Chapter 57
“…That’s all you have to say the moment you see me?”
Kahn asked slowly.
I froze for a moment, my hands clasped together under the blanket.
Now wasn’t the time for this kind of thought, but—Kahn was beautiful.
Especially when that silvery-white hair, like fresh snow, shimmered under the moonlight. He looked so pure, clean, and clear.
I opened my mouth.
“I’m sorry. I’ll apologize.”
“…”
“When I was trying to save Madeleine before… I said some harsh things to you. Please forgive me.”
“…Alright.”
Yet his eyes—his eyes were like they held all the darkness of the world.
So dark. So deep.
If someone could hear my thoughts, they’d probably laugh, but that’s what they really looked like.
I was reflected in those black eyes.
I spoke cautiously.
“But still… I might say something harsh again. If you say you won’t help me save my friends from the orphanage, I might lose my temper again.”
“Is that your idea of an apology?”
Kahn let out a short, incredulous laugh. I watched his face carefully.
But what could I do? I was worried—terribly worried about my friends.
Click.
Then it happened.
Even though we were speaking in whispers, the door suddenly opened.
“…!?”
“!”
No knock. No warning. My whole body tensed instantly.
Kahn’s expression changed—and in a flash, the crown prince vanished.
I reflexively shut my eyes tight and lay down on the bed.
Pretend to be asleep!
That was all I could think of.
Step… step…
Whoever it was stopped for a moment, then came closer.
This scent…
I knew that scent.
“…My lady.”
Sarina’s voice. Was she worried about how I was sleeping again? She gently fixed my messy blanket, tucking it neatly around me.
I forced my breathing to sound calm and even.
I can’t let Sarina notice either.
Sometimes, when she read me fairy tales before bed, I’d tell her I was scared of having nightmares.
Maybe that’s why she came in.
My brother had forbidden me from leaving my room lately, and I hadn’t seen Sarina in days—she must have been worried.
Even with my eyes closed, I could feel her gaze on me.
I tried my hardest to keep up the act.
Did she fall for it…?
Sarina moved away. I cracked my eyes open just a sliver. The room was quiet again—no trace of Kahn.
I saw Sarina’s back… and the curtains fluttering from the night breeze through the open window.
“…Hm? Why is this open?”
She murmured.
Wait—my mind went blank for a second.
The tree!
If Sarina went to the window, she’d notice something was wrong.
Last time, Kahn had grown a tree with magic to climb into my room.
If she saw a full-grown tree that wasn’t there this afternoon, of course she’d find it strange.
We’re caught…?!
I bit my lip, staring at her nervously. My heart was pounding wildly.
Click.
But contrary to my fears—there was no tree. I only heard the sound of her quietly closing the window.
She turned around. I quickly shut my eyes again.
Thump, thump.
Sarina stood there for a moment, unmoving.
Then, finally, she left the room.
Click.
The sound of the door closing.
“…”
I nearly had a heart attack.
When I cautiously turned my head, Kahn slowly stepped out from behind the curtain.
“…Does she usually do that?”
I shook my head, unsure.
“She probably came to check if you were sleeping properly,” Kahn said quietly. “She usually only checks once, so she won’t come back tonight.”
He’d already analyzed the situation so calmly.
The way he’d disappeared the moment the door opened—without a sound—was impressive.
I swallowed hard.
If she won’t come back…
I slowly pushed off the blanket and whispered, “Hey, Kahn. Didn’t you come in by growing that tree again?”
“…I used another way tonight.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I thought for sure we were caught.”
I sighed in relief, shoulders slumping.
If Sarina had seen him…
She probably would’ve reported it to my brother right away.
Even if she cared for me, she was still a maid of the ducal household.
I bent over and peeked out the window—no tree. Kahn was telling the truth.
When our eyes met again, he frowned slightly.
“So how did you get in?”
“…”
Kahn shrugged and sat down on the edge of my bed, as if to continue where we left off.
I licked my lips nervously.
“So… you’ll help, right?”
“Madeleine said the black market opens tonight. She told me she’d follow the Academy students there, and if it’s real, she’d send a signal.”
He showed me a small stone.
I stared at it—the stone pulsed with a dim red light, flickering on and off.
“As you can see.”
A signal.
“So it’s tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll help, right?”
“…There’s no other way.”
Permission granted. Hesitant, but permission nonetheless.
I nearly shouted for joy but held it in and crawled off the bed.
“It’s just that… it bothers me a bit,” he said.
