Chapter 36
“Khalid, what’s wrong?”
“Do I really have to go out?”
“Of course you do!”
Dahlia shot him an exasperated glare as he dragged his feet.
“But I don’t want to be apart from you.”
Still holding her by the waist, Khalid nuzzled his face into her hair. His unabashed affection made Dahlia’s cheeks flush red.
Over Khalid’s shoulder, she could see Sylvia awkwardly turning away to give them privacy.
“Honestly… how am I supposed to get dressed with you clinging to me like this?”
At Dahlia’s grumbling, Khalid finally let her go with a defeated sigh.
Sylvia stepped in smoothly.
“I asked Lord Khalid to give us a bit of girl time before Lady Dahlia leaves.”
At Sylvia’s words, Khalid looked at Dahlia, who smiled and nodded.
“…All right.”
As he turned away, looking dejected, Dahlia’s expression softened. Just before leaving, Khalid hesitated and turned back toward her.
Dahlia laughed helplessly and urged him on.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to buy more spices for cooking? Don’t just stand around at the door—go take a walk.”
“…Then, since Roy came along, is it fine if I leave him to guard the front?”
“Ah, fine, fine.”
Only then did Khalid leave, visibly reassured.
As Dahlia watched his retreating back fondly, Sylvia suddenly thrust a dress in front of her.
“Lady Dahlia, I know you’re in love, but you don’t have time to be dreamy right now! We need to get this fitting done quickly if we’re going to finish before the trip to the capital!”
“Yes, I know.”
“My goodness, Mielle’s design debuting in the capital’s high society… and to think Lord Khalid turned out to be a royal of mysterious lineage!”
Ever since learning that Khalid would be staying in a castle and receiving a noble title in the capital, Sylvia and Mielle had been beside themselves with excitement.
Though Dahlia already knew his true identity and wasn’t particularly shaken, Sylvia’s enthusiasm about their upcoming life in the capital made her heart flutter despite herself.
“By the way, where’s Mielle? I haven’t seen her.”
“She went to the neighboring city and said she’d be back today. Apparently there’s a certain lace she had to get from a merchant there, but she’s running a bit late.”
“All the way to another city for lace? That’s a bit much.”
“Well, that’s Mielle’s joy and passion—you know how she is.”
Seeing Sylvia’s bright smile, Dahlia couldn’t help smiling back, her earlier worry fading.
“Anyway, since Mielle isn’t here, please take everything off today. I prepared matching sets of undergarments for you. You’ll love them.”
“…All right.”
With Sylvia’s help, Dahlia went behind the partition and began undressing.
While Sylvia carefully folded the discarded clothes on a shelf, Dahlia hesitated for a moment, then removed her watch and sheer chemise, placing them beside her.
Just as Dahlia was down to her thin undergarments, the door to the inner room rattled.
“Oh my.”
Sylvia widened her eyes.
“Please wait a moment, Lady Dahlia. I’ll take care of it right away.”
“All right.”
The door led to the second-floor stairway where Sylvia and Hanson lived. It had been sealed off for some time—so long that even Sylvia had forgotten it existed.
She hurried past the partition, and Dahlia heard her whispering.
“Hanson? What is it? I have a guest right now…”
Then, silence.
“What’s going on?”
Dahlia called out, but Sylvia didn’t answer.
Uneasy, Dahlia reached for her folded clothes and watch—when a loud crash made her spin around.
The partition had collapsed, and there stood Hanson, holding a cloth soaked with something. Sylvia lay unconscious in the doorway.
His murky eyes trembled with a flicker of guilt.
“Damn it… I didn’t have a choice.”
Muttering like a madman, Hanson advanced toward her. Dahlia frantically stretched her arm toward the shelf.
Her fingers brushed the watch she’d hidden beneath the chemise. She gripped it tightly, but Hanson was faster.
She inhaled the strange vapor from the cloth, and her consciousness faded almost instantly.
Sunburned and sleeveless, Roy sat lazily by Zephyros’ front door, having just woken up from a nap.
He’d been trying to read a book on etiquette in preparation for their trip to the capital, but it was unbearably boring.
‘Should’ve brought one of the storybooks Dahlia recommended…’
As he sat there regretting it, a lean, gray-haired man stopped in front of him.
