Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 77
The leader, drenched in sweat, tried to console the disheartened Kyden by suggesting various solutions.
“How about we kidnap Roel? You can rescue her from danger.”
“She’s too sensitive for that. It would scare her too much.”
“She needs to be scared so that your rescue seems more dramatic!”
“No, that’s not an option. She has bad memories that might make it too traumatic.”
Simple, but usually these childish plans work well. The leader sighed in disappointment.
“How about a jealousy ploy? Bring another woman around.”
“What if she truly gives up on me?”
“Wouldn’t she get jealous?”
“That’s not her personality.”
This is difficult.
“Have you tried giving her gifts? Like jewels, land, or a house. Buying her a peaceful lakeside spot would surely impress her.”
“No…”
“Man, you haven’t even tried that!”
Seizing the moment, the leader shouted as if he had found a golden opportunity.
“When my wife had our first child, I bought her a rose garden! A full field!”
They enjoyed the blooming roses that summer, but sold them in the fall.
An emotional Kyden opened his eyes wide.
Does the leader think he doesn’t want to give her such things? He had been contemplating many ways to make Roel happy in the future.
Kyden planned to return home and resume his knighthood, which would entitle him to a fief. In the knightly community, receiving land instead of a salary and collecting taxes from it was common.
Kyden intended to ask his lord and friend for a piece of land with a small waterfall. He wanted to give Roel a waterfall.
There was a beautiful, small waterfall at the edge of the Count’s territory that he thought Roel would love.
If Roel chose to stay in the capital, the leader’s suggestion of buying a tranquil lakeside property seemed like a good idea.
“I am very disappointed in you. There’s a limit to being aloof. How can a man who is cold even to his own woman expect to be loved?”
The leader, seizing the moment, began a lengthy lecture on how to become a man worthy of love.
But Kyden didn’t pay any attention. He had no interest in the advice of a womanizer who had been through three wives.
“How does a man like that get to change women so often?”
“Well… let’s just say love found me multiple times.”
Kyden stood up, clearly indicating he had heard enough, and extended his hand.
“Give me some jewels.”
He didn’t lack the money to buy them, but he wasn’t leaving empty-handed after coming all this way.
“Why are you suddenly acting like a bandit?”
“Did you think I’d let this slide for free?”
“…This is ridiculous.”
The leader knew resolving things with money was often the easiest solution. Grudgingly, he headed to his safe.
“I don’t have any jewels on hand. I only keep gold…”
He made a show of lamenting as he looked into the safe, but Kyden was unimpressed.
“I saw you raid the organization’s safe.”
“….Your observation skills are sharp.”
In the end, Kyden took a jewelry box from the safe.
“Those looked quite valuable…”
The leader hadn’t had them appraised yet, and it pained him to part with them. But Kyden, indifferent to their worth, took the box.
‘When should I give this to her?’
The value of the jewels was of no concern to him.
He was more interested in when to give them to Roel, whether they would lift her spirits, if she might begin to like him again, and if they could restore their closeness, even to the point of kissing and sleeping together as they had before.
* * *
Roel spent the day nervously watching for an opportunity to apologize to Kyden, while Kyden awkwardly searched for a moment to give her the gift.
As they both hesitated, the capital’s busiest time, Founding Day, drew near. The lines at the city gates grew four times longer, and the streets were adorned with blooming flower decorations.
Roel was marveling at the abundance of fully bloomed flowers despite it being early spring. Hawk explained that it was the handiwork of Magic Tower. With an apologetic expression, he made a request.
“Roel, I’m sorry to ask this, but could you work until the Founding Day celebrations are over?”
“Of course. I haven’t found another job yet anyway.”
Knowing how difficult it was to find help during the busy Founding Day celebrations, where merchants worked tirelessly and citizens enjoyed themselves, Hawk was relieved by her agreement.
Roel, anticipating an influx of guests starting today, got up early and stepped outside, only to find something blocking the door.
“Huh?”
It was a large envelope. Suspecting that Kyden might have left it, Roel carefully opened it and found an elegant-looking dress inside. The thought that Kyden had left this gift made her feel mixed emotions. She had been reluctant to wear the dress she had brought from the cabin, fearing it would get damaged during her chores.
What if it got ruined while she was serving food or cleaning? It would be so upsetting she might cry.
Roel carefully folded the dress and placed it back in her room. Just looking at it filled her with happiness and satisfaction. The feelings of guilt and gratitude made her nose tingle.
She knew she needed to reconcile with Kyden and apologize, but she couldn’t find the words.
