Chapter 12
When I saw Sha’s innocent face saying, “I like you!” so openly, I clutched at my chest.
I had completely forgotten about him! I didn’t deserve Sha’s love and longing!
I even pushed Sha away while keeping an eye on Kashiyar, giving him orders disguised as requests!
Sha’s affectionate face felt like a critical hit straight to my heart.
“Master? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“No… It’s just… seeing you up close makes me happy too.”
Feeling guilty, I decided to treat Sha better from now on.
“Yes. Let’s see each other a lot, okay? While we eat, you have to keep looking at my face! You have to look and look until you make up for all the time we missed, okay?”
“That—”
Thud.
My answer was drowned out by Kashiyar hitting the table as he stood up. He bowed his head.
“Your Grace!”
When he lifted his head and moved, the servants preparing food all ran toward him in a panic.
“Your Grace, please don’t!”
“I’ll do it instead!”
“Your Grace!”
I lost my words, watching the scene.
“See? Humans are weird. They make such a fuss over small things. Carrying a chair is nothing,” Sha muttered.
I watched Kashiyar carry a chair straight toward me, ignoring the frantic servants, staring only at me.
“I’ll eat here too.”
He placed the chair across from Sha, right next to me, his voice strangely determined.
“…Fine. Do as you wish.”
But behind Kashiyar, I could feel the servants’ stares, as if asking, “Who are you, for our Duke to do this?”
‘Who am I? Just some extra character #999 trying not to get killed.’
I forced a calm smile and sat down with Sha and Kashiyar.
“Master, try this. It’s tasty.”
“Sister, please eat this. Our chef is good at this dish.”
“Master, you don’t like beans? Why aren’t you eating them?”
“Sister, do you still dislike beans? I’ll tell the kitchen to stop serving them.”
“Master, is that hard to cut? Should I cut it for you?”
“I’ll order it cooked more crisply. Please wait.”
“Master.”
“Sister.”
All through the meal, I had to keep turning my head left and right as both men kept calling me.
Ah… I really might have to prick my finger today.
“Perhaps it’s best if I personally escort you home,” Kashiyar said firmly as I was about to leave.
“No! It’s fine!”
“…?”
It had already taken an hour to stop him from insisting. But again, he offered to take me home, and I accidentally shouted.
“It’s not that late, and this is the capital. Besides, I’m already riding a carriage with your family crest on it. What danger could there be?”
“But…”
“Really, really, really, I’m fine. A Duke escorting a Baron’s daughter home makes no sense!”
“Do we really need such petty rules between us, Sister?”
I forced a smile to hide my unease.
“Of course we don’t. But we’re nobles, and we have to live by noble rules. So we should keep even the small ones, right?”
“….”
Kashiyar’s eyebrow twitched, and I suddenly feared he might kill me just because I refused his escort.
Still, I couldn’t accept his company. If I were trapped in a moving carriage alone with him, I’d probably die of nerves before he even did anything.
“…Understood.”
Thankfully, he agreed at last, though reluctantly.
“Right. You’re a Duke—you must use your time efficiently.”
“The most efficient use of my time is spending it with you.”
His words made him stare determinedly at the carriage door again.
I quickly cut him off.
“Then! Let’s meet on a sunny day next time. Save some time for me then.”
“When do you mean? Tomorrow?”
What I really meant was: I don’t want to see you for a while. But I swallowed the words.
“I’ll contact you.”
“Come anytime. The Duke’s estate is always open to you.”
“Sure.”
I doubted I’d ever visit him again of my own will, but I smiled brightly.
“I’ll go now. I really enjoyed dinner.”
If only he would just say goodbye, I could escape. But Kashiyar’s lips didn’t move.
Instead, he closed his eyes.
‘Wh-what is he doing?!’
My face twisted in panic.
Night insects chirped. Red light spilled from the mansion, casting a glow between us.
‘At this moment… closing your eyes means…!’
I almost wondered if I should just bump my lips into his to avoid the worst.
But then his throat moved, swallowing something painfully, like it was stuck.
“…!”
He opened his eyes. His usually sharp red eyes were empty, hollow, as if nothing in the world had value.
Strangely, his face blurred, as if swallowed by darkness.
“Kashiyar.”
Someone called from behind. At once, his face returned to normal, cold and indifferent.
“Just a moment.”
He turned to the old butler, then looked back at me.
“Sister?”
“Ah…”
Only then did I notice my hand clutching his sleeve.
“That…”
His eyes held curiosity.
Why had I grabbed him?
“Sister.”
Before I could answer, he gently took my hand.
But his hand was ice cold, like water frozen to the bone.
“Why? Do you have worries?”
His cold hand didn’t match his soft face or kind voice.
When did he learn to smile so warmly?
“Or… with me—”
“There’s! There’s a bug on your back!”
“A… bug?”
“I killed it, so don’t worry! Anyway, I’ll go now!”
I yanked my hand back, embarrassed at my strange actions. My face burned like a ripe persimmon.
I jumped into the carriage, avoiding his gaze. As the horses started moving, I whispered:
“He looked so lonely…”
That was why I’d grabbed his sleeve—because Kashiyar looked like he might disappear into loneliness.
“Why though?”
He wasn’t the same lonely boy from 11 years ago. And yet—
‘Is that why he came back? To chase after the little warmth he once had?’
“Aaah! But why did I do that?!”
I clutched my head in shame.
“Because you’ve always been soft when it comes to him,” a voice answered.
“Sha?”
“Yep, it’s me.”
Sha casually opened the carriage door while it was still moving and hopped in, his purple hair flying.
“You’re… skilled, huh?”
“You mean opening a carriage door?”
“That’s not easy, you know!”
Sha smirked proudly. Then he plopped down beside me and fixed his messy hair.
“But what’s with your hair, Master?”
Only then did I realize I was still pulling at my own hair.
“A new training method?”
“Of course not.”
He leaned close, studied me, and chuckled. Then he raised his hand and gently fixed my hair.
“It’s late. Is it safe for you to wander alone?” I asked.
“You’re asking me, Master?”
“Yes. It’s dangerous.”
Sha’s hand froze, and his face made a strange expression.
“I’m a dragon. A strong, powerful being.”
He lifted his chin proudly.
The words were so funny coming from a chubby-cheeked boy that I couldn’t help but laugh.
