Nighttime Encounters - Chapter 27
“Oh, Mr. Kaiden.” Rosiana’s clear voice rang out to Kaiden, who was deep in thought. “Come to think of it, I didn’t show you the food in the last bowl.”
Rosiana advised Kaiden with a serious expression. “It’s a very, very important dish, so please do try it.”
Kaiden stared at Rosiana, trying to gauge the woman’s intentions. Could there possibly be something even more dreadful than the food he had seen so far?
Just as Kaiden’s imagination was about to stretch to infinity, Rosiana answered quickly.
“It’s chicken soup.”
Kaiden blinked in surprise at the unexpected menu item. “Chicken soup?”
Despite Rosiana’s body trembling, she continued her explanation without stopping. “I worked my fingers to the bone making chicken soup. I couldn’t sleep, waking up at the crack of dawn to make the broth, burning my hands while tearing apart scalding hot chickens, meticulously cutting vegetables into perfect bite-sized pieces…”
Kaiden raised his hand, halting Rosiana’s seemingly never-ending explanation. “That’s enough for me to understand. So please, just go back now.”
“Even if it’s for the sake of acknowledging my effort, please do try it.” Rosiana, earnestly pleading, swiftly opened the door. “Well then, I’ll be on my way. Enjoy your meal.”
Kaiden gave her a quick nod. The door closed, leaving Kaiden alone. Rosiana’s voice lingered softly in his ears like an echo.
Tapping the desk as if trying to grasp the lingering sound of her voice, Kaiden murmured to himself, “However, did I ever mention being at the Guard Headquarters?”
Staring silently at the bag Rosiana left behind, Kaiden clicked his tongue.
Of course not. It was something that she could figure out even without him explicitly mentioning it to her.
The world wouldn’t leave him alone even for a moment.
* * *
The world truly never left Kaiden in peace, did it? Was it since the awakening of his explosive magic power? Or perhaps, from the moment he gained recognition within academia for his unique abilities? Maybe, it started right from birth as the heir to the Calskronin Ducal House. People around him always paid attention to Kaiden’s actions. Just like now.
“How did you know? I didn’t notify anyone separately,” Kaiden said casually, running his hand through his damp hair while looking at the other person.
Just out of the shower, and now he had to deal with an unwanted guest. It had been an unusually uncomfortable day. Turning slightly away from the person, Kaiden draped the towel that had been on his shoulders over the chair. His still-damp upper body was barely dry, revealing a glistening chest.
“There’s no way we wouldn’t know where you are, young master.”
The guest, standing tall, swiftly handed over a nightshirt. Without a word, Kaiden took the shirt and put it on, familiar with the routine. A shirt hugged Kaiden’s upper torso, flowing over broad shoulders, strong chest muscles, and well-defined abs.
“Why are you here, when you could be back in the capital attending to the Duke?”
Kaiden adjusted the shirt collar and approached his bedside table. On the table lay wine from room service, a purple hair ribbon, and a bag of food, creating a discordant mix of items. Reaching out, Kaiden grasped the wine bottle and poured it into a glass. The crimson liquid elegantly streamed down the sides of the wine glass as he filled it.
Raising the partially filled glass, Kaiden spoke icily, “If you have something to say, say it and leave.”
Unfazed by Kaiden’s coldness, the visitor asked politely, “Young master, aren’t you uncomfortable staying here?”
“It’s overly comfortable compared to the days I spent working in the borderlands.”
The gray-haired man surveyed Kaiden’s quarters with a gaze that suggested years of experience.
Located in the center of Calenia, the capital city of the Escalona Empire, the Roselia was quite large. It was a place of dignity and renown, fit to be the official accommodations for foreign envoys.The rooms were furnished elegantly, and staff were well-known for their excellent service. However…
“You must find it uncomfortable compared to the Duke’s residence.”
“That’s a matter of opinion.”
At the cynical response Duke’s son, the Duke’s butler offered a subtle wistfulness. “The space is cramped, and there’s no private garden to stroll in.”
The butler scrutinized every nook and cranny of the room, almost as if inspecting it. The corners of Kaiden’s mouth twitched as he watched.
Certainly sent by Father, without a doubt.
Howard, the butler, had loyally served Kaiden’s father long before Kaiden was born. If he moved, it was his father’s hand that moved him.
Kaiden rolled the wine glass in his hand, trying to choose an emotion. “Come March, I’ll be living in a place even more cramped than this, and alone, anyway.”
“So why don’t you make yourself at home in the Duke’s quarters, even if it’s just for a while?”
“I am more comfortable here.”
The butler hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking up. “His Excellency is very concerned.”
Kaiden twisted the corners of his mouth as he brought the wine to his lips. The flavor of it on the tip of his tongue was bitter. Only now was he concerned about his grown son, when before he would have been so carelessly dismissed.
“It’s an unnecessary concern. Tell him I’m doing fine, as you can see.”
“But…”
Turning to the butler, Kaiden drove a wedge even further. “It’s just more comfortable working outside, just as Father used to say.”
With that, Kaiden downed the wine in one gulp.
