From the moment Dana decided to leave her home, she resolved to cherish herself. Learning to accept kindness naturally was part of that decision.
For a few seconds, Dana contemplated her thoughts before breaking into a bright smile.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and do it.”
Hearing this, Edwin smiled warmly.
Dana, who had always been wary of others’ touch, was now accepting it.
Edwin stood up and fetched a soft, dry towel. Then, he walked behind Dana, who was sitting in a chair.
She became acutely aware of his presence behind her.
‘Why am I feeling so nervous…?’
Even though she had decided to accept his help, her body tensed with anxiety.
Without a word, Edwin gently pressed the towel against her wet hair.
What kind of expression does he have right now? Is he just as nervous as I am?
Dana wanted to see his face. She wanted to know if he felt the same tension—the strange atmosphere between them.
Edwin’s fingers carefully ran through her damp hair, combing it gently. The moisture soaked into his hands.
As he brushed the strands near her temple, his pinky finger accidentally grazed her ear.
Dana flinched involuntarily, a shiver running through her body.
For her tense frame, his touch was overwhelming.
And it was the same for Edwin.
It lasted only a brief moment—a passing touch.
But where their skin met, warmth spread, leaving behind a lingering heat.
The soft sensation replayed in his mind.
As Edwin lifted her long hair, the delicate curve of her neck was revealed.
Against her dark locks, her nape looked as though it had absorbed the moonlight.
Breaking the silence, Edwin spoke.
“Senior, your hair looks like the night sky.”
Like a night sky that enveloped and embraced him in warmth.
“Really? I’ve always disliked my hair color.”
“Why?”
To Edwin, it was beautiful. He couldn’t understand her reasoning.
“My whole family has brown hair.”
“And?”
“When I was a child, I used to wonder if I was different from them because of my hair color.”
Dana spoke lightly, as if making a casual joke.
“It was a silly thought.”
“It must have weighed heavily on you if you were searching for a reason like that.”
“……..”
“You wanted to be with them, but they kept pushing you away.”
Edwin had seen right through the young Dana—the child who had struggled with loneliness.
Dana let out a small chuckle and responded,
“Maybe you’re right. My mother and father used to say they didn’t like my hair color.”
Edwin felt a surge of anger toward Dana’s family, even though he had never met them.
Dana was intelligent and beautiful.
And yet, she always seemed to diminish herself.
The more Edwin thought about it, the more convinced he became—her parents were to blame.
‘And they call themselves family…?’
A cold expression spread across his face, though Dana didn’t notice.
But her next words softened his gaze.
“But you said it looked like the night sky.”
She turned slightly, her fair face tilting up toward him.
“When I’m with you, I feel like I become a better person.”
If Dana’s hair resembled the night sky, then her brilliant blue eyes were the stars.
Her pure, sincere smile was directed at him.
Edwin soon broke into a boyish grin.
“I only ever speak the truth.”
Every word, every action, and even the overwhelming emotions he felt toward her were genuine.
Dana had insisted they talk all night, but as dawn approached, she began nodding off, exhaustion finally catching up to her.
Edwin gently lifted her and carefully laid her down on the bed, adjusting the covers.
As he brushed a few strands of hair from her cheek, he whispered,
“Good night, Dana.”
A few moments later, while watching over her sleeping form with warmth in his gaze, his expression suddenly stiffened.
An unfamiliar sound echoed down the corridor—slow, clumsy footsteps.
Edwin was highly sensitive to disturbances.
His naturally sharp hearing, combined with his knightly instincts, had been honed over time.
Whoever was approaching had tried to conceal their presence, but it was ineffective against Edwin.
The footsteps grew slower.
Whoever it was, they were hesitating as they neared his room.
Unable to ignore it any longer, Edwin rose from his seat.
It was disappointing that he wouldn’t be able to watch Dana sleep a little longer.
Moving carefully to avoid waking her, he dressed and opened the door.
As expected, two of his subordinates were standing outside.
