TYWML 21

21. The Changed Dream (2)

2024.05.21

How long had she been like that?

“What are you doing here alone?”

A still unfamiliar voice—Cassel’s—came from above her. Liena looked up to see him. Unlike her, who was in loungewear, Cassel was still dressed for going out, suggesting he’d only just returned home.

“The night air is chilly.”

He removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Then he froze for a moment, his gaze falling on her tear-streaked cheeks.

“Why… are you crying like that?”

“Ah…”

Liena couldn’t tear her eyes away from Cassel, who asked with a troubled expression. His brow was furrowed as if he were about to cry himself—just like the man she’d seen repeatedly in her dreams.

Because of that, Liena couldn’t quite grasp whether this moment was real or part of a dream.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“Well…”

She hesitated, unable to give a clear answer right away.

If asked whether it was a nightmare, she couldn’t really say yes. Her chest would feel tight and tears would fall after those recurring dreams, but the content of the dreams wasn’t particularly nightmarish.

‘The content is rather meaningful…’

She was just curious—why did this man keep appearing in her dreams? Why did he look at her with such longing?

But she couldn’t ask. Because the man in the dream wasn’t Cassel.

Even if he were, he wouldn’t know anything about her dreams.

So Liena held back her questions and forced a bright smile.

“No, it’s nothing like that. I guess I just feel a bit unsettled. Maybe it’s because I’m sleeping in a new place.”

“I should’ve been more considerate. I’m sorry.”

“No, you’ve done more than enough. You even assigned Amy to me… I heard you’re quite fond of her?”

“Yes. I’ve looked after her like a younger sister since she was a child.”

“Well, anyway, I’m really fine. I just needed a bit of fresh air to calm down. You’ve just come back home—go rest. I’ll head in after a little while.”

“….”

Despite her suggestion, Cassel didn’t move. He simply stared at the ground with a dissatisfied expression.

“Duke?”

“Just a moment.”

Cassel knelt on one knee before her and gently removed the indoor slippers she was wearing.

“…Your Grace?”

Ignoring her puzzled tone, Cassel continued. He removed his own shoes and carefully put them on Liena’s bare feet.

“You could hurt yourself wearing slippers outside.”

He gently stroked her ankle with his thumb.

It was strange. In the dream she’d had just moments ago, Cassel—or rather, the man who resembled him—had also knelt before her and examined her ankle.

The only difference was that now they were sitting at the Winkler estate, and her ankle was uninjured.

Cassel placed her foot on his knee and examined it thoroughly. His calloused fingers brushed her ankle bone, carefully pressing the hollow area below.

“…!”

She hadn’t realized how sensitive her ankle was. Liena flinched every time his fingers moved.

Perhaps noticing her reaction, Cassel asked with concern.

“Does it hurt?”

“N… no.”

Her voice came out oddly. Whether he noticed or not, Cassel’s movements grew more daring.

Or maybe he wasn’t even aware. His hand slowly slid up from her ankle.

Her white nightgown bunched up around his hand, revealing her pale calves.

Cassel gazed at her exposed leg with a blank expression.

Though he seemed to be checking for injuries, his furrowed brows making him appear concerned like in her dream, to Liena the situation felt nothing but embarrassing.

A proper lady does not show her legs to anyone—especially not a man. Even if they had known each other as children and were once engaged, they were practically strangers now.

When his hand reached her knee, Liena, face flushing, quickly exclaimed:

“It’s fine…! I’m not hurt.”

As she pulled her leg back, Cassel seemed to realize what he was doing and hastily pulled her gown back down.

“I apologize.”

“It’s alright. I know you didn’t mean anything by it…”

“Still, I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

As he let go of her foot, Liena quickly covered her ankle with her skirt.

“Yes, there was no way I could’ve gotten hurt. I wasn’t barefoot, and I didn’t walk through the grass or anything.”

Cassel’s lingering gaze on her ankle finally shifted to her face.

Now sitting beside her, he gently stroked her cheek. His hands were rough with calluses, but his touch was soft.

And warm—his body heat quickly warmed her cold cheeks, chilled by the night air.

“Um… well…”

Liena averted her eyes and mumbled.

“It feels like it’s been a long time since we’ve talked like this, just the two of us. Things have been hectic ever since we got the horse back in the village.”

During their journey to the capital, Cassel had ridden ahead partway, leaving little opportunity to talk. And once they arrived at the Winkler estate, he had gone out again, so they hadn’t had time to speak.

“Though technically, it hasn’t been that long.”

After all, they had known each other as children. More than just acquaintances—they had cared for each other deeply, like close friends.

Still, perhaps because Cassel’s current demeanor was so different from the cheerful “Cass” of her memories…

Even though they weren’t meeting for the first time, Liena still felt he was a stranger.

What could have happened over the past ten years to turn such a bright boy into someone so emotionally closed off?

Wiggling the foot Cassel had placed a shoe on, Liena pondered her words.

She had so much to say if she ever met Cass again. But the reunion she thought would come soon had taken ten long years. She’d forgotten most of what she wanted to say, and even her memories of him had started to fade.

Still, if they met again…

“How have you been?”

She thought that was what she would’ve wanted to ask him.

“I should’ve asked earlier, but everything’s been so chaotic.”

She was sure they used to speak informally, like friends, but now it felt too awkward to use casual speech.

“As for me… I think I’ve been doing okay. I don’t have particularly happy memories, but I don’t have bad ones either. You know, those kinds of days where nothing special happens, but when you look back before going to bed, you think, ‘Today was a good day.’”

“….”

Liena smiled up at him, eyes crinkling.

“Is that just me?”

“No, I understand what you mean.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Liena continued wiggling her foot and asked:

“So how have you been, Duke?”

“I…”

Cassel trailed off. He didn’t seem eager to answer, so Liena shook her head.

“You don’t have to answer if it’s hard.”

“It’s not that…”

“Then tell me later, when you feel like it. That’s what friends do, right? Don’t you think?”

“Friends…”

He quietly echoed the word, looking somewhat conflicted.

“Is that not quite right? I guess… you are a Duke now. It’s not like we can speak as casually as we used to.”

“It’s not that…”

“Then what is it?”

“…Nothing. Friends—yes, that works.”

He seemed to want to say something else but chose to stay silent in the end. Liena didn’t press him.

“I was surprised when you said you were the ‘Cass’ I knew as a child. Honestly, I still can’t believe it.”

“Why not?”

“You’re just… so different from how I remember. I suppose that’s natural after ten years, though.”

Liena smiled playfully.

“To think that cowardly Cass, who used to tremble at thunder and lightning, has grown into this—it’s a strange feeling. Not that I raised you, but I still feel oddly proud. I heard your swordsmanship has improved a lot?”

Amy had said that Cassel’s sword skills were among the best in the Empire—perhaps even the best.

“What about me? Have I changed a lot too?”

“You’re just the same, my lady.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Yes.”

Liena considered asking what part of her hadn’t changed, but stopped herself. If it were her childhood friend “Cass,” she might have asked, but with “Duke Winkler,” it didn’t feel right.

And with that exchange of pleasantries—more like Liena’s one-sided chatter—silence settled between them.

Liena longed to reminisce, but it was hard to associate Cassel with “Cass.” Meanwhile, Cassel remained silent, his thoughts unknown.