Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 138
“Of course, of course. Madam Roel, please be careful as you go”
“It was so nice to see you after such a long time! I hope to see you again soon!”
Kyden scanned the villagers who were awkwardly trying to create a cheerful atmosphere before following Roel, who was pulling on his hand. The fact that he was complying so readily made Roel feel relieved.
‘The villagers really seem scared of Kyden. I’ll have to come here alone next time.’
To commoners, the lord and the knight were power figures more intimidating than the Emperor. The Emperor was a distant figure they would rarely meet, while the lord and knight were right in front of them.
Roel understood why the villagers were afraid of Kyden; she had also been terrified of the lord’s representative when she was little, often lying flat on the ground and unable to lift her head.
However, she couldn’t shake off the discomfort in her heart. Kyden was a kind and good person, and it upset her that he was being treated as a threat.
Looking up at him, Roel pointed out.
“I think people are scared because Kyden looks so serious. You should try smiling a bit more gently.”
Kyden raised one corner of his mouth slightly. He still looked cold and intimidating. Roel shook her head, feeling frustrated.
“No, no! Not like that! You need to lift both corners of your mouth!”
Roel demonstrated, curling her eyes into a charming smile that lit up her face.
Kyden mimicked her, but with his sharp gaze, he still appeared somewhat menacing, making him look almost like a killer with his awkward grin.
“After drinking, you laugh and smile so easily. Why are you like this most of the time?”
“I don’t know.”
Kyden replied bluntly, feeling dissatisfied with Roel’s attention being focused on others.
He couldn’t shake the lingering feelings of being left out while she mingled with the villagers. He had no intention of harming her hometown friends.
Why was he feeling so disappointed and upset? Was he uncomfortable with the idea of Roel having people closer to her than him?
He hadn’t seen her interact closely with anyone else before. She always talked to him in the midst of unfamiliar faces and had given him her undivided attention.
An old neighbor? I liked her first? What nonsense was that? He thought. The past was the past, yet he felt a childish jealousy blooming in him, wanting to be her top priority.
Drawing her closer, he tightened his grip. Roel asked, trying to hold back a laugh.
“Are you sulking, Kyden?”
“No, not at all.”
“You seem a bit upset. Is it because of Ver? Ver was like a younger brother to me. We’re not like that at all.”
“…I don’t really mind.”
Taking care of him like a younger brother… that thought felt quite uncomfortable to Kyden. He sighed, realizing just how petty he was being.
Roel tugged on Kyden’s hand.
“Kyden, let’s just take a look at the house where I lived.”
“Okay.”
She wondered if the house she had lived in with her father is still standing? Has someone else moved in? Filled with anticipation, Roel quickened her pace.
As she returned to her childhood home, her shoulders sagged. The house was vacant now.
The once charming garden was overgrown with weeds, and the walls were rusted and crumbling. Kyden gently rubbed her shoulder to comfort her.
“I’ll have someone restore it to its former state so you can visit often.”
“No, it’s okay. Everything rusts and fades with time.”
Roel shook her head and carefully stepped inside the house. With each step, memories flooded back.
Though her childhood home had fallen into disrepair, her memories were vividly alive.
The stable where the mischievous donkey lived, the tree stump where her father used to chop firewood, the birch tree where the birds laid their eggs—everything remained unchanged.
Roel opened the front door, and it creaked in protest.
Inside, she saw broken windows and a dusty wooden table. As Roel gazed around in a daze, Kyden approached her, looking concerned.
“Are you okay?”
“Everything’s still the same. It hasn’t changed.”
Roel smiled brightly as childhood memories washed over her, tears spilling from her eyes.
A flood of emotions surged within her. She turned to Kyden.
“Thank you for coming here, Kyden.”
“I should have paid more attention.”
He felt guilty about the state of her home. If he had been a bit more careful, this wouldn’t have happened. But Roel smiled as if it was enough for her.
“Meeting you is the greatest fortune of my life.”
She felt that words couldn’t express just how much she liked him. Her heart raced, and she felt a tingling sensation in her fingers and toes. This moment with him was incredibly precious.
“I’ll stand by your side no matter what hardships come our way. I’m forever yours.”
Kyden’s eyes widened at her confession. He stared at her face, frozen as if he had forgotten how to breathe.
“So… Kyden, will you also be mine?”
