CH 115

Thump, thump – Riett felt like her heart would burst out of her chest. But she knew that she wasn’t ready for this moment yet. However, Riett wrapped her arms around Evan’s neck.

This seemed to be the best way to end it appropriately. Evan’s eyes widened slightly. 

Riett gently exerted pressure with her arm and brought her face close to Evan’s. Their foreheads touched, radiating warmth.

And then, Riett pressed her lips against Evan’s, giving him a gentle kiss. She hoped for some kind of reaction from Evan, but his response was as cold and unyielding as ice. Not a single blink of his eyes.

‘Oh… Did I do it for nothing?’

It was a clumsy gesture, an attempt to express her feelings. Evan’s lack of response made Riett’s confidence waver.

Embarrassed, Riett tried to release her arm from around Evan’s neck, but he lowered his head and kissed her again. It was a deep kiss that conveyed their hearts, perhaps even more so than when he’d confessed his true feelings in Parman.

‘So, this is what a kiss is like.’

Her previously jumbled thoughts became hazy, and she felt a growing strength in her toes. Consequently, Riett had no choice but to hold onto Evan’s neck more tightly.

But the more she clung to him, the more intense Evan’s kisses became. 

When she started to wonder how much time had passed, Evan’s lips finally parted. With his eyes closed, he took a deep breath, creating an austere yet sensual atmosphere that paradoxically enveloped her.

When Evan slowly opened his eyes, his lowered black pupils met Riett’s gaze. Just his gaze alone made her feel entangled in strange emotions once again.

Fearful that things might escalate even further, Riett pushed Evan’s chest away.

“Today… ends here!”

Surprisingly, Evan obediently backed away and picked up his shirt from the bed.

“I think that’s for the best, too.”

He muttered.

Hearing Evan mumble those words, Riett’s face flushed again.

* * *

Riett went downstairs to the dining room first, followed by Evan, who had changed his clothes. The meal continued.

Riett couldn’t fully appreciate the taste of the dishes or the wine because she was preoccupied. Especially this wine, which was a valuable gift from His Majesty. However, Evan appeared the same as usual—elegant and relaxed.

If it had been before, his nonchalant attitude would have seemed somewhat disdainful. But after witnessing Evan’s earlier unease, his current demeanor didn’t feel inhuman. 

It was even more surprising. Riett couldn’t help but think that Evan was just as flustered.

She recalled the warmth they had shared moments ago. Her mouth quickly dried up.

Ahem. She shouldn’t dwell on what happened earlier. It would have the opposite effect now. 

If she thought about it too much, she might end up behaving stiffly like a robot once again.

The long dinner finally came to an end. 

Riett stood up to see Evan off.

‘Hmm…?’

But Evan was heading towards the stairs instead of the entrance. Observing quietly, Riett grabbed the edge of Evan’s sleeve.

“Where are you going?”

“To the second floor.”

At Evan’s nonchalant response, a faint sense of unease crept over Riett’s forehead.

“Why are you going to the second floor? If you want to go home, you have to go outside.”

“I’m planning to stay here for the night.”

Riett blinked.

“What?”

Evan’s lips curved into an elegant smile.

“Riett, are you suggesting that I should go home at this late hour?”

Riett glanced at the clock. It was eight o’clock. It wasn’t too late to the point where he couldn’t go home.

“It’s not that late anyway. Besides, I can arrange a sturdy carriage to take you home. And even if someone tries to bother you, they won’t stand a chance against a Swordmaster like you.”

Riett’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but Evan lowered his head and brought his face close.

Recalling their previous encounter, Riett instinctively flinched.

However, Evan’s lips found her ear instead.

“Riett.”

A soft voice tickled her ear.

“Truth be told, I feel a bit weak from earlier.”

“From earlier?”

“Your warm breath…”

Eek! Riett let out an internal scream and hurriedly covered Evan’s mouth.

Though Evan spoke in a soft voice that only she could hear, Riett’s head quickly turned around, concerned that anyone nearby might have heard.

It was an unnecessary anxiety. The fact that she had done something like that with Evan earlier felt dreamlike, and the strange relationship that had developed between them over a long period was embarrassing to even think about.

When Riett removed her hand, Evan closed his eyes and smiled.

“Is it not possible?”

“It’s… it’s possible.”

Riett quickly nodded her head, curious about what other way Evan would make her feel awkward.

In the end, Riett informed Natasha that Evan would be staying the night. Keeping the fact that she was extremely flustered by Natasha’s odd question about whether she should prepare a separate room for Evan.

Riett and Evan went upstairs together and stopped in the corridor. Riett extended the key to the guest room.

Evan stared at the key intently.

“We can sleep in your room together.”

“W-What are you saying?”

“Why not? We used to fall asleep in the same bed when we were young.”

