Chapter 163

Aiden took a step back and observed the interesting scene without much interest.

“Thanks, but I’ll decline. I can just wipe it with my clothes.”

As Aiden expected, Reynard also politely refused today, creating a barrier with a smile-less face. It was hard to find it interesting.

‘It can’t be easy to reject like that every time.’

When a girl first expressed interest in Reynard, Aiden was curious. Is a rose-colored academy life unfolding for our Reynard? He greatly wished that his friend, who often felt lonely, would make a girlfriend and live a little more lively.

However, contrary to his expectations, Reynard, who was even more shy and distant from people than now, sternly rejected her and disappeared as if running away.

Since then, he also rejected girls who showed interest in him in a single blow like now. The only thing that changed was that he spoke a little more gently than before.

“Aiden, do you have a handkerchief?”

After the female student left with a sad face, Reynard asked. Aiden handed over the handkerchief he had kept in his trouser pocket.

Compared to the handkerchief the girl had offered earlier, it was a crumpled cotton handkerchief that had nothing to show, but Reynard wiped the sweat on his forehead as if it didn’t matter.

“Reynard, don’t you really have someone you’re interested in?”

“Why do you suddenly ask that?”

“No, I mean, you’ve refused all of them without even thinking about it so far, so I wondered if you would go that far if you don’t have someone you like.”

As he returned the borrowed handkerchief, Reynard avoided the answer. Aiden, who had casually thrown the question, finally focused on him.

“Do you have someone?”

“I’m thirsty. I’ll go in first.”

He clearly avoided answering and left the training field with quick steps.

‘That guy really…?’

Aiden squinted his eyes and watched his receding figure for a while.

* * *

That guy definitely has a girl he’s interested in. Aiden finally concluded today.

But even when he recalled, he had no clue who Reynard might be interested in.

There was no girl he was particularly close with, nor was there any he had looked at for a long time. All he looked at with a wistful eye was always the distant sky.

Even after a few days of careful observation of Reynard, the result was the same. He didn’t even look in the direction of the girls, let alone show interest in them.

At this point, Aiden had to doubt his hypothesis, which he had considered 100% certain, swallowing tears inward.

‘Maybe he’s just not interested, not that he has someone he likes.’

After all, it made no sense that a kid who barely opens up to his friends would give his heart to a girl he’s never even had a proper conversation with.

And it wasn’t long after Aiden concluded that Reynard simply had no interest in the opposite sex. That day, Aiden left Reynard, who said he wasn’t very hungry, and returned to the dormitory after dinner in the cafeteria with Nathan.

As soon as he entered the 3rd floor corridor where the dormitory room was, he saw Reynard receiving a letter and a well-packaged box from a mailman. He thanked the person, who handed him the item and left, and stared blankly at the letter in his hand.

“Reynard, are you really not hungr…”

Aiden, who was about to offer to go to the cafeteria together if he was hungry, couldn’t finish his sentence just like when he saw Reynard receiving a letter at the library once.

Reynard, who had been stroking the envelope with a gentle touch as if touching a very fragile animal, kissed the letter. He smiled with his lips on it.

But it was strange. Even though his lips were perfectly shaped, to Aiden’s eyes, it seemed more like he was holding back tears rather than smiling. It was evident from him leaning weakly against the door with his sturdy shoulders hunched.

“Brother Reynard…”

Aiden silently gestured to Nathan to be quiet. Nathan covered his mouth with both hands and silently nodded his head.

In the quiet corridor with darkness falling, Reynard stood alone for a long time. As if he would faintly fall and shatter if you pushed his shoulder lightly, that dangerously.

3. A New Beginning

“Do you really have to go?”

Edwin asked, gripping Yurina’s hands tightly. His eyes, which had been tear-streaked throughout the wedding, were already bloodshot. Edwin, taller than average and more muscular than most knights, looked out of place crying like a child. This made his sorrow look more pitiful than comical.

Yurina smiled bitterly, unable to shake off his hands.

“I’m not going to die, you know.”

“But still…”

“Stop crying and move aside! Are you the only one saying goodbye?”

Although Justin chided him with the same bloodshot eyes, Edwin held onto Yurina’s hands and resisted. Justin sighed, nudging Edwin’s shoulder and then stepping back.

