Side Story Chapter 15
Arsel’s hair was wet, as if he had been caught in the rain.
Not only had his black hair flattened from the moisture, but at the tips, water was still dripping down.
It wasn’t just his hair—his clothes were also marked with wet spots here and there.
But that wasn’t the only strange thing.
He must have been lying in bed from being sick. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to refuse every time she sent a letter saying she wanted to see him.
Hadn’t the letters clearly mentioned that he wasn’t feeling well?
Yet now, Arsel’s face was flushed, and his breathing was heavy.
He looked less like someone ill and more like someone who had rushed here in a hurry.
But more than anything, what made Evi even more flustered was that the moment their eyes met, Arsel quickly turned his head away.
Before she knew it, Evi’s shoulders slumped even further.
“I’m sorry for coming without letting you know… ah, no, I mean, sorry.”
The teachers always told her to maintain the dignity and composure of a princess.
Even more so when outside.
Recalling that, she tried to stiffen her chin as much as possible. Just then, Aiden spoke.
“Since it’s been a while since you last met, I imagine you’d like to talk freely. If you allow it, may we take our leave?”
He said this while signaling to those behind him with his eyes.
Through that look, the Duke and Duchess, as well as Irene, understood what he meant:
Let’s all leave here!
Agreed!
However, Hilde, who hadn’t caught his glance, naturally moved toward the corner to stand.
After all, it was their duty to always stay near the princess.
Aiden nudged Hilde gently on the side, signaling with his eyes.
Why is this person so clueless?!
Only then did Hilde realize the situation and hesitated for a moment.
I can’t be even a bit away from the princess…
Hilde swallowed a sigh.
“Then we’ll step back for a while. Please call us when your conversation is finished.”
In other situations, she would have completely ignored such a suggestion to step outside.
But this was the House of Duke Kylen, and the person inside was Arsel Kylen.
The one who had risked his life to protect the princess.
Surely someone like him wouldn’t allow the princess to do anything dangerous now.
Hilde gave Arsel a trusting look and left the room with the others.
Once the people left, the room quickly grew quiet.
Evi, holding a bouquet, spoke in a subdued voice, looking at Arsel.
“I’m sorry for showing up all of a sudden. You probably wanted to rest quietly…”
“No, I’m truly glad you came.”
Hearing Evi’s words, Arsel responded quickly, as if it was nothing.
Yet Evi’s expression darkened even more upon hearing his voice.
Arsel’s voice… it sounds strange. He must be really in pain.
She felt embarrassed for having been excited about seeing him with Irene, unaware of his condition.
Evi gazed at Arsel. He still turned his head away, avoiding her gaze.
In the past, he wouldn’t have acted like this.
The moment she entered the room, he would have immediately stepped forward to guide her to the sofa, smiling brightly, asking if her journey here had been tiring.
No, back then, Arsel would have come to the palace every day.
But now…
Why has it come to this?
Arsel had been kind and gentle, as usual, before he returned to the duke’s house, when he stayed in the palace.
Evi recalled what had been weighing on her heart.
Not long after Arsel left the palace, Evi had been waiting for the palace doctors to examine him.
There was still time before they arrived, so she had thought to work on her math workbook.
But she remembered the head lady-in-waiting saying, “Studying too much isn’t good for you, Your Highness,” with a worried expression.
Yet Evi was not one to give up easily.
I still don’t fully understand the formulas.
She had written to Professor Malres, who sent back a long solution spanning fifteen pages.
She had planned to review it before bed, but the lady-in-waiting’s reaction had forced her to put it back in the math book.
Maybe I can bring that…
It wouldn’t be studying, so it should be fine.
She first had to wait until the lady-in-waiting wasn’t around.
Evi gently opened the door.
Coincidentally, Aiden was also meeting Hilde briefly for a report.
Evi opened the door slightly to check if the lady-in-waiting was nearby.
Fortunately, she wasn’t. But she saw the palace doctors walking down the hall.
I can’t solve the math problems now…
If she stepped out, they would stop her, saying she needed to get examined.
Everyone at the palace worried deeply about Evi and cared for her.
“My daughter is the same age as the princess, yet she’s already this tall! Your Highness, you should eat more and play more!”
If she expressed a desire to study, people would react just like the head lady-in-waiting, jumping in surprise.
As she was about to go back inside, they stopped in the hall and conversed.
“What do you think of Duke Kylen?”
Of course, the Duke Kylen they referred to was Arsel.
“We did our best, but there are bound to be aftereffects. The injured parts weren’t in good condition… rehab and training must continue.”
