~Chapter 27~
One of the blessings granted by his curse.
Even in pitch darkness, he could see surprisingly far and clearly.
Sensing a gaze, the woman’s face looking this way came into sharp focus.
Ethan stretched out his arm long, covering the lower half of her face just as he did that day.
‘It’s her.’
The woman who spent the night with him in the forest.
Seeing her twinkling eyes watching him intently in the darkness made him all the more sure.
A surge of joy rushed up within him.
Just as he was about to spur his horse forward again, Ethan’s face stiffened.
He saw another person overlap with her image.
His mother.
They spent their last summer at this villa before his father disappeared.
From the moment his father left until now, his mother never once left the terrace, just like this woman.
She never had tea indoors for lunch or dinner.
She always sat in the spot with the best view of the mansion entrance, hoping his father would come back and meet her gaze like before.
‘Will this woman also stand there forlornly like my mother someday?’
Waiting endlessly for someone who would never come.
If he let this joy grow within him, and if she felt the same—
The curse passed down through the blood of House Kenwolf.
Just as his father’s fate eventually reached him, would this woman’s end resemble his mother’s?
His feelings, which had been floating lightly, slowly began to change shape.
All joy vanished without a trace, and what filled its place was something Ethan had never felt in his life.
Surprisingly, it was loneliness.
A loneliness still raw and bitter.
His father, declared missing but in truth left alone to protect the family.
That day, watching his father’s back as a child, was the first time he felt such loneliness. This feeling now was similar.
‘This joy will someday ripen into loneliness.’
She would become his mother, and he would become his father, repeating this moment.
And that would be unbearably lonely.
‘So keeping this distance is better.’
If she gave her heart to him, it would be disastrous.
With a single kind word, he could make her fall in love in an instant.
Ethan cursed himself as he signalled his horse to move.
* * *
The soldier who had been silently watching her in the darkness urged his horse forward again.
In no time, he arrived before the villa’s main building and jumped off his horse.
When Riden’s eyes met the man brushing back his messy hair, she missed a step on the stairs.
‘It’s Ethan?’
Thud, thud, thud, thud. Thud thud thud, thud.
Her shoes had felt a little loose today.
As she stumbled, her shoe slipped off and tumbled noisily all the way to Ethan’s feet.
‘Ugh, of all times!’
Trying to hide her embarrassment, Riden lightly placed her now bare right foot atop her left.
He looked up at her wordlessly.
Seeing her stand like that, balancing awkwardly, his soft chuckle sounded louder than usual.
That laugh felt like a chilly spring breeze on her bare foot, making Riden awkwardly laugh along.
The man bent down and picked up her shoe. Though it had felt slightly loose on her foot, it was completely covered by his large hand.
Step by step, as he climbed the stairs, the shoe dangled from his fingers.
‘What should I say?’
It was technically their second meeting, but only she knew that. Officially, it was their first, so she had to be polite.
‘I should curtsey.’
She knew she had to greet him, but standing on one foot, all she could do was sweat nervously.
Finally reaching her, he placed the shoe down before her.
“……Thank you.”
She said softly, eyes fixed on the shoe.
No reply came, and she began putting the shoe back on.
‘Ah.’
In her haste, the thin heel wobbled and bounced away like a volleyball.
‘Ah! I want to disappear!’
Riden bowed her head while Ethan silently walked over to pick it up again.
He knelt on one knee, extending his hand as if offering a ring.
“Your foot.”
Surprise spread across Riden’s face.
‘My bare foot… in his bare hand?’
No way, I’ll do it myself.
When she didn’t comply, he spoke, his bowed head revealing only his crown.
“For my future wife, this is the least I can do.”
“…….”
“I don’t want to pick it up three times.”
“Okay.”
To keep her balance, Riden gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder and lifted her foot.
Though her shoe had only slipped off briefly, her foot felt icy cold, making his warm hand feel even hotter.
With her shoe back on, Riden was finally able to curtsey.
“It is an honour to meet Your Grace. And thank you for this.”
She lifted her right foot slightly in thanks.
Ethan gave a small bow in return.
‘How should I end this conversation? This is so awkward.’
“Is it awkward?”
As if reading her mind, he asked so accurately it sent chills down her spine.
‘Is he a ghost?’ she thought, replying in a hushed voice.
“It is awkward.”
“…….”
“We only met once before, when our parents had us sign the marriage contract. This is only the second time… of course it’s awkward.”
“……I see.”
She wanted to excuse herself but hesitated whether it was polite to say she would leave first.
Riden peeked up at him to gauge his reaction.
‘How curious.’
Seeing her up close, Ethan was certain.
Her clear sky-blue eyes were like a seal, making it impossible not to recognise her even if he hadn’t known before.
Her pretending not to know irritated him slightly.
As he pondered how to resolve this subtle annoyance rising within, she bowed to leave.
“Then, you must be tired from your long journey… I wish you a comfortable night…”
Seeing her bow and try to leave, he blurted out unkind words without thinking.
“So you’re saying there’s nothing to talk about, and I should just go to bed?”
“Uh…”
Her eyes darted around as she answered with difficulty.
“If I keep you here after your long ride, you’ll be tired…”
His brows furrowed at her awkward response.
“Are you always this bad at talking?”
“Isn’t it harder to be talkative with someone you’re meeting for the first time?”
Ethan was momentarily speechless, looking at her innocent expression as if asking ‘What more do you want me to say?’
‘She says it’s hard to talk to someone on the first meeting… yet she chattered endlessly that night… this woman lies so easily…’
He had planned to exchange brief greetings and leave, but now he felt uneasy leaving like this after her dismissal.
So, going against his resolve, he spoke again.
“You said it’s an honour to meet me. If so, shouldn’t you want to talk more? I heard you’re quite chatty.”
“I’m not chatty.”
“Yes, you are.”
“??”
Her confused stare frustrated Ethan.
‘That night in the forest, you talked so much… I know everything!’ he wanted to yell, but swallowed his words.
Seeing her oblivious expression, as if she had no intention of ever confessing, his insides twisted.
It annoyed him that he seemed to be the only one dwelling on that night.
