AME 30

CH:30

“Alessia, do you have time right now?”

“Yeah, I’ll come out.”

A few hours later, Alessia was able to meet Kaon again, fortunately looking much better. Though the redness around her eyes couldn’t be completely hidden, it wasn’t so bad that it was unsightly.

“Um… did you rest well?”

Kaon asked a bit awkwardly, glancing at her eyes. Judging by how his gaze kept drifting to them, it seemed he was still bothered by what had happened earlier.

Alessia suddenly realized why she had always found Kaon Ferdinand so uncomfortable. It was because, throughout her life, no one had ever watched her as closely as Kaon Ferdinand did.

She had always been the one to read the room, the one who worked hard to match the moods of others. But Kaon wasn’t like that. He paid attention to her just as much—if not more—than she did to him.

That’s what had bothered her so much. There were probably many other reasons—feelings of inferiority among them—but that was likely the biggest one. He kept making her feel unfamiliar with herself in ways she’d never experienced before.

“Yeah. Thanks to you, I feel better now.”

But at this moment, she didn’t feel as uncomfortable as she once did. Whether it was because she had let go of her negative feelings toward Kaon Ferdinand, or because his clumsy attempt at comfort had broken down some internal wall, she no longer felt the same way.

Still, the way this boy kept becoming an exception in her life—that was a little frightening. Alessia pretended not to notice the gaze brushing against the side of her face and walked along quietly.

Kaon led her beyond the main keep to a secondary castle located on the outskirts of the estate.

She remembered hearing that the relatively small and clean-looking castle had been built by the previous Duke Ferdinand as a separate residence for his wife. After both the Duke and Duchess had passed away, it had been left empty and unused.

‘Why here?’

Though she was curious, she figured she’d find out if she waited. Once inside, Kaon guided her up the stairs.

As she ascended, Alessia glanced around. The castle was designed so that the ceilings and stairwell windows were all glass—during the day, the whole place would be flooded with light. From inside, it would feel like being outdoors, with beautiful views all around. The Duke’s love for his wife was apparent in this romantic space.

As they climbed, the deep blue evening sky seemed to draw nearer and nearer. Alessia suddenly found herself envying the Duchess she’d only ever seen in portraits.

To receive such a beautiful castle as a gift—she couldn’t even imagine a life like that, having only ever received this cursed name as her birthright.

“We’re here.”

Kaon, who had been silently walking, finally spoke as they reached the third floor. He stopped in front of the third door on the right and held out his hand to her.

“Here.”

Lying in his large palm was a key. Though he didn’t explain, Alessia understood—he wanted her to open the door.

As she unlocked and stepped inside, the familiar scent of paper washed over her. The room, both a study and a bedroom, immediately gave off a neat and comfortable atmosphere.

Alessia fixed her gaze on the armchair by the wide window. The room overlooked the entire Ferdinand estate, and it was very close to the image she had once dreamed of.

“This was my mother’s room.”

“She must’ve liked books.”

“Yeah. That’s why a lot of rooms in this castle have attached libraries. She especially loved this room. Said it made her feel like she was floating.”

It was a vague expression, but Alessia thought she understood. If one could read without interruption, with only the changing seasons for company, it would surely feel like that.

“I can see why.”

Alessia smiled and nodded. Honestly, it wasn’t a topic that particularly interested her. If the Duchess were still alive and someone she could get close to, that would be useful—but she wasn’t.

She turned her indifferent gaze away and looked at Kaon. Was he here to talk about memories of his mother? She couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Kaon, unaware of her doubt or simply ignoring it, hesitated before finally letting out a deep sigh and speaking.

“Sometimes… I just want to be alone. I get that way sometimes.”

“Everyone does. Me too, Kaon.”

It wasn’t something difficult to say, so she didn’t understand why he had hesitated so much. Still, Alessia responded supportively.

“When you feel like that, come here and rest. The other rooms aren’t cleaned yet…”

There was a short silence. Her eyes, which had been drifting aimlessly, returned to Kaon. He was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

“…You mean, you want me to use this place?”

