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Chapter 10
“Huh?”
Wondering what had suddenly gotten into him, Evelyn turned around.
Kain was standing there with his arms crossed, watching with an unmistakably displeased expression.
“Your Grace has arrived.”
At Kate’s single announcement, everyone sprang to their feet in unison and snapped to attention.
Even those who had been sprawled about, though they wobbled a little, straightened themselves and stood properly.
“Oh, such discipline! Just a moment ago you all looked completely passed out drunk.”
Evelyn—who wasn’t a soldier—was the only one smiling brightly as she gave Kain a thumbs-up.
Kate and the other subordinates turned pale, glancing back and forth between Evelyn and Kain.
Jade, however, looked like he was enjoying the situation to death, grinning even more than usual.
At this moment, the only people in a good mood here were Evelyn and Jade.
“Ah, right—this isn’t the time. Still, I’m technically staff too.”
As if just realizing it, Evelyn stood up, but she swayed as though drunk.
When she reached out to steady herself on the table, she accidentally knocked over the small cup at the very front.
“Oops.”
Like dominoes, the small cups clinked and slid into a large glass, mixing together with a cheerful clatter.
The soldiers who had been standing at attention unconsciously gaped at the bizarre sight.
But when Kain shot them a glare, they immediately faced forward again, wearing solemn expressions.
“Wow, it worked. You can really do it like this?”
Evelyn grinned broadly at the soldiers sitting opposite her, then turned back toward Kain and Jade, pointing proudly at the mixed drink she’d created.
“Did you see that just now? Wasn’t it amazing? It would’ve been even more fun if you’d seen it from the start.”
“You really are something…”
Kain muttered with a displeased look.
The person he was currently most suspicious of was sitting there drinking cheerfully with members of the intelligence unit—his most security-critical subordinates.
His head started to ache as he tried to make sense of the situation.
“Oh, since you’re already here, would you like a glass too?”
“Do you even realize it’s mealtime right now?”
“Oh, right. I forgot. Then how about an aperitif? It’s better than wine, you know. If you want, I can even show you the whole process from the beginning. Everyone said it was fun.”
“……”
Behind them, Kate bit her lip with an expression that looked like she couldn’t tell whether to laugh or cry.
When Kain glared at her, she quickly erased her expression and stared straight ahead.
“Go back to your room.”
“What? Why? It’s just getting fun.”
“You can’t even stand properly.”
“That’s not true. I’m standing just fine. Look.”
Puffing out her lips, Evelyn stepped forward—and promptly staggered.
“Ah—”
As her body pitched forward, Kain lightly caught her.
“Brilliant idea.”
“Thank you—”
Before Evelyn could even finish speaking, Kain slung her over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?!”
“Shut up. Jade, clean this up.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll leave Evelyn in your care.”
After shooting a sharp glare at the grinning Jade, Kain carried Evelyn out of the dining hall.
The moment the door closed, everyone rushed toward Jade.
“What was that? Who is that woman?”
“Why is the commander himself carrying her out?”
“What’s their relationship, huh?”
“Calm down.”
Jade soothed his subordinates with an easy smile.
“She has nothing to do with the commander. She’s a newly hired trainee—still not even sure she’ll become a full employee.”
“And yet he carries her out himself? Come on.”
“Who’s going to believe that?”
As murmurs of disbelief spread, Jade smiled awkwardly.
“Then why don’t you ask him yourselves?”
“……”
“A trainee, huh.”
“At that rate, she’ll probably be a full employee soon.”
Lacking the courage to ask directly, the subordinates pretended to accept the explanation and returned to their seats.
Clapping his hands to restore order, Jade raised his voice.
“All right, then—let’s continue the gathering. Don’t tell me you’re stopping at this point.”
“Of course not. We’re just getting started.”
“Exactly.”
After finally getting everyone settled, Jade quietly slipped out of the room.
He looked up toward the second floor, where Kain had likely taken Evelyn.
“That’s what I mean. Carrying her out himself—doesn’t that look strange to anyone?”
“Put me down.”
“Stop squirming. I’ll drop you.”
“I can walk on my own.”
“You couldn’t even take a few steps without staggering.”
Even though her tongue was slightly tied, Evelyn protested stubbornly, and Kain still answered her properly each time.
Whenever the servants encountered the two of them, they stole curious glances at the strange sight—only to quickly avert their eyes and hurry past when they met Kain’s gaze.
“You’ve got some nerve. Drinking like that with people you don’t even know—what if something happened to you?”
“What do you mean, something? Aren’t they your subordinates? They were wearing uniforms.”
“You think all soldiers are gentlemen?”
“Wow, talking down about your own men like that.”
“Quiet.”
When they reached Evelyn’s room, Kain opened the door without hesitation and practically tossed her onto the bed.
Her silver hair and clothes fell into disarray, and her flushed face twisted slightly from the impact.
“Oof.”
“You’re not hurt, and you know it. No point exaggerating.”
