Chapter 7
I swallowed hard, feeling my throat move slowly.
The black horse in front of me was enormous — truly huge.
Even in Bella’s stables, I had never seen such a large horse before.
It looked strong enough to easily carry two or three people at once.
“Haha…”
I wanted to run away right now.
But the only thought filling my head was that I had to send Kahen home safely.
If we wandered around too long, he might catch a cold — and then he wouldn’t be able to attend the upcoming ball!
There was no choice.
I looked at the black horse once, then squeezed my eyes shut.
Okay, now I just had to get on the saddle…
Except… my legs were far too short compared to the horse’s size.
It wasn’t just my legs — even when I stretched my arms and shifted my body, I couldn’t climb up onto the heavy-looking horse.
“Ahh!”
Kahen, who had been quietly watching me, suddenly grabbed my waist and lifted me up.
The hem of my dress slid against my legs as he raised me easily, even though I wasn’t that light.
He placed me on the saddle and then, without hesitation, jumped up behind me.
Thump thump.
My heart pounded so loudly it startled me.
It almost sounded like he could hear it, since he was sitting right behind me.
“Lady Bessia.”
“Ahem! L-let’s go, then!”
I grabbed the reins, but my sweaty hands kept slipping.
My body trembled uncontrollably like a vibrating string.
“Let’s hold the reins together.”
“O-okay.”
His large hands wrapped around mine, holding the reins easily.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he said kindly.
Was it my imagination, or did his voice sound deeper and gentler than usual?
Maybe that’s why — when I looked up, our eyes met.
Ah, he was smiling again.
Didn’t he say he rarely smiled?
“I’m here with you.”
He said it so smoothly — even though he couldn’t ride a horse well himself!
Still, even with his clumsy side and poor sense of direction, he somehow looked perfect.
‘Haah, seriously.’
‘How can someone be this perfect? Is he even human?’
Before I knew it, my shaking stopped.
The horse must have noticed, because it started moving faster.
At first, it walked slowly for my sake, but once I calmed down, it began to gallop.
Kahen’s face was well-known among the nobles.
Especially here in the capital — if anyone happened to see him, they would recognize him instantly.
After all, handsome men like him were very rare.
I pulled out the coat the coachman had given me and used it to cover my face.
It looked ridiculous, but keeping my identity hidden was more important.
If people found out about this, every lady in society would curse my name.
Kahen was that influential in high society.
While I was fumbling with the coat, he spoke up again.
His voice sounded quieter, almost cold.
“That coat — it doesn’t look like it belongs to you. Where did you get it?”
“Huh? I got it from someone kind.”
Yes, Havelion’s servants really were nice people — just like their master.
“…From who exactly?”
His voice suddenly dropped, colder than before.
Startled, I turned around — just as the horse rounded a corner.
“Oh no.”
He clicked his tongue above my head and yanked the reins sharply to the side.
The horse reared up with a loud thud as its front hooves hit the ground, making my whole body bounce.
‘Whew, haah… liar.’
I almost fainted.
For a second, I thought my soul had left my body — it was that terrifying.
It felt like riding a roller coaster, except there was no safety bar.
Well, actually… my only safety bar was Kahen.
Even if he wasn’t good at riding, it was better to have him there than not.
I scooted a bit backward, pressing closer to him.
His warmth calmed my racing heart.
“Kahen, what’s going on?”
I asked, holding my chest.
I didn’t even realize I had called him by name.
A small frown appeared briefly on his forehead before disappearing.
“What did you just call me?”
“What’s happening…”
“Before that— never mind. There’s something more important, my lady.”
His tone was serious, and I instinctively straightened up to listen.
“I think someone is following me. Unfortunately, we’ll have to end our ride here.”
“What?”
Someone was following him?
Of course — ducal families in the empire always had enemies.
Especially the Chertha family’s heir.
Even though Kahen had a ‘flaw,’ he was still more talented than the Crown Prince.
That made him a threat to both the Prince and the nobles supporting him.
The story was moving just like the original novel.
Kahen couldn’t use magic, but he was a skilled knight — and an Aura user.
‘Or… not yet? When was it again?’
I racked my brain.
When Bella got hurt, Kahen’s patience finally snapped.
Then, he felt a strange power rise from within his heart — hot yet cold at the same time.
That was the beginning of his path to becoming a Swordmaster.
In the Empire, Swordmasters were treated even higher than magicians — nearly equal to kings.
After that, people began to see him differently.
They admired his strength, but others grew jealous and resentful.
Like the Crown Prince, for example — eaten up by inferiority.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“They’re not after you, my lady. Don’t worry.”
“No, I’m worried about you, Sir Kahen.”
“…”
He fell silent.
His lips parted slightly as if he was unsure how to respond.
Before he could, I continued.
“Please know that people around you care about you too. You’re not alone.”
‘Please.’
I said it sincerely.
Why did male leads always have to get hurt?
Did they think sacrificing themselves was romantic?
Kahen was exactly that type — even when he could avoid danger, he never stepped back.
“Are you… worried about me?”
“…Where exactly are you listening from?”
‘Yes, I’m worried about you, you dummy.’
If he asked one more time, I swear I’d press his lips shut myself.
He chuckled softly.
It was a fleeting, sunshine-like smile.
‘Ah… unfair. That smile should be illegal.’
Even while being chased, even while someone followed him — he still smiled beautifully.
“I’ll be back safely,” he said calmly.
It wasn’t exactly the reassuring answer I wanted, but at least it wasn’t, ‘I might get hurt.’
If he wanted Bella’s attention so badly, I could help him!
There was no need to risk his life over it.
Being the heroine’s friend wasn’t so bad —
because it meant I could be close to my favorite character.
“Promise me,” I said.
“Of course.”
Kahen nodded and extended his pinky finger.
Was he asking for a pinky promise?
It had been years since I’d done that — it felt childish, but since he wanted to, I agreed.
Our pinkies linked, sealing the promise.
It reminded me of a child I used to know.
I’d taught him how to make pinky promises, and afterward, he used it to make me agree to all sorts of things.
‘Come here again tomorrow,’ or ‘Don’t disappear without saying goodbye.’
Suddenly, my heart ached.
That scene from the past overlapped with this moment.
‘In the end, I couldn’t keep my promise.’
That kid used to say things like, ‘Be with me forever,’ with a bright smile.
But I never could.
‘Is that child still there…?’
I hoped not.
I hoped he had moved on — happy somewhere far away from me.
“Lady Bessia?”
“Ah.”
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed Kahen leaning in close.
His scent surrounded me, and I forgot how to breathe.
His long fingers brushed lightly against my cheek.
“Bessia Arhen.”
…Was I breathing?
Or had I stopped?
Even breathing felt unnatural now — every movement of my body seemed to respond to his touch.
When he said my full name, everything else disappeared from my mind.
—
Kahen hadn’t felt this good in a long time.
After finally meeting the person he’d been searching for all these years, his heart felt strangely light.
Of course, fate was never kind to him.
As he walked away from where Bessia had been, he glared into the shadows.
The one who had interrupted his precious time with her would soon pay.
His face was blank, emotionless — like a sculpture made by a master artist.
Someone once called him a “living statue.”
Kahen gave a quiet, bitter laugh.
Normally, he wouldn’t have reacted at all — not even a flicker of emotion.
But something about her had awakened him.
Every time she reacted, every time she smiled, something inside him came alive again.
For the first time in years, he felt truly alive.
It was almost funny.
For so long, he hadn’t even been sure he was still living.
And the only person who noticed his change — was Bentian, who now followed him silently through the dark.
