Chapter – 69
Enferga’s people gave the two of them the best rooms on the second floor. Dee and Kyle slept there for about three hours before waking up.
Well—only Kyle actually woke up. When he knocked on the door where Dee was still sleeping, she opened it while hugging her pillow, letting out a strange groan, like “nghhhhh.” Half-asleep, she muttered,
“Stars, what stars…? Thinking about it, aren’t adults supposed to wake up at dawn or whatever?”
“You said you wanted to see them. Everyone got up to send us off, so open your eyes too.”
“Uuuugh……”
Dee nodded in misery and forced her eyes open.
Thankfully, the thought of visiting a ranch woke her up quickly.
The wind was chilly, so she bundled up warmly.
The ranch was located to the north, on the way to the Petten Royal Castle, so since they would head straight to the castle afterward, Sylvia and Christopher saw them off with very regretful faces.
After repeatedly insisting they visit again, a carriage with Julian—who would guide them—set off.
Once the carriage entered the forest, a long path stretched ahead. Following it and going up a gently sloping hill for a while, they reached the ranch that the Enferga family had frugally saved up to build.
Julian glanced at Kyle sitting next to him, then spoke to Dee, who sat across from them, in a tone that suggested he reluctantly had to admit something.
“Honestly, if His Highness Kyle hadn’t been there eight years ago… Just thinking about it still terrifies me.”
“Mhm.”
“My parents cried for days, saying we’d have to sell Quildsak Castle as it was. Even if handing it over to Prince Sian would clear our debt, we wouldn’t have had money to buy a home to live in. Then His Highness Kyle—who was my age back then—showed up and told us to sell it. And he offered more than enough to clear the debt and buy a new house.”
“……”
“My parents… well, they’d only ever managed the castle. And Quildsak is huge, with tradition; just maintaining it takes a whole year. But our land used to be full of cows and horses, so the closest thing we could do was start a ranch. Fortunately, my mother owned some land. My parents aren’t in great health, so I do most of the work, but still.”
At Julian’s cheerful tone, Dee sneaked a look at Kyle. He had turned to stare out the window, as if he didn’t even want to think about it.
A man who spent all his money buying a house rumored to be haunted.
Dee asked Julian excitedly,
“Do you only have cows? What about sheep? Horses?”
“Sheep are the most, but we also have cows and horses.”
“Woooow…”
Dee was so moved that Kyle—who had been avoiding the Quildsak topic—seriously asked,
“Is this because you want to eat them?”
Dee jerked in shock.
“Oh my, did you leave your sensitivity back at the castle? Don’t worry, I’ll help you find it once we return.”
“If it’s not even food, why are you this excited?”
“Because the existence is wonderful. Ranches, milk, wide open fields.”
Even with Dee’s kind explanation, Kyle looked completely lost and asked Julian,
“You understand what she’s saying?”
Julian frowned and replied,
“Your Highness. If you ever find your lost sensitivity, please contact me. I’ll show you the ranch again then.”
“……”
“Ranches, milk, wide fields—doesn’t that stir your heart? At what age did your emotional senses disappear? If you can’t feel that, why are you even going to the ranch?”
Dee immediately chimed in,
“Exactly! Why go to a ranch? No wonder you kept declining invitations. If someone told me they’d show me a ranch, I’d run there instantly.”
“Aha, the Oracle truly understands things.”
‘Why do those two get along so well?’
Kyle turned resentfully back to the window. Dee said,
“Quildsak Castle is exactly the kind of castle I dreamed about.”
“Right? It’s a magnificent castle.”
“But the owner is him of all people…”
She pretended to cry and leaned toward Kyle, as if begging him to react. It was so cute that Kyle eventually let out a low laugh.
The sun hadn’t risen yet, so even though the distance wasn’t far, they wandered for a while before arriving.
Standing atop a gentle hill, Dee gazed at the flock of sleeping sheep. Julian explained,
“It’s cold, so they don’t go up the hill this early. We feed them hay around here.”
Dry grass, a shimmering distant sea, and the sheep.
Star-filled sky pouring down like it was about to fall to the earth.
Dee walked toward a sleeping sheep, full of starlight and poetic emotion.
“Jennifer…”
“It’s male.”
“James…”
She instantly changed the name at his correction.
Even the stars back at the Petten Castle had been dazzling, but on this hilltop, they were simply breathtaking.
Dee stood in the middle of the hill, staring blankly at the stars.
A little ways away, Julian whispered to Kyle,
“Shouldn’t you buy the Oracle a ranch? She’s completely entranced.”
“She couldn’t even handle raising one fox—it ran away every time.”
“Ohh. So you can raise a fox.”
Julian nodded earnestly, not realizing Kyle’s words bordered on sacrilege.
As Dee wandered around excitedly, admiring every fence and cabin as if everything were magical, Kyle murmured,
“I’m suddenly having déjà vu.”
