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Chapter 55
Kail came along with me without resisting while I held his hand.
“First, should we buy a drink and find somewhere to sit?”
“…Sure.”
When we entered the street, cafés of similar style lined up in a row.
Maybe because the season was still a little cold, only a moderate number of people were walking on the street.
“Hm, which café should we choose?”
Pretending to think seriously, I touched my chin and quietly let go of Kail’s hand.
The warmth that moved from his fingertips felt very warm, and it made me strangely awkward.
It wasn’t the first time I held his hand, but today it felt especially uncomfortable. My palm might start sweating.
Kail just looked at me quietly, then scanned the surroundings.
“Let’s go there.”
Then he entered one shop without asking me.
“Kail!”
I followed him into the café.
Compared to other dazzling cafés, it was a small and slightly old-looking café.
I didn’t notice from outside, but all the tables inside were full of customers.
The sweet, nutty aroma suddenly rushed into my nose.
“You love things like this, don’t you?”
Kail nodded toward the display case.
Just looking at the tarts made my mouth water.
The shop looked like a famous restaurant, with various tarts being baked and filled in real time.
“…I do like them.”
“Let me guess. Strawberry and cheese?”
I looked at him with shocked eyes.
“Are you a ghost?”
“Your drink. Hot cocoa?”
“Uh… yes.”
Kail always guessed exactly what I liked best.
How could he be so observant when he had no friends and almost no social experience?
Ah, maybe because he grew up paying attention to others at home?
If so, it felt a little sad.
“Two hot cocoas and strawberry tart and cheese tart. Takeaway.”
While I was looking at him vaguely, Kail quickly ordered and paid.
“Why don’t you pick one tart you like too, Kail?”
Recovering my senses late, I asked.
“It’s fine. Strawberry and cheese are okay for me too.”
“Then why are you paying for everything?”
“Today, I’m treating you.”
What is this? A day to thank me?
Is this his way of treating me before leaving for the academy dormitory?
After waiting for a while, the drinks and tarts were packed and brought out.
We took them and sat on a pergola overlooking the lakeside.
It was a little chilly, but the warm cocoa made it bearable.
Cocoa, cheese, and strawberry.
Sweet, salty, and refreshing. The three flavors were satisfying.
Watching the lake flowing slowly was also relaxing.
“Ah, this is healing.”
I stretched and leaned my back against the bench.
“You don’t get to enjoy this kind of leisure often either, right, Kail?”
As far as I knew, Kail hadn’t gone out to play since he came to our territory two years ago.
Instead of answering, Kail took off his coat and dropped it onto my lap.
“I’m not cold.”
“Don’t talk back. Don’t get sick and groan again later.”
“When did I ever groan….”
After possessing this body, I had sometimes gotten sick by doing reckless things while living as the weak Riez body, but recently I could count the times I had lain down sick on one hand.
I didn’t have much reason to push myself, and I ate well, slept well, and exercised, so I became stronger.
“I’ll just keep it on for now. Tell me if you get cold.”
I knew Kail didn’t feel cold easily, so I didn’t add more.
He often trained outdoors in winter wearing only one layer of clothing.
My thoughts drifted to the times I had gone to look for Kail at the training ground recently, but we kept missing each other.
“Two weeks ago I went to the outdoor training ground three times, but I didn’t see you. Where were you training?”
Judging from your injuries, you weren’t slacking off.
“…Just… I guess our timing didn’t match.”
Kail answered after hesitating.
“Hmm, I see.”
“…”
Looking at Kail, who had an uneasy expression and tightly closed jaw, I changed the topic.
“Hey, I got a strange letter recently.”
“A strange letter?”
“It was an anonymous invitation written on black paper with golden letters, saying I was invited to some secret club, with address and time written on it. There were strange coded messages too.”
Kail’s eyebrows furrowed sharply.
“You shouldn’t be tempted by suspicious things like that.”
“Hey, do you think I’m some ignorant fool? I threw it away immediately!”
“You should track the criminal and crush them so they can’t do such nonsense again.”
Kail looked vicious, as if he wanted to tear the culprit apart.
“Oh well, it was probably just a prank.”
“Pranks are not funny.”
“Okay, okay.”
I patted his shoulder to calm him down.
Seriously. I told this story as a fun incident, but who would stop this serious-minded guy?
After chatting and playing more, we stood up to look around the lakeside.
We visited the flower garden and walked along the deck path surrounding the lake.
Kail responded well to whatever topic I brought up that day.
While leaning on the railing and looking at the lake, a gust of wind blew and my hat flew away.
“Ah!”
Fortunately, it didn’t fall into the water, but Kail immediately ran and picked up the hat that rolled far away.
I took the hat he dusted off and handed back to me.
“What? Why are you suddenly being so nice? It’s ominous.”
I joked toward Kail.
In normal times, he would have picked it up too but would have clicked his tongue and said something.
“…What are you talking about.”
“If a person suddenly changes, they say they’ll die soon. You’re not going to suddenly die tomorrow, right, Kail?”
Half joking, half serious, I asked.
He was cold in the carriage, but after arriving at the lake, his attitude changed and he became subtly gentle.
“…Nonsense.”
It was an ordinary answer, but still something felt different.
He had loudly said he would return every two weeks, but I didn’t feel much about it.
But as the date approached, was he feeling empty?
Was the sense of emptiness I felt on my brother’s graduation day coming to Kail a bit later?
I felt a little sorry for him, but I didn’t show it and kept acting bright and cheerful as usual.
I didn’t want to ruin the mood by being depressed like last time.
In the late afternoon, we went to a nearby restaurant we had reserved for dinner.
During the meal, Kail’s subtly caring behavior continued.
If I dropped something, he would always hand me a napkin, and if I picked up an empty glass, he immediately filled it with water.
‘Since when did he become so attentive?’
Today I discovered many sides and advantages of Kail that I didn’t know before.
‘At this rate, he might really make many friends when he goes to the academy.’
The prickly, socially awkward child was gone now.
I felt proud, but also a little bittersweet.
“Do you want to ride horses on the way back?”
On the road returning to the mansion from the restaurant, I suggested to Kail, who liked horse riding like me.
As expected, Kail nodded slowly.
We each chose one horse among the six horses attached to the carriage and rode along the deserted mountain road.
Running on a new path felt different and enjoyable.
The slightly cold wind also felt refreshing.
I glanced at Kail riding beside me and asked.
“By the way, when exactly are you going to the dormitory? I’ll go send you off.”
“…”
Suddenly, he pulled the reins and slowed the horse. I also stopped my horse and turned to him.
“Kail?”
The twilight deepened and shadows grew longer. I rode my horse a few steps closer to Kail.
After hesitating for a while, Kail lifted his head firmly.
“…I decided not to enter Landerst Royal Academy.”
“What? Why?”
Kail lowered his eyes and paused before speaking again.
“…I’m going to the north.”
“The north?”
“I’ll follow Father. To the Diern duchy. I will leave tomorrow.”
After saying that, Kail met my eyes with unmoving gaze.
My heart sank.
Tomorrow…?
“Why?”
“….”
The wind suddenly blew, breaking the suffocating silence.
Kail took a small breath, then avoided my gaze and started riding his horse again.
I hurriedly chased after him, urging my horse.
While following the black back of his head, a certain fact struck my mind like lightning.
