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Chapter 17
A snowy night.
A room wrapped in silence.
Even quieter than that was the subtle tension between the two of them.
Dana felt her heart fluttering so sharply it almost hurt.
Somehow, her throat tightened, and an overwhelming, hard-to-bear emotion washed over her.
Seeing her, Edwin’s expression turned serious.
Dana’s usually calm face was anything but ordinary.
He looked into her eyes, glistening as if they might fill with tears any moment, and asked,
“…Is something wrong?”
Dana shook her head.
“No, it’s not that…”
Then she lifted her gaze to look at him.
“It’s just… it’s been very cold until now.”
Edwin silently looked into her eyes.
He tried, desperately, to read even the tiniest hint of emotion, to sense what Dana was feeling.
In that brief moment, countless emotions crossed her face.
Her eyes, which had looked unbearably lonely, regained a sense of calm.
Then, she turned toward Edwin—
“…”
And smiled so brightly it took his breath away.
Every fleeting emotion she expressed was so varied.
Dana had no idea just how tightly she was gripping Edwin’s heart.
Her blue eyes fixed straight on him.
“But now… it’s okay.”
Her slightly wet voice reached him.
“Because you’re here.”
Dana had a premonition.
The scenes from that day, which had surfaced suddenly and haunted her since childhood—
They would no longer torment her.
“Are you really okay?”
Edwin looked skeptical.
Earlier, Dana had looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.
Dana smiled again.
“Edwin, are you just going to leave me like this in the cold?”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Only then did Edwin convey what the caretaker had said.
“They said it can only be repaired tomorrow morning. That’s why the palace staff are sharing rooms too.”
“Really? That’s a big problem.”
“You can switch rooms with me, senior.”
Dana frowned at his casual suggestion to swap rooms.
“But then you’d be cold.”
Edwin had never really felt cold in his life.
His fire-manipulating ability always kept his body temperature high.
“I don’t feel the cold…”
“Then, do you want to share a room with me?”
At those words, Edwin’s eyes widened.
Sharing a room with Dana… it was completely unexpected.
His face flushed instantly.
Seeing his obvious embarrassment, Dana smiled softly.
“Let’s just talk through the night.”
The thought of being able to talk to Dana for hours…!
Even that couldn’t calm Edwin down.
He felt like his mind had floated away.
Then he noticed Dana’s shoulders were trembling slightly.
“Let’s go to my room. You’ll catch a cold.”
“Okay… but I need to put on some clothes first.”
Clothes? Only then did Edwin realize what Dana was wearing.
He hadn’t noticed earlier, when he had hastily wrapped a blanket around her as she came in.
Through the gap in the blanket, he saw a shower gown.
Edwin’s body stiffened.
He hurriedly shifted his gaze to Dana’s face.
Water droplets dripped from her wet hair,
running down her cheeks and tracing her slender neck.
Edwin stared at her, mesmerized.
Not only his face, but his neck and ears flushed red.
It was as if his entire body were burning.
He quickly turned his head away.
Then, in a stiff voice, he said,
“…Then put on your clothes and come to my room.”
The sound of Edwin’s hurried footsteps echoed down the hall as he left the room.
Dana stood there in a daze, then let out a small laugh.
‘Is he acting like that just because of the shower gown?’
He usually approached her easily, but seemed shy when caught unprepared.
Meanwhile, Edwin…
stood in front of his room, dazed.
Oddly, his hand kept slipping on the door handle.
After several attempts, he finally entered the room, wandered aimlessly, and grabbed a water bottle.
He poured some water into a cup and drank greedily, but the warmth didn’t leave him.
He collapsed onto his bed and rubbed his face with both hands.
Sighing, he felt dizzy.
He didn’t even remember walking or how he got to his room.
Then came a knock.
“Edwin, it’s me.”
At Dana’s voice, he shot up and cleared his throat.
Wanting to avoid awkwardness, he opened the door.
Dana appeared in light indoor clothes.
“Come in, senior.”
Trying to act casual, Edwin smiled.
Dana swallowed her laugh at the still-flushed ears.
“Thanks. I think tonight will be warm.”
Her sincere words softened Edwin’s face.
He gently helped Dana onto the bed.
Dana looked him over.
“You just came back? Why are you still in your uniform?”
He was still in his work uniform from when he left earlier.
Edwin chose his words carefully.
“I just went to see the knights. They asked for a small favor.”
“What could the caretaker from the capital possibly need?”
“Nothing major.”
Just asking to deal with a monster.
“Then you should go wash up. I’ve been keeping you for a long time.”
“I was the one holding you back.”
Edwin gathered his clothes, saying he’d go wash up.
“Hurry and wash up. I’ll wait here.”
“…Okay.”
He quickly went into the bathroom.
Watching him leave, Dana tilted her head, realizing something.
‘Hurry and wash up. I’ll wait here.’
It sounded like something a newlywed couple might say.
‘Oh no… what did I just say?’
And she said it from the bed…!
Dana covered her mouth with both hands.
Her blue eyes shimmered with embarrassment.
She fanned her hands, then quickly stood.
Like Edwin, she drank some water.
Hesitant to sit back on the bed, she finally took a seat at the table.
Not long after, the bathroom door opened and Edwin emerged.
His wet hair was tousled, his thin shirt looked comfortable.
It was a new side of him, relaxed and tidy in a different way.
Dana, having finally calmed down, spoke.
“New look? You look comfortable.”
“Am I okay?”
Edwin, wanting to always look nice in front of her, asked cautiously.
Dana laughed.
“You look good. Were you planning to wear your uniform even here?”
“If you want me to, senior.”
His determination to look good for her was obvious.
Dana tapped the table, and he sat across from her.
She continued,
“I heard that the more honest you are with each other, the deeper your relationship remains.”
“For example?”
“You don’t need to push yourself to impress me. This version of you is still you.”
Ah. He nodded.
“I understand. You’re saying even this version of me is nice.”
“Why are you saying it like that?”
“Then do you dislike me?”
“No.”
See? Edwin shrugged confidently.
Dana couldn’t help but laugh at his ridiculous assertion.
Once the joke and laughter passed, the atmosphere returned to its usual comfort.
The smell of soap lingered around the two of them, freshly showered.
After a long day, a shower, and the warmth of the room, Dana’s body relaxed.
Edwin gazed at her as she leaned on the chair.
“Why?”
“I’m afraid of catching a cold.”
His eyes landed on her wet hair.
“You must have rushed out earlier and didn’t dry it properly.”
Dana casually adjusted her hair.
“I can dry it now.”
“Senior.”
Edwin called her as she reached for a towel.
Leaning forward, the small table brought them close.
His lips moved slowly.
“May I do it for you?”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“…Why?”
“Because I want to do anything for you.”
Edwin always showed kindness without expecting anything in return.
Even her mother, when offering a warm cup of tea, would demand money.
Dana, technically a fallen noble, was used to doing things like drying her hair alone.
No one was there to take care of her.
So this kind of attention was unfamiliar.
Even as Dana hesitated, Edwin patiently waited.
Eventually, she made her decision