“Leo doesn’t care about this place, so you could use another room, but this one’s cleaner. We do a deep clean every few months… Anyway, this room is the cleanest right now.”

“You said this was your mother’s room.”

“Well, she’s not here anymore. And it’s not like she only ever used this one. I think she’d be happier if someone used it.”

Even though he couldn’t meet her eyes, Kaon still managed to say all that.

“And… I heard you liked books.”

As he finished, the setting sun poured through the large windows. Alessia looked between the key in her hand and Kaon Ferdinand’s face, glowing red in the light.

So, in summary: he wanted her to have a place to rest alone and had taken the time to clean out an unused castle himself. All because he didn’t want anyone else to know, he had done it quietly, all by himself, into the evening…

‘This isn’t good.’

Alessia didn’t want to think of Kaon Ferdinand as someone special. In a situation where she couldn’t even see one step ahead, having all her attention pulled toward a single boy—it didn’t sit well with her.

But because she had no peace of mind, Kaon Ferdinand kept pushing his way into her heart.

“Oh, right. Do you want to go back to that boutique again? It’ll be cold soon, so maybe we should get some coats in advance. And while we’re out, we can look around a bit. Staying inside all the time gets boring.”

That large, beautiful boy who shyly avoided her eyes while suggesting things only she would enjoy—he felt like a gift from a merciful god who had taken pity on her.

‘I’m definitely going to become the greatest mage. Everyone said I would.’

That little girl once believed so.

‘Today, I’ll finally feel my magic.’

‘If I tell everyone the truth, they’ll stop bullying me.’

‘My parents must not know what’s happening to me. If they find out, they’ll help.’

Those desperate, trivial hopes—none of them ever came true. And as they failed, she eventually stopped hoping at all.

Or so she thought. But when she looked at Kaon Ferdinand, a small sliver of hope kept creeping back into her heart.

Maybe Kaon Ferdinand was the one stroke of luck she’d been given. Maybe it was okay to reach for that miracle.

Was it the hope that was the problem? Was it her mistake to hope, knowing full well that her wishes never came true?

Maybe. After all, Alessia’s life had never gone the way she wanted.

From the moment she was given that glorious, undeserved name, not a single thing had gone her way—not even now.

“Alessia… are you really a mage?”

The tight tension in Kaon’s face said enough about how long he’d been struggling to ask that question.

‘Here it comes.’

That was the only thought in Alessia’s mind when she looked at him.

When Morris suddenly pestered her to show some magic, Alessia instantly knew someone had put him up to it. Even without seeing Kaon standing nearby with anxious eyes, she would’ve figured it out.

Kaon’s behavior over the past few days had been very different. Having noticed it early on, Alessia knew this day was bound to come.

‘So this was the trap.’

And so, even though she recognized Morris’s request as bait, she deliberately used her magic through the ring for all to see.

Because when you set a trap, the one who laid it always comes to check on it. She had decided to step into it to see how the hunter would react.

As a result, she learned that while Kaon Ferdinand might be a fine knight, he was not a seasoned hunter.

‘Ah. So it ends like this.’

Alessia stifled a hollow laugh. Luck? As if she could have such a thing. Maybe this was the price of wishing for something so ridiculous.

Looking back, Alessia Ingelos had disliked Kaon Ferdinand from the beginning. A boy who seemed to have no worries beyond impressing a girl he liked—a boy born lucky. She had really hated him.

It would’ve been better if she’d just continued to hate him. If only she had, she wouldn’t have had to feel like this.

But it was too late now. She just had to give up those foolish thoughts and pull herself together.

Alessia had no intention of returning to Ingelos. That horrible place—she’d rather be eaten by a monster than go back there.

“You can see it, can’t you?”

Kaon flinched at her words. That honest reaction confirmed her suspicion that he was hiding something, too.

Ah, this is my last chance.

Alessia instinctively knew it. If she missed this, there would be no second opportunity. She had barely escaped her family’s domain. She couldn’t go back. She absolutely wouldn’t.

She was determined to remain in Ferdinand, even if she had to shake Kaon Ferdinand with his own weaknesses.

Miracles were fleeting, but reality was forever. And so, Alessia Ingelos returned to reality once more.