Chapter 14
“It’s dangerous, so I’ll escort you to the carriage.”
An unexpected remark slipped from Jen’s lips. Ria stared at him as though she had just seen something unbelievable.
“After holding a sword to my throat, now he says it’s dangerous?”
“What’s wrong?”
Jen looked at her with genuine puzzlement, as if he really didn’t understand.
“No, it’s nothing…”
Ria forced a smile, swallowing down the words she wanted to say—that he was the most dangerous one here. The sword hanging at his waist had far too much presence for her to speak her mind.
After that brief commotion, the two of them made their way toward the main gate.
It was only a walk across the garden and then across the schoolyard to the front entrance, but today the distance felt unusually long.
The school, wrapped in darkness, resembled a closed amusement park—awkward and desolate. Everyone walked toward the exit, and it felt as if they were trespassing in a place they shouldn’t have entered. Following the lighted path that led to the gate, almost as though being ushered out, Ria remembered something she had forgotten.
“Hey, Jen.”
“What.”
“When you talked about your proposal before… you said the only thing you’d gain was your life.”
Jen tilted his head slightly, as if to say go on.
Ria wanted to ask—Do you know that the Grand Duke Corend will kill you? And what does that death have to do with me?
The words rose to her lips but sank back down again.
“I just wondered what you meant.”
Jen answered casually.
“Exactly what it sounded like. I think this is the only way I can survive.”
“Why… why would you die?”
Of course, Jen would die. Ria knew that. But Jen himself didn’t. He shouldn’t. That was why it seemed strange.
“It’s not like he can see the future… so how can Jen know about his own death? That doesn’t make sense.”
Jen smiled faintly, as if he both knew and didn’t know.
“Didn’t I tell you? This time around, I chose you. That’s all you need to know. Anyway…”
Anyway?
Ria’s eyes were filled with curiosity, but Jen pressed his lips shut. He clearly had no intention of finishing the sentence.
It felt unfair, like she almost had the answer but not quite, so Ria pressed again.
“But I don’t have the power to save you or anything like that.”
“I’m not asking you to. I just need you to…”
Jen suddenly stopped walking. Ria realized they had already reached the main gate. Beyond the ornate golden decorations stood the Carvlik family carriage, emblazoned with its crest. Beside it, Isabel was waiting.
Jen cast a glance at Isabel.
“Just what?”
Ria quickly stepped in front of Isabel’s line of sight, afraid he might stop again, and pressed him.
“Just… stay as you are now.”
At that moment, a gust of wind swept between them, blowing Ria’s dark hair across her face.
“Ah… I can’t see…”
She squinted, and through the strands of her hair she caught a hazy glimpse of Jen, standing utterly still.
The flickering lights swayed in the wind, leaving wavering afterimages.
“Somehow, just now…”
Ria shook her head quickly, as if to banish the strange thought. For a moment, she had thought Jen was about to vanish. As though he might disappear somewhere completely.
“No, that can’t be…”
She rubbed her eyes with both hands.
“It’s late. Go on.”
Jen nodded toward the carriage.
“Ah… right.”
It really was quite late. Isabel even seemed to be glaring at her, urging her to hurry.
Ria started toward the carriage, but noticing that Jen remained where he stood, she tilted her head.
“What about you? Aren’t you going?”
“Do you want me to escort you all the way inside?”
“What? No, that’s not what I—”
“I’ll save the escorting for after we’re married.”
Only then did Ria realize he was teasing her.
“Jen!”
He tilted his head again, as if to say hurry along, and at last Ria forced herself to take reluctant steps.
She felt uneasy, as though leaving him here was the wrong choice. And with good reason—Jen seemed especially strange tonight.
“My lady!”
Isabel rushed forward with a worried expression.
“My lady, why are you so late? The Duke is worried sick.”
“Mm. Sorry.”
As Isabel ushered her into the carriage, Ria glanced back over her shoulder.
But there was only the swaying light. Jen had already disappeared into the darkness.
A few moments later, seeing Ria’s personal maid approaching, Jen turned without hesitation. He walked down a pitch-black road as though it were familiar, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Raising one hand, he spoke softly.
“Your Highness Jen.”
A man appeared out of nowhere in the empty street and bowed respectfully.
“There’s something I need you to do.”
“Command me.”
Without even glancing at him, Jen gave his order while walking.
“Investigate the House of Evon. Everything you can find. Even unverified information is fine.”
