APML 08

Chapter 08

“Where the hell has this brat been spending the night before crawling back home?”
“Eek!”

As a broom swept past his face, Cain reflexively grabbed Evelyn and pulled her behind his back.

“Oh? You sneak out for the night and even bring a man home with you?”
“Grandma, it’s not like that—no, wait! Put that down and listen to me first!”

Grandma was the very first person Evelyn had met in this world. Evelyn had relied on her for half a year, and the old woman—who had no other family—had grown fond of Evelyn in a way she never had before, taking care of her like a real granddaughter.

The neighbors all agreed they were like a real family.

It wasn’t as though Evelyn had expected a tearful reunion just because she’d been gone for one day. Still, worried that Grandma might have been anxious, she’d hurried back home under the excuse of packing her things—only to be greeted with a broom attack out of nowhere.

And in front of Cain, no less. How embarrassing.

“Don’t even try to make some half-baked excuse! What did you think you were doing!”
“Ah—Grandma!”

Startled, Cain instinctively grabbed the broom as it came down. Grandma glared at him and tried to yank it free, but it didn’t budge.

“And what’s this? You were with this punk?”
“That part’s true.”
“What do you mean, ‘true’? I told you again and again to be careful around men! And you bring one all the way home?”
“No!”
“That’s not it.”

At the two of them denying it at the same time, Grandma finally let go of the broom.

Cain, now awkwardly holding it, didn’t know what to do and stayed silent.

Grandma narrowed her eyes and slowly looked Cain up and down.

“Hm? You—aren’t you…?”
“?”
“That’s right, that’s right. No way I’d forget a handsome face like this. Never thought I’d run into you again like this.”

All of a sudden, Grandma beamed, grabbed Cain’s arm kindly, and led him inside. She seated him at the table and swiftly snatched the broom from his hands, tossing it far away.

“Evelyn, you should’ve told me ahead of time. Is this the young man who helped me back then?”
“Huh? Oh—yes. That’s right.”
“Well, that’s wonderful. I’ve been feeling bad ever since, not even having the chance to properly thank you.”
“Ah.”

Only then did Cain remember—this was the old woman he’d found collapsed in an alley and escorted home.

With no intention of revealing who he really was, Cain politely asked, acting like an ordinary young man.

“Are you feeling well now?”
“Oh, of course, of course. I’m sturdy as can be.”

Laughing heartily, Grandma poured hot water from the kettle into a teacup and handed it to him.

“Thank you.”
“Such good manners, too. You don’t see many solid young men like you these days.”

Evelyn shot a displeased look at Grandma, who was gazing at Cain with unabashed fondness.

Does she even know who that man is, talking to him so casually? If she did, she’d probably faint from shock.

Last time, after making sure Cain had left and rushing back inside, Grandma had been resting on the sofa. She’d said then, too, that a handsome young man had walked her home, praising him endlessly and saying the world was still worth living in.

And then—

“My goodness, I’ve never seen such a handsome face. If only I were fifty years younger.”
“If you were fifty years younger, Grandma, wouldn’t it be easier to just be reborn?”
“You little brat! Are you telling me to die?”
“No, Grandma. Being reborn might be easier than you think.”

Who would’ve thought I’d end up living as someone else in another world, too?

Muttering inwardly, Evelyn endured Grandma’s endless chatter. Even now, Grandma was smiling nonstop, staring at Cain as though she’d smeared honey all over his face.

Feeling sorry for the clearly uncomfortable Cain, Evelyn quietly stood up.

“Then, Grandma, I’ll go pack my things.”
“Pack? What things?”
“I’m going to work at the castle for a while. Probably until the spring festival?”
“What? You are?”
“Yes. They’re providing room and board, so I’ll be staying there for the time being.”

As Evelyn vaguely explained and headed for the stairs, Cain stood up as well.

“Why?”
“I’ll help. Carry your luggage.”
“It’s fine. I don’t have much to pack—it won’t take long.”

Cain glanced at Grandma, then lowered his voice and muttered,

“Who said anything about helping? This is surveillance.”
“Oh, I see. My room’s on the second floor.”

With a sulky look, Evelyn went up the stairs first.

The stairs creaked with every step, and at the top was an equally old hallway. Evelyn opened the door at the very end and went inside.

“Shabby.”
“Oh, I figured you’d already expected that.”

Snapping back curtly, Evelyn pulled an old trunk out of the wardrobe.

While she roughly tossed clothes into the trunk from the wardrobe and drawers, Cain leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watching.

