Chapter 50
Everyone in the dining room was shocked by April’s behavior.
Shy April was the first one to approach someone.
Benjamin, who had been pulling out Kylen’s chair, and Leah, who had been preparing April’s seat, both stared with wide eyes as the two shook hands.
But the person most shocked was Isaya.
“Y-Your Highness…”
April ignored Isaya and spoke after shaking hands with Brother Aiden.
“Th-There! I-I want to sit there!”
Her tiny finger pointed at the seat next to Brother Aiden, and Isaya’s eyes trembled.
“You’ve never sat next to me before. Won’t you sit next to me today?”
Isaya drooped his eyebrows and pouted his lips like a sulking child.
If any woman saw that face, she would probably faint holding her heart—it was that cute.
“N-No.”
April firmly rejected Isaya and urged Leah, who was holding her chair.
“There! April will sit th-there! Isaya sits over th-there.”
She pointed to the farthest seat with her little finger.
Isaya really could be annoying sometimes.
I respected April’s choice and nodded.
After the small commotion, Brother Aiden’s welcome dinner began.
Even though it was a “welcome dinner,” there were only one or two more dishes than usual. Feeling awkward in front of Brother, I kept offering him this and that.
“April too! That one is tasty!”
Brother had me on his left and April on his right.
Isaya sat facing him with obvious jealousy in his eyes.
Brother kept drinking water, as if Isaya’s glare made his throat tight.
And I kept glaring at Isaya for glaring at Brother.
“What exactly are you studying in Volos?”
Cutting through the tense air caused by my silent fight with Isaya, Kylen asked.
“Ah, yes. I’m researching engines.”
“Engines?”
“It’s a machine that heats gas with Torpaz, turning the pressure into rotational movement. It’s what moves trains in the Empire…”
Brother looked so excited, like a fish in water.
I understood the general idea, but once the technical terms came out, I started letting his words go in one ear and out the other.
Kylen nodded seriously, as if he understood everything.
Did he really understand? Am I the only one who doesn’t?
Feeling the distance between science and literature majors, I cut a piece of meat. Then I looked at Isaya’s expression across from me and felt relieved.
I wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand.
The moment we became comrades instead of enemies.
Then—clang—a fork hit a plate loudly.
Startled, I looked to the side. Brother was gaping like a startled fish.
April covered her ears with her tiny hands at the loud sound.
Brother didn’t even realize he had dropped his fork.
“R-Really?”
What did Kylen say to shock Brother like that? I turned to Kylen.
“No need to be that surprised.”
Kylen cut his meat calmly, as if nothing had happened. Before putting a piece into his mouth, he added:
“I thought it would be good to know exactly what your research is.”
Brother’s brown eyes filled with emotion.
While I had been distracted, I missed their conversation. I rolled my eyes around and met Isaya’s gaze.
‘Do you know why Brother is acting like that?’
I wiggled my eyebrows and gestured.
‘Not. At. All.’
Isaya shook his head firmly.
A completely useless guest, really.
Before bed, I checked Brother’s quickly prepared room.
He was so excited about showing Kylen his research that he didn’t seem tired at all, burying his face in his papers.
“You like it that much?”
“Yes!”
His bright, childlike voice made me laugh out loud.
My laughter deepened his smile.
Kylen had said he wanted to hear Brother’s research in detail.
In an empire that looked down on science, and from a royal like Kylen—Brother was not just touched… he was moved deeply.
“Still, don’t push yourself too hard. You came straight from Volos to Winterford without rest.”
“Okay. You go rest too.”
I watched him for a moment, then quietly left the guest room.
The cold Winterford air slipped inside my nightgown. I hurried to my bedroom.
When I entered, Kylen was sitting against the headboard reading something.
“You came early?”
I glanced at the clock above the fireplace—it really was earlier than usual.
“I have something to do early tomorrow morning.”
He looked up briefly, then returned to his papers.
His hair was darker than usual—he hadn’t dried it properly after washing.
He’ll catch a cold like that…
After thinking a moment, I stepped back out and went to the bathroom for a towel.
There was a clean one, luckily. I rushed back with small steps.
“Here.”
I held the towel out to him. He just stared blankly at it.
“Should I dry it for you?”
When I moved closer, Kylen finally took the towel.
He ran his fingers through his damp hair and then began rubbing lazily with the towel.
I wasn’t satisfied.
“Oh, come on! Give it here!”
I snatched the towel from his hands.
“You have to do it like this. Like this. Or it won’t dry.”
“H-Hey.”
Kylen showed a bit of resistance but soon gave up under my stubborn hands.
I dried his hair carefully, the way Mia always dried mine.
He had a lot of hair.
The Emperor and Crown Prince also had thick hair.
Blessed genes.
As I looked down at Kylen’s small head with its perfect crown of hair, I unconsciously dropped the towel and reached out.
His soft golden hair slipped between my fingers.
My hands kept moving on their own—it was addicting.
Then—tap—Kylen grabbed my wrist, stopping my hand over his head.
“All done?”
“What? Ah—no?”
I lied without meaning to and quickly lifted the towel again.
As I stood over Kylen, who sat still and obediently, I felt a strange ticklish feeling inside.
I curled my toes and tapped his damp hair with the towel.
“Thank you.”
Kylen lifted his head slightly at my voice, but I quickly covered his face with the towel to avoid his gaze.
I couldn’t look at him right now.
“For taking interest in Brother’s research.”
In both Eliana’s memories and mine, no one had ever cared about Aiden’s research.
Not even me.
Seeing him so happy today was rare.
I felt sorry… and thankful to Kylen. My feelings felt too complicated.
Then Kylen grabbed my wrist again—roughly.
“Why are you the one thanking me for being interested in Aiden’s research?”
“Th-That’s because…”
Kylen ran his fingers through his now-dry hair and took the towel from me.
“Do you even know what Aiden is researching?”
I shook my head awkwardly.
“It’s pretty good. No… it’s more than good. It might be a big help to Winterford.”
I blinked slowly.
Words like pressure and cylinder floated vaguely in my mind.
Kylen stepped out of bed and tossed the damp towel onto the table.
“Come to the office with Aiden tomorrow. You should hear the explanation too.”
After saying that, Kylen turned off the Torpaz lantern.
The room grew dark, lit only by the fireplace and candles.
