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Chapter 55
55. Night Walk (6)
“Hurry up and answer.”
Pressed by the intensity in Kaiden’s red eyes, Berenice nodded as if she had no other choice.
She hadn’t expected him to come out this forcefully, and the shock left her a little dazed.
“…I don’t wander around dangerous places on purpose.”
“Have you already forgotten where we first ran into each other when you returned to the capital?”
“……”
Was this what the old mages meant when they wrote words like “with a mouth yet speechless”?
Thinking that the old sayings were never wrong, Berenice avoided Kaiden’s gaze and deactivated the magic tool Lampfire.
More time had passed than she expected. If they didn’t hurry back to the mansion now, they would surely end up seeing the rising morning sun from the street.
“Let’s go back.”
“The promise…”
“I’ll keep it. Don’t worry. More importantly, if we don’t return quickly, someone might find out we snuck out at night.”
Kaiden eyed her suspiciously, as though still unconvinced, then let out a small sigh and extinguished the magic tool’s light.
After thinking for a moment, he tucked it back into his coat and walked out of the building first.
Berenice carefully followed, making sure to leave no trace, locked the door back to its original state, and stepped outside.
It was still dark, but the moon hanging in the sky had already tilted far toward the west.
“Let’s go.”
Kaiden scanned the surroundings to check if anyone might be watching, then extended his hand toward her.
Watching his hand and face in turn, Berenice looked confused. Kaiden sighed at her expression and simply grabbed her wrist firmly.
“Why all of a sudden…?”
“I don’t know which direction you’ll bolt.”
“…What?”
“You might send me off and sneak back alone.”
“I don’t have time for that.”
“I don’t trust people who have lots of secrets.”
“Your Highness!”
“Instead of arguing with me, hurry up. We have to get back before sunrise.”
Berenice sighed deeply as she followed behind Kaiden, who was dragging her along without listening to objections.
She tried to pull her wrist free, but it was impossible.
Even while holding her firmly, she could tell he was adjusting his strength so he wouldn’t leave bruises.
If you’re going to be that considerate, you could just let go of my hand…
She admitted she had acted suspiciously in front of him, but the way Kaiden held her hand so tightly—as if she were a child who might get lost—made her sigh again and again.
“You’re going to dig a hole in the ground with all those sighs.”
“…You still have no intention of letting go?”
“You’re not asking because you really want to hear my answer, right?”
“…No.”
“Then just follow quietly.”
Swallowing down another sigh, Berenice looked at Kaiden’s back as he led her forward.
With every step, his well-groomed black hair swayed smoothly.
Her hair had looked like that once, too.
For no reason, she tugged at the edge of her hood with her free hand to cover her white hair more tightly and lowered her gaze.
It wasn’t that she was ashamed of her white hair, but she couldn’t shake the thought that it stood out too much against the night.
Not just at night, either.
Even under the bright midday sun, her hair never blended into her surroundings—it always caught the eye.
As if whispering to her that she didn’t belong in this time.
Lost in thought, Berenice stopped walking. Kaiden turned when he noticed and faced her.
“Your hair is bothering you?”
“…Would you believe me if I said no?”
“I would. For now.”
“…It does bother me a little.”
Lying now would’ve been pointless—her answer was too obvious. So she confessed honestly.
Was he satisfied with that answer?
Kaiden gently tugged her wrist and began walking again.
“You don’t need to worry about it so much.”
“…Normally I don’t. But… it’s night right now. White hair stands out. Someone might recognize me.”
“You were worried someone might recognize you?”
“…Yes.”
“Is being recognized a problem?”
“…What?”
Caught off guard, Berenice blinked and waited for him to continue.
“You’re not the only person in the world with white hair.”
“…But—”
“And you’re wrapped up so tightly. Who would recognize you?”
He wasn’t wrong.
But considering Kaiden was a man who identified people by things like bone structure and stride length… it felt like he wasn’t one to talk.
“Of course, I would recognize you.”
As if he knew exactly what she was thinking, Kaiden said it so casually that Berenice couldn’t stop the small laugh that escaped her.
“…You’re laughing?”
“Your Highness said something so accurate that I laughed without thinking.”
“You mocking me?”
“No. I meant it.”
She could only see his handsome back, but somehow she could tell he was smiling.
Normally, staring at his face told her nothing about what he was thinking… but right now, she could tell.
And Kaiden seemed to notice her thoughts as well.
In his usual easygoing tone, he spoke.
“And I like your hair. It’s pretty.”
“…What?”
Berenice stopped walking at once.
Kaiden also stopped and turned back to her.
“Hmm? That surprising?”
Seeing her staring at him blankly, eyes round like amber gems, Kaiden muttered to himself.
Normally she would’ve reacted even to a muttered comment like that, but right now she couldn’t.
Her mind, trying to process his words, seemed to simply shut down.
Kaiden chuckled softly at the sight of her frozen in bewilderment. Reaching out awkwardly, he brushed a few strands of white hair that had slipped out of her hood.
“So show it off if it’s pretty.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Show it off here and there. Pretty things are meant to be shown.”
What… what on earth was he saying?
The timing of his words hit her so hard she couldn’t even react properly—she didn’t even blush right away.
As she stared at his back when he started walking again, her face finally turned bright red all at once.
Her ears, cheeks, even the back of her neck… all must have been burning.
And she felt warm.
Even though it was spring and the night wind was still cold enough to feel refreshing.
Staring at the ground, she quickened her steps. Then she slowly raised her head again.
His back, walking so casually—like he hadn’t just completely scrambled her heart—felt unbelievably annoying.
He was… comforting me?
There was no way he had fallen for her, like someone else had teased.
Judging from the conversation, it must have been his version of comfort over her white hair.
His calm stride reinforced that assumption.
Comfort… I guess? But he can talk like that?
The only rumors she’d ever heard about him were things like cutting off people’s heads or wiping out tribes of barbarians…
She had never once heard he was capable of speaking like this.
Trying to hide the lingering warmth on her face inside her hood, Berenice swallowed dryly and bit her lip.
Then she peeked up at Kaiden’s back again.
Still an annoyingly perfect head shape.
I like it because it’s pretty.
Pretty things should be shown.
Pretty things are meant to be.
Even without trying, Kaiden’s voice echoed in her ears, making her face heat up again.
Experiencing something like this for the first time in her life, and not knowing how to deal with it, Berenice hurried her steps to keep up with him.
