TWLW 56

chapter 56

When Rudels spoke in that crushingly calm tone and slightly lifted the corner of his lips, Melford shuddered, feeling a chill creep up his spine.

“Rudels, you really do take after your mother. You never speak kindly to your enemies, do you?”

“Not my mother—my father, perhaps?”

“No. You’re your mother’s son. Especially in the way you talk.”

As he said that, Melford recalled something Penelope had once told him when she was little.

“Brother, if you don’t want people to say the next king became a eunuch because of his sister, you’d better leave this room right now.”

He trembled slightly as he remembered that pretty face saying such words to him so casually—even though he’d been the crown prince back then.

Even though decades had passed, it still felt as vivid as if he’d heard it yesterday. Her tone hadn’t been insulting, yet somehow it chilled his bones more than a curse would.

If he thought about it, Rudels had inherited that exact same quality.

“At least thanks to that girl, you’ve confirmed that someone injured the Bollepino family’s only son. You don’t know the reason, but you noticed.”

“Yes. At the very least, I confirmed that someone capable of using mana has entered this place and is running amok.”

“So, what’s your plan? Are you going to use that healer teacher of yours to lure the culprit out?”

Rudels chuckled softly and shook his head.

“No. My teacher is too pure for that kind of filthy business. I could never forgive myself for involving her, Uncle.”

Melford gave him an incredulous look.

Rudels merely shrugged and rolled his eyes as if to say What’s the big deal?

For about three seconds, Melford seriously wondered if his nephew had finally gone insane.

How could he say something so embarrassingly sentimental and still look so at ease? What on earth had his father, the head of House Ifin, taught him to make him talk like that?

‘No… I suppose that’s how he ended up living together with the one he loved. That damned thief.’

Melford thought of that thief—so much younger than his sister—and looked back at Rudels, the man’s junior.

“You really are quite taken with her, aren’t you?”

“It’s not that I like her, Uncle,” Rudels said, pouting slightly.

Then he smiled brightly.

“I belonged to her from the very beginning.”

That sweet line—‘Men like us never had much of a choice, did we?’—made Melford recoil in disgust.

He lowered his mouth into a grim line and stared at his nephew.

“You’ve lost your mind, Rudels. If you said that out loud, people would call you a criminal. To say something like that to a nineteen-year-old noble lady…!”

That bright, carefree smile told him clearly that Rudels’ feelings for the young healer girl went far beyond simple affection.

Melford sighed internally—hundreds of times, so deeply it could crack the floor—as he thought of that small “witch” of a healer.

Both this brat and that damned thief were hopeless.

Melford shrugged and cast a cold glance toward Rudels.

“So, what’s your plan to reel them in?”

Rudels’ lips curled into a sly grin.

“This time, the ones they chose to target aren’t large beasts, but small ones.”

His eyes glinted a sharp, icy blue.

“If we leave things as they are, won’t the prey bite on its own?”

“And the girl’s safety?”

Rudels grinned confidently.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already made arrangements.”

As he spoke, he lightly clenched the hand that had touched Kels earlier and looked straight at Melford.

“You’ve got quite a nasty streak, don’t you?”

Rudels didn’t deny it—he just laughed.

“I can’t stand to see my people get hurt. If someone has to, I’d rather it be me.”

“If Bollepino saw you now, he’d probably grab his neck and faint.”

“As long as I don’t get caught, it’s fine.”

Rudels raised both hands dramatically, and Melford just shook his head in defeat.

“Then why’d you even bring that girl along? It’s dangerous for her.”

Rudels hid his smile and turned toward the window. The sun outside was sinking lower.

“Because danger that’s near is better than danger far away.”

Melford raised one eyebrow at that, puzzled, but Rudels only smiled politely in response.

With about an hour left before dinner, I stood in front of the bed, staring at three dresses spread out before me.

“Which one would be the safest choice?”

They were all the same style, but in different colors: purple, green, and blue.

‘Which color would be considered taboo around here…?’

I frowned, studying the clothes.