I tensed.
Maybe he meant deceiving the Duke, or risking the “Child of Prophecy’s” safety.
But his next words surprised me.
“You need to grow taller, you know.”
“…Huh?”
“When do you expect to grow if you keep sneaking out at night? Look—so tiny.”
He pressed his palm on top of my head as if measuring my height.
Even though he was the crown prince—and the same age as my brother—it felt strange.
Kahn withdrew his hand, then held it out again.
My expression must’ve looked odd, but I obediently took his hand.
Despite his calm tone, his palm was hot and damp with sweat—he’d been nervous too, probably because of Sarina earlier.
I blinked.
“Kahn, I was thinking—what if I just summon the wind spirit and ask it to take me to Madeleine? It could fly me straight there.”
“No. Don’t use your power yet. You can’t sustain it for long.”
“…Then how are we getting there?”
Kahn went to the window—the one Sarina had just closed—and opened it again. Cool night air rushed in.
I glanced nervously at the door, then back at him.
He reached his hand out the window, holding the glowing red stone.
“Amábo te, ádvola.”
(Take us there quickly.)
His voice—so enchanting it almost didn’t sound human—rose softly into the night.
He looked up at the moon. No, beyond it—at the sky itself.
And then I saw it.
A large, majestic creature flying across the moon—descending fast toward the Duke’s mansion.
A horse—with wings!
“It’s a long trip, so the tree wouldn’t do,” Kahn said casually.
I gawked. “You had that the whole time? Why didn’t you bring it last time?”
“You were scared of animals, remember?”
Right. When I’d cried because of the horses.
The creature landed by the window, shaking its mane with regal grace.
A horse that flies…
Its black wings looked almost demonic, dangerously beautiful—especially against its pure white body.
It reminded me of Kahn. Dual-natured. But still, definitely on our side.
“Its name is Licon. Get on.”
It had two horns atop its head. Thanks to Michael’s lessons, I didn’t flinch this time.
I climbed on behind Kahn.
“W-whoa!”
As soon as we were both seated, Licon took off again, soaring upward.
Maybe to avoid detection—it didn’t fly near the ground.
Kahn held the reins, sitting behind me, while the wind whipped fiercely against my face.
Even if I had summoned the wind spirit, I doubted we’d fly this high. My heart raced wildly for many reasons.
Everything looks so small from up here…
The world spread out below like a painting. The rush of air, Kahn’s solid presence behind me…
Riding a flying horse felt completely different from a normal one. It was exhilarating.
The horns on Licon’s head glowed red—like the stone Kahn held earlier.
“Hey, those horns—”
“Yeah. They’ll lead us straight to Madeleine.”
I didn’t understand how it worked, but it was amazing.
The horse flew so fast we soon passed mountains, leaving the ducal territory behind. Then the capital appeared below, and we descended toward a dark alleyway.
Madeleine’s waiting here…?
I felt proud of her. Not many would be this brave.
“Good work, Licon.”
The horse snorted softly at Kahn’s words, then spread its wings again and vanished into the night sky.
I gazed up after it in awe.
“My heart’s pounding… It feels like we’re on an adventure.”
“You said that last time.”
“This time, I really mean it.”
Kahn glanced down at the stone again, then tucked it away.
“She must be close.”
“Let’s go!”
“Wait. Before that, there’s something you should know.”
He grabbed my wrist, turning me around to face him.
He was taller than me—of course. The same age as my brother, after all, even if we spoke informally.
“To be honest, last time… the Duke knew everything. He just turned a blind eye.”
“…What?”
“When we escaped from class holding hands. When we visited the Blessing of the Divine Beast. When we infiltrated the kidnappers’ hideout to save Madeleine.”
I stared at him in shock.
He’d known? All along?
“He let us become friends.”
“I… had no idea.”
“But this time—it’s different. This time, we’re really deceiving him. The Duke. And your brother. So—”
“So?”
“This time, we can’t get caught.”
My throat went dry. I swallowed hard.
“What happens if we do get caught?”
“…We won’t.”
He dodged the question.
So it’s that serious.
Right. I couldn’t forget—the Black Market was their den.
That’s why my friends were in danger in the first place.
Suddenly, Kahn looked past me—then grabbed my shoulders and pulled me down.
“…!”
He covered my mouth with his hand.
Quiet.
He mouthed the word, expression deadly serious.
More serious than when Sarina walked in earlier.
I froze.
Them…?