He’d followed her up in case she packed something suspicious, but nothing caught his eye. Even her clothes were far lower in quality than what noble ladies in the capital wore, and there wasn’t a single piece of jewelry.

Doesn’t look like anything special… huh?

As Evelyn finally took out an old wooden box from the desk, wrapped it carefully in clothes, and placed it into the trunk, Cain narrowed his eyes.

What’s in that box?

Just as he was about to step closer, the door flew open.

“Whoa! You scared me. Grandma—knock. Knock!”
“Knock, my foot. Since when did we ever live like that?”
“There’s a guest right now!”
“If an unmarried man and woman shut themselves in a room, that’s no good.”
“It’s not like that!”

Flustered and annoyed, Evelyn snapped the trunk shut. She set it on the floor by the handle and turned to Cain.

“I’m done.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Yes.”

She’d barely taken a few steps with the trunk when Cain casually took it from her. It was lighter than expected.

Startled, Evelyn grabbed the trunk.

“Please give it back.”
Ignoring her, Cain walked straight ahead.

Evelyn hurried after him, flustered.

“Um, I can carry it myself.”
“Leave it. At that age, you’ve got energy to spare.”
“No, that’s not the point—”

Glaring sulkily at Grandma for her clueless remark, Evelyn hurried down to the first floor. From behind them, she heard Grandma say approvingly, “Mm, such a fine young man.”

“Then, Grandma, I’m heading out.”
“Alright. Take care of yourself. And don’t cause trouble.”
“Don’t worry. And Grandma—don’t skip meals just because I’m gone, and make sure you take your medicine, okay?”
“Enough nagging. Go on.”

“Yes. Oh—this, I’ll leave it in the kitchen.”

As Evelyn stepped away briefly, Grandma murmured something quietly to Cain. Not catching it, Cain leaned closer—just as Evelyn returned.

“What was that?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

As Cain was about to step out the door, he paused and turned back.

“Then, please excuse us.”
“Please take good care of our Evelyn. She’s a bit lacking in some areas, so I worry about her.”

“What are you saying—ow!”

As Grandma grabbed the back of Evelyn’s head and forced her to bow while delivering her request, Cain awkwardly nodded.

Once the carriage started moving, the scenery outside the window began to rush by faster and faster.

Since they were in the north, where spring arrived later than in the capital, patches of white snow still remained despite it being March.

“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Why didn’t you tell me? About that grandma.”
“Ah… I kind of missed the chance.”
“So saving me was because of her?”
“That was one reason.”
“And the other?”
Evelyn pressed her furrowed brow, thinking hard.

Depending on her answer, she might ease his suspicion even a little.

“Well… actually, I’ve seen you a lot in the newspapers, Sir Cain. I know about your achievements in this war.”

Cain crossed his arms, his expression indifferent.

It was true that he’d won the war against the Kingdom of Shuran, but the articles were somewhat exaggerated—inevitable, since his father, Grand Duke Louis, had promoted them heavily.

“As an imperial citizen, I didn’t want to just let Sir Cain lose his life to some ambush.”

She looked quite serious.

Cain rested his chin on his hand and let out a short laugh—almost mocking.

“Really? You think I’m that great?”
“Huh?”
“You must’ve heard more than just that about me.”
Evelyn slowly blinked and met his gaze.

But Cain’s eyes were so sunken that no emotion could be read from them.

“You haven’t heard the rumors about me?”
“Ah—you mean how you show no mercy to enemies or allies, how blood follows wherever you go, how just meeting your eyes means death?”
“And you still wanted to save me? If those rumors were true, wouldn’t it be better for someone like that to die?”
“I don’t believe all of them.”
“?”
“You’re always stationed on the battlefield. I think the stories are exaggerated.”
“……”
“And after meeting you in person, I don’t think you’re that kind of person.”

As Evelyn smiled, Cain’s expression subtly changed.

For some reason, the way her violet eyes looked straight at him bothered him.

Uncomfortable.

Feeling irritated, Cain turned his head away.

It felt strange—this unfamiliar woman, who clearly didn’t really know him, seeming to understand him so well.

“What’s wrong?”
“Hm?”
“Did I upset you?”
“…You talk too much. And it’s all useless talk.”
“Gasp.”

At Cain’s blunt rebuke, Evelyn quickly shut her mouth. Still, she puffed her lips in dissatisfaction, making Cain chuckle briefly before turning his gaze back to the window.

As the carriage fell silent, Grandma’s words from before they’d left the house kept echoing in his mind.

“After nearly dying because of some crazy bastard, she changed a bit—but her head’s the sharpest in our neighborhood. She’ll do her work just fine.”