‘Should I ask Rudels?’

I crossed my arms and sighed.

“I really don’t want to be rude, though.”

I pouted miserably.

Normally, meal times were casual—either I ate with the other servants or by myself, so I could wear whatever I wanted. But this dinner was different. Very different.

After all, it was with the King and the heads of the great noble houses.

Just the thought of it was enough to make my mouth go dry, as if someone had stuck a straw in me and sucked out all the moisture.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, my face frozen in panic, and let out a hollow laugh.

“Maybe I should just say I’m sick.”

As soon as that desperate thought came, I buried my head in my hands.

It was already bad enough being involved with that man, Akin Radiance, and now I had to sit at the same table as the King himself?

What was this—some kind of starvation torture?

‘I just wanted to quietly finish my investigation and leave. If I’d known this would happen, I never would’ve signed that contract with Rudels.’

I collapsed onto the bed with a groan.

“No… still, at least I got something to study.”

With my face buried in the sheets, I turned my head from side to side. Rudels’ powers were so fascinating that they made my scholarly curiosity burn brighter than ever.

Just thinking about that silver hair of his—and the mysteries it might unravel—made me smile faintly.

Okay, maybe I had a bit of a twisted side.

But the joy of discovering new knowledge… it was as sweet as eating dessert. That was the essence of being a witch.

I turned my head toward the window. The setting sun painted the sky red as it dipped below the mountains.

“I hope tonight passes peacefully,” I murmured.

I reached for the green dress lying on the bed—the only one that hadn’t gotten wrinkled when I’d flopped down.

‘I hope it’s not inappropriate.’

It wasn’t a deep green, and there were no frills or fancy decorations, so it seemed modest enough.

As I made up my mind, the clock’s hands kept moving closer to dinnertime.

Knock, knock.

Someone tapped on the door.

‘Rudels?’

I brightened up and hurried to answer.

When I opened the door, a tall woman stood before me.

‘She’s tall…’

She must have been at least eight centimeters taller than me. She bowed politely and held out a small object.

“I was told to deliver this to you, milady.”

“Ah… thank you.”

I accepted it automatically—a neatly wrapped box tied with a pretty purple ribbon.

“May I ask who—?”

“Then I’ll excuse myself, milady.”

Before I could finish, she turned and briskly walked away.

“W–wait!”

But before I could call her back, the impolite woman had already vanished at the end of the hallway.

“She could’ve at least said who sent it…”

I muttered in disbelief, fiddling with the box in my hands.

‘Who could it be?’

Tilting my head, I closed the door and sat at the table. I debated whether to open the beautifully wrapped box—until I noticed a small note tucked underneath it.

[Use this when fixing your hair.]

It was written in Rudels’ handwriting.

“Rudels… sent this? And… for fixing my hair?”

I tilted my head to either side and untied the ribbon.

Inside were several small hairpins adorned with tiny purple flowers.

“They’re beautiful…”

I stared blankly, mesmerized by the soft shine of the petals.

‘They’re the same color as my eyes.’

Smiling faintly, I carefully picked one up. It was small—just the right size to pin back a lock of hair—and not too flashy. It would look perfect against my white hair.

‘Did he… pick this out on purpose?’

I walked to the mirror and held it up to my hair.

“It looks… good on me?”

I muttered without thinking, then startled myself. I’d never complimented my messy white hair before.

For a long moment, I just stared at my reflection—my awkward white hair and the delicate purple pin that somehow suited it perfectly.

‘Should I wear it?’

Honestly, my long wavy hair was a nuisance during meals; I was always having to push it back. So the pin would be useful. The only problem was… was it proper to wear something like this before the King?

“…It should be fine, right?”

Taking a deep breath, I made up my mind and pinned it to the right side of my hair.

Seeing how neat it looked made me feel a bit embarrassed—but also pleased.

When I realized how close it was to the appointed time, I hurriedly grabbed the blue dress and dashed into the dressing room.

Just as I finished changing, someone knocked on the door again.