“Commander…!”
One of them spoke with urgency but immediately froze under Edwin’s piercing gaze.
Ensuring the door behind him was firmly shut, Edwin asked indifferently,
“What is it?”
His subordinate hesitated, then leaned in to whisper, as if afraid to speak too loudly.
“About the Fraken…”
“I know. What I meant is, why are you here so early?”
“But we always leave around this time…”
Ignoring his subordinate’s grumbling, Edwin took the lead and walked ahead.
***
The morning sunlight streamed through the window, spilling onto the bed.
A single ray of light, accompanied by birdsong, tickled Dana awake.
“Mmm…”
Rubbing her eyes drowsily, she suddenly sensed something was off.
This wasn’t her usual room.
‘Ah, right… I’m on a business trip!’
At the same time, memories of last night flashed through her mind.
How she had insisted on staying up talking all night.
Gasp!
Dana shot up from the bed.
She had fallen asleep so comfortably in someone else’s room!
Hurriedly, she straightened her disheveled clothes.
“Sorry, I must have fallen asleep first…”
Judging by the fact that she had been tucked into bed, Edwin must have made sure she was comfortable.
Feeling even more embarrassed, she was about to apologize again—
But the room was eerily silent.
“…Edwin?”
The person who should have been there was nowhere to be seen.
Dana quickly freshened up and got dressed.
When she stepped into the lobby, the innkeeper approached her, looking flustered.
“I’m so sorry! The temperature control system suddenly broke down…”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t intentional.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“It’s alright. By the way, have you seen the person I was with?”
“Oh, you mean the incredibly handsome, charming, and dignified gentleman?”
“…Yes.”
Apparently, Edwin had left quite an impression on the innkeeper.
“He left early this morning.”
“This morning…?”
“Yes, he left with the knights.”
Dana looked at the innkeeper in confusion.
Why would someone from the Ministry of Magic need to meet with the knights so early in the morning?
Then, she suddenly remembered what Edwin had said the day before.
‘I went to see the knights. They asked me for a favor.’
No way…
Could they be retaliating for something he said yesterday?
A sudden wave of unease washed over her.
Edwin, who always smiled so brightly, who seemed so innocent—was he in danger?
“…Thank you.”
Without another word, Dana set off for the Rune Knights’ headquarters, her pace quickening with every step.
As she neared the base, knights came into view.
Most were shoveling heavy snow, while the rest stood guard.
Dana rushed toward one of them.
A round-faced knight turned to her.
“Huh? Aren’t you supposed to start work in the afternoon today?”
“Yes, but have you seen the person I was with?”
“Oh, you mean the Command… I mean, that ill-tempered guy?”
Ill-tempered?
Dana had never met anyone as warm and gentle as Edwin.
She frowned at the knight’s remark.
The knight, Harriet, scrambled to think of an excuse.
The Commander had strictly ordered them not to reveal his identity.
No—more than an order, he had proposed a game.
Harriet suddenly recalled the pitch-black, burnt bread from long ago—the very thing that had silenced them all.
Paling, she hesitated. Dana eyed her suspiciously.
“Uh, um… he went out on a monster hunt with us!”
“A monster hunt?”
“Yes, we asked for his help.”
That explanation should be safe enough, right?
But contrary to Harriet’s expectations, Dana’s expression turned ice-cold in an instant.
Unfortunately, Harriet was the least perceptive knight in the entire order.
“…A monster, you say?”
“The beast, Fraken! It was too terrifying, so we asked him to come with us.”
Harriet’s casual tone made Dana’s blood boil.
Any semblance of social etiquette she had built up crumbled.
“Are you insane? You asked a civilian employee to go on a monster hunt?!”
“B-but… it was scary. Please don’t be mad…”
The Edwin Dana knew was kind and considerate.
There was no way he would refuse a request for help.
Even if it put him in danger, he would have followed them without hesitation.
Dana bit her lip, anxiety creeping in.
