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Chapter 21
I Should Have at Least Confessed
“Oh my, the Marquis is here!”
“Hello, Marquis!”
“Welcome, Marquis!”
The merchants who had been selling their goods recognized Kylian as he entered the market and greeted him warmly.
“Marquis, come and have a taste before you go. These are freshly made oatmeal cookies.”
“Thank you. It’s been a while since I’ve come to the market. How is your mother? Has there been any improvement?”
Kylian spoke kindly to the woman selling cookies, as if he knew her.
“Oh yes, thanks to the medicinal herbs you provided, she’s gotten so much better. She used to struggle to even move on her own, but now she takes a walk every morning. That’s how I was able to return to the market like this. It’s all thanks to you, Marquis. I truly appreciate it.”
“I’m glad to hear she’s doing well. Thanks for the cookies.”
“Of course, take care, Marquis.”
“Mmm, these are quite good. Here, take one.”
Kylian took a bite of the cookie and handed the rest to Jimena, who was walking behind him.
“Ah… thank you.”
“Wow! It’s the Marquis! Marquis!”
This time, a few children who were running around the market spotted Kylian and ran toward him all at once.
“Ha ha. You little rascals! You’ve grown so much! Hahaha!”
He picked up the smallest child and gave him a playful airplane ride.
Jimena was shocked to see this unexpectedly warm side of Kylian, who always seemed cold and composed.
‘Was this ever described in the novel? I don’t remember… It’s like he knows everyone in the town like a village chief back in my world.’
“Vice-captain, does the Marquis come inspect the town often? All the townspeople seem really friendly with him.”
“Yes. Unlike those nobles who only flaunt their authority and exploit their people to fill their own bellies, the Captain is different. He treats the townspeople like family. That’s why they genuinely respect and follow him.”
“…I see.”
‘I knew it—you really can’t judge someone just by their appearance. Huh, Kylian’s pretty cool… Just what you’d expect from the male lead.’
“Hey! Isn’t that Brother Hermes? It is, right?”
“Wow! The handsome blond guy!”
“He’s the one who beat the Marquis!”
“Hey, kids… um…”
Now the children started gathering around Jimena.
“Did you get chosen as a knight too?”
“Mister, you’re so cool!”
“Brother! I want to be good at martial arts like you!”
“He’s amazing at kicking! He knocked the Marquis away with one hit!”
“Ahem, hm.”
Kylian awkwardly turned his head and cleared his throat.
“Ahaha, hey, kids. Want to come over here? I’ll show you something fun.”
“Yes! What is it?”
Jimena quickly led the kids away and gathered some fabric scraps and pebbles from a nearby merchant.
Surrounded by the children, she started making something.
“All done!”
“What is it?”
“This is called a ‘jegichagi’—it’s a game. You put a round, flat stone inside, wrap it with shredded cloth, and tie it up. Easy, right? Let me show you how to play it.”
She stood up and started kicking the homemade shuttlecock with her right foot.
“One, two, three, four, five…”
“Wow! You’re good! I want to try!”
“Me too!”
“Me too, me too!”
As the children took turns kicking the shuttlecock, Jimena made several more for them.
“You can also draw a line on the ground and play a different game with it. Okay, I’ll throw it, and you try to kick it as far as you can!”
“Okay!”
“Here it goes.”
“Ha!”
Whoosh!
“Got it! Huh? What is this?”
“Hahaha! His shoe flew off with it!”
“Puhaha!”
“Brother Hermes caught the shoe! Hahaha!”
“Aw man! Hahahaha!”
Jimena played with the kids, laughing freely with a bright, innocent smile she hadn’t shown in a long time.
Watching her, Weil smiled warmly.
“Brother Hermes has a good personality. Most would find kids annoying, but he’s playing with them so well.”
“…Yeah.”
Kylian felt an odd stirring in his heart as he watched Jimena laugh under the sunlight, surrounded by children.
‘Who is she really…? What’s her true self…? She becomes more of a mystery the more I see her.’
After spending some time in the market, the three of them made their way back to the lord’s castle.
By then, the sun had started to set, painting the sky a glowing red, like a face flushed from a drink.
“Ugh, my legs…”
Jimena plopped down on the steps in front of the lord’s castle.
“You’re whining after just that? I must’ve made a mistake adding you to the knights after all.”
“Hey now, a real man doesn’t go back on his word. Besides, it looks like my kick already started chipping away at your reputation, Marquis. If you kicked out such a famous figure from Aktikos, what would people say?”
“What? Ha, unbelievable. That was clearly a foul—Weil, you say something. It was definitely—”
“Uh, C-Captain. I… suddenly remembered something urgent. Ahem.”
Weil quickly slipped away into the inner palace, avoiding the topic that always made Kylian mad.
“Wow, the sunset’s really pretty…”
As Jimena looked up at the sky and changed the subject nonchalantly, Kylian raised an eyebrow.