“Ugh…”
But when she kept groaning, Kain finally stepped closer and looked down at her.
She really did seem exhausted; her tightly shut eyes trembled as she groaned, then slowly opened.
Her moist, violet eyes met Kain’s.
“What is it? What’s wrong with you?”
Feeling inexplicably awkward, Kain asked, and Evelyn weakly reached out her arm.
“Please… help me up.”
“Are you actually unwell?”
Half suspicious, half worried, Kain grabbed her arm and pulled.
Evelyn was pulled forward without strength, swaying and ending up wrapped against him.
“What are you do—”
“Ugh.”
“!”
Kain froze at the sound she made.
“You—seriously.”
“Ugh.”
“If you throw up, I won’t let you off easy.”
Flustered, Kain hurriedly helped Evelyn sit up on the bed.
Once the nausea seemed to pass, she went quiet.
“Are you okay?”
“……”
“Hey.”
Calling to her, Kain adjusted his hold and supported her properly.
He held her limp body firmly in his strong arms.
Her wobbling head came to rest against his shoulder.
“Don’t die.”
“What?”
“I’m not going to let you die. Not ever.”
“……”
“Because if something happened to you…”
Evelyn’s head suddenly drooped forward.
“…it would be hard.”
“What did you say?”
She had murmured it with her head down, so he couldn’t hear clearly.
Kain leaned in, bringing his ear close to her lips.
“What are you talking about?”
But no further words came from Evelyn.
A moment later, the sound of soft, steady breathing followed.
“This is ridiculous.”
Muttering to himself, Kain gently laid Evelyn down on the bed.
What caught his eye first were her flushed cheeks and the red lips from which her even breaths escaped.
Her strange words were baffling enough, but considering how much she’d drunk, the smell of alcohol should have been overwhelming—yet instead, a strangely pleasant scent clung to her.
“Seriously… ridiculous.”
Without thinking, Kain pulled up the blanket and covered Evelyn all the way to her head.
“Commander, may I ask why we have to walk around like this every day?”
“I believe I told you it’s to verify whether what you said is true.”
“Yes, you did say that. You did.”
“You said the assassin would strike during the festival, so there’s no choice but to patrol.”
“That is correct. Yes.”
Evelyn replied mechanically, diligently following behind Kain.
It was the season of the spring festival, celebrated throughout the Adrian Empire.
Though it was called a spring festival, the Snowfell region lay in the north, and buds had yet to form.
So all the flowers used for the festival were artificial.
Touching the garlands wrapped around the lampposts that would be lit once the sun set, Evelyn muttered,
“They really are all fake.”
“It’s still winter here.”
“That’s a shame. Real flowers would’ve been prettier.”
As Kain watched Evelyn with her black robe pulled low, he tilted his head at the sense of dissonance between her and the women passing by nearby.
“What is it? Are there suspicious people around?”
Evelyn asked cautiously, instantly tense.
“No. It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
After glancing at Evelyn for a moment longer, Kain walked ahead.
Seeing his back stride forward briskly, showing no sign of fatigue—unlike herself—Evelyn made a tearful face and hurried after him, grabbing the back hem of his jacket.
“More walking?”
“What are you talking about? That’s why we came out.”
“Commander, I really can’t walk anymore. We’ve already gone around this huge plaza three times.”
Pouting, Evelyn complained as she patted her thighs.
It would’ve been better if they’d just circled the plaza properly.
Instead, they’d combed through the surrounding alleys, making the distance even longer.
“I’m not saying I won’t walk at all. Can’t we just rest for a bit?”
Only then did Kain look around, his expression turning apologetic.
Even he—hardened by intense training—was starting to feel tired, and he’d made a civilian like Evelyn walk far too much from the start.
Seeing this, it was clear she wasn’t someone who’d undergone advanced training.
The more he observed her, the more his assassin-or-spy hypothesis seemed to waver, and Kain let out an irritated sigh.
“Just five minutes, please. Wouldn’t even an assassin wait that long?”
Startled by his sigh, Evelyn pleaded desperately, tears welling slightly in her eyes.
Running a hand through his hair, Kain replied with a resigned sigh.
“Fine. Then…”
After scanning the area, Kain pointed to an open-air café.
“How about some coffee over there?”
“Yes. That sounds great.”
Afraid he might change his mind, Evelyn nodded quickly, and Kain led her to the nearest café.
Since the weather was still chilly, they took a seat indoors by the window.
“Ahh, I feel alive again. What should I get?”
Even as she rubbed her sore legs, Evelyn seriously studied the menu.
Kain stared at her in disbelief.
“Commander, is it okay if I order dessert?”
“Do as you like.”
“Wow, thank you!”
As Evelyn chose several items and Kain scolded her for ordering too much, the waiter beside them waited with an awkward smile.
From outside the café, someone watched the scene through the window.
“Looks like she’s doing very well. How dare she.”
A sinister smile flickered briefly, then vanished.
“That’s why you can’t leave her alone, not even for a moment.”
