intelligent and beautiful.
And yet sometimes she seemed to constantly lower herself.
Thinking it was because of her parents made his anger grow.
How can people like that even be called family…
Luckily, Dana didn’t see his cold expression.
But at her next words, his face softened again.
“But you said my hair was like the night sky.”
She turned her body toward him.
Her soft face looked up at Edwin.
“When I’m with you, I feel like I become a better person.”
If Dana’s hair was the night sky, then her bright eyes were like stars.
She smiled at him.
Then Edwin smiled like a boy.
“I only say the truth.”
Everything about Dana was sincere.
His words, his actions, even his overflowing affection.
Dana had planned to talk all night, but as dawn came, she began to doze off.
Exhaustion from the long day finally caught up to her.
Edwin gently lifted her into his arms.
He carefully placed her on the bed and adjusted her sleeping position.
He brushed the hair off her cheek and whispered,
“Good night, Dana.”
A while later.
As he watched the sleeping Dana warmly, Edwin frowned.
He heard stupid footsteps in the hallway.
Edwin was sensitive to other people’s presence.
His natural hearing and knightly training made him alert.
The person tried to hide their steps, but it didn’t work on him.
The footsteps slowed down.
The closer they got to his room, the more hesitant they became.
Unable to ignore it, Edwin stood up.
Leaving Dana was somewhat disappointing.
He carefully dressed so as not to wake her.
Then he opened the door.
As expected, two subordinates were standing there.
“Commander…!”
Their desperate call was cut off by Edwin’s icy gaze.
After confirming the door was closed, he asked flatly,
“What is it?”
One subordinate whispered carefully.
“Fraaken…”
“I know. I’m asking why you came this early.”
“We usually leave around this time…”
Ignoring the complaining subordinate, Edwin walked ahead.
* * *
Morning sunlight flowed through the window and onto the bed.
Bright light and birdsong tickled Dana awake.
“Uhh…”
Rubbing her eyes, she suddenly felt something strange.
This was not her familiar room.
Ah, right… I’m on a business trip!
Then last night’s memories came back.
Her promise to talk all night.
“Gasp!”
Dana shot up in shock.
Sleeping peacefully in someone else’s room!
She quickly fixed her messy clothes.
“Sorry, I fell asleep first.”
It looked like Edwin had even arranged her sleeping position.
She felt even more guilty.
But the room was too quiet.
“…Edwin?”
He was gone.
Dana quickly washed up and got dressed.
When she went down to the lobby, the manager of the inn bowed nervously.
“I’m sorry… the heating system suddenly broke…”
“It’s okay. It wasn’t on purpose.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“By the way, have you seen the man I was with?”
“Oh, the very handsome, graceful gentleman?”
“…Yes.”
Edwin must have left a strong impression.
“He left early this morning with the knights.”
“Early morning…?”
“Yes, with the knight order.”
Dana frowned.
Why would someone from the magic department meet knights at dawn?
Then she remembered what Edwin said yesterday.
“I went to the knights. They asked me to help with something.”
Could it be… revenge for something she said yesterday?
A wave of anxiety hit her.
Worried about Edwin, who always smiled innocently, she quickly thanked the manager and left.
As she approached the Rune Knights’ base, knights were already visible.
Some were clearing snow, others were on guard.
Dana ran up to a guard.
A round-faced knight looked at her.
“Oh? Aren’t you supposed to come in the afternoon today?”
“Yes, but have you seen the employee I was with?”
“You mean… that strict man?”
Strict?
Dana frowned. That was not how she saw him at all.
Knight Harriet hesitated.
The commander had ordered him not to reveal anything.
And then there was that terrifying “game” he mentioned…
Harriet went pale.
“Uh… he went on a monster hunt with us…!”
“Monster hunt?”
“Yes! We asked for help!”
Dana’s face instantly turned cold.
Harriet, unfortunately, was the most clueless knight.
“Are you insane? You asked a regular employee to join a monster hunt?”
“W-we’re scared… please don’t get mad…”
Dana knew Edwin as a kind and thoughtful person.
He would never be able to refuse such a request.
Even if it was dangerous, he probably went along anyway.
Dana bit her lip in worry.
