Chapter 53
Dylan pushed himself up with his arms, barely lifting his upper body, and wiped the blood from his mouth roughly with his sleeve.
His clothes were covered in dust, but he didn’t care at all.
He approached Kevin, who was sprawled on the ground, and extended his hand.
Kevin hesitated, unsure if he should take the prince’s hand, but Kylen pulled him up effortlessly.
The prince lifted Kevin’s large body without a single sign of difficulty and brushed the dirt off his academy uniform.
“I–I can do it myself.”
“A noble from such a fine family… someone who could make the academy’s top student his assistant? I should help you.”
“N-no, I couldn’t possibly…”
“Right? Even you think it doesn’t make sense, right?”
Kylen smiled with his eyes. Maybe because he was so handsome, for a moment his face seemed to shine.
Kevin must have thought the same. His jaw slowly dropped open.
“Count Findley’s family using the academy’s top student as an assistant? That doesn’t make sense.”
Kylen lifted Kevin’s dropped chin with his finger and said those words.
And before Kevin could react—Kylen’s smile disappeared instantly.
The overwhelming pressure made Kevin flinch and step back.
“The class bell rang. You should get going, shouldn’t you?”
A kind voice paired with a very unkind expression.
Kylen pointed his chin toward the academy building.
Kevin ran away at full speed.
Dylan stared blankly at the ridiculous figure of the same boy who had dragged him into hell moments ago.
“You’re the top student?”
Kylen extended his hand to Dylan. Dylan stared at the prince’s calloused hand for a moment before taking it.
That was Dylan and Kylen’s first meeting.
Knock, knock.
The sound pulled Dylan out of his memories.
The thick door of the Duke’s office opened, and Caspian peeked inside.
“I knew it. You’re still here.”
After confirming Kylen wasn’t in the office, Caspian relaxed and walked in.
“What brings you here at this late hour?”
Caspian usually slept early and woke up early.
Seeing him awake at this time made Dylan worry something had happened.
“No, nothing’s wrong…”
“I was hoping to drink with the Duke, but since he’s not here… ha-ha.”
Dylan didn’t drink at all.
Sometimes Kylen would be Caspian’s drinking partner.
Caspian awkwardly scratched his cheek.
It was just that he wanted someone to drink with—nothing serious.
Relieved, Dylan let out a breath and sat back down heavily.
Caspian, who knew exactly why Dylan had been tense, scratched his neck.
“Well, I’ll get going.”
“Wait.”
Caspian, disappointed he couldn’t find a drinking partner, began leaving the office, but Dylan stopped him.
“If you don’t mind drinking with me… shall we have a drink together?”
Caspian’s eyes widened.
Dylan quickly cleaned up his desk and stood.
He saw Caspian still frozen like a fool and gestured.
“Hurry before I change my mind.”
“Oh? Oh! Okay!”
The quiet hallway of Winterford.
Caspian followed behind Dylan, cheerfully chattering.
He asked what made Dylan want to drink tonight and said they should drink until they couldn’t walk straight.
Dylan stretched and let out a small laugh.
Tonight, for some reason, he did feel like drinking.
“But hey, Dylan.”
Dylan looked back at Caspian walking behind him. Caspian rubbed his nose bridge with a big grin.
“Doesn’t Kylen seem… different these days?”
“In what way.”
Dylan answered flatly, continuing to walk.
“Well… maybe because he’s married? He seems a bit softer?”
“Where?”
Caspian rolled his eyes.
“You really don’t see it? Even the way he looks at the Duchess is gentler.”
Dylan, walking slowly, stopped and put his hands on his hips, staring up at Caspian.
“You really don’t know what kind of relationship they have?”
Caspian scratched his eyebrow with the hand holding the liquor bottle.
“It’s a relationship with a set ending. Kylen knows that better than anyone.”
“Hmm…”
Seeing Caspian tilt his head, Dylan clicked his tongue and shivered.
“Let’s hurry. It’s freezing. Damn weather.”
“W-wait! I’m coming!”
Dylan started running, and Caspian, with his long legs, quickly caught up.
At the end of the dark hallway, a figure quietly watched the two of them.
The New Year had begun, and everyone had grown one year older.
Ever since Kylen became lord, Winterford had been going through busy, turbulent days.
“It’s cheaper when we make the oak barrels directly in Valerebo?”
In the unused northern area of the castle, they had decided to renovate the space into a whisky aging storage room, making work extremely busy.
“Lord Isaya found Valerebo oak at a cheaper price, so that helped a lot as well.”
Dylan said this while sipping the coffee I gave him.
After smelling it thoughtfully like he was studying it, Dylan opened his mouth carefully.
“Um, Duchess… could you maybe… teach me how to brew tea…?”
I looked up from the oak supply report I was reading.
Dylan was watching April, who lay on her stomach near the fireplace drawing pictures.
His ears were slightly red, and he avoided my eyes.
I raised the report to hide my smile.
“There’s no such thing as a favor for free, you know?”
Dylan’s shoulders jerked in fear.
“W-what… what do you want?”
The corners of my mouth rose sharply behind the paper.
“A secret stash.”
At my words, Dylan’s face instantly turned pale.
“H-how did you know!”
I lowered the paper covering half my face, removing my smile and pretending to look serious.
“With the knights’ resting area and the newly renovated training grounds…
And supporting Aiden’s research isn’t something done with pocket money.”
A bead of sweat rolled down Dylan’s forehead.
“I know Winterford’s finances very well.
So where did the money come from?”
I smiled with my eyes.
“I would really like to know the source of your secret stash.”
“Cough—cough! Ugh—!”
Dylan’s pale face instantly turned bright red.
“I suddenly remembered something urgent—
I-I’ll take my leave!”
He bowed quickly and ran from the office.
As the door slammed shut, April lifted her head from her drawing.
Blinking her big green eyes, she stood up, holding her paper, and toddled over to me.
I smiled warmly at her curious expression.
“I think I asked him for something difficult.”
“Difficult?”
“Yes.”
April nodded, her cheeks rosy from sitting near the fireplace.
She had gained a bit of weight since coming here, her cheeks now chubby and soft.
“Eri. This is baba.”
April tiptoed and placed her drawing on my desk.
“Oh, that’s a skate!”
“Mm!”
The lines were messy, but it was definitely a drawing of ice skates.
Happy that I recognized it, April beamed.
“Sniff… let’s go again!”
She wiped her nose roughly with her sleeve.
Now that I thought about it, she had been sniffling for a while.
Was she catching a cold?
“Your nose keeps running?”
“I’m fine!”
Concerned, I placed my hand on April’s forehead.
“Y-your Highness!”
Her forehead was burning hot.
At that moment, Lea returned with April’s snack.
“Lea! Hurry, call the physician!”
“Sorry—what?”
“I think the Princess is sick!”
Lea put the tray on the table and rushed out.
Mia, who was knitting on the sofa, quickly stood up and stomped her feet nervously.
“Mia, bring cold water and towels to the Princess’s room.”
“Yes, Duchess!”
I lifted April into my arms and hurried out of the reception room.
