~Chapter 09~
Clink. In the quiet dining room, the sound of utensils clashing rang unusually loud.
Asthan frowned deeply and set down the knife he had been using to cut his steak. His wrist throbbed, making it hard to cut properly.
Maybe because he hadn’t slept well, he had no appetite either. Giving up on the meal, he aimlessly brought his whiskey glass to his lips. The alcohol burned strongly on his tongue.
Through the glass, he glanced at Gloria, then slowly lowered the drink.
Why is it so hard to ask what gift she wants for her birthday?
He could just ask casually, but the words kept getting stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out.
Asthan wet his dry lips and looked at Gloria again.
Her cheeks, rounder than a few days ago—probably from the cold—were now tinted pink. Her hair, tied sloppily with a hairband, hung down to her chest.
Below her hair, she wore a loose, sack-like dress. It looked warm, sure, but it didn’t really suit her.
Would getting her clothes be too much? Calling a tailor might cause a fuss. And he didn’t know her size, so he couldn’t do it secretly, either. Maybe jewelry would be better.
Asthan’s eyes moved to her ears, neck, arms, and fingers.
She wasn’t wearing a single piece of jewelry—not even a cheap ring. He wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t have any or just didn’t like wearing them.
She looked pretty even without anything… Wait, what am I thinking?
“Ahem.”
He anxiously emptied his whiskey again and again, when Gloria set her fork down.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been staring at me the whole time. If there’s something you want to say, please feel free to say it.”
“Oh, no. I just had something on my mind.”
Asthan waved it off, and Gloria gave a small, awkward smile as she changed the subject.
“Um… would it be alright if I went into the library? There’s a book I want to find.”
“Go ahead. …By the way, do you like reading?”
Asthan asked, his eyes lighting up.
“It’s not that I love it…”
Gloria paused briefly before continuing.
“When I don’t have anything else to do, reading makes time pass faster.”
“I see.”
Hearing that she read not out of passion but simply to kill time, Asthan quickly lost interest.
Along with that, he gave up on figuring out what gift she might want.
“Well, this works out nicely.”
“What does?”
“I have to step out for a while and was wondering what to do with you. But you can just stay in the library and read.”
“Where are you going? What for?”
“Would you fix the problem for me if you knew?”
He dodged the question with a teasing remark, and Gloria pursed her lips before asking again.
“When are you leaving?”
“Afternoon, the day after tomorrow.”
“When will you be back?”
“About a week later.”
“A whole week?”
Gloria looked disappointed as she asked. Although she seemed a bit down, she didn’t press him further, which was a relief. Still, she wasn’t someone to give up so easily either.
“If I go with you…”
“No. Don’t cause trouble. Just wait quietly.”
After what felt like never-ending snowstorms, the castle grounds were now covered in clean snow and warm sunshine. Asthan stared blankly out the window at the rare clear skies.
The naïve young lady was gently leaving tracks in the pure white snow. Her cape fluttered as she walked, making footprints like a child—or maybe a puppy.
“Water and food for a week have been prepared, and I packed a few extra changes of clothes. It might be a good idea to take some emergency medicine just in case—”
“No need. I’m not going far.”
Asthan replied as he looked over the bags Colin had packed.
It was only for a week, yet the amount of stuff made it feel like someone was leaving for good.
He couldn’t help but feel heavy seeing it all.
“If anyone shows up while I’m gone, don’t let them into the castle. Send them to the inn.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Double the patrols to twice a day, and tighten security outside the castle.”
“Yes, understood.”
“And if ten days pass and I still haven’t returned, lock the gates and set fire to the castle tower.
You understand what I mean, right?”
“…Yes.”
After giving his instructions, Asthan looked at the bracelet on his wrist.
Hopefully, nothing would happen—but if something truly irreversible occurred, he couldn’t guarantee everyone’s safety.
“The young lady will be very lonely,” Colin said cautiously.
“I’ll try to explain it to her, but…”
“No, I’ll tell her myself.”
Asthan fiddled with the bracelet that was tightened to its limit, then put on his coat and stood up.
