Chapter 67
Killian tightened his tie again in the waiting room prepared by the Count.
Though formality came naturally to him, it was his first wedding, and he found himself unusually preoccupied.
“Killian, if you ever meet a beautiful young lady someday, make sure—”
He furrowed his brows.
He thought of someone who would have been nice to have here, but that person had long since left his heart.
Ever since choosing Fidelio over everything else, he had considered worldly ties no longer his own.
And the one who shattered that illusion was Adele.
Thinking of her made Killian feel a tightening in his throat, and he shook the tie he had just tightened.
“Miss is still putting on her dress. You’ll see her soon, so please wait just a little longer.”
Yes, soon, he reminded himself.
Relying on the words Jacqueline had delivered in the morning, he was barely keeping his patience.
Since the engagement, he hadn’t even properly seen Adele’s face, but he had been able to endure it because of the anticipation for today.
Killian, who had been idly touching the sword over his silver uniform, spoke without much thought.
“If she’s come, she might as well come out now.”
“…….”
“If you have a secret hobby of peeking, I won’t stop you—but—”
“Shut up.”
A sharp voice cut through from beyond the swaying curtains.
Caiden tore aside the curtain blocking him and stepped out.
Killian didn’t know when he had arrived, nor when Killian had chosen to ignore him.
Neither man asked the other a word.
If they had been close enough to ask, they wouldn’t be glaring at each other with such lethal eyes.
Unlike Killian, resplendent from head to toe in silver, Caiden was entirely dark.
His deep hair matched the black velvet ceremonial uniform perfectly, exuding a chilling, deadly charm.
“You seem to be in quite a good mood.”
“There’s no reason not to be.”
Killian turned back to him with detached acknowledgment.
He briefly frowned at the drops of blood dripping from Caiden’s fingertips, but that was all.
“You might want to clean that up.”
“When did you start caring about me?”
“No. I don’t care now either.”
“…….”
“Miss Adele wouldn’t like it if she saw it.”
Hearing his sister’s name from Killian’s lips, Caiden clenched his fists.
He had broken free of the restraints with sheer force, and the blood running down his wrists seeped into his fists.
Compared to the fire raging within him, this pain was barely enough to raise an eyebrow.
“Listen carefully. I don’t know what you’re hoping to gain by clinging here, but if you so much as harm my sister, I’ll strip the bones from your body.”
“Quite an impressive congratulatory speech for a wedding day, I must say.”
Thunk!
The dagger Caiden held slashed through the air.
The blade lodged beside Killian’s neck, hitting the door behind him, still trembling from the remaining force.
“I’m not joking.”
“……It seems so.”
Killian stared silently at the deeply embedded dagger.
Even seeing the blade narrowly miss him, he showed no emotion—only a slight twitch of his eyebrow as he looked at Caiden.
“I don’t know what you’re hoping for, but you seem to understand what my sister wants.”
“Shut up!”
Caiden ground his teeth, swallowing his rage.
Reluctantly, he knew he could not make her a widow.
“Annoying.”
He imagined plunging the blade into that glossy neck, staining that brilliant uniform with blood—it would be perfect.
Yet Adele’s stern warning had kept him from acting.
By chance, the two men, each stretched to the limits of their patience for Adele alone, had ended up in the same place.
So of course, they both knew who the footsteps outside the door belonged to.
With light yet hurried steps, Caiden gritted his teeth.
Hah. She’s been spotted quickly.
If he met Adele like this, it might not end with just a slap.
No, even a slap would be fortunate.
If his eldest sister completely turned her back on him, there would be no stopping him.
“……Director, are you inside?”
“Wait just a moment.”
Killian approached the door, tugging at his tie with one hand while loosening a few buttons with the other, and then opened it.
“Director! Could it be that our Caiden is… Ah, sorry. I thought you had finished changing.”
“……It’s fine. Anytime.”
“No, I mean—”
Adele stepped forward hurriedly, then froze, startled at the sight of his collarbone.
Seeing her flustered, which was uncharacteristic, Killian smiled slightly.
“Adele, you’ve prepared everything… but what’s that?”
“Oh, this?”
Her gaze fell to the gauntlet in her hands as Killian looked at it.
It had been set long ago, at a time when handling Caiden had become difficult, but it felt awkward to speak honestly to the man who would become her husband.
“I… I just thought Caiden might come here.”
“Why?”
“No. It’s just… well, you know how he is.”
Please, stop coming closer.
Adele turned her eyes away from the muscles revealed beneath his clothing.
Being like this reminded her of the first time she saw him naked at the waterfalls of San Fidelio.
She almost forgot she had come to enter the room, biting her lip.
“Anyway, I’m glad he didn’t come. Well, I asked him very earnestly, and he’s not the type to ignore that.”
“……Is that so?”
“Yes. Caiden may seem rough on the outside, but he’s not a bad person. If you look carefully, he’s surprisingly gentle, it’s all his circumstances.”
“Hm.”
What is this, the look of a parent discussing a delinquent child at a school meeting?
Adele glanced awkwardly over his shoulder, but it was futile.
Blocked by Killian’s body, she had no choice but to look away first.
“Will you keep wearing that, then?”
“Of course not.”
Adele tried to remove the tight gauntlet, but with Killian watching, it was harder than expected.
Seeing her struggle, he reached out and supported her elbow.
“I’ll take it off for you.”
“Oh… would you?”
By now, she had forgotten why she had come.
This wasn’t what she had intended.
Being alone with Killian always ended like this, making her cheeks burn.
Feigning calm, Adele extended her arm.
“Please be careful taking it off. If I have another accident, I’ll need to wear it again…”
Rustle.
There seemed to be a sound from inside.
Adele perked up her ears. But Killian, true to his role as Commander, focused only on removing the gauntlet with skilled hands.
“There was a noise inside just now…”
“I left the window open.”
“Oh… I see.”
“Anyway, it’s best not to do this again.”
The gauntlet came fully into Killian’s hands. Though he hadn’t taken it intentionally, it was clear he had no intention of returning it immediately.
“Why? Well, I suppose it doesn’t quite suit the dress, right?”
“No. It doesn’t seem like it would hurt much if you tried it on here.”
Thunk.
When he dropped the gauntlet into his other hand, the embedded magical stone jiggled.
It sounded just like the beat of her own heart, and Adele decided to stop there.
“Then let’s go downstairs. My father’s done something… but don’t feel too embarrassed about it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Killian lightly smiled and placed his fist over his chest like a knight’s oath.
Adele’s heart skipped once again.
As she hurried down the hallway, she realized she couldn’t hear his footsteps following, and she turned.
“Director? Aren’t you coming?”
“……Just a moment. I left something inside.”
“Then I’ll come with you.”
“No. I need to fix my clothing a bit.”
His hand moved toward the undone buttons, and Adele couldn’t hide her flushed nape, turning away.
Seeing her, Killian’s smile deepened.
“…….”
Alone in the room, Killian picked up the tie he had just removed.
He completely ignored the presence inside.
Caiden emerged from behind the curtain, glaring at Killian, then stepped onto the windowsill.
If he jumped from here, he’d arrive at the hall before Adele…
Thak!
Caiden hesitated, cursing under his breath, as he tried to step fully onto the sill.
The dagger, deeply embedded between his fingers on the sill, felt familiar.
Reflexively, he turned his head, only to see the dagger he had lodged in the door earlier was gone.
“……You’ll have to take care of your own, brother-in-law.”
Killian, tie in place, strode toward him.
Hiding his wild energy, he buttoned the last button and arrogantly lowered his piercing blue eyes.
“I intend to do the same.”