‘What’s this guy loitering here for?’
Roy eyed the stranger suspiciously—at least until the man suddenly grinned.
“Oh! You’ve got a good eye for someone who looks so soft!”
Moments later, Roy found himself chatting and laughing with the man like an old friend.
The stranger’s questions—curious about Roy’s physique and training—hit all the right notes of flattery.
“Exactly! Big muscles don’t mean real strength! Finally, someone who understands!”
As Roy proudly demonstrated his workout poses, the gray-haired man’s lips curled in amusement.
“An honor to meet you. But tell me—‘human,’ you say? You speak as if you aren’t one yourself. Though, I admit, those perfect muscles of yours do seem beyond human.”
That remark went far beyond friendly banter; even Roy’s thick skin began to heat up.
“And that streaked hair suits you. Did you dye it intentionally?”
He murmured, “Must’ve cost a fortune,” like a slave trader appraising stock—but to Roy, easily flattered, it sounded like simple praise.
“Hey, it’s not dyed! And don’t touch—it tickles.”
Roy straightened up suddenly, ears twitching.
“Wait. Did you hear that? Something inside just made a noise.”
He glanced toward the dressing room, but the man pointed to a nearby fruit stand.
“Sharp ears, huh? Look—just a cat knocking over a basket.”
“No, not that. It came from the back room.”
“No, no, it was that stall.”
The man shook his head calmly, but Roy’s keen hearing wasn’t so easily fooled.
‘There should only be Dahlia and the dressmaker inside… Did something fall? It sounded heavy.’
“Something big must’ve tipped over. I’d better go check.”
Though he’d been enjoying the rare friendly chat, Roy reluctantly stood up.
“Aw, and just when we were having fun.”
“Why the rush? It’s noisy here anyway. Let’s go somewhere quieter—my treat.”
The gray-haired man reached out as if to sling an arm over his shoulder, but Roy smoothly brushed him off. When it came to horseplay, he could handle himself easily.
He walked into the shop and reached the inner door. The man followed briefly, scanning the room with a cool, distant gaze.
“I don’t see anything wrong, but go ahead if you’re worried.”
With that, he left without a second thought. Roy waved half-heartedly.
“Uh, yeah. I’ll just check real quick. See you!”
He actually liked the guy—could’ve become friends, maybe—but right now, that didn’t matter.
‘It’s probably nothing, but still… Lord Khalid told me to be alert.’
Roy knocked lightly, leaning his weight on one foot.
Even with his carefree attitude, the etiquette book he’d been reading made him hesitate to barge into a ladies’ fitting room without permission.
When no one answered, he strained his ears—but the city’s noises blurred everything together.
‘Doesn’t sound suspicious…’
Still, he hesitated, unsure if pressing his ear to the door would be too rude. Zephyros was in a busy district—if anyone approached, he’d notice right away.
“Hmm…”
After pacing indecisively, Roy finally plopped back down by the door.
The gray-haired man had vanished.
‘Guess he was right after all.’
He reopened his etiquette book—but for some reason, couldn’t focus.
“Ugh, forget it.”
Feeling uneasy, Roy raised his voice.
“Hey! If you don’t open up, I’m just coming in!”
At that moment, Khalid returned, arms full of spice bundles.
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, master! Uh, it’s not like I was eavesdropping or anything, but I heard a loud thud from inside, and no one’s answering. Is that normal during a fitting?”
Khalid’s expression darkened.
“They knocked something over, but no one replied when I called…”
Roy’s words trailed off as his master’s serious look made him uneasy.
The peace of their routine, the excitement of the upcoming move, and the earlier distraction from that stranger—all at once, Roy’s dulled instincts screamed danger.
“Uh… I think—”
Before he could finish, Khalid snapped his fingers. The locked door clicked open.
Without hesitation, Khalid strode inside, Roy following nervously.
“Gasp—!”
Roy froze, his pupils narrowing.
“She was just here a minute ago…”
Dahlia, who had gone in smiling moments before, was nowhere to be seen.
The large six-panel partition lay toppled over, and the shelves behind it were in disarray—only Dahlia’s scent lingered in the air.
