Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 113
The next day, Kyden returned to the hotel early in the morning. He announced that he had suddenly decided to leave and that they needed to prepare.
“So suddenly? I’ll pack my things right away.”
It seemed that Count Serley had encountered trouble meeting women in the capital, and seemed to be thinking of going back quickly.
Roel sighed as she looked at the mountain of her belongings. Kyden had given her lots of gifts and resulted in a lot of extra baggage.
Would they be able to carry everything, especially with the many luggage? Just as she was worrying about it, Kyden spoke up.
“Throw away anything old. I’ll buy you more clothes.”
“That’s wasteful… I can still wear them enough.”
“You can still wear these? They’re falling apart.”
“…”
Roel reluctantly decided to get rid of her old clothes. While they were comfortable for casual wear, she couldn’t bear to throw away the gifts Kyden had given her, leaving her with no real options.
After lightening her load, they climbed into the carriage waiting in front of the hotel. Kyden planned to join Count Serley’s march outside the capital.
With no time to prepare mentally for the sudden departure, Roel opened the carriage window. The wind rushed in, tousling her hair.
‘We’re leaving again.’
She had departed from her hometown, cloaked in sorrow after her father’s death. She had fled from the valley village, trembling with fear after killing her cousin. Leaving the cabin felt like stepping away from a happiness that could shatter at any moment.
Her departures had always been filled with sadness, fear, and hesitation. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t scared of leaving.
A small boat adrift in a vast ocean had every reason to be afraid. With no way of knowing when a fierce wind would blow or when high waves would crash, it sailed through the sea, always harboring fear.
But this time felt a bit different. Hope, anticipation, and excitement bloomed in the corner of her heart. She was leaving of her own volition this time.
“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
Kyden asked as he looked at Roel’s expression. Roel took a deep breath and turned to look at him.
“No, I’m fine.”
“Don’t worry. There won’t be any more difficult times ahead.”
“Yes… I’ll trust you.”
Roel smiled faintly as she took his hand. The carriage rattled as it left the capital.
‘Strangely… I’m not scared at all.’
It felt like her life, which had been sailing aimlessly, now had a marker. Riding the winds that had once brought only fear, she felt as if she was moving forward with vigor, complete with a great sail.
The sky, which had been overcast, cleared up to a bright blue. The clarity in front of her felt strange.
“What should I do on the way to the hometown? Should I help prepare the meal?”
“You’ll be moving separately. Just stay in the carriage.”
Kyden had rented a separate carriage for Roel to ride in. It would cost quite a bit for the journey, including the carriage and the coachman, but it was a negligible expense for him.
Roel’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You mean we’re taking a carriage all the way there?”
She was astonished that they would travel such a long distance by carriage, despite not being noble.
“I can ride in a cart! Or, I can ride with you on horseback!”
“I’ve already rented the carriage, so just ride in it. You’ve never ridden a horse anyway.”
“But…”
He pressed his lips against her forehead, and then stepped out of the carriage.
Kyden needed to join the march on horseback. As a knight, he couldn’t just leave his lord to travel comfortably.
“Don’t come out.”
After giving her that last warning, he mounted the horse he had tied behind the carriage. Skillfully guiding the horse, he passed Roel’s carriage and joined the Count’s march.
Roel leaned out of the window, watching his figure fade into the distance. Her carriage moved separately, trailing behind the march.
‘It would have been fine to go together… I guess I’m just a nuisance.’
Thinking she might be a bother to the Count, she spent the time in the rattling carriage in a daze. Her bottom wasn’t sore, and her back felt fine, so the journey wasn’t too taxing.
‘This carriage is really nice.’
The jolts from a cart would transmit the bumps of the dirt road directly to her, causing aches after a while, but the cushioned carriage allowed her to ride for a long time without pain, just a slight discomfort.
Kyden’s hometown was a week’s ride southwest of the capital. The vast southwestern region of Count Horman’s territory was said to be fertile, making it a good place for people to live.
‘Count Horman… I feel like I’ve heard that name before.’
And so, Roel’s carriage continued to move, maintaining a distance from the march.