“That was when we were young…!”

Riett reached out and forcibly placed the key in Evan’s hand. Evan looked at the key, then lowered his hand.

A smile formed at the corner of Evan’s lips.

“Okay, I’ll be satisfied with that tonight.”

Tonight? Riett, who understood the suggestive undertones of Evan’s words, had to make an effort to act nonchalant.

“…When you sleep, make sure to close the windows properly. It feels quite windy outside.”

As Riett spoke, Evan cast his gaze outside the window.

“It’s windy?”

“Yeah. I briefly opened the window while you were changing, and even in that short time, there was a strong gust of wind.”

Riett nodded in agreement, and Evan approached the window and opened it. He leaned out, surveying the surroundings.

“It’s not particularly windy…”

Riett also extended her arm through the gap Evan created. 

It was true. It was eerily calm, devoid of even a slight breeze that would contradict the earlier strong winds.

Feeling uneasy for no reason, Riett explained.

“It was windy earlier.”

Evan straightened up and closed the window with a thud.

“Yeah, I believe you. But there’s something strange.”

“Strange?”

Riett asked in confusion. Evan was still looking outside.

“Actually, I had a strange feeling even when we were coming to this mansion. I don’t know the reason; it’s just a hunch.”

Evan’s explanation was quite vague for her. However, Riett understood what he was trying to say.

‘It’s hard to put into words, but sometimes you have a foreboding feeling.’

Especially when you reach the rank of Swordmaster, your intuition and sixth sense become particularly heightened, or so they said. Perhaps it was something like that.

Evan turned away from the window and looked at Riett.

“Is my room near yours?”

“Yeah, right next to it.”

Since the key had a tag that read ‘Guest Room 1,’ it was right next to Evan’s room.

Evan spoke with a somewhat serious expression.

“If anything happens while you’re sleeping, let me know immediately.”

Was it because of Evan’s words that she was overly conscious? For some reason, the atmosphere in the mansion felt ominous. Without hesitation, Riett nodded her head.

“Yeah, you too.”

***

Riett pulled the blanket up to her chin and closed her eyes tightly.

‘Mishan said he would stand guard if anything happens during my sleep.’

The face of Mishan, saying, ‘Yes, for the sake of your rest, Master,’ appeared in her mind.

Is she being too wicked…?

She briefly pondered, but then let go of her self-reflection. There was no use in worrying about it now.

‘But spirits don’t sleep and don’t get tired from such things.’

She missed Mishan a little. It was inconvenient not having him around. From the small task of gathering leaves in the garden to having the most effective way of protecting oneself.

‘No.’

However, she still possessed a sharp sword skill that had not rusted. Although she hadn’t practiced diligently lately due to her focus on spirit magic, what she had accumulated wouldn’t easily disappear.

Riett opened her eyes and groped under the pillow. She felt a cold sensation.

Riett, wanting to be prepared, had placed a dagger under her pillow. If she sensed any danger, she would not hesitate to retrieve the dagger. 

Thinking that way seemed to alleviate the uneasiness in the air. 

And before she knew it, sleep overcame her, and Riett fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, Riett had a dream. Startled, she knelt and sat, looking at her broken dagger.

‘Why…?’

She was bewildered. Despite diligently taking care of the dagger she had been together for a long time, it had ended up broken so pathetically.

‘How should I tell Evan…?’

She felt deeply sorry, even to Evan, who had given her the dagger as a gift. 

Riett looked around, trying to find the cause of the dagger’s breakage. As if indicating something, a faint gust of wind brushed against her cheek.

Feeling as if someone was leisurely looking down at her, Riett’s neck felt cold. And when she slowly turned her head in that direction…

“……Ha!”

Riett gasped for breath and sat up. Her body was covered in a cold sweat.

It had been a vivid scene, almost too real for a dream. Perhaps it was the result of Evan’s intuition manifesting.

That’s when it happened.

Ssh…

A weak breath-like wind brushed against Riett’s face, just like in her dream. When she turned her head, she saw that the window she had closed before going to bed was open.

“…!”

Without hesitation, Riett pulled out the dagger from under her pillow. Her mouth went dry.

‘Where is it…?’

Riett slowly rolled her eyes, searching for the intruder, and then she heard a sound as if the heel of a shoe hit the wooden floor from a corner of the wall. It was like the location was deliberately revealed.

Riett’s gaze shifted in that direction.

In the darkness, she saw a vague figure. It was a silhouette that felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, and in an instant, she knew who it was.

The intruder slowly walked out.

And when the face emerged under the moonlight, Riett realized that her suspicions were correct.

“Long time no see, Duchess Marren.”

As he slightly lowered his head, his long emerald-green hair softly swayed.

It was a reunion with Perante.