“Well then, since the famous figure of Aktikos seems to have recovered, it’s time we start some real training tomorrow.”
“Pfft, hahaha…”
“What’s so funny? Do you think I’m joking?”
“Come on, I’m not scared anymore, no matter how scary you act.”
“What?”
“You’ve been found out, Marquis. Even though you act cold and rational on the outside… I know now that you’re warm on the inside.”
“W-What are you talking about…”
“There are people like that. They’re warm, kind, and sensitive… but they hide it from others. Probably because they feel responsible. Because they have to lead others and move forward. Because they can’t afford to lean on anyone—they have to be the one others lean on… so they have to look strong.”
“…Nonsense. I don’t know who you’re talking about, but it’s not me.”
Kylian crossed his arms and leaned against a pillar, deliberately looking away.
“Hmph, maybe… it’s someone who reminds me of you, Marquis.”
“Someone… like me?”
“Yes. Watching you today reminded me of him. Someone who pretended to be indifferent and cold on the outside, but was warm on the inside…”
Jimena’s gaze turned distant, as if tracing back a very old memory.
“Who was it…?”
“Someone… I can never meet again…”
She thought of someone from her past life—before she became part of this world.
‘Kang sunbae…’
“Cha Seohyun! Are you going to keep acting on your own like this?!”
“…I’m sorry, Kang sunbae.”
“Even if you’re angry, you can’t just rush in like that—it could’ve put others in danger. Don’t you get that?”
“Yes… I’m sorry…”
“…Geez. Sigh… I’ll talk to the team leader about this, so just stay quiet. Don’t butt in.”
“Okay…”
“…Did you eat?”
“I’m fine. I’m not hungry.”
“Yeah right. You haven’t eaten anything all day. I left a lunchbox on your desk. Go eat.”
“You didn’t have to…”
“No backtalk!”
“…Okay. Thank you.”
‘He didn’t show it much, but he always scolded me, guided me, and protected me… I wonder if he’s doing okay. I wonder… if he ever thinks about me, even just sometimes?’
Seeing her expression grow lonelier, Kylian cautiously asked,
“You said you can’t meet him… is he far away? On another continent?”
“No… a faraway world…”
She gave a soft smile and pointed at the sky with her finger.
‘The sky? Does she mean… he’s dead?’
Kylian stared at her for a moment.
“You must… miss him a lot.”
“Yes… I didn’t treat him well. I thought there would be more time. I kept putting it off… and then it was too late…”
“Was he someone you… liked?”
“Well, I guess I did like him, a bit. But… I never even got to confess. Ugh, if I had known this would happen, I should’ve at least said something.”
Her nose began to tingle, and she felt tears threatening to fall. She quickly stood up.
“Well then, I’ll be going now, Marquis. Thank you for showing me around the market today. See you tomorrow.”
As Jimena turned and ran toward the barracks, Kylian was left with a complicated feeling.
‘Is that… why she clung to me? Because I reminded her of him?’
Even after the sunset faded and darkness fell, he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
*
“Oh? Captain, you’re already in your office?”
“Ah, Weil. You’re here.”
Weil had gone to Kylian’s room to jog with him in the morning, only to find him already at his desk, reviewing documents.
“…Did you… spend the night here?”
“Kind of. I couldn’t sleep, so I got caught up reading things. Didn’t even realize it was morning.”
“Is something wrong? Are you unwell?”
“No, nothing serious. It happens.”
“Shall we skip the morning jog then? You look tired.”
“What are you talking about? I’m already ready. Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir.”
The two of them went up to the castle wall and began jogging, looking out at the treacherous Glacies Mountains of Aktikos in the distance.
At the summit, icy cliffs held glacial snow that remained frozen year-round.
“How’s the mana stone excavation site at Glacies?”
“Still stable. We’re strictly regulating the amount mined and maintaining security with barriers.”
“Good. That’s the most sensitive area. Even at his age, the Emperor Xenos’s greed hasn’t diminished. I noticed the wall restoration is almost complete?”
“Yes, and we’ve made sure even the locals think it’s just regular repairs. Everything’s going smoothly.”
“What about Duke Sylvester? Still laying low in that rural Anatole estate?”
“Yes. Both the Duke and Lady Jimena haven’t returned to the capital. They haven’t appeared at the mansion either. Who knows what they’re plotting…”
“Hah! Weil!”
Kylian suddenly stopped mid-jog and gave Weil a look of disbelief.
“You… really are clueless. How can someone be this dense?”
“…Pardon? What do you mean, sir?”
“Do you have that thing… you know, that condition where you can’t recognize faces?”
“Wha—me?!”
“Yes. She barely changed her appearance, and you couldn’t tell at all…”
“Puhahahaha!”
Just then, laughter erupted from the training yard below the castle wall.