Before locking himself away in the tower, there was something he needed to give Gloria.
Creak, crunch.
Following the sound of footsteps on the snow, he found a girl in a cloak blowing visible puffs of breath into the cold air, playing around. He watched her in silence for a moment before speaking.
“It’s cold—why are you outside?”
“Oh? Duke?”
Gloria’s face lit up as she turned toward his voice.
“I came to see you off. Are you leaving now?”
“In a little while.”
“Then why did you come out so early?”
“The weather looked nice.”
Asthan’s eyes scanned her quickly. She was wearing the scarf, gloves, and boots that the head maid had given her. It didn’t look very warm, but it was enough for a short conversation.
“Would you like to take a walk with me before I go?”
“Sure.”
Gloria agreed without hesitation, and Asthan began walking slowly. Gloria walked beside him, her silky hair fluttering in the breeze.
“Aren’t you cold?”
“Not really… Actually, a little. Can I link arms with you?”
“…If you want.”
As he offered his arm, Gloria immediately linked hers with his. She gently leaned her cheek against his shoulder. It startled him a bit, but he didn’t dislike it—and continued walking outside the castle.
“Wow…”
Gloria gasped at the sight of the snow-covered world. The untouched white snowfield was breathtakingly beautiful.
“It’s so pretty.”
Her eyes sparkled like a little girl’s, and a faint smile appeared on Asthan’s face.
I’m glad I came out.
Acting casually, he fastened the clasp of her cloak.
“You said you were cold. You’ll catch a cold.”
“I’m fine.”
Gloria smiled brightly and instead pulled up his collar. Their eyes met, and hers curved gently into a smile.
Asthan’s hand, which had almost reached out to touch her pale, snow-kissed face, pulled back and slipped into his inner pocket instead.
“Don’t cause trouble while I’m gone. Just stay quietly.”
With a gruff tone, Astan held out a small necklace.
“What’s this?”
Gloria took the necklace with a puzzled look. It was a simple metal chain with a small fang hanging from it – a necklace made from a sikun’s fang, the first one Asthan had hunted.
“A necklace made from a Sikun’s fang.”
“That must be really valuable. Why are you giving this to me…?”
“It’s a gift.”
“A gift?”
There was no way a twenty-year-old girl would prefer a monster’s fang over a jewel, but Asthan, blaming his poor taste, awkwardly added,
“It’s important to me. Keep it safe.”
“I will. I’ll treasure it until the day I die.”
Gloria’s wide eyes were filled with surprise and joy. Asthan watched her curiously as she admired the necklace. Then he spoke again—words he hadn’t finished earlier.
“And if, by any chance, I don’t come back…”
“What?”
Gloria looked up sharply.
“What do you mean by that?”
Her intense reaction made Asthan bite his tongue.
“I was just saying.”
“Liar. Who says something like that ‘just because’?”
“Do you prefer it to be a lie?”
“That’s not what I mean…”
Struggling to find the right words, Gloria asked in a worried voice,
“You’re not going somewhere dangerous, are you?”
“What do you mean by dangerous?”
“Like… a duel, or a war, or something like that.”
“Ha.”
Just how far does this girl’s imagination go?
Still, Asthan couldn’t help but smile at her concern.
“Unfortunately, it’s nothing that exciting. If it were, I’d take you along too.”
“Hmph. If you’re joking, I guess it’s not a big deal.”
Gloria puffed out her cheeks and pouted, and Asthan chuckled as he resumed walking.
After trudging through snow that reached their knees, they eventually came across an old cabin. It had been built as a shelter for travelers in case of a sudden snowstorm.
Just as Asthan thought it was time to head back, he spoke to Gloria, who was still distracted by the necklace.
“If you need anything, tell me. I’ll get it on my way back.”
“I don’t need anything. Everything I need is in the castle…”
CRACK!
A loud crashing sound cut off Gloria’s words.
“Huh? Did you hear that?”
Asthan’s face instantly tensed. Gloria looked at him, confused, then followed his gaze.
“…Sikun.”
Behind the old cabin, a snow-white monster was glaring at them.