“Yes, that’s a weird feeling. Happens to me too sometimes.”
Kyle found that this dawn ranch suited Dee so well.
It felt as if something just like this had happened before—
Like a day, long ago, when he had fallen in love with someone.
* * *
They still had time before sunrise, so Julian suggested they rest a bit inside the cabin, since they had a long journey ahead.
Separate from where the shepherd stayed, there was a beautiful guest cabin made of wood that the Enferga family used.
Inside was a single room divided into two spaces by a sliding door. A servant lit the fireplace and left.
The smell of wood, crackling fire, and the night sky outside the window—
It was magical.
“Julian… thank you so, so much for bringing me to see the ranch at dawn…”
Dee looked like she might cry. Julian answered shyly,
“It’s not even a good lodging. It’s just a temporary cabin, so the room divider is barely functional… I’m sorry. The door on the side with your bed can be locked from your side, so please lock it if you feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s perfect. I can sleep while looking at that starlight. Is this a dream?”
“Right? Romantic, isn’t it? I knew you’d say that, Oracle.”
Smiling sociably, Julian left. Dee yawned—apparently the excitement had tired her out—and said to Kyle,
“Let’s just keep the door open. Your side doesn’t have a fireplace or a window.”
“What? Why leave it open?”
Kyle sounded alarmed. Dee answered naturally,
“If it’s closed, it’ll be cold and stuffy for you. The beds are so far apart you won’t even notice each other.”
“I don’t feel stuffy or cold. Close it.”
“Uh… okay.”
Dee closed the door, puzzled by how strongly he objected. She lay down on her bed.
Kyle finally relaxed and sat on his own.
He’d been tired, but suddenly his mind grew unbearably complicated. Being near her made him happy—and suffocated. More than anything, he wanted to protect her. But he couldn’t deny that having her so close… stirred a bit of desire.
Feeling like that made him feel like a terrible person. He sighed, when suddenly the sliding door opened a crack. Dee peeked her head in.
“Why do you keep sighing? See? It’s cold and stuffy, isn’t it?”
“……”
“I’ll ask one last time. Should I leave the door open?”
Looking into her innocent green eyes made his guilt grow even worse.
Kyle sighed and replied quietly,
“Then I won’t be able to sleep.”
“Huh?”
“If I can see you, I can’t sleep.”
“Why?”
“I’m a man.”
Dee tilted her head, as if he were stating the obvious for no reason. Kyle continued as calmly as he could,
“You’re a woman. I’m a man. How could I fall asleep easily like that?”
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Kyle suddenly realized his words might scare her, so he quickly softened his voice.
“So let’s keep it closed. Okay?”
Understanding he didn’t want to frighten her, Dee hesitated a moment—then smirked mischievously.
“Well, maybe I should ask Julian for a lock then. To make sure it’s really shut. My grandmother always said you can’t trust men.”
Her teasing made Kyle relax. He laughed.
“That’s because your grandmother never met me.”
“Wow, shameless.”
“Yeah, if I learned one thing from you, it’s shamelessness.”
Dee burst into laughter.
She closed the door and lay down again.
They ended the conversation with jokes, but once she pulled her blanket over her head, the pounding in her chest echoed in her ears.
She hadn’t expected to fall asleep quickly—but she did.
* * *
Hours later, when sunlight filled the room, Dee finally woke up. She yawned and stepped outside the cabin, where Kyle—who apparently didn’t sleep—was waiting.
The ranch’s huge herd of sheep huddled together for warmth. Dee walked toward them.
“Sheep… they look so scruffy, it’s cute.”
“What kind of taste is that?”
Kyle scolded her. Dee replied,
“There are all kinds of tastes in the world. You’re just too sheltered to understand.”
“How is that somehow my fault again?”
“Ahhh, I don’t wanna go home. I want to live here. I’ve always wanted to try ranch life.”
“What’s so great about a ranch? It’s just hard work.”
“Were you this unchildlike even as a kid?”
“Yes.”
“Oh! He admits it.”
Dee pretended to be shocked. Kyle chuckled—it was too cute.
After eating a meal that was neither breakfast nor lunch, Julian handed Dee a box of pumpkin pie.
“My parents prepared this for you to take on your way back.”
“Wow. Thank you!”
“And… please drink this on your way.”
He handed her warm spiced wine. The cinnamon and orange scent she’d been noticing came from this.
Dee stared at Kyle, silently asking if she was allowed to drink. He shrugged.
“You’ve got a guardian with you, so it’s fine.”
“Who’s the guardian?”
Dee glared. Julian replied naturally,
“Yes, of course. I’m giving it to you because Your Highness the Guardian is here.”
“WHO is the guardian?!”
In less than a month she’d be twenty-one in Korean age, yet she had to endure humiliation just to drink a little wine!