“Still, it’s lucky he’s young. With effort, he’ll recover soon.”
“Even so, a major injury at that age can cause a big psychological shock. He sometimes seems to have nightmares, which is worrisome too.”
That’s how Evi realized:
Arsel’s injuries weren’t something that could heal just by applying medicine and resting.
Some muscles had been damaged, requiring ongoing physical training.
Recalling those memories, Evi looked at Arsel.
In the past, he would have immediately gotten out of bed to welcome her. Now, he neither approached nor looked at her.
So… he must resent me for knowing it won’t heal easily.
She couldn’t think of any other reason for Arsel’s sudden coldness.
Does this mean he’s going to keep hating me?
At that thought, tears began to fall from Evi’s eyes.
Perhaps worried about her quietness, Arsel instinctively turned toward her, and seeing her silently crying, he leapt to his feet.
“Your Highness!”
Arsel hurried toward her.
“Uh?”
Only when he came close did Evi realize she had been crying.
She tried to wipe her tears, but her hands were full of the bouquet.
So she hid her face in the flowers.
Luckily, the bouquet was large enough to cover her face.
Crying during a visit… Arsel would feel even more awkward.
Yet, despite knowing this, the tears wouldn’t stop.
“Your Highness, are you all right?”
Being called “Your Highness” instead of by her name now felt strangely resentful.
In the past, he had always smiled, calling her Evi. Now, calling her “Your Highness” made him feel distant.
Unable to suppress her sobs, Evi buried her face deeper in the bouquet.
I shouldn’t have come… she thought.
“Evi.”
With a rustle, Arsel parted the flowers to meet her gaze.
Through the tear-blurred view, she could see his face.
Yet she could clearly see his flustered expression.
“Do you… hate me now? Are you upset because of me?”
At her sniffle, Arsel shook his head urgently.
“No. That’s not it. I…”
But he couldn’t finish, swallowing the rest of his words.
Looking up at him, Evi realized something.
“Huh…?”
Arsel had changed.
His voice calling her was still low, but it was thicker, deeper than before.
She had thought it was hoarse from pain, but it wasn’t.
It was Arsel’s voice, yet much deeper and stronger.
And it wasn’t just the voice—his face had changed too.
Arsel had always been the most handsome person she knew.
He was still beautiful, of course.
But somehow, his face now looked even more striking.
Like boys moving from gifted schools to the academy, his features had become more defined, his presence more refined.
Most importantly, Evi was shocked by one thing:
“Arsel… you’ve grown taller?”
Arsel didn’t know where to begin explaining as he looked at Evi, tears still brimming in her eyes.
Since returning, Evi had been more prone to crying than before.
The palace staff said it was normal for a child her age.
Arsel knew this—previously, Evi had never cried, even when she wanted to.
So now, seeing her cry freely should have reassured him a little. Yet every time he saw her crying, his heart sank.
Arsel remembered Evi’s earlier question:
Do you hate me?
Of course not.
He knew why she had come all the way to the duke’s house.
She must have been worried because he had been avoiding her.
That misunderstanding made her think he hated her.
To clear up Evi’s misunderstanding, he had to explain why he avoided her.
But…
How do I even say it?
How could he admit that he had been training all day out of frustration and shame for not being able to protect her?
Too weak.
That had been Arsel’s thought the moment he opened his eyes after being injured.
He had always been confident in his strength.
He had been evenly matched with Ruska, who was recognized as the strongest among boys of similar age.
He could escape from dangerous situations if needed.
But after the Siren incident, Arsel painfully realized how powerless he truly was.
Thanks to the Emperor’s timely arrival, Evi had been safe, but they all could have died.
If only I had been stronger…
If he had been as strong as the Emperor or the Imperial Knights, would this have happened?
Every time Evi came to the palace, Arsel felt only guilt.
If only he had been stronger, she wouldn’t have gone through such a frightening ordeal.
So the moment he returned to the duke’s house, he began training immediately.
The doctor suggested he rest, warning it would be very painful, but Arsel didn’t listen.
Thanks to his insane rehabilitation, his body began to recover faster than expected.
Then the duke’s doctor checked him and said:
“Ah, no wonder your rehab is going so quickly… Arsel, you seem to have grown taller. And your appetite has really increased recently, hasn’t it?”
He said this with a look of concern.
“If you take after the Duke, this might be tough for you.”
“…?”
Arsel didn’t understand what he meant at first.
A week later, he finally realized why the doctor had said that.
“Ugh!”
Because the moment he woke up that morning, he felt intense pain in his knees.
