Chapter 07
The Wrong First Button (3)
The moment Kaiden’s voice reached her, Berenice closed her eyes.
Pffft—! A sharp, cutting sound broke the air, and the crushing weight pressing down on her hands vanished.
Then came a heavy thud as something dropped to the ground.
“W-what…!”
“Not yet.”
When Berenice tried to open her eyes to grasp what was happening, Kaiden’s large, firm hand gently pressed over them, forbidding her to see.
His other arm was still wrapped tightly around her waist.
Pinned helplessly against him, Berenice frowned at the thick smell of blood filling the air.
It was a scent she’d grown sick of during her fugitive days, yet one she could never truly get used to.
“Please let me go.”
“The precious daughter of House Wiltiéra doesn’t need to see such a sight.”
“Wiltiéra isn’t that weak. And besides…”
“Besides?”
“…your wound might reopen.”
Though she could easily have pulled away—his grip around her waist held no real strength—Berenice stayed still in Kaiden’s arms for one simple reason.
She was afraid of disturbing the wound on his left shoulder, which was still bleeding.
If she moved carelessly and touched it, even by mistake…
That wound can’t handle any more stress—it hasn’t even stopped bleeding yet.
He wouldn’t die from the poison, but he could die from blood loss.
And if Kaiden were to die here, the blame would undoubtedly fall on the House of Wiltiéra.
Berenice, who had once fought tooth and nail to prove her family’s innocence during her days as a fugitive, knew better than anyone that the best way to survive a false accusation was never to be accused in the first place.
“Just stay still.”
“But—”
“If I move to release you, that’ll only make my shoulder worse. So just… try not to press on it.”
“You’re telling me to endure it?”
“Exactly. And blinking like that—what’s the point? You can’t see anything anyway. Can’t you just keep your eyes shut?”
Every time Berenice blinked, her long lashes brushed against Kaiden’s palm, tickling it slightly.
His large hand flinched with each flutter, and for a brief moment, Berenice forgot the situation and let out a quiet laugh. Straightening her back so as not to touch his shoulder, she sat up and hugged Bleddin’s sword to her chest again.
“Why are you even here, anyway?”
“You’re trying to have a conversation in this position?”
“Well, there’s nothing else to do while we wait for the knights to arrive. And I’ve been wondering… surely you didn’t come here alone, did you?”
“You talk too much.”
“Do you know what the medium of the curse was?”
“You really have no intention of shutting that mouth, do you?”
“If you answer me first, I’ll consider it.”
“The curse’s medium is with the bastard who’s dead now. The one who came with him is lying somewhere out there in the snow.”
“Such refined language, Your Highness. Fine, but that’s not what I meant—why are you here?”
“I heard that Wiltiéra’s firstborn had died.”
“…What?”
Berenice couldn’t process his words at first. But as he continued, she was left speechless.
“I couldn’t attend the first funeral, so I thought I should at least show my face at the second.”
“…”
“He was my brother’s most loyal sword.”
Only family members could attend the second funeral.
For the imperial prince himself to risk such danger just to attend the funeral of a mere knight—it was unbelievable.
“…You knew my brother?”
“Not personally. I just knew of him. My brother said he was the man he trusted most. And that sword… I was there when my brother chose it.”
There was no mistaking it—beneath Kaiden’s low, subdued tone lingered a pain she could almost feel.
The sorrow of losing someone you loved. Berenice knew that feeling well.
So instead of the question that rose in her mind, she said something else.
“The poison doesn’t seem to be bothering you much anymore.”
“What?”
“You were gasping for breath earlier—like someone on the verge of death.”
“Is that what you’re curious about right now?”
“You do realize you keep answering my questions with questions, right?”
“Why do I feel like I’m getting dragged into something? Am I imagining it?”
“You’re imagining things. So, could you please just answer? Before the knights get here?”
Kaiden must have heard the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps too, because he sighed quietly before replying.
“The poison’s fine. I was just gasping before to make myself look like an appetizing target. Satisfied?”
“I am.”
“The noble daughter of Wiltiéra is… not quite what the rumors said.”
“Were you one of those naïve souls who believe rumors tell the truth?”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re very good at getting under people’s skin?”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
Their conversation ended there—cut short by the arrival of the Marquis, who came running with the knights in response to Berenice’s signal.
Even from a distance, the Marquis recognized Kaiden’s jet-black hair and red eyes, and instantly understood who he was.
Then he took in the rest: the dead assassin, the bleeding Second Prince, and his own beloved daughter leaning against him.
“Louis, there may be others nearby.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The commander of the Wiltiéra knights bowed and called for several men to begin searching the surroundings, while the rest formed a protective perimeter.
Satisfied by their swift discipline, the Marquis walked straight toward Kaiden and Berenice.
“I offer my respects to Your Highness.”
“I don’t think this is the right time for formalities. Let’s skip the pleasantries.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Your daughter is safe. You needn’t worry.”
“…My deepest thanks.”
Even while bleeding, Kaiden hadn’t lifted his hand from Berenice’s eyes—a small but genuine act of consideration. The Marquis bowed his head in gratitude.
Had Berenice seen the mutilated corpse of the assassin, she would have been deeply shaken.
She had already turned white-haired from the grief of losing her brother, and had been feverish until the very moment they left the capital. The Marquis couldn’t bear the thought of her suffering any further.
“Berenice, wait just a moment.”
After glancing at Kaiden’s hand still around his daughter’s waist, the Marquis took a handkerchief from his breast pocket and covered the assassin’s horribly twisted face.
A temporary mercy, for his daughter’s sake.
“Your Highness, perhaps now…”
“You’re right.”
Realizing the Marquis’s gaze had once again fallen on the hand at Berenice’s waist, Kaiden chuckled softly and finally removed the hand covering her eyes.
Freed, Berenice opened her eyes—and the first thing she saw was her father’s violet gaze, full of worry.
“I’m fine, Father.”
“…Good.”
Taking her father’s hand, Berenice stood up. After reassuring him with a brief look, she turned her gaze toward the dead assassin lying nearby.
The body had fallen stiffly backward, as if frozen in place the instant he died. The Marquis’s handkerchief now covered his face.
A single arrow was lodged through his neck.
It was shorter and thinner than a normal arrow—but enough to confirm what had ended the man’s life.
An arrow… was it some kind of wrist-mounted device?
Berenice turned slightly to check Kaiden’s right wrist, but the Marquis, kneeling beside him to inspect his condition, blocked her view.
“Your Highness, I’ll summon a physician immediately.”
“No. Search the corpse first.”
The Marquis had just reached for his knight-commander when Kaiden stopped him with a tilt of his chin toward the body.
“I’ll do it.”
“Berenice!”
Before her father could even react, Berenice had already crouched down beside the corpse and began to search it.
Within moments, she found a dagger with a red gem set into its hilt.
Judging by the shape and length of the blade, it was clearly the weapon that had wounded Kaiden’s shoulder.
The Marquis was struck speechless by his daughter’s calm and fearless behavior—but to Berenice, it was nothing. Compared to what she’d done during her fugitive days, this was hardly worth noticing.
“Here it is.”
“Berenice! What if something—!”
“The dead can’t harm the living, Father.”
Her voice was calm, her amber eyes cold.
The Marquis fell silent at the unfamiliar sight of his daughter.
And watching the two of them from where he leaned against a tree, Kaiden’s crimson eyes glowed faintly—fixed on Berenice.
