Chapter 08
“Kuhn.”
It was a name she felt she had heard somewhere before.
Chloe repeated the man’s name several times in her mind before finally realizing where she had heard it. Come to think of it, it had the same pronunciation as the current emperor’s name. Judging by his age, it couldn’t have been named after the emperor—most likely just a coincidence upon coincidence.
“Nice to meet you, Kuhn. I look forward to today.”
Calling his name so casually felt a little awkward. It almost felt as though she might be arrested for insulting the imperial family at any moment.
“The pleasure is mine.”
This time, it was Kuhn’s turn to greet her. His reply was simple, but his smile was anything but.
Was it fun simply because she was spending time with someone, or because that someone was Kuhn? Chloe found herself having more fun than ever before.
Kuhn guided her only to things she liked, selecting them perfectly. It was almost as if he knew all of her preferences.
They visited a garden in full bloom, then went to a pottery workshop and made small teacups. Chloe had only ever used pieces made by artisans before—this was her first time making one herself. Though it was clumsy and uneven, unlike the beautiful works of the masters, she loved it dearly.
Next, they went to the plaza and watched a clown in a ridiculous costume. Chloe even received a balloon flower from him.
They played hide-and-seek and treasure hunt with the village children.
When you’re happy, time flows endlessly fast. Before they knew it, the sun had already begun to set.
“What shall we have for our final meal?”
At his question, Chloe opened the map. Among the popular restaurants marked, they decided on a sandwich shop.
They ordered the staff-recommended tuna sandwich and bacon sandwich.
The thick tuna was rich and savory. The slightly toasted bread brought out its oiliness, while the crisp vegetables refreshed the taste just as it started to feel heavy.
Even though she hadn’t been that hungry, Chloe finished both halves of the sandwich before she knew it.
She usually didn’t like feeling full, but perhaps because it was filled with delicious food, she felt satisfied.
“Freshly baked waffles. Please enjoy them with some tangy strawberry ice cream.”
Just as they were getting ready to leave, a staff member suddenly approached and placed a dessert dish in front of them.
The two exchanged glances. Neither of them had ordered dessert.
The employee spoke nervously.
“Well… this is a small gift for you both. Please enjoy it.”
“How kind. We’ll enjoy it.”
Normally, Kuhn would step forward in situations like this, but this time he remained unusually silent.
Instead, Chloe offered a polite smile and thanked the staff member.
“Y-Yes! H-Have a great day!”
The employee’s face turned red as he met her gaze. Even after the conversation ended, he lingered awkwardly before finally retreating as if fleeing.
Chloe did not realize it.
That the dessert was filled with the staff’s personal feelings.
That for someone, eating something infused with another’s affection was unacceptable.
“We should move to the dessert place I had in mind.”
Just as Chloe’s hand holding the fork approached the plate, Kuhn suddenly suggested they leave.
“Hmm… this looks quite delicious though.”
“It would be a shame to end everything here. We don’t have much time left.”
“But you said this was the final meal.”
“Dessert is separate.”
Was there really somewhere he wanted to take her that badly?
Though puzzled, Chloe decided to follow his lead.
“Alright, let’s go then.”
They stood up and headed straight for the exit.
After seeing Chloe out first, Kuhn was about to follow when he noticed the staff member looking longingly at the untouched dessert.
Perhaps it was the intense killing intent emanating from afar.
The employee instinctively turned his head toward Kuhn.
What he saw was a face so ferocious it looked capable of killing someone without hesitation.
Then, Kuhn smiled brightly.
It was the unmistakable smirk of a predator toward its prey.
“Cotton candy?”
They arrived at a dessert truck in the plaza. The vendor was selling large cotton candies.
The colorful cotton candy looked like clouds at sunset. It was so large it was bigger than Chloe’s face.
She took a bite, and it melted instantly in her mouth—sweet and airy, almost like a toy.
She tried stuffing large pieces into her mouth and rolling them around, then pulling it apart into thin strands.
“Is it good? You seem to like it.”
“The texture and taste are fun. I like it.”
That day, Chloe discovered a mystery of the human body—how food could keep going in even when she was already full.
As she savored it, the cotton candy was soon gone.
“Ah, I wanted to take a big bite…”
She looked disappointed. She had completely forgotten.
But she couldn’t indulge unnecessarily with someone else’s money.
Just as she was about to leave—
“If you want a big bite, would you like another one?”
The vendor handed her another cotton candy, slightly smaller but far more colorful, shimmering like a rainbow.
“It’s because your smile is so beautiful. I’d actually be grateful if you accepted it!”
“Th—thank you…”
She had intended to say something more polite, but—
“I appreciate it.”
Kuhn spoke first, his tone oddly curt.
He tossed a coin onto the vendor’s hand. His expression clearly showed displeasure, abandoning even his usual polite façade.
His tone had changed—arrogant, the kind used toward those he looked down upon.
“Th-thank you…”
Trying to ease the awkward tension, Chloe quickly took a bite and then hurried away with Kuhn.
As soon as she grabbed his hand, his anger seemed to dissipate.
They walked along the path near the clock tower.
“Why were you like that earlier?”
Sensing the mood, Chloe asked.
Kuhn stopped walking.
“Chloe.”
He said her name plainly, without embellishment.
“There is no such thing as kindness without reason. Whether good or bad, people always have motives behind their actions.”
At first, she didn’t understand what he meant.
But after thinking it over, she realized he was referring to the kindness she had received today.
“If all of it were good, there would be nothing to worry about. But the world is full of vermin.”
…Vermin?
Chloe was startled by the unfamiliar harsh language.
When she glanced at him, he wore an innocent expression as if nothing had happened.
“So be careful. You stand out wherever you go. It would be wise to be wary of strangers.”
Feeling a subtle pressure, Chloe nodded.
“All kindness has a reason…”
She understood the idea. In fact, she agreed.
Her family, who had once treated her warmly, and Kallis, who had only been kind during banquets—those were perfect examples.
What confused her was the person saying it.
“What about you?”
“….”
“You’re one of the people who’s shown me kindness too.”
His words suddenly stopped.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
His blinking slowed, and his eyes curved into crescents.
Her question stirred something deep within him.
To think she showed him a level of curiosity and suspicion she hadn’t shown others—that fact thrilled him.
“Yes. I have my reasons too. Just like them…”
He paused.
A strong wind passed between them.
He glanced at her.
As she tucked her hair behind her ear, she looked more mysterious than anything else in the world.
Even the way she turned toward him, sensing his gaze, was utterly lovely.
“I, too, approached you because I feel something for you, Chloe.”
“Then…”
Then should I be wary of you too?
She was about to ask—but stopped.
His atmosphere had suddenly changed, sending chills down her spine.
His once warm eyes had turned cold.
For a moment, they even seemed to glow red.
As if he had anticipated her question.
“Shall we be friends?”
But only for a moment.
As he asked again, he had returned to the man she knew.
“Friends…?”
“Exchanging letters sometimes, visiting each other’s homes, spending time together—something close like that.”
“….”
“It would be a shame to let this end as just a one-day encounter.”
As he made his sweet proposal, he stepped closer to her.
Too close—almost inappropriately so.
