A snowy night.
A silent room.
But even quieter was the subtle tension between them.
Dana felt her heart ache—not just a fleeting sensation, but a deep, lingering pain.
Her throat tightened, making it hard to breathe.
An overwhelming wave of emotions crashed over her.
Edwin’s expression grew serious as he looked at her.
Dana, usually composed, seemed different tonight.
Gazing into her eyes, which looked on the verge of tears, he asked,
“…Did something happen?”
Dana shook her head.
“It’s not that…”
She lifted her gaze to meet his.
“I’ve just been cold for a long time.”
Edwin stared into her eyes in silence.
Desperately, he searched for even the faintest trace of emotion, trying to understand how she felt.
For a brief moment, countless emotions flickered across Dana’s face.
Her eyes, once filled with profound loneliness, gradually regained their calm.
And then—
She smiled.
A radiant smile, so bright it took his breath away.
Dana’s emotions shifted moment by moment, yet she had no idea just how deeply they gripped Edwin’s heart.
Her blue eyes locked onto his.
“But I’m okay now.”
Her slightly trembling voice reached him.
“Because you’re here.”
At that moment, Dana knew.
The memories from her past—the ones that had resurfaced time and time again—
They would no longer torment her.
“Are you really okay?”
Edwin still looked unsure.
Just moments ago, Dana had seemed on the verge of breaking down.
She smiled again.
“Edwin, I’m cold. Are you just going to leave me like this?”
“Oh—sorry.”
Finally snapping out of his thoughts, Edwin relayed the message he had received.
“They said they won’t be able to repair it until tomorrow morning. Even the palace residents are sharing rooms for now.”
“Really? That’s a problem.”
“You can switch rooms with me, Senior.”
Dana frowned at the suggestion, as if it were no big deal.
“Then you’d be cold.”
Edwin had never felt cold in his life.
His ability to control fire kept his body temperature constantly warm.
“I don’t get cold…”
“Then why don’t we just share a room?”
Edwin’s eyes widened at her words.
Sharing a room with Dana…?
That was completely unexpected.
His face flushed red in an instant.
Seeing his obvious fluster, Dana chuckled softly.
“Let’s just talk all night.”
Spending the whole night talking with Dana…?
That didn’t help calm him at all.
His mind felt like it was floating.
Then, he noticed Dana’s shoulders trembling slightly.
“You should come to my room now. You’ll catch a cold.”
“Mm, but let me put some clothes on first.”
Clothes?
That’s when Edwin finally noticed what Dana was wearing.
In his rush to wrap a blanket around her earlier, he hadn’t even looked.
Beneath the blanket, she was wearing… a bathrobe.
Edwin’s entire body tensed.
His gaze snapped to her face in a panic.
Just then, a drop of water slid down from her damp hair.
It trailed over her cheek, down her slender neck.
He stared, transfixed.
Now, not just his face, but his ears and neck were burning red.
It felt like his whole body was on fire.
Quickly, he turned away and spoke in an unnaturally stiff voice.
“…Then, put on some clothes and come to my room.”
With that, he hurriedly left.
His rushed footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Dana stood there, momentarily stunned, before letting out a small laugh.
Is he really freaking out over a bathrobe?
He had no problem getting close to her before, but now, caught off guard, he was suddenly shy.
Meanwhile, Edwin…
He stood in front of his room, dazed.
For some reason, his hand kept slipping off the doorknob.
After multiple attempts, he finally managed to step inside.
But even then, he wandered around aimlessly before grabbing a water bottle.
He poured himself a glass and downed it in one go.
The heat in his body remained.
Collapsing onto his bed, he rubbed his face with both hands.
With a deep sigh, he exhaled.
His mind was a complete mess.
He wasn’t even sure how he had walked back or how he had made it to his room.
Then, a knock echoed through the quiet space.
“Edwin, it’s me.”
Hearing Dana’s voice, Edwin shot up from his seat.
He cleared his throat, trying to compose himself.
The last thing he wanted was for things to feel awkward.
When he turned the doorknob, Dana stood there in comfortable indoor wear.
“Come in, Senior.”
Edwin said with a casual smile, trying to act normal.
Dana held back a laugh, noticing his ears were still noticeably red.
“Thanks. Thanks to you, tonight will be warm.”
Her genuine words softened Edwin’s expression.
He guided Dana to sit on the soft bed.
At the same time, she glanced at him.
“Did you go out? Why are you still in the same clothes?”
He was still wearing his uniform from earlier.
Edwin hesitated for a moment before replying.
“I went to see the knights. They needed a favor.”
“What kind of favor would they need from an official from the capital?”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
Just taking down a monster, that’s all.
“Then you should wash up. I’ve been keeping you too long.”
“I was the one holding on.”
Edwin gathered his clothes, preparing to leave.
“Hurry up and wash. I’ll wait here.”
“…Alright.”
Edwin quickly disappeared into the bathroom.
Watching him vanish so suddenly, Dana tilted her head in confusion.
And then, she realized.
‘Hurry up. I’ll wait here.’
That sounded… way too much like something a newlywed would say.
Oh no. What did I just say?
And she had said it while sitting on his bed!
Dana clapped both hands over her mouth, her blue eyes flickering with panic.
Quickly, she fanned her flushed face before standing abruptly.
Then, mimicking Edwin’s earlier actions, she grabbed a glass of water and drank it down.
She hesitated before sitting back on the bed—then changed her mind and moved to the table instead.
Not long after, the bathroom door opened, and Edwin emerged.
His damp hair was tousled, and he wore a thin, casual shirt.
He looked different—relaxed, unlike his usual pristine appearance.
Having finally calmed herself, Dana spoke first.
“You look different. More comfortable.”
Edwin met her gaze.
“Do I… look okay?”
Edwin always wanted to show only his best side to Dana.
When he cautiously asked her opinion, she burst into laughter.
“You look good. Were you planning to wear your uniform even while resting?”
“If that’s what you prefer, Senior.”
His determination to look good for her was obvious.
Dana tapped the table lightly, signaling him to sit across from her.
Then, she said,
“I heard somewhere that the more honest you are with each other, the stronger your relationship becomes.”
“For example?”
“I mean, you don’t have to overdo it just to impress me. This version of you is still you.”
Edwin nodded.
“So… you’re saying I look good like this too?”
“How did you get that from what I said?”
“Then, do you dislike it?”
“No.”
“See?”
Edwin shrugged playfully.
His exaggerated argument made Dana laugh.
After that brief exchange of jokes and laughter, the atmosphere became more relaxed.
The scent of soap lingered in the air from their recent showers.
The warmth of the room, combined with the comfort of fresh clothes, made Dana feel pleasantly drowsy.
Edwin quietly watched as she leaned back in her chair.
“Why?”
“I don’t want you to catch a cold.”
His gaze drifted to her still-damp hair.
“I guess I didn’t dry it properly when I rushed out earlier.”
Dana said, running her fingers through her hair.
“I’ll just dry it now.”
“Senior.”
Edwin called out before she could grab a towel.
He leaned forward, resting his arms on the small table between them.
The distance between them suddenly felt much closer.
Slowly, he parted his lips.
“Can I do it for you?”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“…Why?”
“I just want to do things for you, Senior.”
Edwin had always shown kindness without expecting anything in return.
Even her own mother would only serve her a cup of tea if she paid for it.
Dana was, after all, a fallen noble.
She had handled household chores on her own for years and had never had a personal maid.
She had long since gotten used to drying her hair by herself.
To someone who had never received even obligatory care, the idea of another person looking after her felt unfamiliar.
While she hesitated, Edwin simply waited patiently.
After a moment, Dana made up her mind.
