seira wouldn’t want to hurt aven because she wanted something from him. who could guarantee the lives of those who would drop everything just to protect her?

    aven was like family, and so were the knights who believed in her and followed her orders. it was clear that she couldn’t take it if she lost them.

    “understood, duchess,” aven said with a low voice.

    he was looking down at her but his gaze didn’t meet seira’s.

    “still, please let me take you to jeff,” he added.

    “of course.”

    aven wrapped a black cloak with askan’s symbol around seira’s shoulder, and then opened the carriage door.

    “thank you, aven.”

    as she climbed into the carriage, baron, who had been quietly watching the two of them talk the whole time, quickly followed.

    “…”

    after the door closed and the carriage started, heavy silence settled for a while. seira was the first to speak. she couldn’t stand baron’s persistent gaze.

    “what? why are you looking at me like that?”

    “are you okay?”

    “… am i okay? what?”

    “you look like you’re tired.”

    only after hearing baron’s words did seira take inventory of her condition. she was kidnapped by mel and got locked up for about 30 hours. she slept well and ate food. she escaped after being well taken care of, so she didn’t particularly feel ill.

    she was a bit stressed out because of the situation, and was just a little overworked, shaking the tall tower at the last minute.

    “i guess it’s because i used too much power,” she explained.

    if she seemed low on energy, that must’ve been why.

    “you don’t need to worry,” she told him with a dismissive wave, “it’s not that i am feeling weak at all.”

    “is that all?”

    “well… i guess?” seira said as she tilted her head, unsure why he asked that.

    “seira.”

    baron reached out his hand towards her. unlike jeff’s luxurious and large carriage, askan’s was small and was narrow enough their knees touched. baron didn’t even need to lean over to touch her cheek.

    “even after everything that happened, i don’t think you’re actually okay.”

    “…”

    “or at least i think so on my part,” he quickly added, “it pained me to know that you couldn’t ask for my help. anxious and angry, i realized that i was much more incompetent than i previously thought.”

    seira could tell the amount of pain he must’ve felt from the way baron’s face twisted.

    “i’m sorry,” he said in a weak voice, “i couldn’t find you sooner, seira.”

    baron jeff, who had done absolutely nothing wrong, said that her debt was canceled and there was nothing wrong about him, and then offered another apology. his rough and large hands gently caressed her cheeks, comforting her.

    “…my commander-in-chief, did you worry a lot about me?”

    seira’s heart strangely trembled as she replied with a light tone as if she was joking.

    to be honest, it was given that aven and the rest of askan would worry about her and set out to find her after she went missing. they were bound by one name under askan, it was to be expected.

    but baron on the other hand was doing it for a completely different reason.

    he liked her that much that he wanted to be with her all the time.

    baron poured his heart out without hesitation, even though he knew that all she could give him back were very trivial things.

    ‘a person who wants me regardless of my lineage or family,’ seira thought.

    for the first time, she could truly feel that someone like him existed in the world.

    ‘i thought there wouldn’t be.’

    she was amazed beyond words that she felt sorry… and happy at the same time. somehow the small space inside the carriage warmed up.

    even though nothing would change. even though he knew very well that one day she’d send him back empty-handed, and that this warmth would soon turn cold with her own hands.

    “i was supposed to go on a date, but i ruined it…”

    “it wasn’t spoiled. let’s just think of it as playing hide and seek,” he said, “it took a while, but i found you in the end, so you better let me win.”

    “i tried my best to keep it to myself,” seira said after looking at him quietly. with a smile she continued, “baron, you look like you are trying too much.”

    his dark eyebrows rose slightly then quickly returned to their original place.

    “isn’t this expected if you really like someone? to go beyond the normal?”

    “yes, anyway…”

    his brows were frowning but the corners of baron’s mouth formed an arc. her plaintive reply was quite unfair.

    he’d been chasing and pining for her for a long time, yet he couldn’t help but notice that the look in her eyes towards him had changed. even if it was something minor, it was enough to make his chest swell.

    * * *

    deep in the night, the carriage quietly crossed the ecliptic in the darkness and stopped in front of jeff’s townhouse.

    “welcome!”

    baron’s lieutenant, alec, quickly opened the carriage door with a warm greeting. noah, the head butler, could only shake his head with his son’s rude behavior. he quickly straightened his disapproving expression and greeted baron as well.

    “you finally arrived, your excellency. we have been waiting.”

    “what about the knights?” baron asked.

    “they are returning.”

    seira pulled baron’s arm as she overheard the two’s conversation and asked, “did the knights move?”

    “it’s nothing, don’t worry about it,” alec replied with a frown.

    soon after he said those words, noah hit his son and alec’s expression immediately returned to a smiling face.

    seira’s gaze turned to aven, who still stood beside the carriage. with his usual unemotional face, she had no idea what he was thinking.