“Understood.”
The man vanished as soundlessly as he had appeared. Jen kept walking, murmuring names to himself. Ernie Evon, Byron Evon…
“Until now, they’ve never appeared… Is this a good sign, or…”
Lost in thought, Jen eventually stopped in front of an old building covered in creeping vines. Its eerie atmosphere was enough to explain the ghost stories whispered among the students.
He stood before it, as if accustomed to the sight.
Clank—
The heavy iron doors creaked open of their own accord, as if to welcome him.
Expressionless, Jen stepped inside. The moment he did, the decayed building transformed instantly.
The hallway lit up automatically. A red carpet stretched down its length, flanked by portraits of former kings. A chandelier of diamonds and rubies hung from the ceiling, and at the end stood a small circular hall.
It was a kind of refuge, one reserved only for royalty.
Jen walked the corridor calmly, his thoughts returning to Ria and everything that had happened today.
“I must marry her quickly. For a more definite change…”
Step, step—the sound of his footsteps echoed through the building.
At last he reached the central hall, where identical corridors branched out in all directions. It was like being trapped inside a mirror maze. One could easily lose all sense of where they had entered. But Jen walked on without hesitation.
At the end of the chosen corridor stood a door lavishly adorned with gold. It had no handle, yet it opened automatically as soon as Jen stood before it.
Inside was a massive bed, framed with golden pillars and draped in crimson. Jen collapsed onto it with a heavy sigh.
“Haa…”
His exhale echoed in the vast room. Even the ceiling was crimson, and the oppressive color forced him to shut his eyes.
But even with his eyes closed, the red didn’t disappear. Clear, vivid images resurfaced—memories he wasn’t sure when they had been etched into him.
He followed a woman who had carelessly shown him her back, drawing his sword.
There was no other way now.
He strode toward her, raising the blade high. Just as he was about to strike, he hesitated.
Those long, curling brown locks tumbling to her waist. He remembered the first time they had swayed beside him. That foolishly kind smile.
For that smile, he felt like he could do anything. He had wanted to protect that small figure, barely reaching his shoulder, to shield her from all harm.
“Once… I thought that was love.”
He swallowed a sigh and, without hesitation, slashed her back.
“Ah…”
With a final scream, the woman collapsed as blood spattered in every direction.
Jen wiped a droplet of blood from his face. His sword dripped crimson.
Startled awake, Jen sat upright in bed, his face drenched in cold sweat.
“Damn it…”
He buried his face in his hands. Of all days, why today—the day it had all happened?
Memory was cruel. The more you wanted to forget, the more stubbornly it clung.
“I’ll never forget. Even if everything ends someday…”
After some time, he opened his eyes again. Jen’s blue gaze had sunk deeper into the shadows.
Meanwhile, after parting ways with Jen and arriving at the Duke’s estate, Ria had to endure Isabel’s endless scolding all the way in the carriage.
“The Duke and Duchess will surely have words for you as well! At the very least, you should have sent word if you were going to be late!”
She had repeated the same line dozens of times without changing a single word.
“Alright, alright! I said I won’t do it again!”
At last Ria raised her voice, and Isabel finally stopped muttering. But Isabel’s worry was genuine. The Duke cherished Ria dearly. His anger would be great—evidenced by the estate still blazing with lights.
Having never been scolded by her parents before, Ria entered the house filled with both dread and a touch of anticipation.
“Hm?”
But what she found inside shocked her. Two men were laughing heartily, loud enough to shake the house. One was the Duke of Carvlik himself. The other was a man she had never seen before.
It was so far from what she had imagined that she froze at the entrance of the hall.
“Young Lady Ria has arrived,” the butler announced, bowing.
Only then did the two men notice her. They both beamed warmly at her.
“I… I’m sorry I’m late.”
“No, no. You came back safe, that’s what matters.”
The Duke, always generous with her, looked especially cheerful tonight.
“Is it because of that man?”
Ria tilted her head just as the stranger strode toward her. He was huge, nearly Jen’s height, but he carried an intimidating presence. It wasn’t just the muscle—it was something more.
With his short brown hair and hearty appearance, he looked like the type who would be at a tavern laughing boisterously over beer and roasted chicken.
“He’s handsome… but more like the kind of man middle-aged women would swoon over.”
While Ria was thinking this—
“Ria!”
The man grabbed her in a crushing hug.