“Wrap it up soon.”

Justin and Edwin were both hotheaded, but Edwin always seemed to show extra care towards their younger sister, Yurina. Knowing this, Justin decided to give him some more time.

Edwin, without any words of thanks, looked down at Yurina and struggled to swallow his tears again.

“If something happens, you must contact me. As soon as I see your letter, I will rush over.”

“You know that won’t be necessary. Even if something happens, Rey will take care of…”

She was about to say ‘protect me well,’ but Edwin cut off Yurina’s words, shouting.

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about!”

Surprised by Edwin’s unusual reaction, Yurina stopped talking. He glared at Reynard, standing behind her.

Although Edwin looked pitiful in front of Yurina, he was a well-respected knight in the Empire. Other knights were often overwhelmed by his intense gaze when he seriously held a sword.

Despite Edwin’s intense glare, Reynard didn’t even blink.

Edwin’s temper was already frayed by his indifference, he gritted his teeth audibly.

“If he does anything to you, tell me.”

“Like what?”

“Ignoring you, hitting you, cheating on you…”

“Brother.”

Yurina cut off Edwin’s words, holding his hand tightly. She had been listening quietly, but now she couldn’t tolerate it any longer.

Despite her grip not being particularly strong, Edwin moaned as if he’d been stabbed in the side. When Yurina glared at him, he bit his lip and fell silent.

“You know that won’t happen. I understand you’re worried, but there’s no need to be. I’ll just take a trip and then I’ll live in the capital.”

“That’s not our home.”

“But it’s only a 20-minute carriage ride away. I’ll visit often. Okay?”

Yurina looked up at Edwin, who had bowed his head, and smiled. He seemed to be trembling with emotion, glaring again at Reynard.

“If anything happens to Yurina, I won’t let it go!”

“There will never be such a thing.”

Upon hearing Reynard’s calm reply, as if stating a self-evident truth, Edwin appeared to have many things to say, but ultimately didn’t utter a word.

He left Yurina with a wish for a safe trip, and made room for Justin.

Justin behaved similarly to Edwin, wishing Yurina well with a teary voice and issuing threats to Reynard before stepping back.

‘Is it only Brother Riggs left?’

Yurina turned her gaze to Riggs, who was standing a little distance away. He was staring blankly at the sky with his back turned to her.

As she slowly approached him, he turned around as if sensing her. His face was devoid of any tear stains, his eyes were clear, but Yurina somehow felt that he was silently crying.

She remembered Riggs’s face when she was severely ill with a fever, how he had sobbed, pleading her not to die. Since then, he had never shed a tear in front of her, but the image of his face at that time seemed to hover over his face now.

Although she was able to control her emotions while talking to the twins, strangely, she felt a knot in her stomach and a prickling sensation in her nose.

“Brother.”

When she extended her hand with a forced smile, Riggs pressed his lips to the back of her hand with knightly respect. Unlike the twins, he didn’t make a loud farewell.”

“You look pretty when you smile. Don’t cry and always smile.”

He just said that one line. A phrase too ambiguous to be called a proper goodbye. Yet, Yurina read his wish for her to always be happy in those words.

“Yes, I will.”

She deliberately smiled brighter. He hesitated for a moment, then gently stroked her head. He then took Yurina’s hand and walked towards Reynard, carefully passing her hand to him.

Reynard, after exchanging a wordless conversation with Riggs through a glance, turned to Yurina and smiled brightly.

“Let’s go.”

With his escort, Yurina boarded the carriage. She opened the window and waved her hand, and the people of the Carthia mansion waved back or bowed in greeting towards her.

Familiar people and familiar places. Yurina felt an odd sensation as she watched the outside until the carriage began to move.

When the figures of people had shrunk to the point of becoming invisible, Reynard, who was seated across from her, approached her.

“Yurina.”

At the shadow cast over her head, Yurina came to her senses and looked up at him. Reynard, propping one knee on the chair, nearly sat on top of her, gently holding her chin.

“I understand it’s sad to be separated from your family, but…”

He lowered his head and came a little closer.

“Can’t you just think about me for now?”

The sunlight shining through the window made his red eyes sparkle even more. Yurina stared intently into his eyes, which were filled with possessiveness and jealousy, then nodded. At the same time, he kissed her somewhat hastily.